To wrap it all up the pistol comes with a standard safety lever. 5.56 will kill you, make no mistake. LOGISTICS should be the most important factor in deciding on a fighting rifle/pistol. Riots over the results will prevail, resulting in chaos in government. WebClint Smith, President, and Director of Thunder Ranch is a Marine Corps veteran of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam. The bonus being, unlike a burro or lama, you can feed them your enemies. During the summer I had the opportunity to visit Clint and Heidi Smith at their Thunder Ranch training facility in Oregon for the unveiling of the Nighthawk The new Les Baer CustomThunder Ranch 1911 is a serious, no-nonsense self-defense pistol conceived by Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch, one of the premier training facilities dedicated to teaching people how to survive in a tough, unfriendly world. If you are as poor a pistol competitor as i am, youll quickly find out what training and equipment can fix that problem. Amen to that. Tried a Glock, did not like it, could not shoot it well and stove piped all the time. Your mileage may vary. Standard length magazine release Therell be bucket loads of that laying around too. No matter how many mags, they should all be loaded though. ", "Don't forget, incoming fire has the right of way. If you want it, youre going to have to take out the owner first. That wasnt us, we had guns. Ive got enough spare parts that I will build another very soon. Only 15 year old FPS heroes should think that. Thats what makes it part of a well rounded hobby. In the video below, gravel-voiced Thunder Ranch gun guru Clint Smith (not shown above) pontificates on a number of gunfighting topics at a recent rifle course. However i have seen the real need for more than 8+1 even if it is a .45 Yes, I know the gun wasnt loaded, but Im not too much on the way he kept moving his fingers in front of the barrel, with the hammer cocked. That quote, the sentiment behind it, and the desire to create something perfect speaks to me. Take the best that exists and make it better. I was in 2nd BN 4th Marines, 5th Marine Reg, 1st Mar Div. The COG must be in a certain place to ensure both maneuverability and stability (as a gun platform). Beveled magazine well Building an AR isnt exactly difficult, unless you start with an 80% lower. But weapons wont make a difference. Hes just putting it in terms you can remember. As for the price of Mr. Smiths carry gun, if you have to ask you cant afford it. Being everybody exaggerates, we can safely cut that back one half or more. Suarez has the RMR topic dialed in. Made from premium-grade, vegetable-tanned leather, the Burdette Custom Holsters Detective SA-35 holster is a custom outside-the-waistband (OWB) model for the Springfield Armory SA-35 semi-automatic pistol. I first met Clint in 2003 when I attended my first class under his instruction. And taking shots at 700 yards? Easily. Plus the fact every gun store that I have been to also carried 7.6239 and I have been to many in Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, and every gun show I have been to. (head down, hands in pockets and dragging feet) I guess Ill just have to stick with my XDS and make do. Three of each gun? Its a Remington 700, 3.5X10 Leupold scope, Hunter stock and mags. To be clear, he never called himself that, its something fans made up. said my cheap glock is just as effective and i can buy 15 more guns with money saved. If you know of a gun quote from Mr. Smith not listed here, send it to us. I doubt that youve received goat face. We also had a tactical area of operations, the CAP units were set in a ring around Da Nang with the idea of neutralizing those villages where there was a potential [for the enemy] to launch rockets into the airbase. Being a progressive is fun! Everybody laughs at this, but we were actually winning the hearts and minds of these people. See how this works? I dont mean it like I lifted every spoonful of dirt, but I was allowed to grow and be exposed to people who really wanted to be there. My mom and I went to Sears and Roebuck and we bought a Savage single-barrel .410 shotgun, which I still have. My first real pistol, in Vietnam, was a 1911. Again, Im going by what I see. Because when the SHTF, those helpful youtube videos may not be available. Not exact but Im not looking at his book right now. In those units there was a squad of Marines attached to a platoon of Vietnamese. Which feeds right into Clints advice to have three rifles and strip one for spare parts, if need be. Hello, everyone and welcome to The Loadout Blog. The pistol ships with a RD soft case and (1) 30-round magazine. But, obscure ones is overkill and too expensive. Mr. Smith also have Les Baer make a line of 1911 with his Thunder Ranch name on them. I still have a soft spot for the M-1 Garand and M-14 though. I generally liked what he had to say. Nobody that ever got into a firefight ever said, OH GOD WISH I DIDNT HAVE ALL THIS AMMO. It doesnt happen. No sight picture, and no sight is going to compensate for yanking on the trigger. One day Clint will come out of his shell and we will know what he really thinks. No, Ill save my money instead. The AR IS a piston system. Feed your kids. Sowhat is my sincere, heartfelt recommendation? and they get tons of ammo cheap, and lots of training at no cost to the officers. Sounds like a smart man to me, I have I cant decide who is more amusingly deluded, guys who make purchasing decisions today based on concerns about hilariously unlikely post-apocalyptic scenarios, or guys who carry a rifle in their car on the off chance they need to stop a terrorist attack. I dont need people to shoot fast, I need them to shoot well. Who wants to feed that damn burro and clean up after it? To be more specific, my 13 year old just finished our first AR build together. Clints a character. probably because I spent far more time with it on MGs and G3/CETMEs than I ever did with my issue M16A2 or civilian AR15. Meanwhile factory guns of any quality are dialed in and just work. Savage Arms Impulse Elite Precision Rifle: Anyone who would pay for advice from Capt Thunderpants shouldnt be allowed inside ANY firearm, not even an AR. These guns representthe ultimate combination of an elegant carry gun and optimal fighting pistol with key functional detail features including: Colt Commercial style thumb safety . Everyone chipped in, in the span of four years there were more than 6 million made. I only own firearms I use on a daily basis (CC handgun and full size tactical handgun are all I need) and feel much like Sgt Maj Plumley in We Were Soldiers Once. Piles of .223 all over the place? Absolutely worth every penny though, now I just need a 627 V-Comp to go with it. An 1873 Colt with the chamber under the hammer full of blood pressure meds. Thin-line VZ Diamondback stock panels And its educational. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. Just doesnt. I live in a largish and fairly homogeneous town; rioting is extremely unlikely. He used the DPX round but that isnt made anymore so ball is fine. Hes not talking about having fun on the range or competing in 3-gun. This needs to be made clear, all of our students are vetted, everyone who comes here has to prove that they have no criminal record. James Yeager recommends keeping a spare fully assembled bolt in the battery compartment of your grip just in case you break an extractor or shear a locking lug because the AR15 bolt will do both. It sucks at everything except punching through a sheet steel helmet at 600 meters, which is what it was actually designed to do. Spend your life using a tool and an AR is no where near the challenge setting the vale lash or run out on a ring and pinon, BTW If you dont have any idea about later then maybe youd be better off buying yours until you have built something that is mechanically challenging before you attempt assembling an AR. Eagle meat is never kosher because of the arrangement of the talons. With thousands of rounds through them. And that translates to any other AR you may come across from battle field pickup, to a friends rifle. Last I heard at the start of the whole Syria fiasco the Ruskies are runnin 5.45 so are the Chinese and the North Koreans. @ 16V No need to be so salty, but I think he was referring to Ian McCollum, head of Forgotten Weapons on youtube and full30.com, since he usually sports a long flowing beard and hair, hence gun Jesus. The last bit here is pretty sound advice, but Id still rather have more. How do I schedule so I have people in this place and that place? 100 loaded mags? In this excerpt from arguably the best shotgun course in the country, TFBTV - Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch Ive taken quite a few of his classes through the years. As for the viability of 5.56, it aint the best but it WILL get the job done(especially the 75+grain stuff). Thats why high speed low drag operators, such as my self, have tigers. Ive also been in the trades for over fifteen years so Im very comfortable with tools and taking my time. I currently work as an RSO at a local range in Vegas. Its also lots more expensive that steel cased ammo so its not even good for training. Smith & Wesson sells the PERFORMANCE CENTER Model 325 Thunder Ranch: a matte black .45-caliber Scandium-framed revolver, complete with a gold bead sight and undersnout picatinny rail (not shown for some reason). But buying a second to have spare parts is, IMO, overkill. Thanks you enjoyed this post, hit that like button, share it a friend, and subscribe. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Hes a colonel of Marines, and that was box or a niche that I fit nicely into being a corporal of Marines. Get a parts kit for the parts that are most likely to fail; I understand that. First, NO ammo will be lying around it will be in someones bunker, even if it wasnt when the SHTF. Me too. I did one deployment to Afghanistan and my second was on apart of 31st MEU. It just keeps working. Comments? I need to love my wife, take care of my dogs, defend my country, take care of my health and I have no foreseeable goal to retire. ), "Beware the man who only has one gun. Its readily available, even during the post SH craze 7.6239 was always on the shelf where as .223/556 was never there. Lanyard loop That allowed for growth in me, and API, American Pistol Institute (now Gunsite), was at a stage in its life where it was growing. I understand the multiple copies of the same gun idea, and have family who have done just that. Guns and ammo are good tools to have. Incorrect. Now I need to think about where to transfer them tomorrow. Q:What can you tell me about the logo?A:The shield was the first logo for ITC, the black shield. ", "I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy. He did the 80% and I did the hammering of the tiny parts. If all that is wiped away, you got bigger problems on your hands than can be solved by an AR and some MREs. ", "If you're not shootin', you should be loadin'. The ones I built work just as well as the two store-bought ARs I own. That said, Im going to be a fricken goldmine when they kill me. I understand the quest by people for higher capacityI get it, I sincerely dobut it doesnt matter if youre not hitting. If someone comes up to me on the street and asks What does your logo mean? I tell them, for one, all the cool animals were taken, all the birds and dragons and everything. Meh. Unloaded mags are useless. To be very specific AR-15/M-16 would be described as pseudo direct gas impingement with a bolt carrier group encompassing an internal piston, whereas almost every firearm with a gas system would have an external piston with a separate bolt carrier group. ", "You can say 'stop' or 'alto' or use any other word you think will work but I've found that a large bore muzzle pointed at someone's head is pretty much the universal language. In law enforcement, people only attend training because they are required too, but [Gunsite] was the first environment where I saw people that really did want to learn. With over 40 years of teaching people to stay alive in a harsh world Clint Smith, director of Thunder Ranch, Inc. and International Training Consultants, has Novice to deadly competent with good training in under 1,000 rounds. But.the very vast majority of applications can be resolved quite well with standard Walmart calibers.. Run what you like but 9mm and 223 are certainly very common rounds. Yeah a hundred + mags?! I would agree, if the marketplace agreed with you. Its mostly laziness. Posted: 12/20/2008 7:12:11 PM EDT. Everybodys got something to worry about. It doesnt group well, its very vulnerable to wind drift, it doesnt tumble inside soft tissue and basically just icepicks .22 caliber holes. If you have any suggestions, ideas, or comments. Your not sacrificing all that much in distance. Do you want to shoot really well in 800 rounds with a $900 gun or 2400 rounds with a $500 gun? https://youtu.be/H0qe45Z8wfk. Call it direct inpingement or not, the bolt inside carrier does work as a piston. with Surefire Muzzle Brake/Adaptor Barrel Type Bartlein Stainless Steel 5R rifling GAP #6 Contour (GAP Marksman/Varmint) 1:10" twist rate twist rate Standard Threaded The G.A. Q:Any story behind the name?A:Thunder Ranch? This. He has good points. It doesnt say, complete breakdown of society with gun battles in the streets and scavenging ammunition. Bravo! That doesnt make it bad, dont get me wrong. The sight is the last visual control over the projectile, the trigger is the last physical control. If you have to kill a person, a coyote, or a bobcat, 223/556 is just fine. Until then, I have a spare bolt in my grip. Or did I just miss the news coverage of all the police stations and National Guard armories that are being looted to supply widespread street fighting in southeast Texas right now? Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch, is part drill instructor, and part stand up comic. I think the same thing look at the Retro section of ARFCom and youll see an occasional thread on Air Force GAU-5 Alph/abet/soup guns. I will probably never need to make a 300 yard shot with my AK, just as the vast majority of AR owners will also never need to make a 300 yard shot. Solid battle tested and reliable. I believe that with every gun I build I have a duty to contribute to the tradition of exceptional handcrafted custom guns and the goal of perfection is the guiding light for everything I do. A fingerprint or smudge or spec of dust negates 100% perfection. And perish the idea should something apocalyptic take place anytime soon, folks will be very glad they use a commonly-found caliber. Just like my AK does. Hand-cut 30lpi checkering front and rear (Lets be honest, nobody has designed another pukes-in-its-own-mouth turd since before Stoners raygun hit the drawing board, and highly unlikely unlikely that anyone ever will again. Clints advice is sound, and I believe well intentioned. And if Mr. Smith is saying .223 is the one cartridge to rule them all rifle-wise, whats with that ammo arranged in front of him? In the video below, gravel-voiced Thunder Ranch gun guru Clint Smith (not shown above) pontificates on a number of gunfighting topics at a recent rifle course. After reminding his acolytes that they need to be able to pick up and run firearms discarded on the battlefield, Mr. Smith goes there. The caliber war, I mean. Guess What Gun Clint Smith Carries Everyday? Staff G.A. Hand-cut 30lpi checkering front and rear To quote George Carlin, Fuck me? Fuck me? The man is a straight up legend in the shooting community. The stainless barrel bushing on a blued barrel/slide/frame Im not so sure about the visual appearance of that Im going to go off and think about that. Clint informed me that after the infamous The rifles use a tunable front/sight gas block design from Rifle Dynamics. . Maybe you could elaborate more so we have a complete understanding of the conversation. This is the sort of buzz phrase no one bothers to think through because theyre too biased for their favorite whatever. How long you live depends on how well you do it. lucky genetics. Ayoob? That's ridiculous. Lowered and flared ejection port The felt necessity to have one for spare parts does not speak well for the reliability of the platform. The first is my sheriff, whos passed now, his name was Charles Meeks and he provided me the opportunity to get training and to expand the training program that we had. In addition to serving his country in Vietnam, Mr. Smith worked in law enforcement, and also as H&Ks director of training. I was an M79 grenadier, so I used a 40 mm grenade launcher and was issued an M1911 pistol. And while youre assembling your family armory, you may as well throw in a lot of loaded mags. Your life depends on it. To stay up to date with the website, hit that subscribe button. Was a bit surprised by this article that Clint isnt carrying one of those anymore actually. Out of the AR platform, its fairly accurate. WebThanks mainly to Clint Smith, Mike Venturino and American Handgunner, the 4 Military .44 Special was reborn as the Thunder Ranch Special. ), I think 100s of mags is overkill, but Im just a dumbass civilian that works a bluecolar job. Unless you like building ARs and keeping Magpul in business. (I also have a Mini-14, just in case things really get ugly and I get attached by broad sides of barns.). If i had not built at least one AR i woud have no idea how to fix the ones I have. But for the rest of us, maybe a rifle and a full kit of parts? My home built rifles, including one from an 80% lower, run just as well as the M&P 15s I own. Ive never had a problem with my builds except the staked Anderson BCG gas key loosening on my 300 blk. Maybe its just the way my mind works; form follows function, not the other way around. In this episode of TFBTV filmed at Thunder Ranch, James Reeves interviews legendary trainer and good friend, Clint Smith, about his five favorite guns. I also like that caliber for all the reasons cited above. Whats your experience? Accept nothing nearly right or good enough., Sir Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls Royce. its a showing off item, because he can, he can shoot anything well, so choose what makes him feel good. Ha! From his Oregon Eagles Nest (Im Jewish, dont judge), Whats the issue with Jews and eagle nests? This is not the first time Mr. Smith or his proxies have created a gun. Now, a little bit about me. He is one of the most interesting men Ive ever met. and that was before all the news about negligent discharge Tried the Walther P-99 in 40, liked it but could not shoot it to high competency, ditto for the Browning Hi Power, really wanted to like it, but could not shoot it well. You can reliably hunt most big game animals in North America. Three of each gun?! Parting one out to keep the other two running isnt the worst idea in the world. I have a scruffy bread, tribal tattoos, wear tacti pants, shirts, hats, boots, watch. Its Legos for adults. That said, I dont care that the .380 sales are up 500percent, I wouldnt have that gun up my butt if I had room for a tugboatIm not betting my life on that gun. And I was far from the only one. Mere mortals need to make do with what they can. I have no idea why/when gun jesus became his handle in the community, but suffice to say, I would readily debate him if this is, in fact, his espoused position. Sergei, Those people who would be surprised that an AR is somehow not a true DI gun would include everyone from firearms designers to gunsmiths, and firearms historians. That said, I prefer 7.62 NATO over 5.56, simply because I shoot better with it. Building my second ar and whats wrong with magpul? What an excellent thing to get in a chest pounding match over, bravo! Even in the tribal areas of Crapistan I mean Pakistan they have rudimentary gun manufacturers making guns by for sale by hand. /sarc perhaps, because thats really old mythology. Or what parts are more important than others. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If money is no object, thats great. When I was there we started doing double classes, which was really good for growth from an organizational standpoint: How does this range work? Both the AR and the AK work extremely well for their intended role. I own both an AK and AR, 1911 and glock. Interior Dept. Id really like to fix that rifle, but all I know is how to use a credit card, sooooooo. Kimber myself. Since that time Clint has been an invaluable mentor and friend who has helped shape my philosophy on carry guns and gear. Its anall steel 5 Government Model chambered in 45ACP. I dont understand the snobbery about AR builds. Local Storage seems to To wrap it all up the pistol comes with a standard safety lever. The .38 Smith & Wesson Special, designed in 1898, rocked the handgun realm with its ballistic performance making it a cartridge for the history books. If survival of yourself and family is your goal, then it is stupid to look for unnecessary armed conflict. not so much. So we kept thunder, and it was a ranch, so it became Thunder Ranch. People have been farming, trading, running shops, and manufacturing for thousands of years for profit. The Clint Smith Signature Government Model, Judge Rules Cell Phone Not a Deadly Weapon, Denies Stand Your Ground Defense in Florida Theater Shooting Trial, Wisconsin Supreme Court: City Cant Ban Weapons from Buses, Gun Review: Springfield Armory Ronin EMP 3 9mm 1911, The New Henry Big Boy Revolvers at NRA Show 2023 [VIDEO], http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/20892/F%FChrer-Headquarters-Adlerhorst.htm. +1 Thinking one is going to live through thousands of rounds of gun fighting (unless one is on the big side of an extremely asymetrical match) is indeed arrogance and idiocy. ", "Every time I teach a class, I discover I don't know something. BTW: 7.62 x 51/308 is what NATO will be carrying, and the Chineese and Ruskies will have 7.6239 so diversify its not all about 223. That makes you a moron and certainly soon to be dead shortly after the SHTF. Because Im more of a form follows function guy, that colors what I buy. The gravelly voiced trainer is famous for his take-no-prisoners take on armed self-defense. Save your marriage. Train until only savagery remains and stay deadly ladies and gents. 5. My gently used, $400.00 G17 will kill an asshole just as dead as a $10,000 whatever. Theres a reason there are only a few ways air superiority fighters look: aerodynamics dictate the form. I was in infantry units to start with and then I was transferred to what are called combined-action platoons, CAPs. Thin-line VZ Diamondback stock panels (ivory stocks optional). According to a recent Federal Emergency Management Agency report, fewer people are "prepping" today compared to previous years. Everyday Carry Pocket Dump of the Day: J.S. If it doesnt exist, create it. Im with Idaho Boy on this one. It is a reality little discussed, that the recoil velocity always plays a big role in felt recoil, together with the calculated total lb. Again, the AR is a good platform, but it isnt the be all and end all. And again, I got to grow, I was allowed to grow inside a box. (Think $10k and up.) I want to teach a class a week after Im dead. I believe this concept was pioneered by Chuck Norris. And, Im positive, the vast majority of ARs do. Clint Smith ofThunder Ranch is a gun guru extraordinaire. Even in Wild West, there was more cooperation than combat. ACP-arms response was not quite on the mark. I think people should still build their own ARs because that will enhance their familiarity with the platform and theyll be able to run them better regardless if its a custom or one that salvaged from an abandoned armory. It makes clearing the chamber of stuck rounds that much easier. Look, folksif it ever gets as bad as some say it willit probably wont. The entire package retails for less than $1,200. .a pill container full of Prozac ? Stupid, stupid notion. (Yeah, I contemplate weird things after 10 pm). In an apocalyptic circumstance, I will die soon enough that all this prepping is an exercise in futility. His experience includes seven years as a police officer during which he served as head of the Firearms Training Division as well as being a S.W.A.T. Then look at how many parts kits you see for the AR. Certainly, knowing how to fix what you have is a plus. Here are the specs: Colt Commercial style thumb safety After reminding his acolytes that they need to be able to pick up and run firearms discarded on the battlefield, Mr. Smith goes there. I have no idea WTF this moron gun jesus is, but if hes making the argument that an as originally designed AR-platform somehow isnt definitively DI, he needs mental help. The only difficulty I hadand I had never owned an ARwas torquing the Hogue unique barrel nut for its free float tubes, and that was difficult only because I couldnt get Hogues supplied wrench to fit. Throughout this time Clints first-person observations of tens-of-thousands of students has given him a front row seat to see what works and what doesnt in both theory and actual application. It was just management, taking the pieces and putting them in the boxes where they fit. These pistols are further enhanced with modifications such as a weld-up frame and slide fit, flattened and serrated slide top with 3-point curved arrow pattern, detailed frame and slide with all lines straighten and trued, rear slide serrations, best quality trigger job, and bordered slide amongst many others. Just my $.02. In the US? But i do shoot a Kimber 1911 very well. Lucky for me, my sister bought me one for Christmas a few years ago. Patrick Sweeney reviews the Nighthawk Custom Combat Special designed by Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch. Carbines (whether AR or AK, or any of the other types) work, if you can keep putting rounds where they need to go, but the shotgun is, for the average person, a one-shot stopper. Hundreds of mags each? Hell, even were a para cord bracelet sometimes. There is no possible victory in defense. Polished blue finish Exceptionally good advice. Im already out of ammo. 95% of the people who build and AR either get lucky or have no idea WTF they are doing. A long time. Would a slower acceleration down the barrel of the heavier slug change the feel of the recoil impulse? I know nothing but the reputations. I love it. And mark your magazines with date loaded, and load. And I even messed up some of the milling on my 80%. This Clint Smith 1911 item is a VERY nice glamor piece. Time to assess your role as a citizen. Nick: The AR may be more prone to breakdown than your precious AK, but at least my rifle can actually hit the target.. Having a hundred loaded mags on hand means you can just toss away a mag without wasting time on it PLUS it means that others can resupply from you. But we do know that the AK platform is not the most accurate when accuracy counts. And that the author didnt know about the Baer guns. Well he certainly brings the noise to Thunder Ranchs jefe, creating theThe Clint Smith Signature Government Model. A US Palm reinforced magazine, A2 brake and Thunder Ranch two-point sling round out the rifles features. People say [the M1 Carbine] is not very effectiveOK, I wouldnt want to get shot by one. 1. Beavertail grip safety Another is the 1911. Finally, someone who times their screws and doesnt resort to such hackneyed nonsense as allen-head grip screws. To achieve certain flight parameters, there are certain way the wing and control surfaces must be made. Its a heavy beast, but i cant afford to miss as my protection detail has me in crowds and around children. So, yes, the .357 Mag will accelerate its bullet down the bore much more quickly than the .45 ACP. For the mere mortals, I can get away with a gun less than a thousand. My second would be Jeff Cooper, Mr. Cooper. The three red stripes are for accuracy, power and speed. While I was on the road I met someone who became my good friend and we built the facility, Thunder Ranch, in Mountain Home, Texas. And that a simpler, less ambitious design should break less. Feels good in hand and plenty of ammo available. Read more.
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