Top Shot - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Fremen · 06-07-2010, 11:28 PM

(Mods, I put this here because it deals mostly with weapons, and I figured the gun guys would see it better here. If it's in the wrong place, my apologies.)

As some of you gun gurus may already be aware, there's a new reality series airing on The History Channel called "Top Shot".

It pits marksmen from all walks of life against each other to see who is the better shot, using all kinds of ranged weapons from throughout history.
The winner is winnowed down from out of 16 contestants over a period of weeks and earns the title "Top Shot", along with some prizes.

I saw the first episode and thought it was pretty good.
I've been a fan of reality tv and shooting matches for a while, so this is right up my alley.
It has a big Survivor vibe going on with the way they've structured the show, and especially with Colby Donaldson hosting.

The four main rifles they used are:
M1903 Springfield
SVT-40
Mosin-Nagant 91/30
M14

I'm ashamed to admit the only reason I've heard of some of these are because of the Call of Duty video games.

Anyway, here's the link to the article on the History Channel website.
Top Shot

Quote:

Whether it's William Tell using a crossbow to shoot an apple off his son's head, or Annie Oakley using a hand mirror to make a shot with a rifle slung over her shoulder, history is filled with legendary tales of amazing marksmanship. Now, HISTORY is tapping into these inspiring feats of sharp-shooting for its first-ever competition series, Top Shot, premiering Sunday, June 6, at 10/9c on HISTORY.

Sixteen of the nation's most skilled marksmen have been carefully selected to compete for the title. Some have professional shooting experience, some are amateurs--and all will showcase breathtaking timing, speed and accuracy in their quest to win the $100,000 prize package and the title of "Top Shot." The winner will ultimately have to be skilled in everything from muzzle-loading muskets and modern pistols to slingshots and throwing knives.

Each week, contenders will face both team and individual elimination challenges until one winner remains. Every challenge will focus on the weapons, technologies and techniques of different historical eras as high-speed HD cameras capture the skillful execution of each test in extreme slow-motion.

Contestants vying for "Top Shot" include professional shooters--like the first woman in the history of the Chicago Police Department to become "Top Gun" of her graduating class--and world-record holders, but there are also amateurs like a Wild West entertainer, a historical firearms collector and a radio gun show host. From a 22-year-old rifle prodigy to a 47-year-old retired city cop, they'll need skill, toughness and nerves of steel to claim the Top Shot title.

Here's a link to the first episode on Hulu. Second ep airs this coming Sunday night.

IMDb Video: The Long Shot

Ilow · 06-08-2010, 05:08 PM

I actually saw this on Hulu last night and was somewhat intrigued. To be honest, I couldn't freakin believe the dude couldn't hit the 100 yd target with the '03 Springfield. He was supposed to be a goddamned professional shooter! I have actually shot an '03 numerous times and find it a pretty easy rifle to shoot, even the non-'03-A4 sniper ones with the iron sights. I feel like pretty much anyone in my gun club could reliably hit that size target at 100 goddamn yards. I know that there appeared to be a pretty stiff breeze blowing, but after 20-30 shots you should have the windage sized up pretty well. I would have liked to see them get those rifles out to some real distances, 50 yards is a joke with a 14 or the Mosin (or the '03, for that matter). If those guys were pro shooters, they should be shooting at at least 2-300 yards, which you could still use iron sights for reasonably well, especially given the seemingly large targets they had. Because i am a little nitpicky I was also bugged that they kept referring to the Mosin as a sniper rifle, when it was clearly a straight bolt, run of the mill 91/30 with no scope. The M14 did look a little like the nice national match one, but I didn't really get a good look at it. Of course I'll probably keep watching, but i definitely think that they could have challenged them a little more (although if that one guy was any indication, they were already over their head).

Jetée · 06-08-2010, 06:03 PM

I, too, tried, honestly tried, to watch this over the weekend, as I thought the premise was great (with the way it was portrayed at the beginning, it looked like a cross between Top Chef/Last Comic Standing).

However, not even twenty minutes into it, lull and listlessness. So boring in the way they set up the contestants, why they are there, and when they finally got around to the challenges, it was uninpressive as a whole. I'm not totally out as I would like to see this series progress, but that opening episode had a lot to be desired.

I also thought these were to supposed the "world's best" professional shooters, but I think only one or two of them can actually hold that claim. The rest are like semi-pro amateur enthusiasts.

Plan9 · 06-08-2010, 06:51 PM

More History Channel gun crap featuring subject matter experts similar to Strange Famous.

The_Dunedan · 06-08-2010, 07:09 PM

Wait, wait, wait.

It's "Top Shot."

And they have '03(A3?) rifles.

The same rifles the Marines were killing Germans with at 800 yards at Belleau Wood. The same rifles those Marine's kids qualified with at 600 yards twenty years later.

And these jokers are shooting at 100 yards? And MISSING?! They'd better be shooting at something pretty small. -Please- tell me these alleged "experts" weren't missing sillouettes, or half-sils, at that range!? Hell, the Appleseed/RWVA folks shoot out to 500 yards routinely, and plenty of 'em do it with iron sights! And -they're- not getting paid for it!

*Facepalm*

Plan9 · 06-08-2010, 07:11 PM

All they need now is a Former Navy SEAL to be the overexcited raspy-talkin' host.

As an aside: I'm not a genius nor am I a cool guy hero, but I'm guessing that if the best gig you can get after accumulating that stack of military merit badges is talking like Christian Bale's Batman or "The Macho Man" Randy Savage on the History Channel, you're doing it wrong.

The_Dunedan · 06-08-2010, 07:13 PM

Seriously. It's sad that the TV channel I -should- be able to most enjoy is instead the one that most frequently makes me want to hurl small, cute, furry animals through the screen.

RogueGypsy · 06-08-2010, 07:28 PM

I caught the show too. I'm hoping it gets better.

The guy who took 30 shots at the target had a lame spotter. the spotter commented at the end of the show, he had no idea where half the shots hit. If you didn't sight that weapon and you're relying on a spotter who's guessing, you'll never be on target. Sucks for him. He should have been more focused on his own hits instead of relying completely on someone else.

It was disappointing to see "top shots" shooting at 50 and 100 yds.

Maybe it'll get better.

Plan9 · 06-08-2010, 07:51 PM

... it's 100 yards.

If my dumbass can consistently hit a steel plate off hand at 100 yards with no stock weld, I'm baffled as to how these guys missed.

Pearl Trade · 06-08-2010, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plan9

More History Channel gun crap featuring subject matter experts similar to Strange Famous.

OH, SHYIT!

The problem is that it was over-hyped and every one had big expectations. They tried to make it as cool as they possibly could, without respect for detail. Is it fair to say that genuine firearm owners and shooters are not the target demographic?

Plan9 · 06-08-2010, 10:23 PM

Apparently so.

Seems like History Channel is attempting to appeal to people who don't like to watch television that requires an IQ above 85 to digest. This is bad.

Same as those "Ultimate Warrior Showdown" shows where they pit various elite military entities against one another in ridiculous contests that focus strictly on the weapons rather than the techniques and culminate with some smarmy dipshit in a sportcoat and a t-shirt running some numbers through that Counterstrike game. History Channel is really starting to step on my nerd boner with all their infotainment stuff that's bordering on reality TeeVee. The bullshit macho banter between the Spetznaz and the US Army Special Forces made me wanna giggle and cry at the same time. Awful, man.

That and with all the money required to do these shows, they could at least get the cute rotating video game icon and pseudo-stats correct.

Might as well throw in some beach bunnies in triangle tops to John Woo some Desert Eagles. At least the slow mo jiggle would be good, right?

...

Also: I really-really-really hope Top Shot includes a Desert Eagle at some point. In .440 Corbon (for Dunedan). I'd mentally shit my pants laughing.

ChrisJericho · 06-09-2010, 12:00 AM

Nutnfancy would own all the contestants !

monkeysugar · 06-09-2010, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisJericho

Nutnfancy would own all the contestants !

Grudgingly, yes, most likely. And then he'd post at least 4 hours of video talking about how he did it, along with a 45 minute segment featuring a bare minimum of 10 minutes of him verbally masturbating over his new tacti-cool shoelaces/whatever and 35 minutes of him and his little group of flunkies deciding what shade of brown/tan/green durakote to color their mall-ninja knife of the day. Add at least an additional 1/2 hour if they are color coordinating the durakote with a paracord wrap.

ChrisJericho · 06-09-2010, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeysugar

Grudgingly, yes, most likely. And then he'd post at least 4 hours of video talking about how he did it, along with a 45 minute segment featuring a bare minimum of 10 minutes of him verbally masturbating over his new tacti-cool shoelaces/whatever and 35 minutes of him and his little group of flunkies deciding what shade of brown/tan/green durakote to color their mall-ninja knife of the day. Add at least an additional 1/2 hour if they are color coordinating the durakote with a paracord wrap.

Don't forget the jimping !

monkeysugar · 06-09-2010, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisJericho

Don't forget the jimping !

Good call. I know I missed something.

OP, I shoot a lot, and on a really good day I'd call myself a decent shot. But honestly, these guys not being able to hit those size of targets at 50 and 100 yards, with iron sights, with their shots being supported? Unless those iron sights were way off...I'm not seeing how they're that great of shots.

RogueGypsy · 06-09-2010, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plan9

... it's 100 yards.

If my dumbass can consistently hit a steel plate off hand at 100 yards with no stock weld, I'm baffled as to how these guys missed.

Yeah, like I said he should have been more focused on his hits and not depending on his spotter.

Borrow the neighbors 6 year old one afternoon for a spotter and only shoot where he tells you. Let me know how that works out.

I shoot these distances everyday in my back yard with a pellet gun and do better than he did. The trajectory looks like a fuckin' rainbow, but seeing were they hit makes it easy to correct. Up a mil-dot over a mil-dot, PING. But if I can't see it, there's only guessing to correct it.

I'm just giving the guy the benefit of the doubt, after watching the kid in the shoot-out at the end, it's hard to imagine they don't have some talent.

Just hoping it gets better.

Plan9 · 06-09-2010, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeysugar

Grudgingly, yes, most likely. And then he'd post at least 4 hours of video talking about how he did it, along with a 45 minute segment featuring a bare minimum of 10 minutes of him verbally masturbating over his new tacti-cool shoelaces/whatever and 35 minutes of him and his little group of flunkies deciding what shade of brown/tan/green durakote to color their mall-ninja knife of the day. Add at least an additional 1/2 hour if they are color coordinating the durakote with a paracord wrap.

Beautiful. Where has this dark energy been in other threads? I demand more. It's like eating a Hostess snack cake with my eyes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeysugar

Unless those iron sights were way off...I'm not seeing how they're that great of shots.

Now you'd think getting a good zero on whatever rifle(s) is/are involved beforehand would have been a part of prep for the show...

monkeysugar · 06-17-2010, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plan9

Beautiful. Where has this dark energy been in other threads? I demand more. It's like eating a Hostess snack cake with my eyes.

I actually had a few things written out more than a couple of times in response to one of the "other" threads in the weapons forum...however, that damn better judgement thing got the best of me and I decided not to feed the troll.

Walt · 07-08-2010, 06:38 PM

I cannot stop watching this damn show. It's just like Man vs. Wild in that I go into it knowing that I will be yelling at my TV for the next 30 mins.

Plan9 · 07-15-2010, 01:05 PM

Yeah, I'd rather watch Walt yell at his TeeVee than watch this firearm-related trainwreck.

Shadowex3 · 07-17-2010, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plan9

Yeah, I'd rather watch Walt yell at his TeeVee than watch this firearm-related trainwreck.

At this point I'm imagining getting some of you guys and some real expects together on the premise of making Mystery Shooting Range 3000.

Plan9 · 07-17-2010, 06:17 AM

I'm dangerously close to smacktard level as far as my IQ and yet I'm still lightyears ahead of some of these guys.

I would be confused as how how former military guys could possibly suck at shooting... but I know that all too well.

Just last week I saw a Marine pattern a M4 25-yard alternative qual target like somebody shooting a 12 gauge with 00B.

PonyPotato · 07-17-2010, 06:50 AM

I'll admit that I have Top Shot (or Deadliest Catch) on pretty often as background noise while I study. Sometimes I actually get sucked into watching a few minutes.

I think the show is interesting, especially as they keep forcing people who are good at one thing (the pistol champions, for example) try using different weapons. I really liked the longbow one, mostly because no one was comfortable with the weapon, yet they had to GET comfortable right quick.

It's boring enough for background noise, but occasionally interesting enough to pull my attention away from anatomy for a minute or two to watch the actual challenge. The challenges at the end of the show (between the two people potentially getting kicked off) are the best, though - those are really the only things worth watching if you want to see any decent showing of skill.

Plan9 · 07-17-2010, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt

It's just like Man vs. Wild in that I go into it knowing that I will be yelling at my TV for the next 30 mins.

Did you see the episode where he was stranded on the raft with the rubber tubing? Yeaaah. On national television no less.

Strelich · 07-24-2010, 11:31 AM

I watched the first three episodes before I gave up on it. It was nice to see them use SVT-40s, though. I have two of them (during my 'surplus gun nut' phase) and, well, it was nice to see them in any show. I did ask myself the same question as some did above, regarding whether those rifles were properly zeroed in. For that matter, given the production variations during wartime, no two Mosins shoot the same way. They probably just bought a box of Wolf ammo, bought two SVT-40s and two Mosins, shot them enough to make sure they didn't jam or blow up in their faces, got a cursory 'nod' from an on sight 'advisor' who sold the rifles to them, and churned out the episode.

However, I think I have an allergy to that 'reverse cymbal' or whatever sound that is which is in every reality show during those 'zing' tension moments. The mechanics of the genre led me to give it up before the 'ugh' moments with the rest of it.

06-08-2010, 05:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ilow Junkie Location: Pats country	I actually saw this on Hulu last night and was somewhat intrigued. To be honest, I couldn't freakin believe the dude couldn't hit the 100 yd target with the '03 Springfield. He was supposed to be a goddamned professional shooter! I have actually shot an '03 numerous times and find it a pretty easy rifle to shoot, even the non-'03-A4 sniper ones with the iron sights. I feel like pretty much anyone in my gun club could reliably hit that size target at 100 goddamn yards. I know that there appeared to be a pretty stiff breeze blowing, but after 20-30 shots you should have the windage sized up pretty well. I would have liked to see them get those rifles out to some real distances, 50 yards is a joke with a 14 or the Mosin (or the '03, for that matter). If those guys were pro shooters, they should be shooting at at least 2-300 yards, which you could still use iron sights for reasonably well, especially given the seemingly large targets they had. Because i am a little nitpicky I was also bugged that they kept referring to the Mosin as a sniper rifle, when it was clearly a straight bolt, run of the mill 91/30 with no scope. The M14 did look a little like the nice national match one, but I didn't really get a good look at it. Of course I'll probably keep watching, but i definitely think that they could have challenged them a little more (although if that one guy was any indication, they were already over their head). __________________ "Religion is the one area of our discourse in which it is considered noble to pretend to be certain about things no human being could possibly be certain about" --Sam Harris

06-08-2010, 06:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jetée The Reforms Location: Rarely, if ever, here or there, but always in transition	I, too, tried, honestly tried, to watch this over the weekend, as I thought the premise was great (with the way it was portrayed at the beginning, it looked like a cross between Top Chef/Last Comic Standing). However, not even twenty minutes into it, lull and listlessness. So boring in the way they set up the contestants, why they are there, and when they finally got around to the challenges, it was uninpressive as a whole. I'm not totally out as I would like to see this series progress, but that opening episode had a lot to be desired. I also thought these were to supposed the "world's best" professional shooters, but I think only one or two of them can actually hold that claim. The rest are like semi-pro amateur enthusiasts. __________________ As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves. —Mohandas K. Gandhi

06-08-2010, 06:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	More History Channel gun crap featuring subject matter experts similar to Strange Famous. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

06-08-2010, 07:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	All they need now is a *Former Navy SEAL* to be the overexcited raspy-talkin' host. As an aside: I'm not a genius nor am I a cool guy hero, but I'm guessing that if the best gig you can get after accumulating that stack of military merit badges is talking like Christian Bale's Batman or "The Macho Man" Randy Savage on the History Channel, you're doing it wrong. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

06-08-2010, 07:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
RogueGypsy Insane Location: The Great NorthWet	I caught the show too. I'm hoping it gets better. The guy who took 30 shots at the target had a lame spotter. the spotter commented at the end of the show, he had no idea where half the shots hit. If you didn't sight that weapon and you're relying on a spotter who's guessing, you'll never be on target. Sucks for him. He should have been more focused on his own hits instead of relying completely on someone else. It was disappointing to see "top shots" shooting at 50 and 100 yds. Maybe it'll get better. __________________ Methods, application and intensity of application vary by the individual. All legal wavers must be signed before 'treatment' begins. Self 'Medicating' is not recommend. However, if necessary, it is best to have an 'assistant' or 'soft landing zone' nearby. Any and all legal issues resulting from improperly applied techniques should be forwarded to: Dewy, Cheatum & Howe, Intercourse, PA 17534. Attn: Anonymous.

06-08-2010, 07:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
The_Dunedan Junkie	Wait, wait, wait. It's "Top Shot." And they have '03(A3?) rifles. The same rifles the Marines were killing Germans with at 800 yards at Belleau Wood. The same rifles those Marine's kids qualified with at 600 yards twenty years later. And these jokers are shooting at 100 yards? And MISSING?! They'd better be shooting at something pretty small. -Please- tell me these alleged "experts" weren't missing sillouettes, or half-sils, at that range!? Hell, the Appleseed/RWVA folks shoot out to 500 yards routinely, and plenty of 'em do it with iron sights! And -they're- not getting paid for it! Facepalm

06-08-2010, 07:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
The_Dunedan Junkie	Seriously. It's sad that the TV channel I -should- be able to most enjoy is instead the one that most frequently makes me want to hurl small, cute, furry animals through the screen.

06-08-2010, 07:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	... it's 100 yards. If my dumbass can consistently hit a steel plate off hand at 100 yards with no stock weld, I'm baffled as to how these guys missed. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

06-08-2010, 10:23 PM	#11 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	Apparently so. Seems like History Channel is attempting to appeal to people who don't like to watch television that requires an IQ above 85 to digest. This is bad. Same as those "Ultimate Warrior Showdown" shows where they pit various elite military entities against one another in ridiculous contests that focus strictly on the weapons rather than the techniques and culminate with some smarmy dipshit in a sportcoat and a t-shirt running some numbers through that Counterstrike game. History Channel is really starting to step on my nerd boner with all their infotainment stuff that's bordering on reality TeeVee. The bullshit macho banter between the Spetznaz and the US Army Special Forces made me wanna giggle and cry at the same time. Awful, man. That and with all the money required to do these shows, they could at least get the cute rotating video game icon and pseudo-stats correct. Might as well throw in some beach bunnies in triangle tops to John Woo some Desert Eagles. At least the slow mo jiggle would be good, right? ... Also: I really-really-really hope Top Shot includes a Desert Eagle at some point. In .440 Corbon (for Dunedan). I'd mentally shit my pants laughing. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake." Last edited by Plan9; 06-08-2010 at 10:42 PM..

06-09-2010, 12:00 AM	#12 (permalink)
ChrisJericho eat more fruit Location: Seattle	Nutnfancy would own all the contestants ! __________________ "A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows us that faith proves nothing." - Friedrich Nietzsche

07-08-2010, 06:38 PM	#19 (permalink)
Walt I'm calmer than you are, dude Location: North Carolina	I cannot stop watching this damn show. It's just like Man vs. Wild in that I go into it knowing that I will be yelling at my TV for the next 30 mins. __________________ Calmer than you are...

07-15-2010, 01:05 PM	#20 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	Yeah, I'd rather watch Walt yell at his TeeVee than watch this firearm-related trainwreck. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

07-17-2010, 06:17 AM	#22 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	I'm dangerously close to smacktard level as far as my IQ and yet I'm still lightyears ahead of some of these guys. I would be confused as how how former military guys could possibly suck at shooting... but I know that all too well. Just last week I saw a Marine pattern a M4 25-yard alternative qual target like somebody shooting a 12 gauge with 00B. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake." Last edited by Plan9; 07-17-2010 at 06:24 AM..

07-17-2010, 06:50 AM	#23 (permalink)
PonyPotato Soaring Location: Ohio!	I'll admit that I have Top Shot (or Deadliest Catch) on pretty often as background noise while I study. Sometimes I actually get sucked into watching a few minutes. I think the show is interesting, especially as they keep forcing people who are good at one thing (the pistol champions, for example) try using different weapons. I really liked the longbow one, mostly because no one was comfortable with the weapon, yet they had to GET comfortable right quick. It's boring enough for background noise, but occasionally interesting enough to pull my attention away from anatomy for a minute or two to watch the actual challenge. The challenges at the end of the show (between the two people potentially getting kicked off) are the best, though - those are really the only things worth watching if you want to see any decent showing of skill. __________________ "Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark." — Henri-Frédéric Amiel

07-24-2010, 11:31 AM	#25 (permalink)
Strelich occasional iconoclast Location: Flushing, MI	I watched the first three episodes before I gave up on it. It was nice to see them use SVT-40s, though. I have two of them (during my 'surplus gun nut' phase) and, well, it was nice to see them in any show. I did ask myself the same question as some did above, regarding whether those rifles were properly zeroed in. For that matter, given the production variations during wartime, no two Mosins shoot the same way. They probably just bought a box of Wolf ammo, bought two SVT-40s and two Mosins, shot them enough to make sure they didn't jam or blow up in their faces, got a cursory 'nod' from an on sight 'advisor' who sold the rifles to them, and churned out the episode. However, I think I have an allergy to that 'reverse cymbal' or whatever sound that is which is in every reality show during those 'zing' tension moments. The mechanics of the genre led me to give it up before the 'ugh' moments with the rest of it. __________________ ----- Monty this seems strange to me. The movies had that movie thing, but nonsense has a welcome ring and heroes don't come easy.