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. 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 And that the author didnt know about the Baer guns. Keeping a hundred mags loaded at all times concerns me about the springs functioning when stored so long. 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). Especially if he has fallen prey to the fallacy that somehow just because of patent claims, somehow Stoners AR/M platform is not, by definition, direct impingement. Even if you plan to be a guerrilla fighting the US military or street gangs or whatever, you are an idiot if you plan to be in firefights, constantly needing more ammo. I am here to be transparent and honest on all matters discussed or chronicled on this site. Gun Jesus had a very good explanation of it a while back. ", "The purpose of fighting is to win. so i suck it up and carry heavy. To wrap it all up the pistol comes with a standard safety lever. And if it does, a primitive pimple on the ass of your attackers wont be enough. If things are so bad that that there is no commerce, no industry, no civilization at all it means that the earth is a molten slag that got hit by a giant meteoroid. Miller and Atkison may not be Otto cycle, but they are still 2/4 stroke ICEs, burn fuel, and move pistons up and down on a crankshaft. 5. Its a SHTF situation where you and your family will need to defend yourselves. Anything other than an AR15 and you are dependent on a stationary weapons cache at least for parts. The AR15 has a bunch of quirks, too. The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either. Hand-cut 30lpi checkering front and rear Here are a few of his observations on tactics, firearms, self defense and life as we know it in the civilized world. Mr. Smith is noted for his common sense quotations about guns and personal defense. I want to teach a class a week after Im dead. And that a simpler, less ambitious design should break less. Have a great day. Two Biggest Enemies When Running an 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. Author liked Magpul stock so much he put his old rifle in this new furniture. Take the best that exists and make it better. Someones never seen hurricane damage at ground level. The Thunder Ranch AK pistol also comes with an RD custom SLR Rifleworks 9 M-LOK handguard. 22 Long Rifle Revolvers, Pistols, Handguns For Sale - Hinterland 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. He did the 80% and I did the hammering of the tiny parts. Staff G.A. Whats your experience? 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. Read more. Big Bill About more parts for ARs than for AKs being available at gun shows, the MAIN reason for that would not be your point. We could communicate and get the job done. Optional ivory/bone stocks are available, Kart match grade barrel with stainless barrel bushing, Rear sight modified for one-handed operations. Be Humble. 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. WebClint Smith, President, and Director of Thunder Ranch is a Marine Corps veteran of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam. What follows is Clint Smiths take on the Nighthawk Custom/Thunder Ranch Combat Special, in his own words. TThe M1911 is a marvelous design to start with, and, not being ugly, were not really being innovative. This, in my minds eye, is a pistol that was designed for personal defense. Thats the goal. His experience includes seven In an apocalyptic circumstance, I will die soon enough that all this prepping is an exercise in futility. In 2004 we moved here to Oregon. But i do shoot a Kimber 1911 very well. And even then, pull enough ops and you still risk gettin killed. In this excerpt from arguably the best shotgun course in the country, TFBTV - Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch Now that makes absolutely no sense. Thats a pricey revolver for the average folks. Just because Stoner made a claim of novelty for his patent, does not mean that it actually is outside the definition of the term direct impingement. So no, none of my AR magsthe three ten rounders I ownare loaded. I own both an AK and AR, 1911 and glock. Most people will have a hard time moving with 3000 rounds of 5.55 in magazines hanging off of them. Be humble. Heirloom Precision | Clint Smith Signature, portfolio_page-template-default,single,single-portfolio_page,postid-1195,ajax_leftright,page_not_loaded,,select-theme-ver-2.7,vertical_menu_enabled, vertical_menu_width_290,smooth_scroll,side_menu_slide_from_right,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-6.6.0,vc_responsive. At my age, they way I do things isnt likely to change either. 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. Keep dreaming about your fantasies Fudds. Please feel free to drop a comment. 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? I will post content once a week at minimum or more often if time allows. Unless you like building ARs and keeping Magpul in business. In which case markets, farming, commerce and industry will still exist, albeit perhaps degraded. Which is why my current vehicle is a mundane, grey, 18-year-old Expedition XLT. For the mere mortals, I can get away with a gun less than a thousand. But weapons wont make a difference. To stay up to date with the website, hit that subscribe button. Fudds and Fud advice everywhere in this comment section. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. As David Hackworth purportedly said, if you find yourself in a fair fight, you didnt plan your mission correctly. thats only true if you have an enormous portfolio of advantages, like SOF pulling a raid or ambush at the time and place of their choice. My mantra to my students isWalmart calibers because when things get really really bad, standard calibers were developed, tested, marketed and issued for a reason. .40SW is just hype. Compared to the .357 Magnum, its an exceeding low pressure cartridge, even in .45 ACP +P loadings. And perish the idea should something apocalyptic take place anytime soon, folks will be very glad they use a commonly-found caliber. (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. ", "The handgun would not be my choice of weapon if I knew I was going to a fight. 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. It is all a matter of degrees. did not say it was not good defense firearm. I doubt that youve received goat face. I guess you must be smarter than a 2 min Google search. Center of mass, perp is down. No do overs, indeed. the ammo in front of him is the US army issue cartridges starting with the 50/70 through 5.56. All of my shotguns are 12 gauge, for the same reason. Clint informed me that after the infamous Patrick Sweeney reviews the Nighthawk Custom Combat Special designed by Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch. And, Im positive, the vast majority of ARs do. Im not saying that war is great, but it was a common enemy at that time. They need to be managed. ", "An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity. But I have tried others. We still go to Texas, we go to those ranges when the weather is inclement hereJanuary, Februaryso that relationship is still glued, bonded and cemented. Posted: 12/20/2008 7:12:11 PM EDT. 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. Train until only savagery remains and stay deadly ladies and gents. ACP-arms response was not quite on the mark. And that is NOT a detriment to them. Smith Gunnery Sergeant Hartman for civilians goes on to list an AR-15s owners two greatest enemies . ", "A reporter did a human-interest piece on the Texas Rangers. You just end up wasting a lot of energy because the bullet exited the barrel before the propulsive force is fully expended. Remember, this was before social media and all that kind of stuff. Comments? .22 LR Handguns For Sale - ClassicFirearms.com ", "I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy. I believe he has good advice but it is still advice. 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. The caliber war, I mean. I guess if one really has to keep up appearances, that would be a way to do it Im guessing he probably didnt pay north of $10K for it, either two companies that make extraordinary products tend to combine to make extremely extraordinarily priced items. 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. How many parts kits do you see for the AK? That quote, the sentiment behind it, and the desire to create something perfect speaks to me. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Some will say that the voting process is corrupt. Ha! YT is full of AK vids at 300M+. Or maybe laying next to the dead guy whose rifle you just recovered on the local battlefield. But, obscure ones is overkill and too expensive. Polished blue finish 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). 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. As for the viability of 5.56, it aint the best but it WILL get the job done(especially the 75+grain stuff). Q:Any story behind the name?A:Thunder Ranch? Heirloom Precision | Clint Smith Signature so after 3k rounds, the officers ALL shoot Glocks really well. 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. Funny quotes attributed to Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch Standard length magazine release Lucky for me, my sister bought me one for Christmas a few years ago. Back in 2020, Rifle Dynamics and Thunder Ranch brought us the Thunder Ranch AK, built under the design specifications of Clint Smith. 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. Riots over the results will prevail, resulting in chaos in government. That said I have at least 200 rounds for any other weapon/caliber.. As Colonel Cooper said By the time you go through 200 rounds, it will have already been determined whether you get to keep your weapon. Even in most collapsed societies there is more farming and trade and commerce than deadly violence, although there is of course an unacceptable level of violence when order is degraded. He was rigidly, rigidly flexible. So, an old curmudgeonly gun guy with an abrasive attitude and no shortages of opinions. Good times. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2. To be clear, he never called himself that, its something fans made up. Interior Dept. What does a big ole hurricane say to you? This Clint Smith 1911 item is a VERY nice glamor piece. '", "When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away. So the difference between how much .223 and how much 7.6239 is completely and utterly irrelevant. Kart match grade barrel with stainless barrel bushing I have no regrets in doing so, but it still stung to do it. 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. WebFactory New In Box Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 45 acp . Beavertail grip safety Easily. Bow to me. 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. Once those factors are met, then the philosophy of the designers (dictated by the government) starts to enter the design. lucky genetics. Mainstream preppers have action movies, video games, and zombies in mind. Tried a Glock, did not like it, could not shoot it well and stove piped all the time. Time to assess your role as a citizen. I think it is a great way to learn every part of your rifle, and if something breaks you know how to fix it. Thats what your bolt carrier is. While I was there, I sat down with Clint to talk about his history with guns and his distinguished career in firearms training. this is, in fact, my shocked face. 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. Ian has always been very specific what the AR-15 system is, and pointed out that true DI systems would be the Swedish AG-42 Ljungman/Hakim or French MAS-49. . Most are probably thinking of the zombie apocalypse where the ammo wont be used if you get bitten. Hes not talking about having fun on the range or competing in 3-gun. WebThe Thunder Ranch AK features an enhanced safety lever, US Palm Marine Corps red grip, US Palm AK 30 round magazine, walnut furniture, barrel mounted pic rail, engraved ", "The two most important rules in a gunfight are: always cheat and always win. 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. WebAction Finish Metal Finish: Matte Cerakote, Black Stock Finish: Dipped, Multicam Barrel Length 18 in. But our county, Allen County, Indiana, was the first county in Indiana to go to auto pistols, and thats because I took my deputy chief to Gunsite, we took off our revolvers, put on our auto pistols and took the class. Leadership in Action: Clint Smith It can be upgraded to the Krebs Custom enhanced safety lever or a lever with Rifle Dynamics safety And strip one for spare parts also seemed to be an important concept. Anyone who would pay for advice from Capt Thunderpants shouldnt be allowed inside ANY firearm, not even an AR. Clint Smith 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. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. Hundreds of mags each? WebClint Smith, President and Director of Thunder Ranch, is a Marine Corps veteran of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam. If all that is wiped away, you got bigger problems on your hands than can be solved by an AR and some MREs. Works the same for guns. 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. (Yeah, I contemplate weird things after 10 pm). Pistol So will my $700 Milspec. Again, Im going by what I see. In this episode of TFBTV filmed at Thunder Ranch, James Reeves interviews legendary trainer and good friend, Clint Smith, about his five favorite guns. It is a reality little discussed, that the recoil velocity always plays a big role in felt recoil, together with the calculated total lb. Incorrect. ? Fuck youuu!. Im curious as to the physics on that, is the .45ACP powder a slower burn? Theres a reason for that), This may have something to do with the whole Gun Jesus thing: I want to create a hub of reliable, cohesive, and relevant material for today's shooter. white grips, custom checkering, $10k tag. But a whole second rifle? Get a parts kit for the parts that are most likely to fail; I understand that. 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. I was in the Marine Corps, but I went to the Army language institute in Monterrey [Calif.]. Parting one out to keep the other two running isnt the worst idea in the world. Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch Its mostly laziness. Rifle Dynamics & Thunder Ranch Team Up For The Thunder Ranch RD700 Pistol. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. I was asked at the end of 79 to become the operations manager at Gunsite, which I did for three years, 80 to 83. If you look at English heraldry, the black shield was always construed to mean a bastard, or someone who was not politically aligned with a king or kingdom. Shotguns have a very high velocity of recoil. Its a lot cheaper than having someone else do it. And we wanted to have a place that was ours. Clints a character. Meanwhile factory guns of any quality are dialed in and just work. My first issued rifle was a GUU-5P (slab side lower, commando 14.5 inch upper) and it sent rounds downrange as reliably as the M4A1 and SOPMOD Block I used later in my career. Building an AR is not rocketry. Your house is a sieve against projectiles fired by modern-day weapons. (I also have a Mini-14, just in case things really get ugly and I get attached by broad sides of barns.). Waiting for the video to load doesnt count towards your time. Its just like, as you know, I dont have a stopwatch on my range. Yes, that includes .308, .30-30, 7.6239, and .22 (regardless of any shortage)and probably a dozen others. If you have to kill a person, a coyote, or a bobcat, 223/556 is just fine. 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. Good luck finding all that shit weird ammunition, okay, when the apocalypse starts, OK . Therell be a f*ckload of .223 laying around.. Its readily available, even during the post SH craze 7.6239 was always on the shelf where as .223/556 was never there. Its anall steel 5 Government Model chambered in 45ACP. Beavertail grip safety Building an AR isnt exactly difficult, unless you start with an 80% lower. Hes just putting it in terms you can remember. Shop for your 22 ammo too! Make sense so far? But for the rest of us, maybe a rifle and a full kit of parts? 4. . Beveled magazine well Besides that, in my experience the home builds have been more reliable than a factory built Sig. Im kinda baffled on that one, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsadler, I should have remembered that from Band of Brothers. So then we were allowed to carry 1911s. Its a heavy beast, but i cant afford to miss as my protection detail has me in crowds and around children. oh, wait you meant um.. nevermind then. Opinions belong to their authors. Bravo! 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. Robert Farago is the former publisher of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). Great Source. +1 on building an AR. It can take deer sized game and it will obviously get you through a firefight. When I started as a police officer, I had to go to revolvers. Named #1 NRA Recruiter - If you're a "good guy," click here. AVOID GREEN TIP. Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch 1911 Pistol, 'Unquestionably A 1911:' The Nighthawk Custom/Thunder Ranch Combat Special, NRA Gun Gear of the Week: Gunsite Option Targets, The .38 Special: History & Performance | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Second Gun Released In SK Customs Lost States Of America Engravers Series | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, Defensive Learning | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Head to Head: .22-250 Remington vs. .224 Valkyrie | An Official Journal Of The NRA, The Rifleman Report: To The Patriotic American, Editors Choice: Rock Island Armory 5.0 ST, Preview: Burdette Custom Holsters Detective OWB SA-35 Leather Holster, The Keefe Report: True Velocity's Leap | An Official Journal Of The NRA, The Keefe Report: On The Range With An American Hero | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Trust But Verify: Function-Checking Your Guns | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Rifleman Review: Winchester Wildcat 22 SR | An Official Journal Of The NRA, WATCH: 2022 National Sporting Clays Championship | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, WATCH: Colt Python Revolver History | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, I Have This Old Gun: Colt Military 1908 Pocket Hammerless | An Official Journal Of The NRA, I Have This Old Gun: Terry Carbine | An Official Journal Of The NRA, I Have This Old Gun: U.S. Army M1871 Rolling Block | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Armed Citizen protected by Smith & Wesson, NRA Women | The Armed Citizen April 28, 2023, The Armed Citizen April 28, 2023 | An Official Journal Of The NRA, The Armed Citizen April 24, 2023 | An Official Journal Of The NRA, The Armed Citizen April 21, 2023 | An Official Journal Of The NRA, #SundayGunday: Smith & Wesson Model 350 | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Whats in the Washington State Gun Ban | An Official Journal Of The NRA, NRA Hunters' Leadership Forum | Hunters and Beyond: NRA Women Are All Under One Roof, NRA Hunters' Leadership Forum | Colorado Bill Defining Wolves as Experimental Population Heads to House Floor Today, Hardware: Henry Single Shot Turkey Shotgun | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Review: Duke Cannon Supply Co. Hell, I left the Marine Corps with a deep abiding hatred of the DI M16A2 and even I am following my own advice. Just doesnt. Once again, the salient point is that the agreed upon definition of pukes in its own mouth, err, direct impingement includes the firing gas acting upon a carrier/block/whatevs. It functions, but my next one will be good, not just functional. I dont need people to shoot fast, I need them to shoot well. (Assuming you dont stay in your domicile, and wait til everything runs out. You should definitely build your own rifle if for no other reason than to learn how to replace parts. I can build my AR to my needs, and it is just as or more reliable then most manufacturers rifles. All this depends on the source and how much they actually know for example Janes Defense would be a better source than say Prepper Joe Bobs Sooper Gun Blog. HART is the next step in the precision rifle series that stretches the reach of the of the shooter with their rifle. I can train a novice to shoot well with a heavy steel 9mm (or .38 revolver), in FAR fewer rounds than a polymer auto, ESPECIALLY if the poly auto a .40 or .45.. 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. On the drive home he said this (semi-automatic pistols) is what were going to do. So the shield is defenseaccuracy, power and speed. 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. Im not going to buy his rifle, just because he thinks my build or any others that build are not good rifles. By any chance does it also say to you Move somewhere where there arent any freaking hurricanes?. (Oh, wait), Hehe. Im a buy, dont build gun guy. ETC. But.the very vast majority of applications can be resolved quite well with standard Walmart calibers.. Mike Pannone of CTT Carries a CZ. Because when the SHTF, those helpful youtube videos may not be available. My first real pistol, in Vietnam, was a 1911. Expensive yes, but far cheaper than any of the custom revolvers out there. Yes, every once in a while you get lucky and purchase a Yenko Mustang, but that is the exception, not the rule. A beater 400cc dirtbike is lots easier to live with. Stupid, stupid notion.

Montreux Golf And Country Club Membership Cost, Manalapan Patch Police Blotter, Articles C