I was slumming this morning and landed on the History channel and about 2 hours of a show called Top Shot.

I'm sure many of you are familiar with it. A competition show for top marksmen/women in the country. Constantly faced with a surprise selection of a particular type/model of gun with which they had to compete with all the others... and there were two teams... each person had to do his best and show his skill. There were military, ex-cops, "target shooters" and a cowboy or two.

I REALLY enjoyed it. I certainly can SEE the enthusiasm that many here show for guns in general, and "sports shooting" specifically. I could SEE me doing that!

I'm a Centrist, and I don't have anything against guns or gun ownership! As long as they/it are LEGAL!

And it seems as if SOME of the 2,000 or more guns that are smuggled/sold from Texas into Mexico... to the drug cartels and other "bad guys".... aren't always legal. One of them killed an unarmed ICE agent recently. ......... WHY????

But, I digress....

I really enjoyed the show, and think I would have done well as a "walk-on" in this competition! I TOLD you I was a dead-eye-shot! :lol:

Anyway.... this is just a thread about GUNS.... and "sport shooting" or competition shooting. Don't really need to hear about dead Bambi's and such. :tears:

IIRC.... here is the progression of guns in the show(s):

um.... I forgot to notice the first one or two... then,

.38 police special (did I get that right?) (sorry, my brain's been fuzzy lately.)

.44 magnum (dirty harry style)

M1A1 carbine (successor to the M-14 used in the early years of Vietnam.)

Glock 17

Tommy Gun! (No.... REALLY!) :lol:

I think I forgot a few, but.... I really enjoyed watching guns fired against "targets" instead of "targets." If you know what I mean.

Well.... let's see where THIS one goes! :lol:

 

.38 Police Special, but it could've also actually been a Model-15, or a Colt Police Positive, or some other revolver variant back when police forces were using those.

I never actually fired any weapons until my first trip up to Wyoming in '06, it was a feeling that was quite immeasurable.
Wish I knew more people that didn't quite frown upon it though.

 

One very interesting thing about some of those guns that went to Mexico is that they went with the U.S. BATF's knowledge! YES thats right! The big wigs in the ATF wanted a to make a big capture and make the news so they let guns go across and sales proceed even when the gun shop owners protested! Don't hear much about that huh? Senator Grassley(sp?) is making inquiries, we'll see where that goes.

.38 Police Special is a model but your very close as far as caliber .38 sp.
M1 carbine was developed and used in WWII for para troopers and field artillery, then became popular with anyone who didn't want to carry the heavy M1. The carbine also so action in Korea, and Vietnam

Tommy gun ? Sure I've never fired one but while in the army in the 70s we had in the arms room hundreds of magazines for .45 Tommy gun but not the gun(bummer).
Hobo, if ya ever get up this way in NY (Rochester) I'll take ya out to the range and let you shoot some steel or paper targets, I'll even let ya pick the guns!

 

I doubt I could be trusted at a gun range anymore.
What...with the political climate and all..... :lol:



I saw part of this show once, and I enjoyed it, but I loose interest in target shooting quickly.
I did really like seeing Gunny Sgt. Ermey kill watermellons, on "Mail Call."
I'm sure he inspired this show.

I started shooting at age 10 with a BB gun. (paper targets)
My best and most accurate rifle was a M1903A3 Springfield 30.06 matched rifle.
(bolt action 5-round full walnut stock)

My love for shooting revolves around hunting.
I like big game and bird hunting.
For big game, I lost total interest in guns, and would only hunt with bow & arrow.
Bird hunting though, I liked my Ithaca 12 ga. pump.
I even use to hunt with my Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum using shot cartridges.
Birds to be short range...most of them you could only wave goodbye to, with the hogleg gun.


My dog, some pheasants,(from out back of our shack) ... my Ithaca 12.ga. pump


Couple pheasants, my .44 mag holstered, .22 in waistband
Next to my rock campfire pit behind my shack, where I cooked the birds

 

I would like to see what Col. Qaddafi's body guards could do...
I do like target shooting, if accuracy is optional.

target shooting...


knife throwing...


archery...


WMD's...

 

Dang Roadhog, I wanna come for a visit! I thought I was the only one that used a handgun for birds, I use a Thompson Contender with a 10" barrel in .410/.45Long Colt. If ya go to the range and start popping clay birds with it people come over and look and wonder "what the h#ll)
I wish we had ring necks up here but they're pretty much all gone.
1903 heheh I can remember when you could buy them at Woolworth's for about $89 or less, I wish I had picked up a dozen or so, they are still available thru the CMP but don't remember how much. It's a tough, great shooting gun and if sporterized right looks good too.
As you can tell I'm into guns but don't shoot quite as much as I used to, I hope to correct that soon! I do all my reloading and cast most of my own bullets. I do some rifle shooting but mostly into handguns, I too have a Super Blackhawk (new model) It's capable of hitting (stationary)clay pidgins at a 100 yards off hand open sights Well I've rambled on enough here so

 

bentstrider said:

Thanks for the correction. It was not one of the other models you mentioned. If it HAD been, that is what I would have said. :lol: This was the "police special," and many of those who had been cops smiled when it was revealed for that particular test. [I'm not making guesses at the weapons I saw. I am recalling the "host's" words as to what would be the weapon for each segment.]

Not counting BB guns or pellets.... I fired my first real gun sometime in the late 60's in the State or Natl. Park that covers the corner of NE Texas, Louisianna and Oklahoma (I believe.) Can't remember the name... should be on the Red River though. [someone here knows where I mean.]

My dad had just inherited two guns from my maternal grandfather. A double barrel 12 ga. and a Model '94 Winchester 30/30 lever action (aren't they all?)

I was about 12(?) and what some of you would enjoy calling a "runt." 4ft. 10in. and about 100 lbs! My dad had never taken me hunting (the few times HE went,) and this was our first outing. We were shooting tin cans at about 30 yds. [Shooting in a State or Nat'l park???]

My older brother has a much larger "frame" and was about 3 yrs older and more of an athlete as well. He didn't seem to have much trouble with it but.... ME??

Before I tell you what happened.... I want you all to know that I DID hit the can! However, the recoil was very "unexpected" and it knocked me off my feet and onto my azz! The gun actually flew up into the air as I was falling, and my brother caught it! :lol:

I don't recall shooting a gun again UNTIL my A.F. training! However, I have a "perfect marksman" ribbon/rating from 100 yards with the M-16. [We didn't get to do the 300 yds and such.] I have also qualified with the .38 handgun (don't really know the model.)

I was going to say that I hadn't fired a gun since then.... but, I just remembered... A friend of mine took me out on the Natchez Trace near Nashville when we both had gotten out of the service (around '81) and introduced me to "his lil' friend!" He had a MAC 10 with 30 round clips IIRC. Again, at about 30 yds., he told me the last round would exit the chamber before the FIRST round hit the tree! Not sure if he was right.... but, dang it all happened FAST! :lol:

That poor young sappling didn't survive! Yes.... I killed a tree! :clap: Cut in clean in half!

It wasn't "immeasurable".... actually it was about 3.5 to 4.0 inches in diameter....but, it was definitely AWESOME! :thumbsup:

They're all over! ALL the "Red States" and even here in NC! :lol:

 

repete said:

I wasn't "close." I SAID .38 police special, and that's what they were using.

Now, you are trying to confuse me. It WAS the M1A1 that they used on the show. I misspoke in calling it the successor to the M-14. I should have said the successor to the M1. What I meant (and the host said,) was that it kind of "replaced" the much heavier M-14 in Vietnam. I think if you check the issue date you might find it was not used (by standard infantry at least,) in WWII.... maybe those special forces, as you say. I didn't check the year it went into service. Again... just telling you what I heard on the show.

Everyone got a chuckle when it was brought out. Unfortunately, only TWO of them got to shoot it during an elimination round. The others were jealous! It's just not really considered an "accurate" weapon. :lol:

They had to manage to keep their "spray" on a straight line to cut a small chip of wood (4-5 inches wide) in half. One guy... one gal. She went "crazy" at one point and just "let 'er RIP!" :lol: HE won the round... she went home. They each went thru about 3 magazines.

I bet I know why y'all HAD that ammo at your station.

Can I bring BEER?? Seriously, it would be fun.... but, I'm not totally into shooting targets. I might learn tho. Would rather go out on someone's ranch and shoot whiskey bottles off of fence posts! Actually.... what I'd really like to try is Skeet shooting!

 

I have a Henry .22 long rifle. It's a lever action. I love it. I use Remington Yellow Jacket shells. They are a high velocity, hollow point. Good for coyotes, turtles, pigs, and deer (just kidding ) They are good for coyotes, and turtles.
I want to get a .270, or a 30-06, but they are so dag gum high, I'm gonna have to hit up the lottery.
I used to have a Winchester 30-30 that I bought from a friend of mine about 15 years ago. Gave $100 for it. Then I sold it to another buddy of mine for the same price, about 8 years ago. I was unemployeed, and scraping the bottom of the barrel. Now I am bashing my head into the wall every time I think about it, because the barrel usually stays about half full now. :hellno: :tears:

 

Jackrabbit said:

Does it look like the one in "The Unforgiven" that Glover had? I know his was a .50 cal, IIRC.... a buffalo gun.... but it sure was beautiful. Do they still make them that "long?" Or is yours an old one?

And just WHAT crime was that poor turtle committing when you BLASTED a cap through his shell and into his AZZ??? :lol:

Coyotes I can understand, but TURTLES??? How many cows can THEY kill?

Oh.... you're just trying to impress us with your skills against a "moving target" eh? :lol2: [You know I'm just razzin!]

Try the "thrifty nickel" first... or the local pawn shop. Like you said.... unemployment is high and LOTS of people are now scraping the barrel. Same goes for trying to get that 30/30 back!

Quit your crying! There's nothing more pitiful than a West Texas conservative cryin' over a half full barrel! If you'd quit shooting HOLES in it for target practice, the rain runoff would fill it to the brim! :lol::lol2:

Just messin' with ya, Wabbit. Hadn't seen you in awhile. Glad you checked in!