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. WebShop for 22 long rifle pistols and revolvers from top brands like Beretta, Browning, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, and more. You dont know who made them, what their tolerance is, and ability to perform after long term storage. Shortlengthsolidaluminumtrigger Comments? If survival of yourself and family is your goal, then it is stupid to look for unnecessary armed conflict. Hes not saying 55gn 5.56 is ballistically the best, but that its just fine within its ample limitations and is orders-of-magnitude more common than heavier or bigger loads. Clint Smith is the Director of Thunder Ranch 1 in Oregon, where he teaches firearm tactics, self-defense and freely gives his opinions on a variety of topics. Gun Jesus had a very good explanation of it a while back. Now, the two companies have paired up again for the limited Edition Thunder Ranch RD700 pistol. A fingerprint or smudge or spec of dust negates 100% perfection. A beater 400cc dirtbike is lots easier to live with. Last I checked, the definition of DI included operating the carrier. It just keeps working. ", "An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity. But I trained on the 1911, carried it, and it works best for me. The AR15 has a bunch of quirks, too. In this case, someone dumped 9000 worth of work into a $1300 gun, so.. Well, it has a Standard length magazine release. That must cost extra. That was my first pistol. Being everybody exaggerates, we can safely cut that back one half or more. ", "Every time I teach a class, I discover I don't know something. Its a viable I understand the multiple copies of the same gun idea, and have family who have done just that. Out. Thanks you enjoyed this post, hit that like button, share it a friend, and subscribe. From his Oregon Eagles Nest (Im Jewish, dont judge), Mr. Smith unleashes a fantastic farrago of firearms videos. Yeah, well thats just like, your opinion, man. Smith & Wesson sells the PERFORMANCE CENTER Model 325 Thunder Ranch: a matte black .45-caliber Scandium-framed revolver, complete with a gold bead If you have any suggestions, ideas, or comments. For the mere mortals, I can get away with a gun less than a thousand. Quotations of Clint Smith | Buckeye Firearms Association Thunder Ranch Special Edition | Aero Precision Comments anyone? Which is why a .357 rapidly loses velocity and muzzle energy when the barrel length drops below 4. 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. Rolling Thunder: An Interview with Clint Smith of Thunder 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 Clints advice is sound, and I believe well intentioned. Named #1 NRA Recruiter - If you're a "good guy," click here. 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. The forward assist (Why would I beat something into the chamber that dont want to go on its own) and the charging handle (Any time you dick ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Whats your experience? People say [the M1 Carbine] is not very effectiveOK, I wouldnt want to get shot by one. 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? Thin-line VZ Diamondback stock panels Lanyard loop Accept nothing nearly right or good enough., Sir Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls Royce. The bonus being, unlike a burro or lama, you can feed them your enemies. I am familiar with Ian, and (some of) his work. Sowhat is my sincere, heartfelt recommendation? My CAP unit was 2-4-3. Thunder Ranch Urban Rifle How many parts kits do you see for the AK? Just like my AK does. Im not trying to put the AR down, but Who wants to feed that damn burro and clean up after it? ( oh, what GUN does Clint Smith carry every day. Because Im more of a form follows function guy, that colors what I buy. Q:In the era of the polymer pistol, why do you choose the M1911?A:If you look in my safe I have an M14, an M1A, because I grew up with that gun. I have a good plan to get out of the suburbs into the country well before its too late and multiple friends with extra temporary living space and extra long arms, and if the time comes that I need a rifle well before then, there will be plenty of common (AR or AK) rifles in common calibers around to acquire/steal/take/etc. And that is NOT a detriment to them. 6. Its a SHTF situation where you and your family will need to defend yourselves. Mike Pannone of CTT Carries a CZ. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. That way, you know your rifle, its parts, how its built and functions. . . I think were providing a responsible service to responsible people. (In fact, I started with an 80% polymer lower, of a design now banned by the ATF, with a hand drill and a dremel because I dont own a drill press. Theres a reason there are only a few ways air superiority fighters look: aerodynamics dictate the form. 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. Therell be bucket loads of that laying around too. .40SW is just hype. Even in the tribal areas of Crapistan I mean Pakistan they have rudimentary gun manufacturers making guns by for sale by hand. That ammo isnt going anywhere (except into someones bunker at some point) regardless of how much SHTF. 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. I live in a largish and fairly homogeneous town; rioting is extremely unlikely. Knowledge such as this cant help but draw to conclusions so when it was time to have a new 1911 crafted the configuration was an easy choice; an all steel 5 Government Model chambered in 45ACP. (Yeah, I contemplate weird things after 10 pm). Absolutely worth every penny though, now I just need a 627 V-Comp to go with it. One of the advantages of the modern war on terror is theres been a remarkable improvement in projectilesDPX, POWR Ball, the Honey Badger. 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. In the US? If you are as poor a pistol competitor as i am, youll quickly find out what training and equipment can fix that problem. Save your marriage. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. member and precision rifleman. I did one deployment to Afghanistan and my second was on apart of 31st MEU. Easily. 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. In this excerpt from arguably the best shotgun course in the country, TFBTV - Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch ETC. Since that time Clint has been an invaluable mentor and friend who has helped shape my philosophy on carry guns and gear. And mark your magazines with date loaded, and load. Clint and Heidi Smith were generous enough to let TFBTV use Thunder Ranch for free to film this series in order to get the word out at no cost to any of our viewers on how to select and use an urban rifle. Anyone who would pay for advice from Capt Thunderpants shouldnt be allowed inside ANY firearm, not even an AR. So i carry a CZ, if its good enough for a Delta Team member missing his right eye, i can submit myself to learn from him.. I want to create a hub of reliable, cohesive, and relevant material for today's shooter. The pistol can be ordered and fitted with one of 4 different muzzles devices: Forward Controls KeyMo Flash Hider, Huxwrx QD Flash Hider, Dead Air KeyMo Flash Hider or Muzzle Break, SilencerCo ASR Flash Hider or Muzzle Break. A US Palm reinforced magazine, A2 brake and Thunder Ranch two-point sling round out the rifles features. What an excellent thing to get in a chest pounding match over, bravo! As for the viability of 5.56, it aint the best but it WILL get the job done(especially the 75+grain stuff). Most will never encounter what these fear mongers say to buy. Eagle meat, in German Teller Fleisch, is the phrase in restaurants for special of the day. I recall ordering it in a lovely old-style Bavarian restaurant about 23 years ago, one located on Sankta Anna Strasse in Mnchen. WebFactory New In Box Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 45 acp . (Think $10k and up.) Hace an DOD ID card. Oh and theyve been running 5.45 since the AK 74 which was started in 1974. WebClint Smith, President, and Director of Thunder Ranch is a Marine Corps veteran of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam. I dont need people to shoot fast, I need them to shoot well. Without getting into the differences between .223 and 5.56 both are perfectly viable out to ranges beyond which most people can shoot without optics. Shop for your 22 ammo too! Fudds and Fud advice everywhere in this comment section. Some will say that the voting process is corrupt. They all work fine. If its the apocalypse we concerned with, in the event of an actual apocalypse you will be forced to scavenge and scrounge parts to replace pieces that are worn out on your rifle. Because when the SHTF, those helpful youtube videos may not be available. 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. . As to the video guy, I have to disagree on dont build your AR, buy one! So, an old curmudgeonly gun guy with an abrasive attitude and no shortages of opinions carries a 1911. Get weekly news and instant alerts on the latest laws and politics that affect your gun rights. His experience includes seven And? If TEOTWAWKI occurs, it will be because if something worse than a mere collapse of a government. Voting is still your best defense. Life is risky. In an apocalyptic circumstance, I will die soon enough that all this prepping is an exercise in futility. Anything other than an AR15 and you are dependent on a stationary weapons cache at least for parts. As it is, buying a high end firearm that just goes up in value, makes a lot more sense than many people that buy a new automobile or truck that loses most of its value within 5 to 7 years. I had to trade two older S&W .357s and Glock 19 gen 4 to get my Performance Center 627. . A $10K pistol says something about Mr. Smiths bottom line up there at Thunder Ranch. Thunder Ranchs Oregon Facility Officially on the Market Not exact but Im not looking at his book right now. I started that class, by that name, in 1983. Yes, that includes .308, .30-30, 7.6239, and .22 (regardless of any shortage)and probably a dozen others. Its Legos for adults. Im pretty sure of he carried a j frame with snake shot hed be a dangerous man. So then we were allowed to carry 1911s. The lightning bolt is offense, as required. $10K for a pistol??? Thats what your bolt carrier is. ). In addition to serving his country in Vietnam, Mr. Smith worked in law enforcement, and also as H&Ks director of training. 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. Just buy an ak and be done with it. 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. What does a big ole hurricane say to you? . Bow to me. This is the sort of buzz phrase no one bothers to think through because theyre too biased for their favorite whatever. Because it is more popular does not translate to, it breaks more. There is no possible victory in defense. Rifle Dynamics & Thunder Ranch Team Up For The Thunder Ranch But the issue is that, even with todays great prices, buying three gets to be an expensive proposition. If you want to fantasize about seeing a need to engage at distances longer than 100 yards, be my guest. Robert Farago is the former publisher of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). New bosssame as the old boss. That said, I prefer 7.62 NATO over 5.56, simply because I shoot better with it. He used the DPX round but that isnt made anymore so ball is fine. Thunder Ranch Sounds like a smart man to me, I have Run what you like but 9mm and 223 are certainly very common rounds. It was just management, taking the pieces and putting them in the boxes where they fit. Here are the specs: Colt Commercial style thumb safety Q:What is the most common mistake that you see while training, and what is the correction?A:Manipulation of the trigger. And thesurveysays! Be Humble. ? Fuck youuu!. 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. Rear sight modified for one-handed operations 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. I am seeking to appeal to all demographics so from the novice, to experienced, along with LE and military communities. Keeping a hundred mags loaded at all times concerns me about the springs functioning when stored so long. 1. .22 LR Handguns For Sale - ClassicFirearms.com The felt necessity to have one for spare parts does not speak well for the reliability of the platform. 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. Thats a bit much. Its anall steel 5 Government Model chambered in 45ACP. Q:How did you go from a Marine in a CAP unit in Vietnam to founding Thunder Ranch?A:OK, so long story short, I came back from the Marine Corps and went into law enforcement. Have a great day. If money is no object, thats great. Funny quotes attributed to Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch I was asked at the end of 79 to become the operations manager at Gunsite, which I did for three years, 80 to 83. ACP-arms response was not quite on the mark. It still shoots sweet! Stupid, stupid notion. It sucks at everything except punching through a sheet steel helmet at 600 meters, which is what it was actually designed to do.