Opinions belong to their authors. Knock down, durability and feel are my reasons. And strip one for spare parts also seemed to be an important concept. Absolutely worth every penny though, now I just need a 627 V-Comp to go with it. WebFactory New In Box Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 45 acp . ETC. High end firearms are like project cars. 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. 6. Ummm, for those of us that dont create the kind resources that Clint Smith does with his training facility, Im sure a $10,000 dollar carry gun doesnt make much sense, but if you or I were making probably at least a six figure income, like Clint does, it probably would be different. He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns. It was just management, taking the pieces and putting them in the boxes where they fit. Finally, someone who times their screws and doesnt resort to such hackneyed nonsense as allen-head grip screws. 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. Fudds and Fud advice everywhere in this comment section. When we went to Texas to do Thunder Ranch, we wanted to keep the logo, but we wanted to add something so people would know that [Thunder Ranch] was more, and was bigger [compared to ITC]. I love it. Save your money. Im talking about kits to repair the guns. Im not saying that war is great, but it was a common enemy at that time. So the shield is defenseaccuracy, power and speed. ", "You have the rest of your life to solve your problems. Jews dont conspire with eagles in nest building. Be Humble. I believe he has good advice but it is still advice. Novice to deadly competent with good training in under 1,000 rounds. I know all. Smith & Wesson also offered the .44 Special in a 5-shot Model 696 L-frame along with a Model 296 lightweight five-shooter. Mainstream preppers have action movies, video games, and zombies in mind. If you want it, youre going to have to take out the owner first. As to 5.56 or .223, I have read articles supporting problems with the use of .223 in 5.56 rifles! Smith & Wesson and Thunder Ranch: A Partnership And management comes through practice, practice, practice. Keeping a hundred mags loaded at all times concerns me about the springs functioning when stored so long. . Have a great day. /sarc perhaps, because thats really old mythology. Anyway, I reckon Mr. Smith would make an awesome muppet, should Disney decide to get a bit edgier than pimping a cloth frog who worries about his pigmentation and fending off an aspiring cross-species love interest. Love em all. ", "Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets. I first met Clint in 2003 when I attended my first class under his instruction. Exactly what does Thunder Pants think TEOTWAWKI is going to look like? I support building your own AR even if it includes machining the lower. Hes just putting it in terms you can remember. Most people will have a hard time moving with 3000 rounds of 5.55 in magazines hanging off of them. I am familiar with Ian, and (some of) his work. Split the difference. Hahahaha Im with Idaho Boy on this one. Thats what your bolt carrier is. Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch, is part drill instructor, and part stand up comic. Whats the problem with that? Hes a colonel of Marines, and that was box or a niche that I fit nicely into being a corporal of Marines. Im much more interested in how well a given vehicle will fit my needs. Then look at how many parts kits you see for the AR. It can take deer sized game and it will obviously get you through a firefight. There is no possible victory in defense. Of the thousands and thousands of people desperately in need of supplies after Harvey, Ill bet exactly zero of them were worried about ammo. 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. .233/5.56 are completely viable rounds. Read more. These guns are an investment in quality as well as the linage of pistol craft witheach example accompanied by a numbered build sheet signed by Clint Smith and Jason Burton and bearing both the Thunder Ranch and Heirloom Precision logos. 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. And while youre assembling your family armory, you may as well throw in a lot of loaded mags. 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? After reminding his acolytes that they need to be able to pick up and run firearms discarded on the battlefield, Mr. Smith goes there. My first real pistol, in Vietnam, was a 1911. 4. But I have tried others. Just my $.02. But if society has collapsed to the point where the only way to get a gun is to assemble it yourself, the gun is the least your worries. In 2004 we moved here to Oregon. I like Clint and he has good advise, but I still take the things he says with a dose of this isnt Syria and Im not wealthy.. Its clearly something he works at. Clint Smith , President and Director of Thunder Ranch , is a Marine Corps veteran of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam.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. Good times. The purpose of this website is to share educate, inform, and build a lasting culture around firearms. 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). That bad boy msrps at an eye-watering $1,329.00. As for the price of Mr. Smiths carry gun, if you have to ask you cant afford it. All else is supplemental. If nothing else . Nobody that ever got into a firefight ever said, OH GOD WISH I DIDNT HAVE ALL THIS AMMO. It doesnt happen. Its a heavy beast, but i cant afford to miss as my protection detail has me in crowds and around children. This is not the first time Mr. Smith or his proxies have created a gun. Now that makes absolutely no sense. And if it does, a primitive pimple on the ass of your attackers wont be enough. Too late. It should come as no small comfort for any patriotic American to know that the countrys firearm industry is vibrant and productive, still faithfully serving the needs of armed citizens, law-enforcement officers and military personneljust as it has for more than two centuries. Ive never had a problem with my builds except the staked Anderson BCG gas key loosening on my 300 blk. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Q:What are your goals going forward, or goals for Thunder Ranch?A: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. And its educational. Remember, this was before social media and all that kind of stuff. Its readily available, even during the post SH craze 7.6239 was always on the shelf where as .223/556 was never there. Thunder Ranch Urban Rifle They need to be managed. Honestly I would go with an AR in 7.6239. I think Id prefer to be sitting next to the guy with a 9 mm thats hitting everythinghe's shooting at than the guy with the .44 magnum that wasnt hitting anything. I dont care how much money you have in your AK or SCAR or Bren 805 or FAL or G3 or M1A, or whatever, your main rifle SHOULD BE an AR15 in 5.56 NATO(NOT .223 Rem, NOT .223 Wylde because a milspec NATO chamber feeds the widest range of ammo). Rifle Dynamics & Thunder Ranch Team Up For The Thunder Ranch RD700 Pistol. I time my screws regularly my average is around 33 minutes, but my record is still 4 hours and 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. not so much. Kart match grade barrel with stainless barrel bushing Tried a Glock, did not like it, could not shoot it well and stove piped all the time. Hell, its even got the rings on it. Eagle meat is never kosher because of the arrangement of the talons. You have entered an incorrect email address! Also, if you like dogs youre probably a nazi. Smith & Wesson Model 317 Kit Gun 22LR J-Frame .a pill container full of Prozac ? Current lead time is 4-6 weeks. Okay? If I have a gun, what in the hell do I have to be paranoid for. Three is two, two is one, one is none, right? The ones I built work just as well as the two store-bought ARs I own. Please feel free to drop a comment. Nothings wrong with assembling your own AR. Read more. Clint Smith, President and Director of Thunder Ranch, is a Marine Corps veteran of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam. Patrick Sweeney reviews the Nighthawk Custom Combat Special designed by Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch. I have much better things to use ten grand on. I am no operator by any means but, when he states that with three guns you can always strip one for parts to keep the other two up and running, this is where it would be nice to have the tools and knowledge that you gained by building rifles. The .38 Smith & Wesson Special, designed in 1898, rocked the handgun realm with its ballistic performance making it a cartridge for the history books. You dont know who made them, what their tolerance is, and ability to perform after long term storage. Bad Schtuff tends to happen at night, and we are accountable for where very round goes. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. Its a lot cheaper than having someone else do it. Feels good in hand and plenty of ammo available. Besides getting some serious trigger time in, he has these games you play as a group that make you think and shoot at the same time. The caliber war, I mean. Save your marriage. 7.6239 is still one of the cheapest rounds to hoard and even cheap century rifles have a life span of 60000 rounds or more. No matter how many mags, they should all be loaded though. Most are probably thinking of the zombie apocalypse where the ammo wont be used if you get bitten. Which feeds right into Clints advice to have three rifles and strip one for spare parts, if need be. 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. For .308/7.62 fans, I suggest keeping one rifle chambered that way all the time. Take the best that exists and make it better. But my first reaction was, No light, no light rail, and no RMR. a 9mm will defeat cover just as well as .45 and 9mm has just as much kinetic energy as a .45 when you compare modern 9mm ammo to modern .45 ammo. 22 LR Handgun Revolver - Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore Didnt somebody once say that one should not carry a pistol he cant afford to replace if it gets seized as evidence after a self-defense use? Because when the SHTF, those helpful youtube videos may not be available. Sounds like a smart man to me, I have Well he certainly brings the noise to Thunder Ranchs jefe, creating theThe Clint Smith Signature Government Model. Stupid, stupid notion. . Sowhat is my sincere, heartfelt recommendation? 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. Meanwhile factory guns of any quality are dialed in and just work. Building the poodle-shooter is most of the fun. From there it can be mounted with an SB Tactical SBA3 brace, Midwest Industries folding buffer tube, or a Gear Head Works Tailhook brace with a MI folding strut. Get weekly news and instant alerts on the latest laws and politics that affect your gun rights. LES BAER THUNDER RANCH SPECIAL 45 ACP Theres a lot of fiddly bits in the AR piston system that most people wont understand the interaction of until they spend a few weeks trying to figure out why their AR keeps shortstroking. Yet there is still trade, commerce, farming and rudimentary industry. Im not going to buy his rifle, just because he thinks my build or any others that build are not good rifles. Building an AR isnt exactly difficult, unless you start with an 80% lower. Whats your experience? Its a Remington 700, 3.5X10 Leupold scope, Hunter stock and mags. However, keeping a spare parts kit or two around to keep all three running would be better. For the first three years it was teachable but slow. In an apocalyptic circumstance, I will die soon enough that all this prepping is an exercise in futility. .22 LR Handguns For Sale - ClassicFirearms.com Thank you for stopping by my website and join the journey with me. I thought of it being an 80% build. Hello, everyone and welcome to The Loadout Blog. In this episode of TFBTV filmed at Thunder Ranch, James Reeves interviews legendary trainer and good friend, Clint Smith, about his five favorite guns. The Police buy a ton of Glocks really cheap. Buckeye Firearms Association is a grassroots organization dedicated to defending and advancing the right of citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities, including self-defense, hunting, competition, and recreation. Riots over the results will prevail, resulting in chaos in government. ", "I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy. ), "Beware the man who only has one gun. I want to teach a class a week after Im dead. Piles of .223 all over the place? Clint Smith aint him. They run from upper right to lower left, Bar Sinister, its that same thing in English heraldrynon-aligned, no allegiance. Thats a pricey revolver for the average folks. Then run it. Just layin around? From his Oregon Eagles Nest (Im Jewish, dont judge), Mr. Smith unleashes a fantastic farrago of firearms videos. Mr. Smith is noted for his common sense quotations about guns and personal defense. Thats why high speed low drag operators, such as my self, have tigers. Just sayin . There is a reason firing a 1 1/5 ounce high brass slug from a 12 gauge feels very much like firing a 300 grain bullet (standard charge) from a .300 H&H Magnum rifle. That wasnt us, we had guns. 'Unquestionably A 1911:' The Nighthawk Custom/Thunder Ranch 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. Featuringunsurpassed quality and attention to detail, eachpistol is individually handcrafted to represent Clints idea for the pinnacle of carry guns. First, no one really builds an AR Even the AR Manufactures assemble the parts from a few background foundries that cast / mill the parts to Mill spec. My wife doesnt walk, so Im not heading to the hills anyway, just going to hunker down here until the drugs or the food runs outor both. Color of a car, for example, means little to me (which has exasperated several car salesmen). Yellow Devil, if you think that was somehow salty, do stick around, I brook no blatant stupidity or ignorance, and Im happy to argue a point with anyone especially Ian, he should know better. He has good points. Another is the 1911. Local Storage seems to Result is that they end up with a gun that short strokes or has weird feeding issues or whatever. ). One day Clint will come out of his shell and we will know what he really thinks. 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. But i do shoot a Kimber 1911 very well. He used the DPX round but that isnt made anymore so ball is fine. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. WebClint Smith began teaching his Urban Rifle doctrine, using the AR carbine for self-defense and law enforcement situations in the early 80s. Pistol It functions, but my next one will be good, not just functional. Rear sight modified for one-handed operations Q:How did you first get into training?A:I dont think I was very good at it at the time, but my first experience training was in Vietnam. the ammo in front of him is the US army issue cartridges starting with the 50/70 through 5.56. LOGISTICS should be the most important factor in deciding on a fighting rifle/pistol. Therell be bucket loads of that laying around too. Get a parts kit for the parts that are most likely to fail; I understand that. Then again, it might be simpler just to screw-up Kermits voice box, give him an AR or three, and a hundred loaded magazines. He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns. How many people are really going to do that? Does that 33 minutes include the haggling over the price? It sucks at everything except punching through a sheet steel helmet at 600 meters, which is what it was actually designed to do. Some families, you know, dont have guns. Lanyard loop I want to create a hub of reliable, cohesive, and relevant material for today's shooter. AVOID GREEN TIP. Your house is a sieve against projectiles fired by modern-day weapons. Besides that, in my experience the home builds have been more reliable than a factory built Sig. 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. If it doesnt exist, create it. 2. It doesnt say, complete breakdown of society with gun battles in the streets and scavenging ammunition. Absolutely! Dont know who Clint Smith is and dont give a rats ass what he carries. And the AR15 is the standard, end of story. My gently used, $400.00 G17 will kill an asshole just as dead as a $10,000 whatever. Theres a reason for that), This may have something to do with the whole Gun Jesus thing: On the drive home he said this (semi-automatic pistols) is what were going to do. Hey, build it, buy it, just get it! 100 magazines loaded? 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. If you have to kill a person, a coyote, or a bobcat, 223/556 is just fine. Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch Depends on the range. I understand the multiple copies of the same gun idea, and have family who have done just that. The CZ SP-01 Shadow wins most of the IPSC competitions for good reason. The last bit here is pretty sound advice, but Id still rather have more. Clint Smith ofThunder Ranch is a gun guru extraordinaire. Clowns who say use .223 because there will be tons lying around after TEOTWAWKI are idiots. By any chance does it also say to you Move somewhere where there arent any freaking hurricanes?. If money is no object, thats great. Lanyard loop Parting one out to keep the other two running isnt the worst idea in the world. 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. Yes, every once in a while you get lucky and purchase a Yenko Mustang, but that is the exception, not the rule. He must piss off a lot of people. Its anall steel 5 Government Model chambered in 45ACP. 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. Both the AR and the AK work extremely well for their intended role. I did one deployment to Afghanistan and my second was on apart of 31st MEU. It just keeps working. Posted: 12/20/2008 7:12:11 PM EDT. Gosh. Precision has been in business since 1999. WebClint Smith Signature. Third, it only matters how much ammo is lying around if youre planning on being PART OF the SHTF, i.e., youre planning on getting into fire fights on a daily basis. Clints a character. And perish the idea should something apocalyptic take place anytime soon, folks will be very glad they use a commonly-found caliber. (I think the only spare parts you really need for an AR is a spare BCG and a spring kit.). WebClint showed us what he thought was a very good, reasonably priced rifle. 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. Clint informed me that after the infamous Everyone wants to put a TV screen (red-dot optic) on their gun now, and Ive got no problem with that, were going to start training with them here so we can do a great job on that, but no TV screen is going to compensate for yanking on the trigger. Optional ivory/bone stocks are available, Kart match grade barrel with stainless barrel bushing, Rear sight modified for one-handed operations. Pistol Width: 1.30" Slide Width: 0.92" Grip Thickness: Regular; Weight Empty: 41.3 Oz; Savage Arms Impulse Elite Precision Rifle: New for 2022. Vote. Leonard, First Look: Federal Premium Gold Medal Grand and Hi-Bird Shotshells, The Four Rules of Gun Safety for New Gun Ownersand Everyone Else [VIDEO], Illinois Freedom Week Starts Today: Federal Court Blocks Enforcement of Illinois Assault Weapons Ban, Practice vs. Training You Need to Become a Personal Defense Generalist, http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-militarys-ak-12-assault-rifle-passed-field-tests-2017-7. While I was there, I sat down with Clint to talk about his history with guns and his distinguished career in firearms training. First, NO ammo will be lying around it will be in someones bunker, even if it wasnt when the SHTF. Q:What can you tell me about the logo?A:The shield was the first logo for ITC, the black shield. I departed the military in September of 2015. Lowered and flared ejection port No, Ill save my money instead. An 1873 Colt with the chamber under the hammer full of blood pressure meds. New bosssame as the old boss. 44 Special DA Sixguns The pilot must be in a certain position to be able to see whats going on. From his Oregon Eagles Nest (Im Jewish, dont judge), Whats the issue with Jews and eagle nests? @ 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. and they get tons of ammo cheap, and lots of training at no cost to the officers. Waiting for the video to load doesnt count towards your time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We ran two ambushes at night and set up road blocks for identification checks, so we had a security area. Mere mortals need to make do with what they can. Kimber myself. Out of the AR platform, its fairly accurate. But as a purely practical matter, my AK will handle any actual probable perp as well as your precious AR will, and with cheaper ammo and far less probability of breaking. The final weapon is the brain. They arent Wankels, waves, or any of the dozens of other engine designs out there theyre just a standard ICE piston engine with some small modifications, and fully fit the definition of piston engine despite their minor digression from the accepted norm. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . Thin-line VZ Diamondback stock panels I really dont get a ten grand handgun of any stripe, barring the extraordinarily rare or the extremely enhanced/decorated, in which case youre paying for the engravers painstaking time and skill. Because Im more of a form follows function guy, that colors what I buy. They brought out Goat Face with freshly ground horse radish. 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 want to teach a class a week after Im dead. Maybe you could elaborate more so we have a complete understanding of the conversation. Once those factors are met, then the philosophy of the designers (dictated by the government) starts to enter the design. It certainly doesnt say post-apocalyptic hellscape., certainly doesnt say post-apocalyptic hellscape.. When I started as a police officer, I had to go to revolvers. The gravelly voiced trainer is famous for his take-no-prisoners take on armed self-defense. Adding to the aesthetic appeal, of course, is the Thunder Ranch emblem engraved behind the rear cocking serrations on both sides of the slide. Coming full circle, Smith reiterated that the Combat Special, at its heart, is the tried-and-true 1911 platform. Standard trigger guard, standard magazine release. Keep dreaming about your fantasies Fudds. . That makes you a moron and certainly soon to be dead shortly after the SHTF. Im more likely to need to a retirement cashe than an apocalypse cashe. Note I say nothing about which breaks less. My second would be Jeff Cooper, Mr. Cooper. I understand the quest by people for higher capacityI get it, I sincerely dobut it doesnt matter if youre not hitting. Here are a few of his observations on tactics, firearms, self defense and life as we know it in the civilized world. Usually the face mask, after removing the hairs of course, and tongue rolled together into a packet and cooked in broth. First, I agree on the viability of the .223 round. 1. Now for my 2 cents worth! His experience includes seven Thunder Ranchs Oregon Facility Officially on the Market ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WebA collaborative design effort between Thunder Ranchs Clint Smith and Nighthawk engineers, the TR model encompasses the feature set of the perfect fighting pistol. The AR IS a piston system. For the mere mortals, I can get away with a gun less than a thousand.