Defensive Firearms

This video introduces a self-defense carbine series filmed at Thunder Ranch, featuring Clint Smith. It emphasizes practical rifle use in close-quarters scenarios, arguing for rifle superiority over handguns due to modern threats like body armor. The core doctrine is 'Logic,' focusing on thinking and fundamentals. A key drill involves tracking a target to the ground, ensuring complete threat neutralization. Instruction from Clint Smith, founder of Thunder Ranch and a legend in tactical training, provides expert insights.

Massad Ayoob, an expert firearms instructor and author, demonstrates the tactical reload, a crucial technique for maintaining maximum ammunition capacity during a lull in action. He emphasizes safety, proper magazine retention, and efficient manipulation, showcasing a method influenced by Jeff Cooper and taught at Thunder Ranch. This guide is essential for anyone seeking to enhance their defensive shooting skills.

This guide details essential combat shotgun reloading techniques as demonstrated by Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch. It covers emergency port loading, the 'violin' reload for mobility, and effective ammunition management using side saddles. Proper shell orientation is also discussed to prevent loss during recoil. Instruction emphasizes the critical need for consistent practice due to the shotgun's limited capacity in defensive scenarios.

This video documents Day 2 of the Thunder Ranch Night Vision Course, following up on previous instruction. The course provides an overview of various night vision (NODs) applications, including light close-quarters battle (CQB lite) for home clearing, considerations for driving with night vision, exiting vehicles while using NVDs, and some basic medical training. The participants engage in practical exercises under different conditions and complete a nature walk, reinforcing learned skills. The video promotes Kit Badger's website, merchandise, and Patreon, as well as Thunder Ranch's course offerings.

This comprehensive 3-day Pistol & Carbine course at Thunder Ranch, instructed by Clint Smith and Heidi Smith, focuses on practical gunfighting skills. The curriculum covers essential lectures, range drills for both carbine and pistol, partner exercises, CQB in a shoot house, and long-range engagements up to 700 yards. The instruction emphasizes 'Shoot, Move, Communicate' and practical application over competition, with high authority from experienced instructors.

This guide, based on instruction from Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch, emphasizes that shotguns must be aimed precisely for home defense, even at very close ranges. It details how to measure home distances and conduct live-fire tests to understand your specific shotgun's pattern spread with chosen ammunition. Proper patterning is crucial for effective defensive use.

This guide, informed by Roy Huntington, Editor of American Handgunner Magazine, details the critical differences between buckshot and birdshot for home defense. It covers their physical characteristics, penetration capabilities through walls, and effectiveness at close range. The advice emphasizes choosing a load based on concerns about over-penetration while stressing the universal importance of training, target identification, and using a light for any home defense scenario.

This guide details the field stripping process for a 1911 pistol, presented by Roy Huntington, Publisher of American Handgunner. It covers essential safety checks, step-by-step disassembly, and reassembly, emphasizing techniques to prevent damage. An alternative 'cheat' method for faster disassembly is also demonstrated, along with advice on using specialized tools for tight components.

This video showcases an exceptionally rare find: a first-generation 1873 Colt Single Action Peacemaker, discovered via metal detecting in Arizona. The expert speaker details its museum-quality condition, dating it to 1875, and analyzes the authentic patina and wear, including specific gutta-percha grip details and muzzle wear from holster friction. The firearm's discovery context among homestead ruins adds to its historical narrative.

This guide, presented by Roy Huntington, Editor of American Handgunner Magazine, outlines an efficient '5-minute clean' for modern semi-automatic pistols like the Glock 26/27. It emphasizes that over-cleaning is unnecessary and can cause premature wear. The process focuses on targeted cleaning of critical areas like the barrel and slide rails, with minimal lubrication applied only to high-friction points. Proper function checks after reassembly are also highlighted.