Instructor Profiles
The Thunder Beast Training Group Instructor Lineup
At Thunder Beast Arms, shooting is a passion and long-range field shooting is their specialty.
They’ve brought together a set of innovative trainers who have an unmatched set
of expertise in long-range military, competition, and sport shooting. More than just
theoreticians, the Thunder Beast Training Group is made up of active competitors who
regularly test and evolve their shooting skills and knowledge in the most rigorous and
demanding competitions.
Zak Smith
Zak Smith is a competition shooter who has pushed the state of the art in practical long-
range rifle shooting. He started competing in 3-Gun in 2003 and long-range in 2004 and
quickly distinguished himself with top finishes at major matches. Using his scientific
and engineering background, he has pushed the envelope in practical shooting, especially
long-range practical shooting. Much of this information has been published in articles in
print and online media. He was the first author to regularly use the term “Practical Long-
Range Rifle Shooting” to describe the spectrum of solving field problems with a rifle.
Match Experience
Zak has competed in USPSA/IPSC, 3Gun, and long range rifle matches since 2003,
with top-10 finishes at the CMMG Midwest 3Gun Championship, Tiger Valley 3Gun,
MGM Ironman 3Gun, Snipers Paradise Sniper Challenge, TACPRO Sniper Tournament,
International Tactical Rifleman Championships, Practical Rifle Team Challenge, Weld
County 3Gun, Camp Guernsey ARNG Base Multi-Gun, NRAWC Sporting Rifle Match,
and Rocky Mountain 3-Gun Nationals. Other major matches shot include Superstition
Mountain Mystery 3Gun, DPMS Tri-Gun Challenge.
Match/division wins include 2007 Camp Guernsey Multi-Gun Invitational (overall), 2007
Steel Safari (standard), 2006 Steel Safari (overall), 2005 Cavalry Arms Tiger Valley
3Gun (Trooper Class), 2009-August Sporting Rifle Match (overall), and local Rocky-
Mountain region 3-Gun.
Zak has been sponsored by various companies over his shooting career, including
Cavalry Arms Shooting Team, Magpul, and Thunder Beast Arms Corporation Shooting
Team.
Shooting Match Administration
2008-2011 Steel Safari – Match Director
2007 Camp Guernsey Invitational Multi-Gun Match – Assistant Match Director
2006 Practical Rifle Team Challenge – Assistant Match Director
2006-2009 CPPA/IBPO Law-Enforcement 3-Gun – Stage Designer, RO, Scores
Monthly/Local 3-Gun in CO and Camp Guernsey, WY – Match Director and Asst Match
Director
One of Founders, Colorado Multigun
Other Training
Graduate EAG Tactical Carbine Operators Course, Larry Vickers Carbine & Pistol,
Tactical Response Fighting Pistol, Fighting Rifle, and Force on Force training. NRA-
Certified Instructor: Basic Pistol, Basic Rifle, and Personal Protection in the Home.
Shane Coppinger
Shane Coppinger is a retired US Navy veteran. He served tours as a military small arms
and marksmanship instructor providing instruction to members of all branches of the
US military. He has also taught courses for foreign militaries and law enforcement from
Central and South America. He is focused on combining his experience with formal
marksmanship and practical techniques from field competition.
Match Experience
Shane started shooting competitively in 1992, primarily in High power and Bullseye with
some IPSC and IDPA on the side. He has earned Distinguished Marksman, Distinguished
Pistol, and President’s Hundred. He is a multiple-time “grand aggregate” winner of
the All Navy Rifle and Pistol Championships and has top finishes at Inter-service and
National matches. Since 2005 he has turned his focus to practical long range rifle and
regularly achieves top finishes.
Shane placed 2nd overall at the 2011 Steel Safari.
Ray Sanchez
Ray has been a competitive athlete for most of his life. He went from earning a living
playing racquetball, to racing triathlons and mountain bikes professionally. Ray has
always been a gun guy, but about 12 years ago he decided he wanted to work in the
firearms industry and spend more time shooting. Taking classes and learning from
whomever he could, he quickly established himself as a very well rounded shooter and
instructor along the Rocky Mountain Front Range. While competitive with a pistol or
carbine, his favorite discipline is precision long range shooting and he spends most of his
trigger time honing long-range skills. With wins at the Sporting Rifle Match and the Steel
Safari in 2009 and 2011 he has proven himself to be a top Competitor in the sport.
Ray really enjoys being an instructor and helping people improve their firearms skills.
He believes that the better everyone else gets, the more challenging the playing field
becomes. He’s extremely motivated to help you obtain your shooting goals.
Match Experience
2011 Steel Safari – Overall Match Champion
2009 Steel Safari – Overall Match Champion
2008 Steel Safari – High .308
2006 Practical Rifle Team Challenge – 6th Place Team (with Zak Smith)
Shooting Match Administration
2006 Practical Rifle Team Challenge – RO Staff
2008-2009 CPPA/IBPO Law-Enforcement 3-Gun – RO Staff
Jimmy Holdsworth
Jimmy Holdsworth is an exceptionally talented shooter and trainer who brings a lot
of natural talent to the table. He started competing in 3-Gun in 1999 and quickly
distinguished himself as a top-level national shooter. He leveraged these skills into match
administration and has been involved in administering many of the most influential 3-
Gun and multi-gun matches of the last decade, notably with the Rocky Mountain 3-Gun
Nationals, SOF (2001), US Marshalls Posse match, and the IBPO/CPPA LEO 3-Gun
match. He is currently working as an LE sales consultant and company representative for
Beretta USA.
Match Experience
Jimmy has competed in 3Gun matches since 1999, with multiple Top-10 finishes at the
CMMG Midwest 3Gun Championship, TV3G, ITRC, and SMM3G, and Top-50 at SOF
and WC3G ’02-’03. Other major matches include the TACPRO Sniper Tournament and
SP Sniper Challenge. Match/division wins include “Open” class at TV3G ’04, two class
wins at USPSA 3Gun Nationals.
Jimmy has been sponsored by various companies over his shooting career, including
notably JP Enterprises and Trijicon Inc.
Shooting Match Administration
2006 Practical Rifle Team Challenge – Match Director
2002-2011 CPPA/IBPO Law-Enforcement 3-Gun – Match Director, Staff (various years)
2003-2004 Rocky Mountain 3-Gun Nationals – Staff
2001 Soldier of Fortune 3-Gun – Staff
2001-2003 United States Marshalls Posse -Staff
One of Founders, Colorado Multigun
Other Training and Experience
Gunsite graduate: 250, 260, 499, 223, 556, ACTP.
Former Wildland Firefighter.
Cody Carroll
Cody Carroll is a former military sniper. He has completed successful deployments to
Iraq and Afghanistan in both conventional and special operations units. He has also
taught courses in Europe, Africa, and for students from South America. He is focused on
increasing the lethality of US military and police snipers by coupling his experience with
practical techniques learned from field competition shooters.
Match Experience
In 2010, Cody set the course record for .308 at the Steel Safari using standard
military .308 ammunition. Recently introduced to 3-Gun competition, he plans to
compete in major 3-Gun matches next year.
He is sponsored by Thunder Beast Arms and Desert Tactical Arms.
For questions or more information about the great shooting and training
opportunities at the Big K call:
