I’ve never watched reality shows

[1911]

When I introduced myself to the FJR Forum in 2008 https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=101934 , several members deduced correctly from my user name that motorcycles weren't the only hobby keeping me broke. I proclaimed Brian Zins king of 1911ville and was pleased that a few here people got it.

When I found out that Zins https://www.history.com/shows/top-shot/videos/playlists/season-2-bios#meet-brian-zins was going to be on the second season of The History Channels "Top Shot" show, I broke down and intentionally tuned in to a reality show for the first time. I caught the season premier- It was good.

The highlights from my point of view:

Blue team leader methodically interviews and analyses the night before picking teams. Red team leader, the good ol' boy from Mississippi, has a beer and says "what the hell, I'll take what's left". Zins ends up on the red team.

The first team competition involves a one shot per person relay shooting billiard balls at distances ranging from 25 to 50 feet, with a no frills Colt 1911 45. Red team's up first, leader takes the first shot himself. Zins misses his first ball. He doesn't miss again. The blue team's leader seems cocky about sending out a USPSA National champ and an IPSC National champ as the first two shooters, because of their expertise with a pistol. Neither of these champs ever hit a ball. It takes Red Team 12 minutes to clear the table, the blue team appears rattled and takes 23 minutes.

The camera work, with lots of slow motion, is worth watching even without all of the manufactured drama.

I'll be trying to follow this season's show and pulling for the red team.

 

[TriggerT]

Yeah, I have watch Top Shot since it came on the air. I know, and have shot with several of the people on the show from back in my IPSC days. To be honest, I have been VERY disappointed in how several of the USPSA / IPSC shooters have performed on the show. JJ from last season was the real stand out.

There are several people I would love to see on the show from the USPSA / IPSC community. I was sad to see Athena Lee get knock out last night, but at least she had the chance to go full auto with a Tommy gun in the process; hell of a lot better than loosing with e slingshot, or throwing knives.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I'll start by saying I've never fired a pistol or rifle (shot a shotgun once). But I stumbled on the show a week ago or so, when they showed the first season sequentially. I bored the hell out of my wife by watching every show. I was fascinated with the skill, even though the "drama" was a bit much. I watched the first show of this season and the recreation of the Civil War sharpshooter test was really cool with period weapons. Shooting galleries with a Colt .45 last year was fun, as well as flintlocks. I could have done without a bow and arrow or knife throwing competition, but it is a test of overall competency and athleticism that is fun to watch.

I didn't catch the show TiggerT mentioned, so could I ask folks to mention their post may be a SPOILER post, if the info is really fresh? I'll be watching the show later.

I don't know Zins from Proust but I have been fascinated with the history of weapons since a kid. I can't wait until they have to fire a cannon -- wouldn't that be cool? Beemerdons would probably do pretty well on that one.

Thanks to the OP for posting the topic. Junkyard Wars was the only other reality show I could ever stomach.

 

[Geezer]

I saw an ad saying they were going to be shooting at each other in a future episode. I know they are talking about paint ball, but I just don't like the idea of mixing real shooting skills and pointing guns at people you don't intend to kill. No thanks. It's too easy to get these two different sports mixed up in your head in a real life stressful situation.

 

[FJRay]

I love my guns and shooting sports of all kinds but to call this reality is too much of a strecth. The drama and staging just doesn't work for me. I have great respect for the people and their ability but IMHO reality starts when you turn off the tube and walk out the door.

 

[TriggerT]

I saw an ad saying they were going to be shooting at each other in a future episode. I know they are talking about paint ball, but I just don't like the idea of mixing real shooting skills and pointing guns at people you don't intend to kill. No thanks. It's too easy to get these two different sports mixed up in your head in a real life stressful situation.

While I see your point, the reason for adding the paintball into the scenario was to add some more stress for the shooters. I would be willing to bet that all of the people on the show could hit the targets during that scenario if there was no stress put on them. Being able to perform under stress, and especially stress that is new to a person, is what separates the true shooters from the rest of the field, IMHO.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

<<snip. ...to call this reality is too much of a strecth. The drama and staging just doesn't work for me. <<snip>>

I can't disagree Ray, and exactly why it is a guilty pleasure. It is difficult to admit I actually watch it. But with the caveats I posted earlier, fun nonetheless to watch the skill/luck/choking.

 

[LagerHead]

Yeah, I have watch Top Shot since it came on the air. I know, and have shot with several of the people on the show from back in my IPSC days. To be honest, I have been VERY disappointed in how several of the USPSA / IPSC shooters have performed on the show. JJ from last season was the real stand out.

There are several people I would love to see on the show from the USPSA / IPSC community. I was sad to see Athena Lee get knock out last night, but at least she had the chance to go full auto with a Tommy gun in the process; hell of a lot better than loosing with e slingshot, or throwing knives.

The Tommy is a cool gun. Surprisingly easy to shoot until you realize it's just a regular old .45 round being shot out of a big heavy rifle. My wife was sad to see Athena go too because they're both Filipino, but she didn't hit a thing during the competition and didn't do much better during the elimination challenge. I guess it just wasn't her day.

I saw an ad saying they were going to be shooting at each other in a future episode. I know they are talking about paint ball, but I just don't like the idea of mixing real shooting skills and pointing guns at people you don't intend to kill. No thanks. It's too easy to get these two different sports mixed up in your head in a real life stressful situation.

No it's not. In a real life situation the last thing on earth you're going to be thinking about is paintballs.

 

[old&slow]

I watched a couple of the 1st season Top Shots shows. I thought, Great a shooting show. Folks shooting different

types of firearms to see who is the top shot, sounded good.

But, they turned a shooting match into "Reality TV" crap. So, I quit watching..

I might try to watch it again this season to see if it's any better..

1911 to 2011, 100 years old and still one of the best... :yahoo: :clapping: :yahoo:

 

[wfooshee]

The paintballs were only used while team members moved from one barricaded station to another. While they were at their station and shooting they were not under fire, just while they moved to the next station, and paint hits counted negative on their team score.

There was no simultaneous live-fire/paintball-fire.

It was a pretty good episode, "prohibition-era." .38 Official Police revolver in the team challenge, and Thompson submachine guns in the elimination.

I've enjoyed this show, but I agree, the manufactured drama is over the top. Let's cover the shooting, learn who the contestants are, and be done with it.

P.S. Another gun show I'm enjoying is Sons of Guns on Discover Channel. Gun dealer in Louisiana modifies weapons to customer specifications, including restoring a WW-II flamethrower for a Marine vet, and building an integral suppressor into an AK-47 that works well enough to fire without hearing protection. Anybody catching that show?

 

[Spud]

The joys of a DVR. I am watching the show, but ff straight to the shooting... An episode takes about 15 min to watch The high-speed cameras are cool and i'm getting it in hi-def. I'm not a bad shot but can't hit anything at distance with a pistol (my bro-in-law's .44 long barrel the exception)... so seeing them hit billiard balls was very impressive.

 

[Geezer]

There was no simultaneous live-fire/paintball-fire.

I didn't expect there would be. That would be crazy. However, if you aim a paintball gun at a person and pull the trigger then that act becomes part of your learned skill set and there is alway a chance, maybe very remote, that you may use that learned skill by mistake with a firearm in a stressful situation.

Anyone I teach to shoot learns early on to never point a gun at a person. Not even a toy gun. It may be an extreme position but I think it's worth it for the extra margin of safety.

 

[C&C]

I just can't get past that some of these 'topshots' don't shoot very well. While they may crown winners at the end of the season, I'd say that the best of the group are only 'topshots' by process of attrition.

 

[JimNtexas]

I enjoy this show even though I'm not a hunter or recreational shooter.

Last session they started to go down the 'Survivor' road with secret 'alliances'. I think they started to lose viewers when they did that, because in the last few episodes there was no 'Survivor' plotting and backstabbing and more emphasis on shooting skill.

This year they seem to be making the bald blue team leader seem like kind of a jerk, but maybe he really is kind of a jerk.

As long as the producers keep the focus on shooting first and personalities second I'm fine.

 

[SacramentoMike]

My son is 15, really into guns, military and otherwise. He found this new show on the Discovery Channel that just started broadcasting late in January--it's called Sons of Guns. I guess it's kind of "American Chopper" with guns, but without all the stupid family drama and bickering. It's set in a small (and real) Louisana gunsmith shop that does amazing work. No fake drama, just some incredibly creative gunsmiths dealing with unique requests from customers and fabricating amazing new weaponry.

So far they've done things like create a new type of silenced AK-47 for one customer, and a combination 12-gauge/M-16 hybrid for a SWAT-team client. The business owner, Will, really seems to love and enjoy all the "toys" he gets to play with--what he builds and what folks bring in to be worked on. Things like Civil War cannons, WW-II flamethrowers, flare guns, you name it. Fun show to watch, if you're a gun guy.

 

[TriggerT]

I lost A LOT of the respect I was building for Sons of Guns when at the end of the last episode he was talking about putting a 12ga under an M4 like it was something new. Hell, the Nave Seals were using 12ga shot guns mounted under M16's back during the Vietnam war. His new and innovative idea has been around forever.

As a side note, the Seals even mounted a 12ga under a Stoner, which is kind of the grand father to the current SAW. Talk about BAD ASS.

 

[wfooshee]

My son is 15, really into guns, military and otherwise. He found this new show on the Discovery Channel that just started broadcasting late in January--it's called Sons of Guns. I guess it's kind of "American Chopper" with guns, but without all the stupid family drama and bickering. It's set in a small (and real) Louisana gunsmith shop that does amazing work. No fake drama, just some incredibly creative gunsmiths dealing with unique requests from customers and fabricating amazing new weaponry.

So far they've done things like create a new type of silenced AK-47 for one customer, and a combination 12-gauge/M-16 hybrid for a SWAT-team client. The business owner, Will, really seems to love and enjoy all the "toys" he gets to play with--what he builds and what folks bring in to be worked on. Things like Civil War cannons, WW-II flamethrowers, flare guns, you name it. Fun show to watch, if you're a gun guy.

I guess my last paragraph in post 10 got missed . . . .

I lost A LOT of the respect I was building for Sons of Guns when at the end of the last episode he was talking about putting a 12ga under an M4 like it was something new. Hell, the Nave Seals were using 12ga shot guns mounted under M16's back during the Vietnam war. His new and innovative idea has been around forever.

As a side note, the Seals even mounted a 12ga under a Stoner, which is kind of the grand father to the current SAW. Talk about BAD ASS.

I was thinking the same thing, but I think what made his different was the tactical requirement for it. It wasn't a shotgun for street sweeping, it was a "master key" for blowing locks, and had to be easily switchable to the rifle once the door got blasted. The move of the hand between trigger positions was not a consideration on the previous weapons. It was a shotgun or it was a rifle, with no need to instantly go to rifle. With a SWAT application, by opening the door you're now exposed to the bad guys and searching for a trigger. Right the @#%@ now!

 

[TriggerT]

I will have to see if I can find the picture of the M16 / 12ga combo the Seals were using during Nam and post it. I don't think there is really any difference, other than maybe for strictly doors you would want to put a different muzzle break on the shotgun.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I will have to see if I can find the picture of the M16 / 12ga combo the Seals were using during Nam and post it. I don't think there is really any difference, other than maybe for strictly doors you would want to put a different muzzle break on the shotgun.

I saw that episode, and he ordered the military version of the mount by mistake and it wouldn't work. He ended up fashioning a lighter, stronger mount specifically machined for the application. I liked the show. Never heard of using ultrasound on a Civil War cannon to see if it could be fired, so it was cool. He seemed to know his stuff. But I don't so take it with a grain of salt.