History Channel's "Top Shot" on Sunday night

Hmm, marksmanship is less exciting than a chess tourament, but since you asked I would suggest they do what the NBA did for TV. Less time, more movement, along with a 'helmet cam' and a biometrics read-out on screen so you see what the stress level is. Also if these geeks can't use the sights on a 1903 because down deep they are stooges give em a rifle with NO Sights.

Ditto. I can't tell you how many fat, lazy porkies I see at the range who are great shots off the bench. Unfortunately for them, I bet they would be the first to die in a real gun battle where you actually have to move. Physical endurance is crucial in surviving real world gun shoots. Therefore, I see no reason to exclude it from a shooting contest.

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Not true at all.

Hey, I'm all for physical fitness, but in no way is "Physical endurance is crucial in surviving real world gun shoots" the truth.
There have been way too many documented cases of (to put it kindly) out-of-shape folks who have prevailed in real world shoot-outs.
And it wasn't because they outran their adversary, or out climbed their adversary, or had better cardio-vascular conditioning....
It was simply because they were able to shoot their adversary before being shot themselves.

When it comes to shoot-outs, superior physical conditioning is not as big of a survival factor as some seem to think.

Remember, before guns were invented the strong preyed upon the weak.
But due to the invention of guns, even a weak and frail 90 year old grandmother, with emphysema and toting an oxygen tank around, is capable of taking down an Olympic level athlete with one shot.

Regardless of how crucial it is, or isn't, explain to me again how removing the physical component from the show would make it more visually engaging and entertaining?

Thanks.

I saw the first epi and it was well produced and thought out. I did however think the lack of skill from a couple of the shooters was pretty obvious. Shoot, I could have done better than what I have seen so far. But I do like the show and will continue to watch. Everyone on the show contestant wise seemed to not be well rounded as shooters, all had one skill or so it seemed. I can't wait till they get to slingshots and bows! Itll be a hoot!

The 1903 is hard to shoot at 100 yards because of the design of the sight

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The battle sight is designed for hits at 400 yards+, but still capable of hitting a man at close range. It hits high at 100 yards (a foot or a bit more, perhaps...), and granted, there may be some windage errors as well since the shooter was not allowed to sight in the rifle. The shooter himself claims he was aiming 15 feet in front of the target, which, if he'd been thinking clearly was far too much. He allowed himself to get rattled and was over-correcting.

Would have been nice if the producers had added a token "Mall Ninja" to each team for audience amusement....

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Best post yet.

I bet week one viewership would have doubled if news leaked out that Gecko45 would be a featured contestant. And who wouldn't root for him?

"I'll be.. he *CAN* climb on the walls!"

I agree it would be better to mix it up with some physical stuff. Think how challenging the biathlon is.

easyg said:

Not true at all.

Hey, I'm all for physical fitness, but in no way is "Physical endurance is crucial in surviving real world gun shoots" the truth.
There have been way too many documented cases of (to put it kindly) out-of-shape folks who have prevailed in real world shoot-outs.
And it wasn't because they outran their adversary, or out climbed their adversary, or had better cardio-vascular conditioning....
It was simply because they were able to shoot their adversary before being shot themselves.

When it comes to shoot-outs, superior physical conditioning is not as big of a survival factor as some seem to think.

Remember, before guns were invented the strong preyed upon the weak.
But due to the invention of guns, even a weak and frail 90 year old grandmother, with emphysema and toting an oxygen tank around, is capable of taking down an Olympic level athlete with one shot.

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You might be onto something, they could do a show were fat Leos compete against old ladies and gangstas.

In the early days of reality shows several years ago, there was one that sort of involved shooting. Competition was cops versus military. Guns were mostly Sims and there was a lot of hoo-raw boot camp stuff. The cops averaged better shots but the troops were tougher. The best gunman of the bunch was a New Orleans SWATter but he threw his back out on an obstacle course and had to drop out. Finale was a man on man shootout in a maze with Sims.

As Pointed out, the Caliber 30 M 1903's open battle sight, which was the sight they were using, is regulated to hit at 547 yards with the 30-06 150 grain(2700 fps) cartridge, so at 100 yards its impact is going to be WAY HIGH. Now Mike should have been able to be on paper, and hit the target if he fired as many as 37 rounds. I assume he really does not have much experience with irons, and uses an optic on m4 type rifles that he trains with. Why no one could figure out how to use the peep sight is beyond me. There are plainly marked sighted bars in hundred yard increments on the ladder sight.

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You are absolutely right that any shooter should be able to figure out the ladder sight in 20 seconds.

Half that time if the person ever used the M79 grenade sight or M60 sight, or even the M203 has a somewhat different but still very similar sight...and Mike was a marine.

BUT the ladder down standard notch sight is good enough to give shots on a man at 100 to roughly 500. Yes it is going to be a bit high at 100, but not so high as to be off the target board.

Everyone seems to think these experienced shooters have a background in all those firearms. Knowing Jim Sinclair, he intimately experienced in the 03 and Mosant rifles. Look at his Camp Perry scores and you will see his capabilities. But hand him a handgun and he's outside his element. Many handgun shooters have never touched a service rifle. We have long time trap and skeet shooters that don't have a clue about handguns or rifles to any great degree.

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Disagree. A handgunner or a rifleman is going to know about trigger disipline and sight alignment. Do that and you should be getting appropriate groups with either one for their respective ranges. IE Plate size at 20 yards for handguns, plate size at 200 yards for rifles.

I want to apolagise, I descrimated against this show on practicale grounds. I put myself above the shooters and producers. I forgot that these productions are a positive influance on American youth, A positive representation of marksmanship skills that I was raised to adore as a youth, a life where shear male toughness could win.
A persit that took years to emulate. A life style that did not allow for drugs or other stuff, life where physycle toughness was a ladder not a platform, a way to reach higher not to stay lower, but a place to say I was a man that stood for something besides pimping drugs.
I ws such an ass to critique such people that have the streangth and WILL to push themselves towards victory.
laugh if you will it does
es not make you a better person

I enjoyed the show for the most part. I've never really been a big fan of "reality TV" but this show was about something I care about. I also got to watch it on hulu.com so I could fast forward all the sappy talks and feelings.

I was disappointed to see the red team so fired up to keep Mike at first. If you can't perform in the first episode, you're gone, it's waaaayyy to early to start making judgements on people's personallity/attitude/etc.

Keep in mind that the producer's promise competition in ALL manner of weaponry, including the bow-and-arrow, the sling shot, probably even paint balls and water balloons.

So at some point the show will turn from tacit firearms skills to who gets voted off the island last. Should get fairly corny.

Of course the chic will provide titillating 'empathy' content. And thank god we don't have any gay shooters ... at least that we know of. Do ask. Do tell.

Everyone on the show contestant wise seemed to not be well rounded as shooters, all had one skill or so it seemed.

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That's the point of the show. It has been from the beginning and yet no one seems to be able to grasp the idea. They are well versed in their OWN AREA. Anyone here that can say they can handle all firearms to the same degree is kidding themselves.

It isn't a national competition. It is a competition between the contestants. My friend who was one the show was highly impressed at the handgun handling of some. While Jim is an outstanding rifle shooter specializing in the type of firearms used in the first show, he had little experience in others used during the production.

Contrary to rumors going around, the firearms and ammo was off the rack and full power loads. It's entertainment. You really think anyones going to watch a show strictly about competition? If so it would have been on a more widely based network and not the smaller Outdoor channel. It's an attempt to push the sport out to those who never experienced it and show normal people with average lived competing.

Of course the chic will provide titillating 'empathy' content.

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She is a more accomplished shooter than I bet many on this board are. I know she is certainly more accomplished than I am.

And thank god we don't have any gay shooters ... at least that we know of. Do ask. Do tell.

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You have it wrong - unless you think less shooters is better. Especially shooters who are probably Democrat, and politically active. Yeah, those shooters are always a bad thing, huh We need more shooters, black, white, hispanic, gay, straight - doesn't matter as long as they shoot.

I saw it last night. It was the finest reality show i have ever witnessed.

Of course the chic will provide titillating 'empathy' content. And thank god we don't have any gay shooters ... at least that we know of. Do ask. Do tell.

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Hopefully in time the public at large will be more impressed with the development of their skills than their plumbing or sex life.

Of course the chic will provide titillating 'empathy' content.

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Tara Poremba has earned a Distinguished ranking for pistol shooting. Before making snide comments, you ought to really look into what it takes to earn that ranking.

She's likely a better pistol shooter than everyone who's posted on this thread.

Mike hit paper on his first shot with the '03......High and left if I remember.....Missing close to thirty times after that is...well........amusing....

I watched it. At first I was all fired up about some of the problems with the show. But after reflecting and reading this thread and others, and listening to the enthusiasm of my friend, a neophyte shooter who watched with me, and being honest with myself about the fact that I was entertained, I am going to keep watching. I hope the show is very popular and they do a second season because people who do not shoot guns are watching it. That is very important.

I liked the show. It is part cheesy reality show. It does have some silly elements (like shooting the target to vote). The best all around shooter has the best chance to win, not the shooter with a very narrow skill set. For entertainment that shows "average joe" (or jane) to not be afraid of guns - it's great!

The only part that got on my nerves was everything was called a "weapon" - which is anything used to injure or kill a person, animal, etc. Too bad the competitions utilized firearms, guns, boomsticks, or whatever word you use for something that shoots at an inanimate target and does not cause harm.

Finally, I do not understand why anyone would want to disparage the show and prefer to just watch simply a shooting competition. For those who said this, have you ever done that? Is watching a shooting competition remotely entertaining for a broad spectum of people? There is a reason why Olympic shooting gets little or no airtime while Curling is on prime time. It's head to head competition + drama with every shot. Without these elements, very few would watch these guys shoot paper, score the targets, then declare the winner.

cougar1717 said:

...There is a reason why Olympic shooting gets little or no airtime while Curling is on prime time. It's head to head competition + drama with every shot. Without these elements, very few would watch these guys shoot paper, score the targets, then declare the winner.

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True....highest ratings in winter Olympics is figure skating. Poor viewership in shooting is probably our own fault....perhaps shooters should dress in skimpy sequin outfits, do a triple spin and then fire their guns...