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Soooo... for more years than I care to admit to I've been thinking I'd reallllllly like to take a handgun class from Clint Smith. So a few months back I was looking at a few checks I'd just deposited for teaching a Tactical Anatomy class and wondering what to spend it on, and a Facebook post from Thunder Ranch popped up saying that they still had two slots in their Defensive Revolver class in November.

That led to a couple of emails back & forth, then some money changed hands, I bought some ammo (has to be lead-free at TR), bought some airline tickets, and now I'm getting fixed to go shoot sixguns with Clint.

These are the sixguns I plan to take with me:



[Linked Image]



All 3 are 357 Magnum revolvers. I generally shoot 38 Special +P ammo in them for competition and training, but all do well with various 357 loads for hunting/woodswalking as well.

Top & bottom guns are 686-4's, basically identical except that the bottom one is a Teddy Jacobsen-tuned gun that's DAO and shoots slightly faster. The top one is a Jack Weigand-tuned sixgun with the SA function still intact. It shoots a tad slower, but in most matches or classes they are basically interchangeable. I'll be using these 2 sixguns for the majority of the class work.

The middle gun is a 3" Model 65, and which is much more of a carry gun than the other two. I've used it to win some tin now & then, though, so it's earned its keep. It will come along for daily carry and perhaps a bit of a workout on the range during the class.

I haven't shot my revolvers seriously for months, so a conditioning program is in progress. After all, I'll be shooting 600-800 rounds over a 3-day period at this class. I've been dry-firing a couple hundred times per night for the past week, getting my hand used to the action again. I started live-fire yesterday, 240 rounds or so, mostly slow fire, then finishing up with a few Double Bill Drills. Good fun. My hands feel good, and I'm starting to build up the callus on my trigger finger again. I'll keep the round count under 200/day for the next few days to keep building it, but not too much so as to make sure I don't raise a blister. I've had trigger-finger blisters before, they're no fun.

I am sure looking forward to this class. I'll give y'all an AAR when I get back.


Last edited by DocRocket; 10/30/14. Reason: wrong pitcher

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I'm envious.

I've been to Gunsite a couple of times and Roger's Shooting School and if I get a chance, TR will be my next destination.

Clint is clearly a pragmatic Instructor in a field inflated with extraneous doctrine.


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TR revolver is one of the classes I've always wanted to take. Color me jealous sir.

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Enjoy Doc, you deserve the break my friend.


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You flying out buddy, or driving?


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Originally Posted by frogman43
You flying out buddy, or driving?

He is flying, but not flying his own self!
Originally Posted by docrocket
...bought some airline tickets...


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
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BTW, expecting pics and an extensive write-up. wink


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You'll have a lot of fun, Clint is a great guy and a first rate instructor. And you have chosen your revolvers very well; have fun my friend.

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I shot one of our old retired Model 66s at work the other day. Now I realize why you like 'em.


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your flippant remarks which you so adeptly sling
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They still have some?


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Originally Posted by Bluedreaux
I shot one of our old retired Model 66s at work the other day. Now I realize why you like 'em.
If you are not as familiar with Smith revolvers as some of the newer designs, I'd suggest the 686. When I started shooting, there was no 686. A 19 was one of my first guns. I think the 686 is much better. Doc's two 686's look pretty sweet. Of course, right now I've got a 19 and a 28 and no 686. lol

The PD in our county seat had 66's when I was a kid IIRC. They sent them in for 681's on some big trade-in. I remember one of them used the former issue gun while they were waiting on the 681's. It was a 38-44 Heavy Duty. After the 681's they got 4506's. I have no idea what they currently run.

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Sounds great. When I was last home (Boerne) a month or so ago the household loaded C-van arrived from Australia and one of the four unloading the cargo was wearing a Thunder Ranch hat. I queried and he responded that he had been to eight of Clint's classes, all but one in Texas, and used whatever funds he was able to save to go on "vacation" to Thunder Ranch. He was heading there around now IIRC for his second trip to the northern facility. Nothing but praise for the man and the facilities. I will be planning a run post retirement next year as a trip from the north Idaho place.


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I like the K-frames quite a bit... the geometry and size is perfect for my hand. As such, I tend to use a K-frame when I'm shooting a match that calls for fast shooting at closer range. If you follow such things, Jerry Miculek has set most of his revolver shooting world records with M66 revolvers, FWIW.

But the K-frame is not a robust platform. They shoot "loose" if fed a steady diet of 357 Magnum ammo over time. The M65 in my photo had to be rebuilt by S&W after I had shot it over 3 IDPA seasons. In fairness, it was a PD-surplus revolver that I bought used, and I did fire a lot of rounds through it. But still, it needed a rebuild after I put less than 30,000 rounds through it. By contrast, my 686's have 40,000+ rounds each through them, and are still running tickety-boo.

The 686 is one of the few times that a compromise worked/works. The L-frame is, IMHO, the perfect frame size for a working revolver in a serious caliber (357 Mag, 41, Mag, 44 Mag/Spl, 45 Colt). I have 3 686's, a 586, and now a Model 69 (5-shot 44 Mag) in L-frames, and they are all keepers. I plan to get more. I need to get someone to build me one in 45 Colt one of these days...


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I'm excited for you, too. And really looking forward to your AAR. If there's a more sensible revolver for daily carry than a 3" M65, I'm not aware of it. Excellent choice.


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I'd be curious about Thunder Ranch's take on the overall strategy of carrying a defensive revolver, when many/most people today have switched to autos. When I carry one it's either for hunting, or for general utility use, where the targets could be anything from snakes to 2 & 4 legged predators. No trying to stir any controversy, just learn.

I'd also be curious if they are seeing any trends in revolver reliability, old versus new models. That would be stirring smirk


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as happy for you as a jealous man can be Doc


have a blast!


I'm pretty certain when we sing our anthem and mention the land of the free, the original intent didn't mean cell phones, food stamps and birth control.
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Originally Posted by tex_n_cal
I'd be curious about Thunder Ranch's take on the overall strategy of carrying a defensive revolver, when many/most people today have switched to autos. When I carry one it's either for hunting, or for general utility use, where the targets could be anything from snakes to 2 & 4 legged predators. No trying to stir any controversy, just learn.

I'd also be curious if they are seeing any trends in revolver reliability, old versus new models. That would be stirring smirk


I'd like to see the failure rates of pre and post-lock S&W's compared, as well as any comparison between L-frame Smiths and Ruger GP100's.

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Quote
DOC ROCKET - " ... I've been dry-firing a couple hundred times per night for the past week, getting my hand used to the action again. I started live-fire yesterday, 240 rounds or so, mostly slow fire, then finishing up with a few Double Bill Drills. "


Perhaps you're working on revolver speed reloading, but if not, I suggest you do a lot of practice using your speed loaders.

I imagine you'll have a lot of fun and learn a thing or two while at Thunder Ranch. Smith knows his stuff.

L.W.


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Originally Posted by tex_n_cal
I'd be curious about Thunder Ranch's take on the overall strategy of carrying a defensive revolver...


Last year Clint did a couple of classes at TR Texas-----in addition to a Jason Burton (Heirloom Precision) 1911, he carried one of these in an ankle holster:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/..._757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

Clint's a huge revolver fan, especially old N and S frame guns.



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Quote
BTW, expecting pics and an extensive write-up. wink


This. Try to get one with Heidi in it too. grin

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