Top shot show on History

[Kingofthehill]

Several things I liked this season over last.

The info bar on the bottom with a brief description of the firearm they are using. Also a little history on them was nice too.

I really liked the Elimination matchup that showed the 2 shooters with age, location, and shooting accomplishments. that was interesting.

The challenges so far were pretty cool, the eleminiation challenge looked like a ton of fun.

Another cool deal is the sponsorship with Bass Pro Shop and the $2,000 gift card for the winner of the elimination challenges... very nice touch.

I really liked it so far. The guy who got voted off was annoying and i am glad he is gone already. Some of the guys looked like total beasts! If you could make a mold of what a "Warrior" is, a few of those guys could be it.

I'll be watching for sure.

 

[browneu]

Looking at the rear sight installation, I'd say it was a stainless Gold Cup

Good catch. I noticed the lack of forward cocking serrations, not sure why I thought of a springer.

I'm not sure about everyone else but the golf instructor is already grating my nerves. Next week's previews make him look like he's stepping on some toes.

The challenge looked hard and I can definitely say that shooting billiard balls at 50' would be hard to do. Especially, with a milspec gun.

 

[Tim the student]

That dailybeast study has some flaws - it doesn't show the whole picture. FYI, the Kentucky number is not a typo. On page one of that article, they state:

One stipulation: States are not completely consistent in reporting of NICS data. Some states use the system for background checks on purchases on the secondary market and others do not. As well, Kentucky implemented monthly NICS checks on concealed weapons, which has inflated its numbers.

Additionally, in Iowa (And other states I'd think) you don't need a NICS check to buy any firearm, provided that you have a current state issued permit to purchase. That alone has skewed the numbers for IA. Not sure how much, but some.

Back on track - I liked the show. I liked the challenge more, and most of the players seemed ok. But, there are some I don't care for too much. It seems like an improvement from last year.

 

[LeontheProfessional]

What it really means is that folks buy a lot of guns in CA in spite of the laws...it just means we're willing to jump through more hoops to own our guns.

CA makes up 12% of the US population so it makes sense that there are the second highest number of guns in CA. However, when you look at the guns per capita you realized that a very low percentage of Californians own guns. That is quite obviously probably the reason why the laws there are the way they are. There is too small of a percentage of people there that actually own guns compared to those that don't and are probably against them. One more thing to also consider is that private gun sales are illegal in CA unlike a lot of other states, VA included. This means that in order for someone in CA to own a gun they have to go through a background check. Whereas in a lot of other states a lot of the people that own guns have never done a background check. Therefore for those states the number is actually a bit higher than what is shown by the site that I posted.

 

[Taildragger-J3]

I too thought the elimination challenge was really cool. I don't know if I could have hit any of them. Likewise, I doubt they were shooting full-bull 44 mags. With that long barrel, the recoil would be tamed some, but I see more muzzle rise between shots with my short barrel 44 Spec loaded pretty hot.

 

[CraigC]

Watched it last night and enjoyed it. So far, there are a few shooters already getting on my nerves, not the least of which is the golf instructor. I think the first challenge humbled some hot dogs though. Particularly the one that got eliminated. Glad to see Colt 1911's making an appearance, rather than the infinitely boring Beretta 92. I'm still trying to figure out how a cartridge firing 1874 Sharps made it to the Civil War but overall, I'm liking the show better.

I also agree that they weren't firing full-steam loads from the .44Mag as well.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I really like the Golf Pro...he is really an amateur shooting among the professionals in the field. His approach is very instructional based...gather data and make informed decisions. Plus even with his odd handgun grip, he is making the shots that the handgun specialist aren't making...that speaks to his ability to perform under pressure.

He might very well be this season's Kelly...although my preseason pick for that role was the little Asian gal who got picked last. I think the tone was set after he was the only one able to hit the center of the 200 yard target and one guy said, "He couldn't do it again"...I'd be more humble if I couldn't do it the first time

Next week's previews make him look like he's stepping on some toes.

I've found that a lot of shooters don't take critique well from pros outside their native discipline. The golf pro's problem is he is trying to make his team stronger and he assumes the other members of the team have the same goal

 

[Tim the student]

I think the tone was set after he was the only one able to hit the center of the 200 yard target and one guy said, "He couldn't do it again"...I'd be more humble if I couldn't do it the first time

Yeah, no joke there. Call luck, or whatever you want, but the bottom line is that he succeeded where others failed. That, and his profession, probably ruffled some sensitive little feathers.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I like the show in general; any show of this nature is fun. I too would like to see more history of the guns used. Oh, and Colby shows about as much personality as a cardboard box.

Do we have any background on Colby? {I'm too lazy to research..lol}I agree, Colby does nothing for me. Although maybe the shooters are supposed to be the focus.
If I want to watch bickering and whining, I'll watch "Housewives of {fill in the blank"}.

Maybe we can get, say, Ted Nugent to take his place next season.....lol.
Overall I liked it anyway. Shooting poolballs the way they had it set up was tough.

 

[xfyrfiter]

Second vote for" Uncle Ted" he would make the show way more interesting.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Want to separate the men from the boys? Let's limit the minimum rifle cals to .308, and start with the .45 ACP power level with the handguns and work our way up. With ever increasing recoil, muzzle blast, and tought targets, we'd soon eliminate the softer side of shooters. I'm not saying the women would be gone, because I know several women that can easily stand up to recoil and muzzle blast AND competition. I do not think they have 16 people among those selected that can, though. I think I could find 16 better shooters locally (and I think it would be that way in many places around the US) than what we see on the show. They must select to accomodate a good cross reference of physically attractive, diverse (a few women, a golf instructor?), and even "reality-TV personality quotient" so that the show is more watchable.

 

[Tom488]

I think I could find 16 better shooters locally (and I think it would be that way in many places around the US) than what we see on the show

Yeah... because people like Gunny Zins are just so... AVERAGE.

 

[AR27]

Yeah, no joke there. Call luck, or whatever you want, but the bottom line is that he succeeded where others failed. That, and his profession, probably ruffled some sensitive little feathers.

Yea no kidding about the comment talking about the guy calling him out saying he cant do it twice. The guy that said that was the air force sniper who I can already tell is an ego-maniac and a bit of a dick. If anyone should know not to under estimate their competition and show respect you would think it would be a sniper. He also said he always wants to be the biggest, meanest, and toughest. Well one question then: Why did you join the Air Force?


I dont think I would be able to focus on the shooting with Maggie Reece sitting over there, I would be to focused on trying to get her to go out with me

 

[Sniderman]

Yeah! Uncle Ted as the host! Awesome! I can see it now! (drift into dream state)

Camera shot, two teams in the distance Everyone looking focused on the task at hand, slowly walking towards camera, and in the left of the shot in rear silouette is of the head of a man, he has a ponytail and is wearing a cowboy hat.
the two teams, game faces locked on, stop in front of the man and slowly, dead serious, scan the range they are to compete on.
Team leader looks up at the man with the cowboy hat who is still in silouette, cocks his head towards the range and says,

"Ted! What the Hell!"

The camera pans, the range is covered in brass, the targets and surrounding terrain are all shot to smithereens. Two AR15's and a high cap .45 sit smouldering on a table.
Camera swings to full front shot of the man in the Cowboy hat, Ted NUgent, who throws his head back, and thrusts both hands in the air, A slide locked Desert Eagle in his left hand and am M1 Garrand in his right, while emitting an ear busting primal scream! YEGGAAHHHH!

(End of dream state)

Well, OK, Maybe Ted isn't the best choice to just stand and pose while someone else burns ammo.

 

[Rembrandt]

I'd like to see a modest, polite personality that lets performance speak instead of this annoying arrogant beating on their chests like Tarzan.

Athena Lee......"Who doesn't want to see a short, Asian chick kick butt?"

Ashley Spurlin.....A true and tested warrior, Ashley says he's quick to avoid people who don't share his mentality.

Brian "Gunny" Zins....He's not afraid to boast that no one has ever been a seven-, eight- or nine-time champ either.

Chris Reed....."I can throw knives, shoot any kind of bow and shoot slingshots. There are very few people that can cover the whole spectrum....."I'm about as competitive as they come and as tough as a rattlesnake!"

Chris Tilley.....Chris is a ferociously competitive person who says he can get a bit impatient.

Daryl Parker.....He's been deployed around the world, speaks three languages and has nine personal decorations from generals and ambassadors......proudest moment is winning gold as the captain of the Marine Corps Shooting Team in both the Eastern and Pacific D divisions.

Eric Anderson...."God didn't make men equal. Smith and Wesson did."...."I'm here with the big dogs… and I'm off the leash."

George Reinas....."I'm big, I'm mean. I'm going to destroy the competition." This Air Force sniper has reason to be cocky--he's good......An obsessive weight lifter, he regularly benches 400-plus pounds and curls 200 pounds, barely breaking a sweat. A self-described Jersey Shore guy, he's not afraid to tell it like it is.

Jamie Franks......One thing really bugged Jamie Franks while watching the first season of Top Shot--"Where were the Navy guys?" Though the Navy is not necessarily known for marksmanship, Jamie believes he can outshoot the other branches any day.......this self-proclaimed "natural leader" attended Seals training twice.....admits there is "no filter between my brain and my mouth" and wants to prove that he's the pride of the Navy.

Jay Lim....."I'm not just a shooter, I'm an athlete. I'm a thinker. I'm all that. Whatever I think--I can get my body to do.".......a self-described over-achiever who loves marksmanship because "there is perfection in shooting, and that is what I strive for."

Jermaine Finks...."Most people describe me as intimidating."

Joe Serafini......"When I shoot, I shoot to win."

John Guida......has one goal: win the competition as some unknown restaurant guy, and make everyone stop and say “well what the hell just happened?”

Kyle Frasure....."Everybody I come across in my day-to-day life is astonished when I tell them that I shoot shotguns competitively." This stylish Southern California kid may defy people's preconceptions of a competitive shooter

Maggie Reese......"I love shooting against bigger, stronger, tougher men." Don't be fooled by her stunning looks--"I love it when they underestimate me and I love when I have an opportunity to prove myself."

Travis Marsh.....looking for a second chance.....once a 10-time National Junior Champ and member of the U.S. Shooting Team, poised to take the shooting world by storm until, he says, the fame and adulation went to his head. The night before Olympic tryouts, Travis broke his arm in a bar fight and saw his dreams of a gold-medal victory fade away.

 

[GhostlyKarliion]

I know he must feel insulted, but I am glad the first guy left, his attitude rubbed me the wrong way.

I think those statements were more the product of the show producers than those depicted by them. The producers want the show to appeal to the arm-chair shootist as well as hunters and professionals so they are naturally going to blend as many elements together as they can. I can look past the hyperbole if the content is good. Which, this season, it looks to be. I'll be tuned in to see where the show goes.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Rembrandt's got the personalities nailed. As I said, I think people were not chosen so much for their expertise as for their "reality TV" index.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'd like to see a modest, polite personality that lets performance speak instead of this annoying arrogant beating on their chests like Tarzan.

I tried that in my video clip...didn't get me a callback. You have to make a statement and have a bigger than life personality to get the producers' attention.

I have to say that the caliber of shooters this season are much higher, when taken as a whole, than Season 1

 

[mcdonl]

I thought this was about guns, not toys.

It is not about either. It is about the ability to hit a target. Did you watch last season? The used everything from throwing knives to Mosin Nagants.

I personally will be interested to see how they handle tactical elements such as shooting while moving, using concealment, etc...

So, when they were picking teams I was saying to my daughters how smart it was that the older guy was picking the "seasoned" older shooters... my daughter joked and called them old men...

Well, I was second guessing when two of them came up with hamstring injuries on the first event!! Glad they won!

 

[USAF_Vet]

I enjoyed the first season, despite the reality tv infighting that dominates the genre. It does bring shooting sports into the public eye, which can never be a bad thing, even if some of the 'competitors' are complete d-bags. Season two should match or exceed the first in terms of weapons used, and challenges. I mentioned to my wife that the Civil War Sharps would not have used a brass cartidge, as Colby even mentioned the challenege was to mimic the point in time prior to the war.
I'm glad that there was some background and history of the colt 1911. True, it isn't as much as shooting enthusiasts may want, but it would have suited the general public. Anything more in depth would lose the interest of the general masses and be overall detrimental to the show. Bubba wants to see guns shoot, not a history lesson.

So far, a lot of the contestants irritate me. But there is one who stands out as my favorite right now, and that is Ashley Spurlin. I respect the hell out of that guy, an Air Force Combat Controller. He could be as cocky as the AF Sniper, but he isn't. The biggest thing I have against George Reinas is his excessive type A personality. Probably a damn fine shooter, but why bash a guy who succeeded (Jay's bullseye) where he himself failed. Make him look like a... well I'll take the High Road on this and just say it made him look bad.

 

[Hanzerik]

Heard from a friend on Facebook, that one of the contestants is a guy (George Reinas) who works in the same Squadron I used to (421st Combat Training Squadron Fort Dix NJ). I'll have to watch the show to see if I know him. Probably not because I left NJ in 2006. But I'll hope he does well, we had some HSLD (compared to the rest of the USAF) in that unit at Fort Dix.

I liked last seasons show a lot and watched the marathon they had on a couple days ago.

 

[rodensouth]

HSLD?

 

[USAF_Vet]

HSLD = High Speed, Low Drag

 

[CraigC]

The golf pro's problem is he is trying to make his team stronger and he assumes the other members of the team have the same goal

The golf pro's problem is that he's trying to tell a bunch of strangers what to do. Not because he's a leader but because he made a lucky shot. Were I one of the other 15 shooters, I'd have a serious issue with his assertiveness as "team captain".

 

[Jim Watson]

Ah HA!
That's what they want, drama, conflict.