Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. We were very old guys, like 18, 19 and 20, and our Vietnamese counterparts, with the exception of their officer, were 15, 16 and 17, and as soon as they turned 18 they were automatically taken into the ARVN army (Army of the Republic of Vietnam). It makes clearing the chamber of stuck rounds that much easier. See how this works? Yes! Most people will have a hard time moving with 3000 rounds of 5.55 in magazines hanging off of them. That ammo isnt going anywhere (except into someones bunker at some point) regardless of how much SHTF. I may get killed with my own gun, but he's gonna have to beat me to death with it, cause it's gonna be empty. Which is why my current vehicle is a mundane, grey, 18-year-old Expedition XLT. A gun that you cant easily find parts and ammo for will very quickly become a paper weight. I was deployed twice during my time in. Absolutely! My familys business, or trade so to speak, was law enforcementmy dad, my brother, my uncle. ? Fuck youuu!. This is not the first time Mr. Smith or his proxies have created a gun. If you have to kill a person, a coyote, or a bobcat, 223/556 is just fine. Staff G.A. In 2004 we moved here to Oregon. Thats a pricey revolver for the average folks. 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. It can be upgraded to the Krebs Custom enhanced safety lever or a lever with Rifle Dynamics safety We could communicate and get the job done. I think you underestimate just how much truly cheap surplus x39 is still hanging around in garages and closets. And you really dont want to screw up and get razzed by your class mates. Most will never encounter what these fear mongers say to buy. Smith & Wesson Model 317 Kit Gun 22LR J-Frame With thousands of rounds through them. Meh. I did one deployment to Afghanistan and my second was on apart of 31st MEU. The felt necessity to have one for spare parts does not speak well for the reliability of the platform. Heirloom Precision Gold Line front sight Kids and their new fangled jamamatics. Ive also been in the trades for over fifteen years so Im very comfortable with tools and taking my time. WOW took almost an hour. Im not saying that war is great, but it was a common enemy at that time. I believe he has good advice but it is still advice. Guns and ammo are for the less-than-total collapse. As a practical matter, I (and I will assume, you) am no longer in the long-range killing business. After reminding his acolytes that they need to be able to pick up and run firearms discarded on the battlefield, Mr. Smith goes there. Mere mortals need to make do with what they can. 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. Being everybody exaggerates, we can safely cut that back one half or more. Author liked Magpul stock so much he put his old rifle in this new furniture. This. Yes, that includes .308, .30-30, 7.6239, and .22 (regardless of any shortage)and probably a dozen others. Ive got enough spare parts that I will build another very soon. Neither the chinese nor russians use 7.6239.. You are right i guess the AK 15 the possible replacement for the AK 103 (7.6239) for the Russians and the Type 56, 81 for the Chinese dont exist. 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. I can build my AR to my needs, and it is just as or more reliable then most manufacturers rifles. The receiver of Thunder Ranch AK pistol can be fitted with Picatinny rail rear trunnion. In 83 I started my own business, ITC, International Training Consultants, and worked on the road from 1983 to 1993, and the only exception was in 1986 worked for one year setting up the training division for HK America. My first real pistol, in Vietnam, was a 1911. and I really like having the light. Savage Arms Impulse Elite Precision Rifle: +1 on building an AR. Plus its not hard and they work just fine. 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. Also as a purely practical matter, the most probable reason to actually have to use a firearm will be in your home, not out on any long-range battlefield (where, BTW, your 300 yard shot is very rare), where the shotgun is actually a better weapon, as far as the need to stop a threat is concerned. As for the price of Mr. Smiths carry gun, if you have to ask you cant afford it. I was in infantry units to start with and then I was transferred to what are called combined-action platoons, CAPs. Now, a little bit about me. Dont know who Clint Smith is and dont give a rats ass what he carries. https://youtu.be/H0qe45Z8wfk. this is, in fact, my shocked face. Captain Thunderpants has nothing but contempt for people who dismiss .223 as a viable cartridge. Ironically enough given the popularity of a certain Austrian handgun Mr. Burtons company is dedicated to perfection. so after 3k rounds, the officers ALL shoot Glocks really well. 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. To be clear, he never called himself that, its something fans made up. Lowered and flared ejection port Everybodys got something to worry about. As long as people will have me, I want to work. I want to teach a class a week after Im dead. Its a heavy beast, but i cant afford to miss as my protection detail has me in crowds and around children. Three is two, two is one, one is none, right? 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 ", "The purpose of fighting is to win. I want to create a hub of reliable, cohesive, and relevant material for today's shooter. If youre trying to kill something bigger, its not enough gun. But buying a second to have spare parts is, IMO, overkill. Out. 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. Parting one out to keep the other two running isnt the worst idea in the world. You just end up wasting a lot of energy because the bullet exited the barrel before the propulsive force is fully expended. I understand the multiple copies of the same gun idea, and have family who have done just that. Hell, I left the Marine Corps with a deep abiding hatred of the DI M16A2 and even I am following my own advice. white grips, custom checkering, $10k tag. Hes a colonel of Marines, and that was box or a niche that I fit nicely into being a corporal of Marines. Both demand high dollar prices today. . The CZ SP-01 Shadow wins most of the IPSC competitions for good reason. Another is the 1911. Kart match grade barrel with stainless barrel bushing 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. Keep your sanity re safety. (I also have a Mini-14, just in case things really get ugly and I get attached by broad sides of barns.). 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. Unloaded mags are useless. 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. If Ayoob said it, then its as good as gospel. 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. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No sight picture, and no sight is going to compensate for yanking on the trigger. A complete mishmash of parts, still running. The three red stripes are for accuracy, power and speed. 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. And management comes through practice, practice, practice. 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. I say keep to the caliber your rifle is chambered for as long as you can! 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. I would agree, if the marketplace agreed with you. It sucks at everything except punching through a sheet steel helmet at 600 meters, which is what it was actually designed to do. Comments? 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. 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. At my age, they way I do things isnt likely to change either. 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. He is one of the most interesting men Ive ever met. Q:Any story behind the name?A:Thunder Ranch? (Assuming you dont stay in your domicile, and wait til everything runs out. That said, Im going to be a fricken goldmine when they kill me. Having read most of the posts to this article, many folks have very valid points for what they see as vital essentials. WebFactory New In Box Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 45 acp . Do you want to shoot really well in 800 rounds with a $900 gun or 2400 rounds with a $500 gun? I just finished my first AR build yesterday. Thin-line VZ Diamondback stock panels 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. Firearms|Rifles By Drew BryantAugust 16th, 2022, theloadoutblog.com Rifle Dynamics and Thunder Ranch are teaming up again to bring another Limited Edition build brought to you by the legendary Clint Smith. 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. 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. Still, every place has its drawbacks. For which parts are needed. Ill throw in my two cents here, which is probably more than my opinion is worth. Nick: The AR may be more prone to breakdown than your precious AK, but at least my rifle can actually hit the target.. I like the M1 because they were built by Winchester, Inland, Saginaw Gear, Rock-Olathe jukebox peoplethey were built by IBM, now the computer people, and others. Shortlengthsolidaluminumtrigger Nobody that ever got into a firefight ever said, OH GOD WISH I DIDNT HAVE ALL THIS AMMO. It doesnt happen. Everyone knows that certain conditions require different loads! 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. 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? Change the channel to Oprah? member and precision rifleman. Yeah a hundred + mags?! Honestly I would go with an AR in 7.6239. . @ 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. So, an old curmudgeonly gun guy with an abrasive attitude and no shortages of opinions. WebClint Smith Signature. 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 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. Im not going to buy his rifle, just because he thinks my build or any others that build are not good rifles. Clint Smith aint him. Hes not talking about having fun on the range or competing in 3-gun. 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. so some of his advice is geared that way . Its clearly something he works at. Incorrect. Shortlengthsolidaluminumtrigger The AR15 has a bunch of quirks, too. 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. Aimed to achieve Clint Smiths ideal purpose built Ultimate Curious, would the felt recoil in that featherweight .45ACP be less than it in .357? Ive never had a problem with my builds except the staked Anderson BCG gas key loosening on my 300 blk. If I have a gun, what in the hell do I have to be paranoid for. not so much. Your life depends on it. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. Hes just putting it in terms you can remember. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Im not trying to start a war, just saying that the one that doesnt need the spare parts cache might be the better bet when the SHTF. Would a slower acceleration down the barrel of the heavier slug change the feel of the recoil impulse? 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. Mr. Smith also have Les Baer make a line of 1911 with his Thunder Ranch name on them. I will post content once a week at minimum or more often if time allows. Your mileage may vary. 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 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? In this excerpt from arguably the best shotgun course in the country, TFBTV - Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch That bad boy msrps at an eye-watering $1,329.00. A Jason Burton custom 1911 built on a co-branded Colt Series 70 pistol. To quote George Carlin, Fuck me? Fuck me? But.the very vast majority of applications can be resolved quite well with standard Walmart calibers.. I doubt that youve received goat face. His experience includes seven The mail-in idea will result in votes tabulated in favor of whomever. My dad was a policeman, so growing up I went with my dad to the pistol range, so guns were not new to us. It still shoots sweet! you guessed it 5.45. Buy 2 or 3 of the same rifle, same caliber and practice, practice, practice! COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. Finally, someone who times their screws and doesnt resort to such hackneyed nonsense as allen-head grip screws. Im much more interested in how well a given vehicle will fit my needs.