America's Top Shot -- coming soon to The History Channel

[WatchManUSA]

I don't disagree with that statement but, it's really not a shooting show.  It's a dramatic competition where shooting happens to be the vehicle to an end.  As with other "reality" shows, it's not necessarily going to be the best shot that wins but rather the one person with the most wits or who can manipulate the other players.

I don't recognize any of these shooters from anything I've seen.  The woman looks familiar but I don't know from where!

That is why I put "shooting" in the quotes.  I'm not in the TV biz but I know executives and they short-hand and compartmentalize so the details don't always matter.  Will a TV executive think of it as a shooting show or will they see it as "a dramatic competition where shooting happens to be the vehicle to an end?"

I'll probably keep watching if I don't have anything else better happening on a Sunday night.

[MikeBjerum]

I think we need to voice our opinions to the execs that make these calls.  Let them know that we are interested in shooting, marksmanship, competition, etc., but that these "reality" shows do not entertain us, and that they also paint a poor picture of shooting sports.

Why can't the history channel do a series on each of the shooting sports like they do so many other sports and activities?  Why can't the Biography channel do a series of shows on professional and exhibition shooters? 

Maybe the problem is that I am not telling them what I want.  There is also the issue that not everyone is willing or able to spend the extra money I do to get the Outdoor Channel, so there is a huge market for these programs.

[WatchManUSA]

I think we need to voice our opinions to the execs that make these calls.  Let them know that we are interested in shooting, marksmanship, competition, etc., but that these "reality" shows do not entertain us, and that they also paint a poor picture of shooting sports.

Why can't the history channel do a series on each of the shooting sports like they do so many other sports and activities?  Why can't the Biography channel do a series of shows on professional and exhibition shooters? 

Maybe the problem is that I am not telling them what I want.  There is also the issue that not everyone is willing or able to spend the extra money I do to get the Outdoor Channel, so there is a huge market for these programs.

Good points - I agree.

[PegLeg45]

Episode 2 thoughts:

OK, so I've been shooting a Beretta 92fs for a couple of years now.  The first time I shot a Glock was just a couple of weeks ago.  From the first round I was able to hit what I was aiming at.  I didn't have to "dial it in" using my first 20 or 30 rounds.  I'm no professional shooter, in fact I'm lucky if I can get to the range once a month, but it seems to me that the fundamentals don't change from pistol to pistol.  You'd think a competition shooter would be able to pick up any pistol any shoot it well from round one.  Or is it that some of these guys get so completely invested in one particular weapon that they can't transition easily to another?  If that is the case, and it was me, I certainly wouldn't be blaming the pistol for MY performance.  I think one should strive to be proficient at shooting any pistol, not this one particular pistol.  Am I wrong?

+1

I think that had a lot to do with why the young kid (who is primarily a long-range shooter) still did OK with the pistol. The other guy seems to be mentally 'limiting' himself via equipment issues.
Sight alignment and trigger control are fundamentals that don't change from gun to gun. The style of gun may change drastically, but for all intents and purposes, fundamentals are the same.

I've known a few (very few) people in my life that I would consider 'true marksmen'.......they could shoot very well with any gun at any given time.

[m25operator]

+1

I think that had a lot to do with why the young kid (who is primarily a long-range shooter) still did OK with the pistol. The other guy seems to be mentally 'limiting' himself via equipment issues.
Sight alignment and trigger control are fundamentals that don't change from gun to gun. The style of gun may change drastically, but for all intents and purposes, fundamentals are the same.

I've known a few (very few) people in my life that I would consider 'true marksmen'.......they could shoot very well with any gun at any given time.

I have shot these type of matches, and Yes BAC and Peg, the fundamentals don't change, as to long range rifle, the conditions do, and I think that is what the young shooter did better than Seeklander, but on to the pistol, I cannot speak for the competitors, but when I shot these types of matches, or just something I'm not familiar with, " When all else fails, relax, focus on the front sight and press the trigger straight back into your hand, while maintaining your sight picture "  sounds easy and it is, most of us beat our selves, going to fast, snatch and grabbing the trigger, fighting pressure, rather than accepting it. All high level games are 90% mental, once you have the fundamentals. The elimination round was tough, done something similar, but not from a chair lift, I would love to try that. I do not like the voting BS, it will come to voting someone off someone who is better than the rest, although, I think shooters, will not bend to the low levels of the Survivor type shows, at least I hope.

[Sponsor]

[ericire12]

and I could have sworn we were watching the real eric whine about not getting to use a glock,

Now thats funny, right there

[MikeBjerum]

Now thats funny, right there

Damn ... I expected either an exchange of lead or the gold cup for that one

[alfsauve]

First,  I really despise "reality" shows.....they're not.   On the other hand, I can watch the fundamental parts of this one hour show in about 10 minutes with my DVR.

Am I the only one bothered by the zip line arrangement?   Why were their knees so high up?  How many times did they "sweep" the muzzle across their knees?   Why wasn't the chair arranged in a more vertical as opposed to a recumbent configuration so that their legs wouldn't be at risk? 

And why did they drag them back up the hill in the chair?  Why not release them at the base, make the gun safe, then have the armorer recover the gun and make the range safe for the reset?   The empty chair could have been raised by hand.   Less chance of an accident and quicker reset of the range.

I don't remember the total available targets, but knowing that 5 was the magic number for the second round, I think I would have concentrated all on one side after the first two at the top and been happy with 6.

[Timothy]

First,  I really despise "reality" shows.....they're not.   On the other hand, I can watch the fundamental parts of this one hour show in about 10 minutes with my DVR.

Am I the only one bothered by the zip line arrangement?   Why were their knees so high up?  How many times did they "sweep" the muzzle across their knees?   Why wasn't the chair arranged in a more vertical as opposed to a recumbent configuration so that their legs wouldn't be at risk?  

And why did they drag them back up the hill in the chair?  Why not release them at the base, make the gun safe, then have the armorer recover the gun and make the range safe for the reset?   The empty chair could have been raised by hand.   Less chance of an accident and quicker reset of the range.

I don't remember the total available targets, but knowing that 5 was the magic number for the second round, I think I would have concentrated all on one side after the first two at the top and been happy with 6.

No, it really bothers me as well!

[MikeBjerum]

First,  I really despise "reality" shows.....they're not.   On the other hand, I can watch the fundamental parts of this one hour show in about 10 minutes with my DVR.

Am I the only one bothered by the zip line arrangement?  Nope!  Did you also note all the 180 breaks? Why were their knees so high up?  How many times did they "sweep" the muzzle across their knees?  I was hoping it wasn't really happening the way I thought I was seeing it. Why wasn't the chair arranged in a more vertical as opposed to a recumbent configuration so that their legs wouldn't be at risk? 

And why did they drag them back up the hill in the chair?  Why not release them at the base, make the gun safe, then have the armorer recover the gun and make the range safe for the reset?   The empty chair could have been raised by hand.   Less chance of an accident and quicker reset of the range.   I attribute this to the range being under the control of a producer hyping the excitement and a director looking for the perfect shot angles ... camera not gun.  I'm sure they had everyone there except a qualified range officer.

I don't remember the total available targets, but knowing that 5 was the magic number for the second round, I think I would have concentrated all on one side after the first two at the top and been happy with 6.