Thunder Ranch?

stillborn · December 15, 2006, 07:37 PM

I am just wondering about Thunder Ranch. I know they do firearm training and all that good stuff. I am just curious about the guns they sell sometimes. The one that peaked my interest was the Thunder Ranch S&W mod 21 .44 Spl. I believe that was the one... Would yall consider that to be an ideal fighting "combat" revolver?

thanks,

still

DPris · December 15, 2006, 07:46 PM

Ideal, no. If properly executed, as many were not (they were not sold by Thunder Ranch, incidentally), they can be very viable as defensive revolvers.
S&W viewed the gun differently from the way Clint Smith saw it, S&W regarded it as primarily a TR "commemorative" & did not treat it as seriously as they should have.
The caliber choice (.44 Special fans ignore this

) was not the most practical, and there were several quality control problems.
Denis

SnWnMe · December 16, 2006, 02:18 AM

TR21 DA group 15 yds.

Any revolver can be a fighting revolver right?
All you gotta do is bring it to a fight.

Rimrod · December 16, 2006, 09:30 AM

Ideal? No. Worhty of consideration? No.

stillborn · December 16, 2006, 10:57 AM

Ok... I wasn't to sure. I thought that was Thunder Ranch was all about the combat/ defenseive scenrio. They look like pretty sweet guns though. Ok, what revolver would be ideal and worthy of consideration?

thanks,

still

18DAI · December 16, 2006, 11:03 AM

The S&W pre lock M-66 with a 3" barrel is my idea of the ideal combat revolver. Good sight radius, full length ejector, light for carry, and points great. Stainless for lower maintenance in heat/humidity. Regards 18DAI.

SnWnMe · December 16, 2006, 02:59 PM

Truth be told, "ideal" means it doesn't exist but a big bore N frame is a good start.

RevolverLover · December 16, 2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Ok, what revolver would be ideal and worthy of consideration?

What are you planning to do this revolver for? Is it going to be for CCW? HD?

stillborn · December 16, 2006, 03:14 PM

No, I was reading an article about how that Thunder Ranch guy thought the that .44 would make a good fighting gun. So I was just wondering why. My next gun will most likely be a 4 inch GP100... unless I come across a service six at a good price, either way, my girl made me promise that I couldn't get a new gun for another 6 months..... blah. So Im just reading about guns now.

still

RevolverLover · December 16, 2006, 05:30 PM

Quote:

my girl made me promise that I couldn't get a new gun for another 6 months..... blah. So Im just reading about guns now.

So get a used one instead of new.

DPris · December 17, 2006, 02:41 AM

Of the two guns you mention, your chances of getting a better quality revolver in a handier size that will last longer chambered in a much more prevalent caliber (or two, if you want to shoot .38s in it) are much better with the Ruger GP.
That's ONLY regarding those two mentioned, and taking into consideration the relatively recent sporadic quality control problems at the eastern Ruger plant. And, yes, there are individual exceptions with both companies.
I've worked with three recent Ruger GPs & found no problems, bought two of them. On the other hand, I returned two of the S&W TR 21s unfired, they were so bad. Without wandering too far into "You Should Get Gun C, D, E, F or G Even Though You Only Asked About Guns A & B", I'll say the subsequent TR Model 22s in .45 ACP are better done (with the exception of the early sights shooting way low) and in a more practical caliber. I mention that to avoid giving the impression I'm dumping on S&W unduly or favoring Ruger unduly.
Denis

vanilla_gorilla · December 17, 2006, 03:37 AM

What sort of problems did experience with the Model 21s that caused you to return them?

glockopop · December 17, 2006, 04:46 AM

My girlfriend's dad has a Thunder Ranch .45. He shot a cylinder. I shot a cylinder. Then it locked up. He sent it back to S&W, and they fixed it, said it had the wrong hand installed. If QC is that bad on a limited run high end gun, (his dealer cost was approaching $600) what are they doing with their low end guns? Consequently, the Smith I've got on layaway now is at least 30 years old.

DPris · December 17, 2006, 03:22 PM

VG,
Both barrels were over-tightened, both front blades were canted to the left. One barrel's crown was so bad a range rod initially wouldn't pass into it, that barrel also had a tight spot. Both forcing cones failed a No-Go gauge. One cylinder had to be forced shut.
Sight regulation was a frequent problem on others, including one of the guys originally involved with bringing the gun about.
The 22s seem to have gotten far fewer QC complaints.
Denis

December 15, 2006, 07:37 PM	#1
stillborn Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 125	Thunder Ranch? I am just wondering about Thunder Ranch. I know they do firearm training and all that good stuff. I am just curious about the guns they sell sometimes. The one that peaked my interest was the Thunder Ranch S&W mod 21 .44 Spl. I believe that was the one... Would yall consider that to be an ideal fighting "combat" revolver? thanks, still

December 16, 2006, 02:18 AM	#3
SnWnMe Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2004 Location: So Cal Posts: 381	TR21 DA group 15 yds. Any revolver can be a fighting revolver right? All you gotta do is bring it to a fight. __________________ If you can kick in the pants the person responsible for your problems, you won't be able to sit for a month.

December 16, 2006, 02:59 PM	#7
SnWnMe Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2004 Location: So Cal Posts: 381	Truth be told, "ideal" means it doesn't exist but a big bore N frame is a good start. __________________ If you can kick in the pants the person responsible for your problems, you won't be able to sit for a month.

December 17, 2006, 03:37 AM	#12
vanilla_gorilla Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 272	What sort of problems did experience with the Model 21s that caused you to return them? __________________ A gun is just a tool, the real weapon lies behind the face in the mirror.

December 17, 2006, 04:46 AM	#13
glockopop Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2005 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 922	My girlfriend's dad has a Thunder Ranch .45. He shot a cylinder. I shot a cylinder. Then it locked up. He sent it back to S&W, and they fixed it, said it had the wrong hand installed. If QC is that bad on a limited run high end gun, (his dealer cost was approaching $600) what are they doing with their low end guns? Consequently, the Smith I've got on layaway now is at least 30 years old. __________________ I've only got two hands, but I've been known to carry three Glocks. RZA

December 15, 2006, 07:46 PM	#2
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Ideal, no. If properly executed, as many were not (they were not sold by Thunder Ranch, incidentally), they can be very viable as defensive revolvers. S&W viewed the gun differently from the way Clint Smith saw it, S&W regarded it as primarily a TR "commemorative" & did not treat it as seriously as they should have. The caliber choice (.44 Special fans ignore this ) was not the most practical, and there were several quality control problems. Denis

December 16, 2006, 09:30 AM	#4
Rimrod Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Behind enemy lines Posts: 1,309	Ideal? No. Worhty of consideration? No.

December 16, 2006, 10:57 AM	#5
stillborn Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 125	Ok... I wasn't to sure. I thought that was Thunder Ranch was all about the combat/ defenseive scenrio. They look like pretty sweet guns though. Ok, what revolver would be ideal and worthy of consideration? thanks, still

December 16, 2006, 11:03 AM	#6
18DAI Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2005 Location: NC Posts: 2,156	The S&W pre lock M-66 with a 3" barrel is my idea of the ideal combat revolver. Good sight radius, full length ejector, light for carry, and points great. Stainless for lower maintenance in heat/humidity. Regards 18DAI.

December 16, 2006, 03:14 PM	#9
stillborn Senior Member Join Date: April 30, 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 125	No, I was reading an article about how that Thunder Ranch guy thought the that .44 would make a good fighting gun. So I was just wondering why. My next gun will most likely be a 4 inch GP100... unless I come across a service six at a good price, either way, my girl made me promise that I couldn't get a new gun for another 6 months..... blah. So Im just reading about guns now. still

December 17, 2006, 02:41 AM	#11
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	Of the two guns you mention, your chances of getting a better quality revolver in a handier size that will last longer chambered in a much more prevalent caliber (or two, if you want to shoot .38s in it) are much better with the Ruger GP. That's ONLY regarding those two mentioned, and taking into consideration the relatively recent sporadic quality control problems at the eastern Ruger plant. And, yes, there are individual exceptions with both companies. I've worked with three recent Ruger GPs & found no problems, bought two of them. On the other hand, I returned two of the S&W TR 21s unfired, they were so bad. Without wandering too far into "You Should Get Gun C, D, E, F or G Even Though You Only Asked About Guns A & B", I'll say the subsequent TR Model 22s in .45 ACP are better done (with the exception of the early sights shooting way low) and in a more practical caliber. I mention that to avoid giving the impression I'm dumping on S&W unduly or favoring Ruger unduly. Denis

December 17, 2006, 03:22 PM	#14
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	VG, Both barrels were over-tightened, both front blades were canted to the left. One barrel's crown was so bad a range rod initially wouldn't pass into it, that barrel also had a tight spot. Both forcing cones failed a No-Go gauge. One cylinder had to be forced shut. Sight regulation was a frequent problem on others, including one of the guys originally involved with bringing the gun about. The 22s seem to have gotten far fewer QC complaints. Denis