Thunder Stick Summit (shotguns) 9/9-11 Dallas, TX

[Erick Gelhaus]

Thunderstick Summit will bring together several well-established instructors well versed in the use of shotguns as a lethal force tool.

About this event

Thunderstick Summit will feature five instructors from all over the country to present a diverse set of instructional blocks on various aspects of social shotgun deployment.

Darryl Bolke is shepherding this. Other instructors include - Tom Givens (Rangemaster), Steve Fisher (Sentinel Concepts), Rob Haught (Symtac), Darryl Bolke (Hardwired Tactical Shooting), and myself (Cougar Mountain Solutions).

Students will need a couple of 12 gauge reliable shotguns typically used for use in a tactical environment, approximately 1000 rounds of birdshot/training ammunition and 100 rounds of mixed buckshot and slugs.

This class will include a catered BBQ dinner at the range on Saturday night.

$700
Date and time

Fri, Sep 9, 2022, 8:00 AM –Sun, Sep 11, 2022, 5:00 PM CDT
Location

Dallas Pistol Club

1830 West Belt Line Road

Carrollton, TX 75006

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2022-thunderstick-summit-tickets-362536304847

[BobM]

That’s definitely tempting but it’s a fourteen hour drive one way, plus lodging.

[Tom Givens]

That’s definitely tempting but it’s a fourteen hour drive one way, plus lodging.

It's further than that for me. Come anyway.

[GyroF-16]

Very tempting.
This sounds like the opportunity to get good shotgun training that I’ve been hoping for.
1000 rds of training ammo… I’ll have to look for where to find that and ship to Dallas.

Wheels turning…

[Suvorov]

Very tempting.
This sounds like the opportunity to get good shotgun training that I’ve been hoping for.
1000 rds of training ammo… I’ll have to look for where to find that and ship to Dallas.

Wheels turning…

Agreed!

I keep saying I’ll make one of these classes. Who knows, maybe it will happen one day?

Shotgun is definitely my weak discipline.

[LHS]

This is going to be an amazing concentration of gauge knowledge. I personally can't wait :)

[Erick Gelhaus]

And it's Sold Out.

[Elwin]

And it's Sold Out.

Obviously that just means do it again next year right?

[OldRunner/CSAT Neighbor]

Obviously that just means do it again next year right?

Per FB they're already looking into that & thx to the Pipester he & I'll be there.

[ST911]

Wheels turning…

Um, yeah... Looks like a great event.

[SeriousStudent]

I'll be doing JARBIT duties and providing logistical support.

If anyone needs to ship ammo, please let me know. You can ship it to me a week or so prior to the event. I'll let you know when it arrives, and will bring it the first day of class.

[marcin]

It's going to be an awesome three days. I'm super happy I managed to snag a ticket.

[SeriousStudent]

It's going to be an awesome three days. I'm super happy I managed to snag a ticket.

I am pretty sure we met at Tac-Con. You went through SouthNarc Experiential Learning lab, if I recall correctly, and did an excellent job.

Please let me know if I can assist with your visit to Texas. :)

[marcin]

I am pretty sure we met at Tac-Con. You went through SouthNarc Experiential Learning lab, if I recall correctly, and did an excellent job.

Please let me know if I can assist with your visit to Texas. :)

Ummm, yeah, I did go through Craig's ELL at TacCon this past year. My recollection was that I lay there, on the floor, wondering WTF was going on while Dave Reicheck had his way with the scenario, so I'm not sure it was an excellent job, but I did get out of there alive and back home, so I guess that counts for something.

Thanks for the generous offer of assistance -- I might hit you up for ammo shipments, seeing as flying from Seattle with 1000+ rounds of shotgun ammo is not going to be practical.

[Mike Pipes]

I'll be doing JARBIT duties and providing logistical support.

If anyone needs to ship ammo, please let me know. You can ship it to me a week or so prior to the event. I'll let you know when it arrives, and will bring it the first day of class.

We will have to do our Thursday night dinner gathering at Chamberlain's Fish Market! Looking forward to Ceein YA!

[SeriousStudent]

We will have to do our Thursday night dinner gathering at Chamberlain's Fish Market! Looking forward to Ceein YA!

We will have to pick a different venue. Sadly, they did not survive the the closures of 2021. :(

Lefty's Lobster is literally just down the street, and is very good.

[Mike Pipes]

We will have to pick a different venue. Sadly, they did not survive the the closures of 2021. :(

Lefty's Lobster is literally just down the street, and is very good.

Works for me....CYA

[Hambo]

approximately 1000 rounds of birdshot/training ammunition and 100 rounds of mixed buckshot and slugs.


Just confirming that is 1000 rounds.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Just confirming that is 1000 rounds.

No, it's 1100 rounds.

"Students will need ... approximately 1000 rounds of birdshot/training ammunition and 100 rounds of mixed buckshot and slugs."

[OldRunner/CSAT Neighbor]

Disregard & delete.

[marcin]

No, it's 1100 rounds.

"Students will need ... approximately 1000 rounds of birdshot/training ammunition and 100 rounds of mixed buckshot and slugs."

I'll order and ship the birdshot straight to Dallas, but I was going to fly with slugs and buck -- do we have a breakdown of how much of either we'll need?

[SeriousStudent]

Marcin, the exact number is being discussed right now. Darryl's chatting with all the instructors to try and get a solid number.

[marcin]

Any further updates on ammo counts for buckshot and slugs?

[Erick Gelhaus]

I checked in with Darryl again yesterday to get the answer. He told me he’d share it today. My apologies.

[Erick Gelhaus]

This just went to the registered attendees:


A Message from Hardwired Tactical Shooting-Darryl Bolke and Wayne Dobbs:
Good Evening to all attendees of Thunderstick Summit 2022. I have discussed plans with each instructor for round counts. I wanted to modify the numbers to reflect the round count. It looks like you should be able to get by with 500-600 rounds of bird shot. 40 Rounds of Buck Shot and 10-20 rounds of slugs. Most of the slug and buck will be used for patterning. 
Please make sure your ammunition will reliably cycle your shotgun. 


Thank You
Darryl Bolke

[marcin]

Awesome. Got my bird shot ordered and shipped down to SeriousStudent.

[SeriousStudent]

This just went to the registered attendees:


A Message from Hardwired Tactical Shooting-Darryl Bolke and Wayne Dobbs:
Good Evening to all attendees of Thunderstick Summit 2022. I have discussed plans with each instructor for round counts. I wanted to modify the numbers to reflect the round count. It looks like you should be able to get by with 500-600 rounds of bird shot. 40 Rounds of Buck Shot and 10-20 rounds of slugs. Most of the slug and buck will be used for patterning. 
Please make sure your ammunition will reliably cycle your shotgun. 


Thank You
Darryl Bolke

My aching back thanks you.

[Lon]

I’m jealous of those who get to attend this. Very jealous.

[titsonritz]

I’m jealous of those who get to attend this. Very jealous.

You're not the only one for sure.

[GyroF-16]

I’m jealous of those who get to attend this. Very jealous.

Indeed.
Looking forward to the AARs.
And to next year’s TSS (ThunderStick Summit) - I hope to attend that one with Suvorov

[Suvorov]

Indeed.
Looking forward to the AARs.
And to next year’s TSS (ThunderStick Summit) - I hope to attend that one with Suvorov

Hell yeah - I’m about to haul 500 rnds of buckshot over 3 major mountain ranges for this to happen!

[SeriousStudent]

Hell yeah - I’m about to haul 500 rnds of buckshot over 3 major mountain ranges for this to happen!

I would at least use a wagon, that can't be good for your lower back. :cool:

See you gents next Friday!

[Yung]

Saw this in the most recent Wilderness email flyer this morning.
94056

[marcin]

Flew in from Seattle, staying at the Carrolton Courtyard By Mariott (same one as TacCon). If anyone wants to grab dinner or a beer tonight, I'm free. Otherwise, I'll see y'all tomorrow.

Email is mkporwit@porwit.net.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Looking forward to seeing everyone in the AM.

[Tom Givens]

Lynn and I are in Dallas, Texas, for the historic Thunderstick Summit. We finished up the first day of training today, with much more to come Saturday and Sunday. All of the senior social shotgun trainers are presenting training over these three days, with Darryl Bolke, Erick Gelhaus, Steve Fisher, Rob Haught, and me, plus two dozen students from all over the US.

The morning session today was a lecture from me covering shotgun history, a detailed look at shotgun ammo, and lots of other stuff. Erick Gelhaus spent the afternoon putting everyone through a well thought out set of drills working on polishing up basic gunhandling skills. Tomorrow Darryl and Steve will be working everyone on skill application. Sunday Rob will work on recoil mitigation and CQB techniques. I got to shoot my 1301 more today than I have been able to over the past year. Good stuff!

[Lon]

Lynn and I are in Dallas, Texas, for the historic Thunderstick Summit. We finished up the first day of training today, with much more to come Saturday and Sunday. All of the senior social shotgun trainers are presenting training over these three days, with Darryl Bolke, Erick Gelhaus, Steve Fisher, Rob Haught, and me, plus two dozen students from all over the US.

The morning session today was a lecture from me covering shotgun history, a detailed look at shotgun ammo, and lots of other stuff. Erick Gelhaus spent the afternoon putting everyone through a well thought out set of drills working on polishing up basic gunhandling skills. Tomorrow Darryl and Steve will be working everyone on skill application. Sunday Rob will work on recoil mitigation and CQB techniques. I got to shoot my 1301 more today than I have been able to over the past year. Good stuff!

I’m jealous!!

[WobblyPossum]

I’m jealous!!

Indeed. I wish I could have attended this, and my agency doesn’t even field lethal shotguns anymore. I just happen to really like them. I hope this becomes an annual training event. Maybe I can go next year and really learn to run my 1301.

[SeriousStudent]

Lynn and I are in Dallas, Texas, for the historic Thunderstick Summit. We finished up the first day of training today, with much more to come Saturday and Sunday. All of the senior social shotgun trainers are presenting training over these three days, with Darryl Bolke, Erick Gelhaus, Steve Fisher, Rob Haught, and me, plus two dozen students from all over the US.

The morning session today was a lecture from me covering shotgun history, a detailed look at shotgun ammo, and lots of other stuff. Erick Gelhaus spent the afternoon putting everyone through a well thought out set of drills working on polishing up basic gunhandling skills. Tomorrow Darryl and Steve will be working everyone on skill application. Sunday Rob will work on recoil mitigation and CQB techniques. I got to shoot my 1301 more today than I have been able to over the past year. Good stuff!

It was great to chat with you and Lynn today!

This has been a super-fun day. Lots of neat light-bulb moments. It's been awesome to see the brain-sharing going on. :)

I'm going to have a well-deserved margarita and a cigar. We'll you all in the ayem.

[Tom Givens]

Today we finished the second day of the inaugural Thunderstick Summit in Dallas. Darryl Bolke and Steve Fisher worked the students all day on movement and reloading drills. I completed the day with our shotgun version of the Casino Drill. Adam Roth burned it down with an 11.5 second run, way ahead of everyone else. Very impressive performance. Rob Haught is up tomorrow, teaching recoil mitigation techniques and CQB firing positions.

[LHS]

Today we finished the second day of the inaugural Thunderstick Summit in Dallas. Darryl Bolke and Steve Fisher worked the students all day on movement and reloading drills. I completed the day with our shotgun version of the Casino Drill. Adam Roth burned it down with an 11.5 second run, way ahead of everyone else. Very impressive performance. Rob Haught is up tomorrow, teaching recoil mitigation techniques and CQB firing positions.

Adam absolutely smoked that run. It was truly impressive to watch.

[titsonritz]

Adam absolutely smoked that run. It was truly impressive to watch.

Let's see the video, pretty please.

[Paul Blackburn]

Adam absolutely smoked that run. It was truly impressive to watch.

Its great to see the designer of high quality shotgun accessaries is also a highly proficient end user!

[Tom Givens]

Its great to see the designer of high quality shotgun accessaries is also a highly proficient end user!

Highly proficient is putting it mildly. Adam has really put in the time on the gauge and it shows.

[LHS]

We finished up the Summit with a half-day Q&A roundtable with the five instructors. Lots of knowledge dropped, lots of cool old guns were examined and analyzed for why they were set up the way they were at the time. This was overall such a wonderful experience. The amount of experience with real-world use of these guns is mind-boggling. And even when instructors disagree on something, it became an opportunity to explain why, and see the context and experience that drives those choices. I can't wait for next year.

94268

[Erick Gelhaus]

From Shooting Illustrated, an AAR:
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/after-action-report-the-thunderstick-summit/

[SeriousStudent]

From Shooting Illustrated, an AAR:
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/after-action-report-the-thunderstick-summit/

Paul is a good dude!

It was fun to seem him there, and catch up with him. Man, that was such a great weekend. :)