Top Shot (2010) s01e01 Episode Script
The Long Shot
There are shots that changed history Feats of timeless skill and extreme precision.
Now 16 of today's best marksmen have been chosen.
They will compete in a series of challenges Designed to test their skills until only one remains, Earning the $100,000 prize And the title of "top shot.
" com Our source for subs!!! My skill level with a gun is quite high.
Everyone else is shooting for second best.
I was a cop for 24 years.
I've been around guns, And I've dealt with stressful situations For a long time.
Let's see how the other guys can work under pressure.
I'm 38 years old, and I've been training To do something like this for 20 years of my life.
I'm gonna perform ry well Because I'm good with everything.
I'd consider myself a rising star.
I'm still young.
I still need to prove myself, But I'm definitely a rising talent in the long-range game.
In the world of combat shooting, I am double grand master and ranked number one In the world speed shooting in the iron sights division.
When I first joined the police department, There was a shooting competition for the recruit class.
I ate, slept, and drank that competition until I won it.
Hey, everybody.
Welcome to "top shot.
" I'm colby donaldson.
How are you guys feeling? Good.
All right.
Ready to have some fun? Hell yeah.
We have 16 marksmen here Who have a wide range of skills Using a variety of weapons, Whether it's rifles, pistols, historical firearms, Bows and arrows, knives, even slingshots.
Some of you are recreational shooters.
Some of you guys are professionals.
But all of you exhibit The timeless skills of a true marksmen.
That's why you're here, and what we're about to find out Is which one of you is the best using all of these weapons.
Over the next 30 days, you will travel through history, Competing in challenges using the legendary weapons Of the past and the present.
The winner will earn a $100,000 prize And the title of "top shot.
" We've divided you into two teams Based on equal skills and specialties -- The red team and the blue team.
Here's how it's gonna work.
First, you're gonna compete in a team challenge.
The winning team is safe from elimination.
The losing team will vote for two of its members To participate in a head-to-head elimination challenge.
If you lose that challenge, you're going home.
This will continue until there's only one of you left.
You got it? Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
You've got the rules.
Now it's time to see where you're gonna be living.
Come on in, guys.
Wow.
Now is your chance to meet your teammates And check out your competition.
This is nice.
So, you've got 45 minutes to get settled in, And I'll meet you on the practice range, all right? You can do push-ups.
You can do wide flies.
Mike seeklander -- I've known him for at least 10 years.
He's a grand master in uspsa shooting.
It's intense competing against him.
I'm 22 years old.
As the youngest competitor here, I think other shooters will try to take advantage of my age, And I hope that they do, Because I imagine that it'll come back to bite them When I do much better than they expect.
I'm older.
I'm maturer.
I have, I think, an intellect that will allow me To analyze and break down the challenges And perform at my best.
Blue team.
It was interesting to see who else is on the team.
You know, we're getting really at grips with the competition, And this afternoon, we'll see what that brings.
Well, guys, how is everyone? Real good.
Good.
Welcome to the "top shot" practice session For your first team challenge.
Today, you're gonna be shooting four very different firearms That were used throughout the 20th century.
The 1903 springfield, used in world war I.
The svt-40, used in world war ii, And one of the first semiautomatic rifles.
The mosin-nagant, used in the korean war And used extensively by soviet-blocked countries.
And the m-14, used in vietnam, The only one of these four still used by the u.
S.
Military.
We have invited ex-navy s.
E.
A.
L.
Sniper craig sawyer, Who is an expert with these weapons, To help you guys train and get ready for the challenge.
Blue team, you'll head back to the house While craig works with the red team.
Then the teams will switch.
Good luck.
Who hasn't shot a rifle? Who is really weak with a rifle here? I think we're all strong with the rifles, aren't we? Mike's kind of taken charge without saying so, Without any direct reason, but he has.
It's his personality.
He's a bigger, older gentleman with a lot of experience.
The person that's shooting, take your first three shots.
Don't touch any of the sights.
Don't do anything different.
Three shots exactly the same, okay? Kelly will definitely be one of the stronger people Because he has competed with long-range weapons, And he actually gave us a few pointers while we were out there.
Okay, shooters, fire when ready.
Low left.
Spotting is very important.
When you miss a target, You're not able to see the bullet hole.
So I'm a little bit right.
Your spotter, he'll be looking through a spotting scope, And he'll be able to spot the bullet holes or the point of impact And then tell the shooter how he could adjust his fire To make a hit.
All right, you're almost dead center.
Low.
Two low, two right.
Perfect.
It was a really neat experience feeling the historical value Behind operating these weapons, And it makes the hair on my neck stand up right now Just talking about it.
I feel that our team is really strong.
We communicate well together, and we shoot well.
I'm all ready to win this tomorrow.
We're gonna totally win.
The line is hot.
The line is hot.
Fire when ready.
Using these rifles does give you a picture Of what people we're dealing with.
You can actually reflect back On what it was like to be in a trench.
You're trying to get the cartridges into the rifle, But your fingers are not working because they're frozen solid.
Six up and three over.
Tara and I were shooting a 1903 springfield.
Up until today, my relationship with an '03 springfield Has been exactly zero.
Now, the springfield has remained in the service For a very long time, even into vietnam.
From center mast, one, two.
The shooter and spotter relationship Is really important.
It's also a relationship that is developed over a long time.
Just being thrown straight in there Without any relationship prior to that Is a really, really difficult situation.
I kind of dropped the ball on iain a little bit.
It took me a long time to find his target Through the spotting scope.
Apparently, I'm a better shooter than I am a spotter.
Cease fire! Cease fire! The red team seemed like they were having more fun with it.
The blue team were a little edgy.
There was a little tension there.
I think it'll be interesting to see how that kind of plays out And develops and changes over the course of the competition.
We'll take the 14.
You do the nagant.
I like a pea What's your recommendation for holding? After we got back to the house, We were angry about just being tired, hungry, dirty, And everybody was a little tired Of listening to everybody's war stories.
Just like any kind of group setting, There was gonna be an initial flurry of ideas, And then you have to sort through the chaff And come up with what you're gonna do.
Now what? No wonder I'm so tired.
How's that shoulder? Tender today.
Tender.
Yeah, it feels like I caught a punch in there.
Nagant, kelly.
Svt, brad.
Okay.
The meeting went well.
Kelly -- brilliant idea.
It was somhing I had thought about myself, Is, you know, trying to vote in someone Who could be in charge of the team.
If it gets hairy and we only got time For one person to give directionMike.
Leadership goes.
It goes bad today, I'm out, right? I don't think the blue team has a chance, to be honest with you.
They're not as skilled as we are.
They're not as well-rehearsed as we are.
So we're gonna beat the smurfs today.
The competition became real for me When we walked up to the first challenge And we saw all these cool obstacle courses and all the different guns.
Everybody's just so revved up.
And at that point, you're like, " we're here.
" They had barbed wire.
You had to climb across the rope, sandbags.
I got a major adrenaline rush.
It was something that I felt was right up my alley, 'cause in the military, you know, that's how we train.
You know, you shoot, move, and communicate.
So, I was definitely excited.
This first challenge, it's not radically different Than a lot of things that we do In the s.
E.
A.
L.
Team to challenge ourselves.
We'll set up numerous different weapons Just so that we're proficient At picking up whatever's at our disposal.
We have a saying in the s.
E.
A.
L.
Team, "one mind, any weapon.
" Hey, guys, come on over.
Welcome to the first team challenge.
You'll be shooting weapons from the first world war, World war ii, the korean war, and the vietnam war.
Today's challenge is a relay race through an obstacle course With shooting stations along the way.
You will be split into four pairs.
On my signal The first pair is going underneath the barbed wire Until they get to the first station, Where you will find the m1903 springfield, The longest serving of the four rifles.
You guys have to hit two exploding targets.
The first is at 50 yards out.
The second target is at 100 yards.
Once you've hit both targets, The second pair will begin to make their way Through their obstacle, which is a thicket of wood rods.
At the end of that obstacle is the svt-40, The soviet semiautomatic rifle.
You've also got two targets.
Once you've hit both of them, the third pair Can begin to make their way across the rope obstacle, Probably the most difficult out of the four.
At the third station is the mosin-nagant, Another soviet sniper rifle.
You also have two targets to hit.
Once you've done that, The final pair can begin to slog their way Through the mud trough, coming to the final station And the american-made m-14, the newest of the four rifles.
Four rifles, eight targets.
So you will each shoot and spot.
The first team to hit all of their targets Wins this challenge And is safe from elimination.
So, basically, you guys have two decisions to make.
First off, you need to figure out Who's best using what weapon, And the second decision is, Who is best suited for what obstacle? All right? I'm gonna give you five minutes to strategize, Figure out your pairs.
We'll meet back here and start the race.
Get to it.
All right, are we staying with our original pairs? Listen, the original plan, original guns, original team.
As soon as I get over there So, tara and I, we decided That we were gonna shoot 1903 springfield.
We fired the most rounds on it yesterday.
I think the rope is an issue.
Me and jim might not be able to shoot the nagant.
Blue team had a plan.
There was only one issue, the rope hang, And I looked at jim, And he's a little, I would say, experienced.
I don't want to say old.
It's not gonna be a problem with me.
Jim looked me dead in the eye and said, "I will do this.
" I'm never gonna question this old man again.
I think you said you had a problem with the rope.
Can you get over the rope? Yeah, I can do the rope.
You can do the rope.
You're okay.
Okay, first gun, 1903 - it's gonna be me and andre.
Myself and mike, we were pretty comfortable With the springfield.
That's why we chose to do the first station.
We'll go under the wire and nail it.
We decided I would shoot the Just because all the talking he was doing about how good he was, And I figured, " let him take the longer shot.
" I'm definitely excited for what we're getting ready to do.
Coming up on "top shot" Ready! Set! Go! Three clicks left, one click down.
Where are we, girl? I'm sorry.
I'm not fi-- I can't find the freaking target.
Allright.
You guys ready? Take your positions now.
Marksmen, ready! Set! Go! You got this, tara! Andre and mike are first through the barbed wire.
Andre sets up to fire the springfield At the 50-yard target.
Iain and tara are at their first station.
Tara takes aim at the 50-yard target.
Get it, tara! Red team gets the first shot off.
I got nothing, man.
Hit it again.
You might be a little left.
Try it again.
Come on, run it.
Run it.
You're at 8:00.
Blue team -- first to explode their target.
Thanks, tara.
Now tara will spot for iain, As he tries to hit the 100-yard target.
Go, iain.
Keep going.
Keep going.
Andre is still shooting at the 50-yard target.
You're right above it, opposite.
You are 2:00.
Come three clicks left, one click down.
Good hit.
Here, switch.
Red team gets their first hit.
Mike now takes aim at the 100-yard target While andre spots for him.
At this point, the teams are tied.
Let's go, mikey.
Ammo.
I'm sorry.
I'm not fi- I can't find the freaking target.
Are you kidding me? Come on.
I've got nothing.
IIf you guys are seeing it, Talk to him, 'cause I'm not seeing it.
He's got to aim more right.
You got the right elevation.
So, we're focusing iain, And we're just tryining to will it to him, Like, "please, hit the target! Please!" Our guy, iain - he was laying down some fire.
It was like fallujah out there.
Take your time with it.
They're having the same trouble.
Over right, okay? Both teams are stalled on the 100-yard target.
There we go.
Oh, thank you.
Finally.
A bit more right.
A little more right, iain.
A little more right.
I'm two targets off it.
You're right at about There it is! Whoo-hoo! Caleb and blake making their way through the thicket of brush To the second station and the svt-40.
Let's go, caleb.
Let's go, caleb.
Let's go, blake.
Nice, smooth, smooth.
Find that line.
Get it, get it, get it.
Get through it.
Get through it.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go! Red team still trying to finish The first section of this obstacle course.
you got to be kidding me.
Try aiming for the far right middle.
So, at that point, I'm wondering what the problem is.
Is he nervous? Now your upper-right-hand corner.
But then I'm thinking, "no, man.
"he's a pro just like the rest of us.
He's shot under pressure.
" Caleb takes aim at the 50-yard target.
There we go.
Blue team -- done with their first target At 50 yards on the svt-40.
Now blake moves on to the 100-yard target.
Where am I at? That was down and to the right.
The blue team now has five targets left.
But the red team still has seven.
Come on.
It's too slow.
Got it! Go, go, go, go, go! I knew my job was to get down on my knees and help jim, Assist him to get up on that rope a little easier.
Go, go, go, go, go! Get up there! Go, go, go, go, go! As soon as I sent him off, I'm like, " please, don't drop.
" Just keep your leg straight! You got it! You got it! Pull, pull, pull! You got it, jim! Go! Get your legs up on there, j.
J.
Go, jim! If jim falls, he'll have to start over, And the red team could have a chance to get back in this.
You're almost there, dawg! Come on, come on, come on, come on! You got it, jim! Get down! Jim, get down! Go, j.
J.
! Go, j.
J.
! Yeah! J.
J.
Picks up the mosin-nagant.
He's aiming at the 50-yard target.
Red team -- still unable to finish out The first section of this obstacle course.
I became quite stressed with my team members Shooting at the target, not being able to hit it, And me having no ability to help my team.
You're just slightly low.
Pick it up just a whisker from what you did last time.
Gone.
There we go.
Blue team -- first hit on their third set of targets.
Pretty much lines up left.
Now jim takes aim at the 100-yard target.
He's an expert with hisrical rifles.
Let's see how he does with the mosin-nagant.
You were just underneath it, jim.
There it is.
Boo-yah! Adam and chris from the blue team now making their way Through the mud pit - the final stacle in this course -- Headed towards the m-14.
Do I want to keep coming down? Yeah, come down.
Hit.
Go.
Blue team, one shot, first targets all the way down.
You've got to be kidding me.
One more target and the blue team has won this challenge.
We're done! The blue team wins the very first team challenge! Whoo-hoo-hoo! I couldn't wait to celebrate.
Saw that last shot fired.
Figured it's time to just let loose.
We worked hard.
When everything works out right, There's nothing better than winning.
I don't know what tomorrow brings, but today, we're safe.
With those weapons, these team members Aren't intimately familiar with them.
Sometimes the stress monsters can climb on you If you know your team's waiting.
Some people handle it better than others.
It seemed like we started off really well, Got under the barbed wire pretty fast.
I was able to hit my shot in about three shots, But mike, the first shot, he got the top-left corner.
We were trying to walk the shot down.
I don't think andre could tell where the hits were going.
You know, it was a very brushy background.
I think he had a hard time figuring out where I was, And, obviously, I didn't have a clue where I was off-target.
We just had a lot of major problems And were unable to get the shot.
It was hard.
Blue team, congratulations.
You guys are safe from elimination.
Red team, you have two hours To decide which two teammates you're gonna nominate For the elimination challenge.
You guys need to take this very seriously.
Don't forget the mental aspect.
If someone's a great shooter, That doesn't mean they have the mental strength To make it all the way through this game.
So take all that into account.
I need your answer in two hours, all right? Coming up on "top shot" When I call you up, You shoot the target of the person you want to nominate.
Your vote will be known by every member of your team.
It was kind of a gut check up front, in your face.
You guys did good.
Congratulations.
Hey, thanks.
I'm really happy that we won today.
The pressure's off just a little bit, And it's a great start to the whole competition.
I'll tell you what, I want to thank my spotter, 'cause I wouldn't have hit the target without you, man.
So, frank, who are you guys gonna send to elimination? I don't know.
We got to talk about it, right? I think the guys are pretty upset.
Tonight I'm gonna have to cast a difficult vote.
I don't know exactly what happened between mike and andre.
I got to think that there was some sort of operator error, And it's got to be mike.
Can I talk first, and you can all Do whatever you want to do.
We elected you as leader today.
Go for it.
You know, you guys are all probably thinking, "you know, what the 'f'? Can this guy hit the target or not?" So, one way or the other, I'll take full responsibility.
I was behind the gun, so it's all about me, And I don't blame any one of you if you vote me off, 'cause I might be thinking the same thing, so The blue team did the same thing.
They shot.
They won.
They won.
And they had problems, as well.
And they had problems, too.
I'd like to vouch for mike.
He's an excellent shooter, and along the same lines, I don't want to have really any part in voting against mike, 'cause I think that wouldn't be fair to him or his reputation.
I really felt like it was a lot of b.
S.
, That reputation preceded performance.
What if I would have missed that shot? It would have been, "you know, he's no good.
He's horrible.
Let's get him out of here.
" You drew the short straw today on that gun.
Anybody probably would have ended up With the same damn results unless their bullet got lucky.
A couple of guys on the team probably would blame me for the spotting, And it couldn't just be his fault.
The only thing that was going through my head is, "they're gonna vote me off.
" If it's me, I'm gonna take my damn shot, and that's it.
You know, I'm not gonna cry about it.
We need to be honest, okay? We need to vote for somebody that we really think Shouldn't be on the team.
I'd be prepared to nominate myself to be on the elimination As opposed to voting for him.
I don't think that that's fair.
Here comes brad out the blue, and he's like, "if mike goes, I want to go.
" Well, you have to make an omelette, and we got eggs here, And you can't make this -- You got to break the eggs.
You got to crack a few eggs.
All these guys sticking up for mike, It just put a bad taste in my mouth.
Today's challenge didn't go very well for me.
I fully expect myself to get voted into the elimination.
I'm voting for someone based on how they've been talking and that sort of thing.
I have no interest in shooting against anybody Who's not the best on our team, and kelly's by far the best.
If I've got to shoot against a good shooter, That's gonna be you.
All right.
All right? Well, best of luck to you.
You're not getting my vote, though.
All right.
Just so you know, all right? You're a strong kid.
I've made a couple decisions based on personality And kind of competitive nature And what I can see in nerves and mental stability.
If a guy like mike, with great fundamentals and marksmanship, Could have that kind of trouble, it could be me any day.
It could be someone else.
It just makes you be on the tip of your toes As you're walking around this house.
You can't just be overconfident yet.
So, we're the first team to go into eliminations.
It was frustrating not being able to take that first shot.
It was frustrating as heck.
Well, we got to keep our team strong.
If the weakest link reveals itself, you cut it off.
Shooters, come on in.
Walking to the nomination range, we all filed in.
We looked over on the left, And we saw everybody's name on a target.
And a gun sitting there on the log.
So it was pretty obvious That there was gonna be no secret ballot going on.
Red team, welcome to the nomination range.
As losers of our first team challenge, You must now decide which two of you Will be going to the elimination challenge.
But before we get to that, let's talk about today's challenge.
Mike, what happened? Shot a lot of bullets.
Didn't hit a target.
I'm curious.
Yesterday in practice, Did you spend any time with the springfield? Spent a very little time on the springfield.
It was a tough gun to get on target for us.
I did get it on target, but it didn't work out today.
Disappointed at all with your performance? Yeah, I'm extremely disappointed.
I take full responsibility for it.
Andre, you had eyes on target.
You were the spotter.
What did you see? I saw that, you know, his first shot was in the white, And we tried to walk it down.
A couple shots, you know, I couldn't see, But for the most part, I mean, we did the best we could with what we had.
I mean, how many rounds did you guys shoot at that target? We shot a lot at the target.
Give or take.
Do you take any responsibility for today's loss? Being that I'm his teammate, Yeah, I take responsibility for it, as well.
Not as his teammate, his spotter.
As his spotter, I gave him the best information I could, You know, with the shots that were actually on target.
With the ones that hit the target.
Right.
So, out of the 30, there were a lot that didn't hit the target.
Right.
All right.
Well, let's get to this.
Here's how we're gonna do things.
On the range behind me, You'll see your names with a target just above.
When I call you up, You shoot the target of the person you want to nominate.
You cannot vote for yourself.
Obviously, your vote will be known By every member of your team.
It was kind of a gut check up front, in your face.
You shot at the target Of the person's name that you wanted to go home, And they were sitting right there.
The two with the most hits Will compete head-to-head in our elimination round.
The loser of that round, you're packing your bags, And you're going home.
All right, let's go.
Andre, you're up.
I had no second thoughts about it.
I didn't second-guess my opinion on anything.
Mike.
I shot at mike's target, and I let mike know, "mike, I think you should go home.
" Mike, that's one vote for you.
Brad, your turn to vote.
A lot of people are gonna be voting for mike.
He was the one behind the rifle today.
Kelly.
Kelly, you have one hit.
I voted for kelly because mike wanted to go up against The strongest rifle shooter.
Kelly definitely fit that mold.
Denny, you're up.
Brad said, "I nominate myself.
I'm ready to go home.
" If his head's not in the game That's one vote for you, brad.
Kelly, your turn to vote.
Anyone who says that they would vote for themself, They're ready to go, it's obvious that they've lost heart, And at that point, it's our duty to vote for them To then be in the elimination challenge.
Brad now has two votes.
Frank, your turn.
It -- it hits home when you're on that range.
It hits home that, "wow, this is for real, And someone's going home.
" Mike.
Mike now has two votes.
You know, mike was the guy behind the rifle today, And I don't know what happened.
I'm not saying it's his fault, But he was the guy pulling the trigger.
So that's who I'm voting for.
Bill, you ready? It's your turn.
Kelly.
I voted for kelly Because kelly's experience level Doesn't really bring a whole bunch more to the table For things down the road.
It would be better for the team To keep the other guys around.
Kelly, mike, brad, you guys are all tied.
You each have two hits.
Peter, your turn to vote.
I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to make the decision, But at the end, there were three people tied, And then I was the second to last.
I knew mike was last and couldn't pick himself.
So, unfortately, in that case, mike made it easy for me.
Mike, you have three votes.
Now it's your turn to vote.
Seeing my target shot was not surprising.
You know, I was responsible.
I was the guy behind the gun.
So if they decided to vote for me for the elimination, I don't blame them a bit for that.
I want to compete against the best.
I don't want to shoot against someone who's not the best.
Mike, kelly, both of you guys have three votes.
Red team, you have made your decision.
Mike and kelly will be headed to the elimination round.
Tonight, I suggest you all get a good night's sleep.
For one of you, this will be your last night on "top shot.
" You can head back to the house.
Bill, brad, mike - they all voted for me.
Like, I can understand - peter: That actually surprised me.
Mike -- that's a no-brainer.
Who knows about the other ones? Yeah.
I don't know.
I was surprised at both brad and bill's votes, And I was shocked to then end up in the elimination challenge, Having done nothing wrong on the team.
Like, what have I done negatively for our team? What have I done attitude-wise? I don't know.
What the heck? Like, I feel like I'm a total team player.
I've been better.
, mike? I'm not happy that, if I happen to beat him, That I would knock him off the team, 'cause he's a very, very strong player and a supergreat kid, Intelligent, and a good shooter.
Well, at least tomorrow I get to shoot.
This isn't just gonna be about Who can go out to the range and shoot the best shots.
It's also gonna be about who can make friends, Who can get people not to vote for them, And who can just stay alive.
Coming up on "top shot" Your accuracy will be tested.
I feel pretty good going into this competition.
I'm gonna put up a good fight, and I'm ready to compete.
Once I'm behind the gun, My only concern is what I need to do.
Mike, kelly, this will be your practice session For the elimination challenge.
In the team challenge, we had you guys master Four very different rifles from the 20th century.
Today, we're gonna test your accuracy.
In almost every modern military conflict, Snipers are used to devastating effect.
Later today, you will compete in a challenge Where your accuracy at various distances will be tested.
Our weapons expert, craig sawyer, Is a veteran of both iraq wars, And he is a military sniper instructor.
You will each practice with craig separately.
The firearm is the remington 700, A sniper rifle currently being used By the United States marine corps.
Mike, you'll go first.
Great.
Once I'm behind the gun, You know, my only concern is what I need to do.
You know, self-control And having the ability to hit the target.
It looks like you might be right at the edge Of that center diamond right at about 4:00.
Don't care what the other competitor's doing.
I just care about what I'm doing.
Can you give me any wind calls? Right now you got a right to left from 3:00.
See how it's buffeting And that flag keeps dropping all the way down? The fundamentals of marksmanship Have been utilized for centuries now.
Wind is just crucial.
The shooter has to read the wind And make a judgment on a second-by-second basis On how much wind to hold or adjust to hit the target.
All right, the elevation is still just a little high.
Natural point of aim is where the rifle Is going to want to rest when you are relaxed, And that's in its most effective position.
Dude, that's good.
Yeah, I think they're in there.
Mike was shooting a very small group, very tight groups.
His shooting was great.
Thank you.
Appreciate it.
You're very welcome.
Good luck at the challenge.
All right, you get comfortable behind the gun.
Make use of the sandbags any way you like.
I think the gun's fine.
Obviously we're gonna shoot it with a scope.
Most 700s don't have any sights on them.
I feel very comfortable with it, And I'm excited we're gonna shoot a modern rifle As opposed to a world war I era rifle.
I call that about a half-inch off the black.
Perfect elevation.
Trigger squeeze is simply pulling the trigger Straight to the rear.
That one will be a little bit lower And to the right from the last shot.
You're at the bottom of that left-hand diamond now.
You don't want to pull the trigger to either side Or jerk the trigger, Because any of those movements Could disturb your sight alignment, Throwing your shot off.
The bold white line.
Yep, I see it.
Half a minute high from 6:00 on the line.
That's perfect.
That means my wind at zero is good, And then the half minute of wind pushed it over there.
Distance and windage.
He who can determine how far the target is, Make those adjustments, decide how much wind to call, And break those shots accurately first is gonna be the winner.
It's your call.
I feel pretty good going into this competition.
I feel confident enough that, in the middle of the practice, I shot an admittedly kind of silly-looking smiley face On the target.
All right, there you go.
Good to go.
I wish the smiley face would have turned out a little better.
The eyes are way too far apart.
But other than that, I feel pretty good.
Did you see the hits on the target with the scope? I can see it with my scope.
It's pretty hard to get a read on mike, 'cause he has a pretty stoic demeanor.
I was able to get a smiley face on the target.
The little pissant said he was gonna do it.
I think kelly had a good day.
I think he's feeling pretty cocky about it.
You got to have some fun, guys.
Come on.
Kelly comes in the kitchen Saying that he was shooting smiley faces and stuff.
I kind of took personal offense to that.
I thought that was just a little bit cocky of him.
There's no need for that.
At one point, I made a mistake, I think.
Kelly's young, doesn't have a lot of experience In solo competition, okay? So a lot of different things can go a lot of different ways.
You don't have to worry about packing too well, man.
You're gonna put it all back tomorrow.
Put it all back.
Pack, unpack.
Right.
That's the way I see it.
I don't have any idea What mike is gonna bring to the table.
I wouldn't say I'm banking on his lack of skill.
I'm banking on my skill.
The only thing I can count on is my performance.
Thanks.
While I'm the youngest shooter here, In my discipline in long-range-rifle shooting, I'm not a slouch.
I'm gonna put up a good fight, and I'm ready to compete.
I'm not gonna play games.
We're gonna get it on.
And if you beat me, you beat me.
Welcome to the first "top shot" elimination challenge.
Six of you are safe.
You guys, come take a seat on the bench.
Here's how it's gonna work.
You will each be given a scoped remington 700 rifle.
Out on the range, there are two sets of targets -- 400 yards And 600 yards.
The rules are simple.
First shooter to hit all three targets wins the challenge.
The loser is knocked out of the competition.
Coming up on "top shot" Go.
On scope.
Spotter ready.
Is there a round in there? There is.
I got it.
Smooth, easy press.
On target.
On scope.
Fire.
Mike, kelly, In a matter of minutes, one of you will be eliminated.
In practice, craig spotted for both of you guys.
Now you get to choose your own spotter from these six.
Mike, you get to choose your spotter first.
Bill.
Kelly, choose your spotter.
It's a simple choice.
Going with the expert.
Pete, you're a marine sniper.
Come help me out.
When you start to get out to distances this far, The fundamentals really apply even much more so.
Somebody who's not really at home and doesn't do those, They're not gonna be able to hit these targets that far.
All right, you guys have your spotters.
It's time for the challenge.
Take your mats.
Let's do this.
Marksmen, ready.
Set.
Go.
Both competitors are in position And loading their firearms.
Spotter ready.
Mike hits the 200-yard target.
Kelly now has the 200-yard target.
On scope.
Now both marksmen are aiming At the 400-yard targets.
Go.
Spotter ready.
On target.
On scope.
Fire.
Kelly takes the lead with a strike on the 400-yard target.
Mike misses his first shot on the 400-yard target.
Go to the 600.
Is there a round in there? There is.
I got it.
Kelly now has one target left at 600 yards.
On target.
Fire.
Smooth, easy press.
Cease fire! Cease fire! That's it! Cease fire.
Cease fire.
Kelly wins the first elimination challenge.
I got beat.
Kelly is an extremely good long-range shooter.
Kelly is a superb rifle shooter.
It was actually pretty impressive To watch him hit those shots so fast.
The advantage I had over mike in the challenge Was my experience shooting in the wind.
I went to engage the And my competitor had already shot his, And I had to wait for the smoke to clear Before I could even shoot mine.
Obviously, I went for a little bit of speed To get on the gun as quickly as I could.
I beat him on the 200-yard target and got my shot off.
The 400- and the 600-yard targets Are something that we didn't particularly train for today.
At the 400-yard target, I didn't aim at the target I needed to hit.
I aimed off to the left of it because of the wind.
On target.
On scope.
Fire.
Go to the 600.
Shooting at the 600-yard target On target.
I aimed almost a foot and half To 2 feet off the edge of the board Because of the wind.
I had a miss.
My spotter said, "no hit," and he had no idea where it went.
No impact.
No idea.
Fire again.
I went ahead and made the correction in my head.
I knew my wind call was too cautious, And before he could give me something else to do, I already had a shot downrange And I hit the target.
Nice work.
Thank you.
Good job.
Mike, it was a tough one.
You got the first target.
Yeah.
That was pretty fast, kelly.
Thank you.
Good shooting.
You know, someone's gonna be first, And there's also gonna be one winner.
So, there are 14 others that are gonna go home, too, Whether they like it or not.
You did take your last shot today.
Well, say goodbye to your team.
Head on out.
Mike, good shooting.
Good shooting, brother.
Be the world champion someday, man.
Good luck to you, brother.
Thanks for everything.
Appreciate it.
Thank you, sir.
It was an honor.
I have a tremendous amount of respect For a bunch of the different guys and the gal in the house.
They are extremely skilled.
We'll meet again.
Farewell, and good luck, And I hope truly the best shooter wins this competition.
On the next episode of " top shot" Today you'll be firing a beretta 92f.
The competition goes from rifles to pistols.
The stress level was definitely ratcheted up When we found out the next event would be a pistol competition.
The blue team's feeling strong.
Ben, look at me.
I think we're gonna smoke this challenge.
We never lose our confidence.
Except for jim.
Oh, no.
I am struggling to get through.
I'm not a specialist like the rest of my team.
I am discouraged by the fact That they're having to drag me along.
And get ready for a challenge That will put these marksmen to the ultimate test.
Now 16 of today's best marksmen have been chosen.
They will compete in a series of challenges Designed to test their skills until only one remains, Earning the $100,000 prize And the title of "top shot.
" com Our source for subs!!! My skill level with a gun is quite high.
Everyone else is shooting for second best.
I was a cop for 24 years.
I've been around guns, And I've dealt with stressful situations For a long time.
Let's see how the other guys can work under pressure.
I'm 38 years old, and I've been training To do something like this for 20 years of my life.
I'm gonna perform ry well Because I'm good with everything.
I'd consider myself a rising star.
I'm still young.
I still need to prove myself, But I'm definitely a rising talent in the long-range game.
In the world of combat shooting, I am double grand master and ranked number one In the world speed shooting in the iron sights division.
When I first joined the police department, There was a shooting competition for the recruit class.
I ate, slept, and drank that competition until I won it.
Hey, everybody.
Welcome to "top shot.
" I'm colby donaldson.
How are you guys feeling? Good.
All right.
Ready to have some fun? Hell yeah.
We have 16 marksmen here Who have a wide range of skills Using a variety of weapons, Whether it's rifles, pistols, historical firearms, Bows and arrows, knives, even slingshots.
Some of you are recreational shooters.
Some of you guys are professionals.
But all of you exhibit The timeless skills of a true marksmen.
That's why you're here, and what we're about to find out Is which one of you is the best using all of these weapons.
Over the next 30 days, you will travel through history, Competing in challenges using the legendary weapons Of the past and the present.
The winner will earn a $100,000 prize And the title of "top shot.
" We've divided you into two teams Based on equal skills and specialties -- The red team and the blue team.
Here's how it's gonna work.
First, you're gonna compete in a team challenge.
The winning team is safe from elimination.
The losing team will vote for two of its members To participate in a head-to-head elimination challenge.
If you lose that challenge, you're going home.
This will continue until there's only one of you left.
You got it? Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
You've got the rules.
Now it's time to see where you're gonna be living.
Come on in, guys.
Wow.
Now is your chance to meet your teammates And check out your competition.
This is nice.
So, you've got 45 minutes to get settled in, And I'll meet you on the practice range, all right? You can do push-ups.
You can do wide flies.
Mike seeklander -- I've known him for at least 10 years.
He's a grand master in uspsa shooting.
It's intense competing against him.
I'm 22 years old.
As the youngest competitor here, I think other shooters will try to take advantage of my age, And I hope that they do, Because I imagine that it'll come back to bite them When I do much better than they expect.
I'm older.
I'm maturer.
I have, I think, an intellect that will allow me To analyze and break down the challenges And perform at my best.
Blue team.
It was interesting to see who else is on the team.
You know, we're getting really at grips with the competition, And this afternoon, we'll see what that brings.
Well, guys, how is everyone? Real good.
Good.
Welcome to the "top shot" practice session For your first team challenge.
Today, you're gonna be shooting four very different firearms That were used throughout the 20th century.
The 1903 springfield, used in world war I.
The svt-40, used in world war ii, And one of the first semiautomatic rifles.
The mosin-nagant, used in the korean war And used extensively by soviet-blocked countries.
And the m-14, used in vietnam, The only one of these four still used by the u.
S.
Military.
We have invited ex-navy s.
E.
A.
L.
Sniper craig sawyer, Who is an expert with these weapons, To help you guys train and get ready for the challenge.
Blue team, you'll head back to the house While craig works with the red team.
Then the teams will switch.
Good luck.
Who hasn't shot a rifle? Who is really weak with a rifle here? I think we're all strong with the rifles, aren't we? Mike's kind of taken charge without saying so, Without any direct reason, but he has.
It's his personality.
He's a bigger, older gentleman with a lot of experience.
The person that's shooting, take your first three shots.
Don't touch any of the sights.
Don't do anything different.
Three shots exactly the same, okay? Kelly will definitely be one of the stronger people Because he has competed with long-range weapons, And he actually gave us a few pointers while we were out there.
Okay, shooters, fire when ready.
Low left.
Spotting is very important.
When you miss a target, You're not able to see the bullet hole.
So I'm a little bit right.
Your spotter, he'll be looking through a spotting scope, And he'll be able to spot the bullet holes or the point of impact And then tell the shooter how he could adjust his fire To make a hit.
All right, you're almost dead center.
Low.
Two low, two right.
Perfect.
It was a really neat experience feeling the historical value Behind operating these weapons, And it makes the hair on my neck stand up right now Just talking about it.
I feel that our team is really strong.
We communicate well together, and we shoot well.
I'm all ready to win this tomorrow.
We're gonna totally win.
The line is hot.
The line is hot.
Fire when ready.
Using these rifles does give you a picture Of what people we're dealing with.
You can actually reflect back On what it was like to be in a trench.
You're trying to get the cartridges into the rifle, But your fingers are not working because they're frozen solid.
Six up and three over.
Tara and I were shooting a 1903 springfield.
Up until today, my relationship with an '03 springfield Has been exactly zero.
Now, the springfield has remained in the service For a very long time, even into vietnam.
From center mast, one, two.
The shooter and spotter relationship Is really important.
It's also a relationship that is developed over a long time.
Just being thrown straight in there Without any relationship prior to that Is a really, really difficult situation.
I kind of dropped the ball on iain a little bit.
It took me a long time to find his target Through the spotting scope.
Apparently, I'm a better shooter than I am a spotter.
Cease fire! Cease fire! The red team seemed like they were having more fun with it.
The blue team were a little edgy.
There was a little tension there.
I think it'll be interesting to see how that kind of plays out And develops and changes over the course of the competition.
We'll take the 14.
You do the nagant.
I like a pea What's your recommendation for holding? After we got back to the house, We were angry about just being tired, hungry, dirty, And everybody was a little tired Of listening to everybody's war stories.
Just like any kind of group setting, There was gonna be an initial flurry of ideas, And then you have to sort through the chaff And come up with what you're gonna do.
Now what? No wonder I'm so tired.
How's that shoulder? Tender today.
Tender.
Yeah, it feels like I caught a punch in there.
Nagant, kelly.
Svt, brad.
Okay.
The meeting went well.
Kelly -- brilliant idea.
It was somhing I had thought about myself, Is, you know, trying to vote in someone Who could be in charge of the team.
If it gets hairy and we only got time For one person to give directionMike.
Leadership goes.
It goes bad today, I'm out, right? I don't think the blue team has a chance, to be honest with you.
They're not as skilled as we are.
They're not as well-rehearsed as we are.
So we're gonna beat the smurfs today.
The competition became real for me When we walked up to the first challenge And we saw all these cool obstacle courses and all the different guns.
Everybody's just so revved up.
And at that point, you're like, " we're here.
" They had barbed wire.
You had to climb across the rope, sandbags.
I got a major adrenaline rush.
It was something that I felt was right up my alley, 'cause in the military, you know, that's how we train.
You know, you shoot, move, and communicate.
So, I was definitely excited.
This first challenge, it's not radically different Than a lot of things that we do In the s.
E.
A.
L.
Team to challenge ourselves.
We'll set up numerous different weapons Just so that we're proficient At picking up whatever's at our disposal.
We have a saying in the s.
E.
A.
L.
Team, "one mind, any weapon.
" Hey, guys, come on over.
Welcome to the first team challenge.
You'll be shooting weapons from the first world war, World war ii, the korean war, and the vietnam war.
Today's challenge is a relay race through an obstacle course With shooting stations along the way.
You will be split into four pairs.
On my signal The first pair is going underneath the barbed wire Until they get to the first station, Where you will find the m1903 springfield, The longest serving of the four rifles.
You guys have to hit two exploding targets.
The first is at 50 yards out.
The second target is at 100 yards.
Once you've hit both targets, The second pair will begin to make their way Through their obstacle, which is a thicket of wood rods.
At the end of that obstacle is the svt-40, The soviet semiautomatic rifle.
You've also got two targets.
Once you've hit both of them, the third pair Can begin to make their way across the rope obstacle, Probably the most difficult out of the four.
At the third station is the mosin-nagant, Another soviet sniper rifle.
You also have two targets to hit.
Once you've done that, The final pair can begin to slog their way Through the mud trough, coming to the final station And the american-made m-14, the newest of the four rifles.
Four rifles, eight targets.
So you will each shoot and spot.
The first team to hit all of their targets Wins this challenge And is safe from elimination.
So, basically, you guys have two decisions to make.
First off, you need to figure out Who's best using what weapon, And the second decision is, Who is best suited for what obstacle? All right? I'm gonna give you five minutes to strategize, Figure out your pairs.
We'll meet back here and start the race.
Get to it.
All right, are we staying with our original pairs? Listen, the original plan, original guns, original team.
As soon as I get over there So, tara and I, we decided That we were gonna shoot 1903 springfield.
We fired the most rounds on it yesterday.
I think the rope is an issue.
Me and jim might not be able to shoot the nagant.
Blue team had a plan.
There was only one issue, the rope hang, And I looked at jim, And he's a little, I would say, experienced.
I don't want to say old.
It's not gonna be a problem with me.
Jim looked me dead in the eye and said, "I will do this.
" I'm never gonna question this old man again.
I think you said you had a problem with the rope.
Can you get over the rope? Yeah, I can do the rope.
You can do the rope.
You're okay.
Okay, first gun, 1903 - it's gonna be me and andre.
Myself and mike, we were pretty comfortable With the springfield.
That's why we chose to do the first station.
We'll go under the wire and nail it.
We decided I would shoot the Just because all the talking he was doing about how good he was, And I figured, " let him take the longer shot.
" I'm definitely excited for what we're getting ready to do.
Coming up on "top shot" Ready! Set! Go! Three clicks left, one click down.
Where are we, girl? I'm sorry.
I'm not fi-- I can't find the freaking target.
Allright.
You guys ready? Take your positions now.
Marksmen, ready! Set! Go! You got this, tara! Andre and mike are first through the barbed wire.
Andre sets up to fire the springfield At the 50-yard target.
Iain and tara are at their first station.
Tara takes aim at the 50-yard target.
Get it, tara! Red team gets the first shot off.
I got nothing, man.
Hit it again.
You might be a little left.
Try it again.
Come on, run it.
Run it.
You're at 8:00.
Blue team -- first to explode their target.
Thanks, tara.
Now tara will spot for iain, As he tries to hit the 100-yard target.
Go, iain.
Keep going.
Keep going.
Andre is still shooting at the 50-yard target.
You're right above it, opposite.
You are 2:00.
Come three clicks left, one click down.
Good hit.
Here, switch.
Red team gets their first hit.
Mike now takes aim at the 100-yard target While andre spots for him.
At this point, the teams are tied.
Let's go, mikey.
Ammo.
I'm sorry.
I'm not fi- I can't find the freaking target.
Are you kidding me? Come on.
I've got nothing.
IIf you guys are seeing it, Talk to him, 'cause I'm not seeing it.
He's got to aim more right.
You got the right elevation.
So, we're focusing iain, And we're just tryining to will it to him, Like, "please, hit the target! Please!" Our guy, iain - he was laying down some fire.
It was like fallujah out there.
Take your time with it.
They're having the same trouble.
Over right, okay? Both teams are stalled on the 100-yard target.
There we go.
Oh, thank you.
Finally.
A bit more right.
A little more right, iain.
A little more right.
I'm two targets off it.
You're right at about There it is! Whoo-hoo! Caleb and blake making their way through the thicket of brush To the second station and the svt-40.
Let's go, caleb.
Let's go, caleb.
Let's go, blake.
Nice, smooth, smooth.
Find that line.
Get it, get it, get it.
Get through it.
Get through it.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go! Red team still trying to finish The first section of this obstacle course.
you got to be kidding me.
Try aiming for the far right middle.
So, at that point, I'm wondering what the problem is.
Is he nervous? Now your upper-right-hand corner.
But then I'm thinking, "no, man.
"he's a pro just like the rest of us.
He's shot under pressure.
" Caleb takes aim at the 50-yard target.
There we go.
Blue team -- done with their first target At 50 yards on the svt-40.
Now blake moves on to the 100-yard target.
Where am I at? That was down and to the right.
The blue team now has five targets left.
But the red team still has seven.
Come on.
It's too slow.
Got it! Go, go, go, go, go! I knew my job was to get down on my knees and help jim, Assist him to get up on that rope a little easier.
Go, go, go, go, go! Get up there! Go, go, go, go, go! As soon as I sent him off, I'm like, " please, don't drop.
" Just keep your leg straight! You got it! You got it! Pull, pull, pull! You got it, jim! Go! Get your legs up on there, j.
J.
Go, jim! If jim falls, he'll have to start over, And the red team could have a chance to get back in this.
You're almost there, dawg! Come on, come on, come on, come on! You got it, jim! Get down! Jim, get down! Go, j.
J.
! Go, j.
J.
! Yeah! J.
J.
Picks up the mosin-nagant.
He's aiming at the 50-yard target.
Red team -- still unable to finish out The first section of this obstacle course.
I became quite stressed with my team members Shooting at the target, not being able to hit it, And me having no ability to help my team.
You're just slightly low.
Pick it up just a whisker from what you did last time.
Gone.
There we go.
Blue team -- first hit on their third set of targets.
Pretty much lines up left.
Now jim takes aim at the 100-yard target.
He's an expert with hisrical rifles.
Let's see how he does with the mosin-nagant.
You were just underneath it, jim.
There it is.
Boo-yah! Adam and chris from the blue team now making their way Through the mud pit - the final stacle in this course -- Headed towards the m-14.
Do I want to keep coming down? Yeah, come down.
Hit.
Go.
Blue team, one shot, first targets all the way down.
You've got to be kidding me.
One more target and the blue team has won this challenge.
We're done! The blue team wins the very first team challenge! Whoo-hoo-hoo! I couldn't wait to celebrate.
Saw that last shot fired.
Figured it's time to just let loose.
We worked hard.
When everything works out right, There's nothing better than winning.
I don't know what tomorrow brings, but today, we're safe.
With those weapons, these team members Aren't intimately familiar with them.
Sometimes the stress monsters can climb on you If you know your team's waiting.
Some people handle it better than others.
It seemed like we started off really well, Got under the barbed wire pretty fast.
I was able to hit my shot in about three shots, But mike, the first shot, he got the top-left corner.
We were trying to walk the shot down.
I don't think andre could tell where the hits were going.
You know, it was a very brushy background.
I think he had a hard time figuring out where I was, And, obviously, I didn't have a clue where I was off-target.
We just had a lot of major problems And were unable to get the shot.
It was hard.
Blue team, congratulations.
You guys are safe from elimination.
Red team, you have two hours To decide which two teammates you're gonna nominate For the elimination challenge.
You guys need to take this very seriously.
Don't forget the mental aspect.
If someone's a great shooter, That doesn't mean they have the mental strength To make it all the way through this game.
So take all that into account.
I need your answer in two hours, all right? Coming up on "top shot" When I call you up, You shoot the target of the person you want to nominate.
Your vote will be known by every member of your team.
It was kind of a gut check up front, in your face.
You guys did good.
Congratulations.
Hey, thanks.
I'm really happy that we won today.
The pressure's off just a little bit, And it's a great start to the whole competition.
I'll tell you what, I want to thank my spotter, 'cause I wouldn't have hit the target without you, man.
So, frank, who are you guys gonna send to elimination? I don't know.
We got to talk about it, right? I think the guys are pretty upset.
Tonight I'm gonna have to cast a difficult vote.
I don't know exactly what happened between mike and andre.
I got to think that there was some sort of operator error, And it's got to be mike.
Can I talk first, and you can all Do whatever you want to do.
We elected you as leader today.
Go for it.
You know, you guys are all probably thinking, "you know, what the 'f'? Can this guy hit the target or not?" So, one way or the other, I'll take full responsibility.
I was behind the gun, so it's all about me, And I don't blame any one of you if you vote me off, 'cause I might be thinking the same thing, so The blue team did the same thing.
They shot.
They won.
They won.
And they had problems, as well.
And they had problems, too.
I'd like to vouch for mike.
He's an excellent shooter, and along the same lines, I don't want to have really any part in voting against mike, 'cause I think that wouldn't be fair to him or his reputation.
I really felt like it was a lot of b.
S.
, That reputation preceded performance.
What if I would have missed that shot? It would have been, "you know, he's no good.
He's horrible.
Let's get him out of here.
" You drew the short straw today on that gun.
Anybody probably would have ended up With the same damn results unless their bullet got lucky.
A couple of guys on the team probably would blame me for the spotting, And it couldn't just be his fault.
The only thing that was going through my head is, "they're gonna vote me off.
" If it's me, I'm gonna take my damn shot, and that's it.
You know, I'm not gonna cry about it.
We need to be honest, okay? We need to vote for somebody that we really think Shouldn't be on the team.
I'd be prepared to nominate myself to be on the elimination As opposed to voting for him.
I don't think that that's fair.
Here comes brad out the blue, and he's like, "if mike goes, I want to go.
" Well, you have to make an omelette, and we got eggs here, And you can't make this -- You got to break the eggs.
You got to crack a few eggs.
All these guys sticking up for mike, It just put a bad taste in my mouth.
Today's challenge didn't go very well for me.
I fully expect myself to get voted into the elimination.
I'm voting for someone based on how they've been talking and that sort of thing.
I have no interest in shooting against anybody Who's not the best on our team, and kelly's by far the best.
If I've got to shoot against a good shooter, That's gonna be you.
All right.
All right? Well, best of luck to you.
You're not getting my vote, though.
All right.
Just so you know, all right? You're a strong kid.
I've made a couple decisions based on personality And kind of competitive nature And what I can see in nerves and mental stability.
If a guy like mike, with great fundamentals and marksmanship, Could have that kind of trouble, it could be me any day.
It could be someone else.
It just makes you be on the tip of your toes As you're walking around this house.
You can't just be overconfident yet.
So, we're the first team to go into eliminations.
It was frustrating not being able to take that first shot.
It was frustrating as heck.
Well, we got to keep our team strong.
If the weakest link reveals itself, you cut it off.
Shooters, come on in.
Walking to the nomination range, we all filed in.
We looked over on the left, And we saw everybody's name on a target.
And a gun sitting there on the log.
So it was pretty obvious That there was gonna be no secret ballot going on.
Red team, welcome to the nomination range.
As losers of our first team challenge, You must now decide which two of you Will be going to the elimination challenge.
But before we get to that, let's talk about today's challenge.
Mike, what happened? Shot a lot of bullets.
Didn't hit a target.
I'm curious.
Yesterday in practice, Did you spend any time with the springfield? Spent a very little time on the springfield.
It was a tough gun to get on target for us.
I did get it on target, but it didn't work out today.
Disappointed at all with your performance? Yeah, I'm extremely disappointed.
I take full responsibility for it.
Andre, you had eyes on target.
You were the spotter.
What did you see? I saw that, you know, his first shot was in the white, And we tried to walk it down.
A couple shots, you know, I couldn't see, But for the most part, I mean, we did the best we could with what we had.
I mean, how many rounds did you guys shoot at that target? We shot a lot at the target.
Give or take.
Do you take any responsibility for today's loss? Being that I'm his teammate, Yeah, I take responsibility for it, as well.
Not as his teammate, his spotter.
As his spotter, I gave him the best information I could, You know, with the shots that were actually on target.
With the ones that hit the target.
Right.
So, out of the 30, there were a lot that didn't hit the target.
Right.
All right.
Well, let's get to this.
Here's how we're gonna do things.
On the range behind me, You'll see your names with a target just above.
When I call you up, You shoot the target of the person you want to nominate.
You cannot vote for yourself.
Obviously, your vote will be known By every member of your team.
It was kind of a gut check up front, in your face.
You shot at the target Of the person's name that you wanted to go home, And they were sitting right there.
The two with the most hits Will compete head-to-head in our elimination round.
The loser of that round, you're packing your bags, And you're going home.
All right, let's go.
Andre, you're up.
I had no second thoughts about it.
I didn't second-guess my opinion on anything.
Mike.
I shot at mike's target, and I let mike know, "mike, I think you should go home.
" Mike, that's one vote for you.
Brad, your turn to vote.
A lot of people are gonna be voting for mike.
He was the one behind the rifle today.
Kelly.
Kelly, you have one hit.
I voted for kelly because mike wanted to go up against The strongest rifle shooter.
Kelly definitely fit that mold.
Denny, you're up.
Brad said, "I nominate myself.
I'm ready to go home.
" If his head's not in the game That's one vote for you, brad.
Kelly, your turn to vote.
Anyone who says that they would vote for themself, They're ready to go, it's obvious that they've lost heart, And at that point, it's our duty to vote for them To then be in the elimination challenge.
Brad now has two votes.
Frank, your turn.
It -- it hits home when you're on that range.
It hits home that, "wow, this is for real, And someone's going home.
" Mike.
Mike now has two votes.
You know, mike was the guy behind the rifle today, And I don't know what happened.
I'm not saying it's his fault, But he was the guy pulling the trigger.
So that's who I'm voting for.
Bill, you ready? It's your turn.
Kelly.
I voted for kelly Because kelly's experience level Doesn't really bring a whole bunch more to the table For things down the road.
It would be better for the team To keep the other guys around.
Kelly, mike, brad, you guys are all tied.
You each have two hits.
Peter, your turn to vote.
I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to make the decision, But at the end, there were three people tied, And then I was the second to last.
I knew mike was last and couldn't pick himself.
So, unfortately, in that case, mike made it easy for me.
Mike, you have three votes.
Now it's your turn to vote.
Seeing my target shot was not surprising.
You know, I was responsible.
I was the guy behind the gun.
So if they decided to vote for me for the elimination, I don't blame them a bit for that.
I want to compete against the best.
I don't want to shoot against someone who's not the best.
Mike, kelly, both of you guys have three votes.
Red team, you have made your decision.
Mike and kelly will be headed to the elimination round.
Tonight, I suggest you all get a good night's sleep.
For one of you, this will be your last night on "top shot.
" You can head back to the house.
Bill, brad, mike - they all voted for me.
Like, I can understand - peter: That actually surprised me.
Mike -- that's a no-brainer.
Who knows about the other ones? Yeah.
I don't know.
I was surprised at both brad and bill's votes, And I was shocked to then end up in the elimination challenge, Having done nothing wrong on the team.
Like, what have I done negatively for our team? What have I done attitude-wise? I don't know.
What the heck? Like, I feel like I'm a total team player.
I've been better.
, mike? I'm not happy that, if I happen to beat him, That I would knock him off the team, 'cause he's a very, very strong player and a supergreat kid, Intelligent, and a good shooter.
Well, at least tomorrow I get to shoot.
This isn't just gonna be about Who can go out to the range and shoot the best shots.
It's also gonna be about who can make friends, Who can get people not to vote for them, And who can just stay alive.
Coming up on "top shot" Your accuracy will be tested.
I feel pretty good going into this competition.
I'm gonna put up a good fight, and I'm ready to compete.
Once I'm behind the gun, My only concern is what I need to do.
Mike, kelly, this will be your practice session For the elimination challenge.
In the team challenge, we had you guys master Four very different rifles from the 20th century.
Today, we're gonna test your accuracy.
In almost every modern military conflict, Snipers are used to devastating effect.
Later today, you will compete in a challenge Where your accuracy at various distances will be tested.
Our weapons expert, craig sawyer, Is a veteran of both iraq wars, And he is a military sniper instructor.
You will each practice with craig separately.
The firearm is the remington 700, A sniper rifle currently being used By the United States marine corps.
Mike, you'll go first.
Great.
Once I'm behind the gun, You know, my only concern is what I need to do.
You know, self-control And having the ability to hit the target.
It looks like you might be right at the edge Of that center diamond right at about 4:00.
Don't care what the other competitor's doing.
I just care about what I'm doing.
Can you give me any wind calls? Right now you got a right to left from 3:00.
See how it's buffeting And that flag keeps dropping all the way down? The fundamentals of marksmanship Have been utilized for centuries now.
Wind is just crucial.
The shooter has to read the wind And make a judgment on a second-by-second basis On how much wind to hold or adjust to hit the target.
All right, the elevation is still just a little high.
Natural point of aim is where the rifle Is going to want to rest when you are relaxed, And that's in its most effective position.
Dude, that's good.
Yeah, I think they're in there.
Mike was shooting a very small group, very tight groups.
His shooting was great.
Thank you.
Appreciate it.
You're very welcome.
Good luck at the challenge.
All right, you get comfortable behind the gun.
Make use of the sandbags any way you like.
I think the gun's fine.
Obviously we're gonna shoot it with a scope.
Most 700s don't have any sights on them.
I feel very comfortable with it, And I'm excited we're gonna shoot a modern rifle As opposed to a world war I era rifle.
I call that about a half-inch off the black.
Perfect elevation.
Trigger squeeze is simply pulling the trigger Straight to the rear.
That one will be a little bit lower And to the right from the last shot.
You're at the bottom of that left-hand diamond now.
You don't want to pull the trigger to either side Or jerk the trigger, Because any of those movements Could disturb your sight alignment, Throwing your shot off.
The bold white line.
Yep, I see it.
Half a minute high from 6:00 on the line.
That's perfect.
That means my wind at zero is good, And then the half minute of wind pushed it over there.
Distance and windage.
He who can determine how far the target is, Make those adjustments, decide how much wind to call, And break those shots accurately first is gonna be the winner.
It's your call.
I feel pretty good going into this competition.
I feel confident enough that, in the middle of the practice, I shot an admittedly kind of silly-looking smiley face On the target.
All right, there you go.
Good to go.
I wish the smiley face would have turned out a little better.
The eyes are way too far apart.
But other than that, I feel pretty good.
Did you see the hits on the target with the scope? I can see it with my scope.
It's pretty hard to get a read on mike, 'cause he has a pretty stoic demeanor.
I was able to get a smiley face on the target.
The little pissant said he was gonna do it.
I think kelly had a good day.
I think he's feeling pretty cocky about it.
You got to have some fun, guys.
Come on.
Kelly comes in the kitchen Saying that he was shooting smiley faces and stuff.
I kind of took personal offense to that.
I thought that was just a little bit cocky of him.
There's no need for that.
At one point, I made a mistake, I think.
Kelly's young, doesn't have a lot of experience In solo competition, okay? So a lot of different things can go a lot of different ways.
You don't have to worry about packing too well, man.
You're gonna put it all back tomorrow.
Put it all back.
Pack, unpack.
Right.
That's the way I see it.
I don't have any idea What mike is gonna bring to the table.
I wouldn't say I'm banking on his lack of skill.
I'm banking on my skill.
The only thing I can count on is my performance.
Thanks.
While I'm the youngest shooter here, In my discipline in long-range-rifle shooting, I'm not a slouch.
I'm gonna put up a good fight, and I'm ready to compete.
I'm not gonna play games.
We're gonna get it on.
And if you beat me, you beat me.
Welcome to the first "top shot" elimination challenge.
Six of you are safe.
You guys, come take a seat on the bench.
Here's how it's gonna work.
You will each be given a scoped remington 700 rifle.
Out on the range, there are two sets of targets -- 400 yards And 600 yards.
The rules are simple.
First shooter to hit all three targets wins the challenge.
The loser is knocked out of the competition.
Coming up on "top shot" Go.
On scope.
Spotter ready.
Is there a round in there? There is.
I got it.
Smooth, easy press.
On target.
On scope.
Fire.
Mike, kelly, In a matter of minutes, one of you will be eliminated.
In practice, craig spotted for both of you guys.
Now you get to choose your own spotter from these six.
Mike, you get to choose your spotter first.
Bill.
Kelly, choose your spotter.
It's a simple choice.
Going with the expert.
Pete, you're a marine sniper.
Come help me out.
When you start to get out to distances this far, The fundamentals really apply even much more so.
Somebody who's not really at home and doesn't do those, They're not gonna be able to hit these targets that far.
All right, you guys have your spotters.
It's time for the challenge.
Take your mats.
Let's do this.
Marksmen, ready.
Set.
Go.
Both competitors are in position And loading their firearms.
Spotter ready.
Mike hits the 200-yard target.
Kelly now has the 200-yard target.
On scope.
Now both marksmen are aiming At the 400-yard targets.
Go.
Spotter ready.
On target.
On scope.
Fire.
Kelly takes the lead with a strike on the 400-yard target.
Mike misses his first shot on the 400-yard target.
Go to the 600.
Is there a round in there? There is.
I got it.
Kelly now has one target left at 600 yards.
On target.
Fire.
Smooth, easy press.
Cease fire! Cease fire! That's it! Cease fire.
Cease fire.
Kelly wins the first elimination challenge.
I got beat.
Kelly is an extremely good long-range shooter.
Kelly is a superb rifle shooter.
It was actually pretty impressive To watch him hit those shots so fast.
The advantage I had over mike in the challenge Was my experience shooting in the wind.
I went to engage the And my competitor had already shot his, And I had to wait for the smoke to clear Before I could even shoot mine.
Obviously, I went for a little bit of speed To get on the gun as quickly as I could.
I beat him on the 200-yard target and got my shot off.
The 400- and the 600-yard targets Are something that we didn't particularly train for today.
At the 400-yard target, I didn't aim at the target I needed to hit.
I aimed off to the left of it because of the wind.
On target.
On scope.
Fire.
Go to the 600.
Shooting at the 600-yard target On target.
I aimed almost a foot and half To 2 feet off the edge of the board Because of the wind.
I had a miss.
My spotter said, "no hit," and he had no idea where it went.
No impact.
No idea.
Fire again.
I went ahead and made the correction in my head.
I knew my wind call was too cautious, And before he could give me something else to do, I already had a shot downrange And I hit the target.
Nice work.
Thank you.
Good job.
Mike, it was a tough one.
You got the first target.
Yeah.
That was pretty fast, kelly.
Thank you.
Good shooting.
You know, someone's gonna be first, And there's also gonna be one winner.
So, there are 14 others that are gonna go home, too, Whether they like it or not.
You did take your last shot today.
Well, say goodbye to your team.
Head on out.
Mike, good shooting.
Good shooting, brother.
Be the world champion someday, man.
Good luck to you, brother.
Thanks for everything.
Appreciate it.
Thank you, sir.
It was an honor.
I have a tremendous amount of respect For a bunch of the different guys and the gal in the house.
They are extremely skilled.
We'll meet again.
Farewell, and good luck, And I hope truly the best shooter wins this competition.
On the next episode of " top shot" Today you'll be firing a beretta 92f.
The competition goes from rifles to pistols.
The stress level was definitely ratcheted up When we found out the next event would be a pistol competition.
The blue team's feeling strong.
Ben, look at me.
I think we're gonna smoke this challenge.
We never lose our confidence.
Except for jim.
Oh, no.
I am struggling to get through.
I'm not a specialist like the rest of my team.
I am discouraged by the fact That they're having to drag me along.
And get ready for a challenge That will put these marksmen to the ultimate test.