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By Iain Harrison
Whoever thought up the wheel used during the competition should have taken a bow at the closing credits. Not so much for the concept, but for the ability to jury-rig that contraption out of components that were obviously laying about the back yard of some prop house, and making it safe enough that someone would willingly strap into it. Although the SP89 was a decent choice for the challenge gun, I’m sure a lot of viewers were disappointed that the show didn’t provide a real MP5K and let the shooters take it in full auto mode.
October 25, 2011
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By Iain Harrison
Let's deal with the main dramatic element first. Did anyone notice how choppy the editing was in this week's episode? It was almost as if Jake had a story to tell, but it didn't fit the narrative. According to Mr. Zweig, three out of the four malfunctions he experienced with the STI pistol were left on the cutting room floor. Whether these were self-induced or due to the gun and ammo is probably not going to be resolved, however, his stoppage drills as portrayed left a little to be desired.
October 14, 2011
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By Iain Harrison
Shooting the big 50 is always a fun experience. However, rapid firing 14 rounds, like Gary Quesenberry in this week’s show, is a good way to develop a nasty flinch, and to start doubting your own abilities. Running the numbers through my ballistic calculator and assuming that the 40 mph wind was at full value, it’s easy to see why some of the competitors were having the trouble they did. If the target was moving into the wind, the 9-m.o.a. lead required to hit a target moving at walking pace would be added to the 13-m.o.a. wind value. If the target and wind were in the same direction, they’re subtracted from one another. Get that bit of math wrong and your rounds don’t have a chance of connecting.
October 07, 2011
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By Iain Harrison
Back in Season 2, I speculated that as both the compound and longbow had been used, competitors in Season 3 could look forward to drawing a recurve and this week’s show proved me correct.
October 05, 2011
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By Iain Harrison
Jerry Miculek has been a hero of mine since I first saw him shoot in Bisley, England in 1993. Back then, British citizens were permitted to own handguns, and believe it or not, England put on one of the world's largest handgun competition that covered just about every discipline that could be shot with a pistol or revolver. Jerry put on daily displays of his prowess with a Smith & Wesson 625 and always wowed the crowds with not only his marksmanship, but with his laid-back showmanship.
September 22, 2011
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Returning to the set of Top Shot for the second time, it was immediately apparent that there was a different group dynamic in the house than in either seasons 1 or 2. It’s interesting from a sociological perspective just how these things play out, as the interaction of the various characters is never a constant and changes with the new mix and with their reactions to the situation within the house.
September 19, 2011
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By Iain Harrison
First off, I must apologize for being away. Without giving too much away, I spent last week north of Los Angeles with Chris Cerino, George Reinas, Kelly Bachand, Adam Benson and Peter Palma and the opportunities to comment on the show were somewhat limited due to the amount of time we spent without any contact with the outside world. I'll it leave you to figure out what we were doing.
September 09, 2011
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This week sees me on the road again, headed to the largest 3-gun match of the season in Kentucky, so it was perhaps apt that Episode 3 of "Top Shot" would feature one of the biggest names in the sport as shotgun expert. Taran Butler demonstrated his prowess with a Benellli and showed why reloading is such a critical skill to master.
August 26, 2011
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Springfield’s new competition XD(M) is quickly finding its place in the pack.
August 23, 2011
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I had the pleasure of watching Episode 2 on Tuesday night, accompanied by fellow Season 1 finalist Chris Cerino and his family. We both had the privilege of competing in the NRA's inaugural National Defense Match at Camp Perry a couple of days before and it was great to be able to catch up on events since we last met at the Bianchi Cup earlier this year. As the video played, we both chuckled at some of the insider jokes and watched as outsiders as the narrative unfolded.
August 18, 2011
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Season 3 got off to a great start last night with the producers choosing to create an instant winner versus loser dynamic, via the medium of the S&W .500 Mag. In the initial head-to-head shoot off, competitors were paired up according to their backgrounds and Mike Hughes showed his mettle with a smoking run, despite being much more familiar with a Glock. Both ladies were forced to deal with recoil that was way out of their comfort zones—a pretty harsh way to kick off the competition, but great for showing the audience dramatic high speed footage of flames blowing out of the barrel/cylinder gap.
August 10, 2011
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It’s only been a year since the Top Shot season 1 finale and already we’re facing the launch of Season 3, with Season 4 about to start production. I’m still amused that it took so long for a mainstream network to discover the marketability of shooting, but now the History Channel is completely behind the show. Make no mistake, this is a hugely expensive undertaking and the amount of cash involved in producing one episode might surprise you, but the American public has taken to the mixture of firearms, explosions and drama. You and I both knew they would, but it’s nice to be vindicated.
August 09, 2011
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One hundred and twenty seconds might not sound like a very long time, but if you run this rifle drill properly, it will feel like a lifetime.
July 26, 2011
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Picking an optic for 3-gun can be confusing as prices and quality range quite a bit, but when choosing, it’s usually better to “buy once, cry once.”
July 15, 2011
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I must confess that when the AmericanRifleman.org folks approached me to provide my insight on "Top Shot," I was a little bit hesitant. I'm really not a TV kind of guy, but they persisted. I guess my take is somewhat akin to a kid in Willy Wonka's factory—there's a ton of stuff happening that looks cool, but I have no idea what it does so please take any views offered with a basketball-size grain of salt. What has been interesting is the way the show has gotten bigger and better, and how it has brought many non-shooters into the fold. I've talked to a lot of people who've seen the show and want to go shooting as a direct result. So, if you have a similar encounter, please take the time to show them just how safe, satisfying and challenging our hobby can be.
April 28, 2011
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