The Thunder Ranch Combat Special is a 1911-style pistol born from a very special collaboration between Nighthawk Custom and Thunder Ranch, one of the best firearms training facilities available to civilians in the U.S. for over 25 years.
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President and Director of Thunder Ranch is Clint Smith, a Marine Corps veteran of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam, whose experience includes seven years as a police officer during which he served as head of the Firearms Training Division as well as being a S.W.A.T. member and precision rifleman of two infantry and Combined Action Platoon tours in Vietnam.
Smith is also a 1911 expert of course, and from his extensive experience the Thunder Ranch Combat Special was developed: together with Nighthawk Custom, he “finalized this design as his ultimate version of a handgun”. Smith explains what he means in the video below.
Video: Clint Smith and the Thunder Ranch Combat Special
“One Gun, One Gunsmith”
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First of all, the Thunder Ranch Combat Special pistol is a full-size, all-steel 1911 built following the “One Gun, One Gunsmith” approach, meaning that each gun is built start to finish by a single gunsmith.
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Besides the most classic U.S. caliber of all, the .45 ACP, it is also available in 9mm, and features newly designed front and rear cocking serrations, a lanyard loop mainspring housing, a “GI-Style” nub thumb safety, custom engraving.
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Fine 25 LPI checkering can be found on the front strap and main spring housing, for a safer grip.
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The Thunder Ranch logo is proudly displayed behind the rear cocking serrations. Scale grips are green linen/micarta.
The match grade barrel is 5” long – as you would expect from a 1911. If mechanically speaking the Thunder Ranch Combat Special is very faithful to the archetype, two nice aesthetic / functional details are worth of note: first, the gun sports a unique Smoked Nitride finish – which gives the gun a pleasant “worn” look; the other nice detail is the 14k gold bead front sight. Rear sight is a Heinie Black Ledge type.
As you may have guessed, Nighthawk Custom's Thunder Ranch Combat Special is not just “another 1911-style gun”: this is a solid yet refined creature, and the price – $3,799 – reflects this.
Nighthawk Custom Thunder Ranch Combat Special specs and price
Calibers: | 9 mm/45 ACP |
Barrel Length: | 5"/127 mm |
Overall Length: | 8.60"/218 mm |
Height: | 5.8"/147 mm |
Width: | 1.30"/33 mm |
Weight (Empty): | 41.3 oz/1,170 g |
Sight Radius: | 6.49"/165 mm |
Magazine Capacity: | 8 rounds |
Rear Sight: | Heinie Black Ledge |
Front Sight: | Gold Bead |
Finish: | Smoked Nitride |
Price: | $3,799 |