Charles L. Cotton wrote:
I'm sorry to be slow responding, but I've been to Thunder Ranch and won't be home until tomorrow.
Charles,
Do you have any observations/comments you would care to share
we us regarding the New Thunder Ranch? Which course did you attend?
Drive/fly? Good spots to stay/eat/drink/fish? The facilities look first rate
on their web site, but scaled down a tad? Is this reality or just camera
angles? Anything else you would want to throw in?
I took the last course offered here in TX (Old Rifles) but don't see how
that course would be possible in Oregon given the new lead-free ammo
rules.
Hi Tom:
I moved this from the CLEAT post to a new post in the General section.
My wife and I, along with Steve and Donna Vandermolen, took the Team Tactics course. We flew Continental Airlines to Reno and drove to Lakeview OR, about a 4 hour drive. We left last Saturday so we could spend a few days in Reno and the surrounding area, before heading to Lakeview.
In Lakeview, we stayed at the Hunter's Hot Springs Resort, but next trip we'll stay at the Best Western. Lakeview is only 6 miles from Thunder Ranch, so the drive is nothing like the Kerrville to TR drive in Texas. (We always stayed on the ranch in Texas.) Clint and Heidi served supper on Wed. and Thurs. evenings, so we didn't explore the available restaurants.
TR - Oregon has one main range. Since this was a pistol course, I don’t know if Clint put in a field range/course. The main range is a rectangle with 100 yds or more for the rifle targets, including steel targets, wobblers, etc., and the pistol targets on the "long" side of the rectangle. They are stationary or wobblers as well. I'm not sure what the max. distance is for the pistol targets, because my wife and I had rotated to the Terminator when the class was shooting the longer range portion of the class. My guess is at least 35 years; perhaps as much as 50 yds.
The range also has the set-up for Thunderville, but with a different configuration. You can check your own target for hits, unlike TR-Texas. I really like the range configuration. You can rotate from the range to the Terminator very quickly, giving you much less "down time" compared to driving from the Red range to the Terminator (then to the Tower in rifle courses.)
The Terminator is much different! I won't go into the differences, as I want them to be as much of a surprise to folks as it was for us. Martha and I liked it MUCH better than the old Terminator. We have been to TR many times, and I can't remember the last time I was actually sweating in the Terminator or Tower. We were this time, and not from heat - the temperature never got over 70! I can say I got more out of our Terminator runs this class than ever before and this was our 4th time to take Team Tactics.
The "green range" was of concern to many, but there are suppliers for this ammo, even in some rifle calibers. The owner of TTI was there and seemed committed to supply TR students the required ammo. We bought 2,000 rds from International Cartridge Company listed on the TR website, but next time I'll buy from Ernie at TTI. I appreciate his commitment to supplying TR students and the fact that he uses large pistol primers in his 45 ACP ammo. He also has some other ideas in the works, but I don't think its my place to publicize it. (The ICC .45 ACP ammo used small primers that appeared to be crimped - I didn't even bother to ship the brass back.)
This was a great trip! The new Oregon facility is excellent, the view is spectacular and we had a great time getting with our good friends the Vandermolens. This is a little off topic, but if you really want to get to know someone well, just spend eight days with them every waking moment of each day. We did that with Steve and Donna and enjoyed every second. They are great people, very committed to the shooting community (especially the ladies) and Martha and I are proud to call them our friends. We have already planned (and signed up) for our trip together next year.
I second Charles' comments. IT was a great trip, TR-O is much more compact but has lost none of it's functionality. The training is great and the Terminator is better than ever.
Chas, Thanks for your kind words on the company...ditto.
Perhaps there isn't any reason to post a reply as Charles and Steve said it all except I too want to say that the trip to TR-O was even better than I could have hoped and the reason was the company. Charles and Martha are wonderfull people and a lot of fun. My only regret is Martha and I did not do the terminator together!
One last comment. Ladies you need to go! It is excellent training done with camaraderie and humor. Clint and Heidi have it all, training and hospitality.
MAn, that sounds like a great week. I am jealous. It may take a while, but One day I will go to TR or something similar. You think my kid would mind not eating for a year?
