By Paul Rackley

The fifth season of History’s Top Shot begins May 29, 2013, at 10 p.m. EST, showcasing contestants from previous seasons.

This year, however, is a little different. The 16 competitors will not be on teams, meaning there will be no nomination range, and personal politics and alliances will not be factor. This season, it’s all about shooting skill, and the contestants will be facing off in what producers are calling “The Proving Ground.”

Once again, Colby Donaldson will be the host, and previous winners, such as Iain Harrison and Chris Reed, will make appearances. And as per earlier seasons, there will be a variety of historical and modern firearms with which the shooters will perform.

Personally, I’m pretty happy that the drama of the show is being eliminated. My favorite seasons have been the ones where the shooters took the high road, and let skill be the deciding factor of who went home. I always loved it when shooters volunteered for the nomination range out of a sense of honor in their poor performances and no one had to vote. And as there is only one season where the drama was an influencing factor, it seems as if I’m not the only one who wants the show to stay on the range.

It also looks like some of the fan favorites will be coming back for All-Stars, such as Gabby Franco, the only woman to earn the green shirt, Chris Cerino, Kelly Bachand, Jamie Franks and others. It should be a fun season to watch, and Reality Shots will, once again, be providing insight to one of the most popular shooting shows on TV.