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Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch

Talyn

Talyn

SAINT
Founding Member
In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves and Johnny B go to Thunder Ranch to take the Combat Shotgun course from Clint Smith and Jack Daniel. In this excerpt from arguably the best shotgun course in the country,

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TFBTV - Combat Shotgun Basics with Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves visits his good friend - Clint Smith - and receives insights on combat shotgun techniques.
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There is much wisdom in that video. Smith is of my era-when I attended my first academy, we were taught that the shotgun is your primary weapon, the handgun is there in case you did not have time to get the shotgun. Training in shotguns was driven to a large extent by the Newhall Incident where 4 CHP officers were killed in April 1970. Somewhere along the way the shotgun fell out of favor, for reasons I do not fully understand. The rifle is essential but the shotgun still has its place. I have noticed a number of departments have both in their gun racks.

I was present on two occasions when an armed subject was hit in the "X" with a full load of 00 from about 10 feet. It is a fight stopper, although in both cases where I was present the suspect still had a second or so of fight left before they hit the pavement. It is devastating in the right hands.

Training with the shotgun is imperative. I am a fan of the 870 because of its dependability, but any reliable shotgun will do.

The mechanisms of shotguns are generally not intuitive. We do a defensive shotgun course for armed professionals here which starts with everyone knowing how to handle the shotgun-right up to the point where we introduce stress. At that point the "I been shooting shotguns all my life" guys become all thumbs and forgetfulness. Once you understand your limits with combat shotgun, the training can begin. Smith is dead right that reloading the gun is a critical skill that must be mastered through training and practice.
 
Classified said:
This was a good video, I saw it after the one where they run a few hundred rounds through the cheapest 12ga. I think they give a fair assessment of what is truly necessary.
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This video is not the same one. It is the same class/ timeframe, but this one is Thunder Ranch and the other one was the smart alecky guy’s video. I enjoyed them both. And I like smart alecky guy.
 
HayesGreener said:
There is much wisdom in that video. Smith is of my era-when I attended my first academy, we were taught that the shotgun is your primary weapon, the handgun is there in case you did not have time to get the shotgun. Training in shotguns was driven to a large extent by the Newhall Incident where 4 CHP officers were killed in April 1970. Somewhere along the way the shotgun fell out of favor, for reasons I do not fully understand. The rifle is essential but the shotgun still has its place. I have noticed a number of departments have both in their gun racks.

I was present on two occasions when an armed subject was hit in the "X" with a full load of 00 from about 10 feet. It is a fight stopper, although in both cases where I was present the suspect still had a second or so of fight left before they hit the pavement. It is devastating in the right hands.

Training with the shotgun is imperative. I am a fan of the 870 because of its dependability, but any reliable shotgun will do.

The mechanisms of shotguns are generally not intuitive. We do a defensive shotgun course for armed professionals here which starts with everyone knowing how to handle the shotgun-right up to the point where we introduce stress. At that point the "I been shooting shotguns all my life" guys become all thumbs and forgetfulness. Once you understand your limits with combat shotgun, the training can begin. Smith is dead right that reloading the gun is a critical skill that must be mastered through training and practice.
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Absolutely true. Running some timed/ stress drills with my old 500 is a very familiar thing to me. In recent years I began training with a KSG25 and a TS12. Whole different story there when you’re under pressure. Not that I did that bad, I truly am a “ I’ve been shooting shotguns all my life” guy, but when it’s not just drills, it’s real life, at this point that old 500 is the one closest to me and set up to roll. I have made the decision to within the next couple months buy either a 1301 or an M1014. Probably the latter. At that point ALL shotgun training and classes will be done with that shotgun. Even though it’s capacity is limited compared to the TS12 and especially the KelTec, I think it’s more suited to the task.

As Clint said, and I know it is absolutely true, it is imperative that you understand completely and thoroughly exactly how the shotgun operates and what it’s limitations are.
 
I’ll go back to what I know very well in a defensive situation. Hogs

A charging hog taking a 12 gauge slug to the forehead is a show stopper. I like the shotgun close in woods with the power, ease of wield, and straight open sights. Maverick Sec 88 works well for my needs. I feel its a easier gun to wield for me than an AR close in woods. Maybe my experience bird hunting on the wing helps in that regard. Either way shotguns can be truly devastating.
 
Thanks for posting this great video. The shotgun has always been my go to longarm for defensive purposes. I have an M1A and Scout and and FAL, I'll even admit to an AR (but it's in .300 Blackout). However all of those are going to be left in the safe if I have to grab one long gun to deal with a situation, I'm grabbing my Benelli M3.
 
fordag said:
Thanks for posting this great video. The shotgun has always been my go to longarm for defensive purposes. I have an M1A and Scout and and FAL, I'll even admit to an AR (but it's in .300 Blackout). However all of those are going to be left in the safe if I have to grab one long gun to deal with a situation, I'm grabbing my Benelli M3.
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Man of my heart …
M1a and an FAL.

Not a lot of us FAL fans around here .. i’m a FAL nut .!!
 
Amazingly concise editing and chocked-full of good stuff, thanks for grabbing this one, @Talyn ! (y)

HayesGreener said:
The mechanisms of shotguns are generally not intuitive. We do a defensive shotgun course for armed professionals here which starts with everyone knowing how to handle the shotgun-right up to the point where we introduce stress. At that point the "I been shooting shotguns all my life" guys become all thumbs and forgetfulness. Once you understand your limits with combat shotgun, the training can begin. Smith is dead right that reloading the gun is a critical skill that must be mastered through training and practice.
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I love my boom-stick, but I'll also be the first to admit it: I need more training and practice with it. :giggle:

It's not a primary for me, so that makes my allocation of limited training/practice resources/time unfortunately also skewed away from it, but even so, it still is among the options that I have, in our safe-room: the little one can use the 5.56 AR just fine, so this gives a bit more oomph at that across-the-room range, even with its major compromise.

Weight and ammo-management truly are no-joke, and as with any other good instruction I've had with the shotgun, it's highlighted in this video. That old saying of "If you're not shooting it, you should be loading it!" has by now been ingrained into my mind, but even with as much ready-ammo as I've put on the gun, I'm still well aware that there's just not that much there, even with the weight compromise that I've made.

I've woken from a nap and tried some safe dummy-rounds manipulations drills with my 870. The fact that I'm not athletically blessed is embarrassingly apparent. 😅 I think to potential defensive scenarios and what a good jolt of adrenaline may do -both for and against- towards these skills, and I think about getting more training, more practice.....
 
TSiWRX said:
Amazingly concise editing and chocked-full of good stuff, thanks for grabbing this one, @Talyn ! (y)



I love my boom-stick, but I'll also be the first to admit it: I need more training and practice with it. :giggle:

It's not a primary for me, so that makes my allocation of limited training/practice resources/time unfortunately also skewed away from it, but even so, it still is among the options that I have, in our safe-room: the little one can use the 5.56 AR just fine, so this gives a bit more oomph at that across-the-room range, even with its major compromise.

Weight and ammo-management truly are no-joke, and as with any other good instruction I've had with the shotgun, it's highlighted in this video. That old saying of "If you're not shooting it, you should be loading it!" has by now been ingrained into my mind, but even with as much ready-ammo as I've put on the gun, I'm still well aware that there's just not that much there, even with the weight compromise that I've made.

I've woken from a nap and tried some safe dummy-rounds manipulations drills with my 870. The fact that I'm not athletically blessed is embarrassingly apparent. 😅 I think to potential defensive scenarios and what a good jolt of adrenaline may do -both for and against- towards these skills, and I think about getting more training, more practice.....
Click to expand...
I make 12 gauge snap caps. I got a couple dozen of them. Invaluable.
 
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