Top Shot

The challenges are ready.

The weapons are selected.

16 marksmen of exceptional skill have been chosen.

Congratulations, you've been chosen to compete

on season three of "Top Shot."

Holy

Ahh!

I made it!

Yeah!

They will have to prove themselves like never

before.

Every single marksman that shows up on season three

has something to prove.

"Top Shot," to me feels like the culminating event

in my life.

In the revolver division, I've beaten everybody in the world.

My main advantage is that I've been through a whole lot

as a Navy SEAL.

I'm an independent, badass woman.

I'm from a small town of 647 people,

and hopefully I don't let 'em down.

Go!

This season, the gauntlet awaits.

Season three, the challenges are not only gonna be rigorous,

they're gonna be downright torturous.

The range of weapons they will have to master

is unprecedented, from the ancient to the futuristic.

The CornerShot.

There are weapons never before

seen in the competition.

The Hotchkiss Mountain Gun.

The Bulldog Gatling Gun.

Only one will survive to claim the $100,000 prize

and the title of Top Shot.

Coming up through the corral,

we open up the gates.

The week before, I was watching "Top Shot" on television

with my wife, and now I'm here.

I'm actually on the competition itself, and I'm part of it.

When I see Colby, I know that it's go time.

It doesn't really hit you till you see him

and you hear his voice.

Welcome, everyone, to season three of "Top Shot."

I'm Colby Donaldson.

Out of thousands of applicants, you

were chosen as 16 of the top marksmen in the country.

But only one of you will earn the $100,000 prize

and the title of history's Top Shot.

And I guarantee you it is not going to be easy.

You guys ready to compete?

Oh yeah.

Yes.

I hope so, because we're not gonna waste any time.

This competition starts right now.

And we're gonna begin with what might be the biggest, heaviest,

most powerful double-action production

revolver in the world, the Smith & Wesson .500 Magnum.

The .500 Magnum is essentially a mini cannon.

It fires a cartridge that is considered

the most powerful factory load ever developed for a handgun.

The S&W Model 500 has the potential

to bring down any living target roaming the Earth.

And as you might expect, it has a little bit of a kick.

I have seen people handling big firearms

like this, and they either wind up

getting hit in the face with them, or it goes flying.

Let me tell you something.

This gun is not for the faint of heart.

Right now, we're about to see how quickly you can adapt

to such an incredibly powerful firearm.

For the challenge today, you'll be competing in pairs.

And as you'll see, these pairs will determine your fate.

Out on the range are matching sets of targets set at 30, 50,

and 70 feet.

On my signal, the first pair of shooters

will pick up a pre-loaded 500 and begin firing

at the targets.

You will have to manage that recoil.

The first person

to hit their three targets wins.

Winners, you're gonna take a seat on the bench

over on the left.

Losers, you'll be sitting on the bench on the right.

First up, two of our most accomplished

competitive shooters.

Cliff, Mike, you guys are going first.

I happen to own a Smith & Wesson 500.

It's a revolver.

It's what I shoot.

I cannot wait to get started.

This is my house.

Ironically, I think the key to winning "Top Shot"

is not being concerned about winning "Top Shot."

When you're focused too much on that end goal,

it takes you away from your peak performance.

Shooters ready.

Stand by.

Go!

Mike, first to hit.

Clint hits.

Mike with a second.

That's it.

Wow.

Mike, unbelievably fast.

Nice work.

All right, Mike, you're gonna head over

to the bench on the left.

Cliff, you'll be going to the bench on the right.

All right, moving right along.

Next we've got two Homeland Security agents, Gary

and Jarrett.

Make your way to the line, fellas.

Gary Quesenberry is a friend and coworker

of mine.

We worked hand-in-hand on a daily basis.

We have a pretty good rivalry of our own.

In the ongoing rivalry between Gary and I, I'm always ahead.

He's one of my best friends in the world.

I know he's got my back.

But we're also archrivals to a point.

There have been several arguments that never really got

settled, so we both figured, let's see

if we could get on "Top Shot," and we'll settle it there.

You guys grinning at each other

like you know each other.

Little bit.

Stand by.

Go!

Both men hit the first target.

Jarrett hits the second target and the third!

That's it!

Jarrett, wasting no time.

I beat Gary convincingly on national TV,

and I'm going to the winner's bench.

Up now, two former members

of the armed forces, Jake and Chris.

It is your turn.

I got into the Naval Academy

my freshman year of high school.

I was the eighth black officer ever

to graduate from SEAL training. Shooters ready.

Stand by.

Go!

Jake, already up.

Both men hit the first target!

Jake hits his second!

That's it!

Jake clears out all three targets, Chris still working

on his second.

Two skilled female shooters, Amanda and Sara,

step up to the firing line.

I did 11 years in the Army active and reserve.

I was the first female SWAT team member for the Rockford Police

Department.

Shooters ready.

Stand by.

Go!

Amanda hits.

Sara misses.

Sara misses again.

Both struggling with that recoil.

Sara hits her first target.

Both women working on the second jug.

Sara hits her second target.

Now moving on to the final target.

Time to reload.

Amanda realizing she's out of ammo.

Sara is back on the course loaded up.

One target left.

Sara hits it.

That's it!

All right, two law enforcement officers, Michael and Paul,

you're up next.

I saw season one of "Top Shot."

As I'm watching, I'm thinking, I'm better than these people.

I've got some titles under my belt.

I hold over 15 state titles in skeet and trap shooting.

Go!

Michael misses on his first shot.

Paul, hitting both of them.

Michael's still struggling to hit his first jug.

Paul, working on his third and final.

That's it!

Michael, hitting no targets.

Two amateur outdoorsmen, Alex and Mark,

you will face off next.

You can head on up.

I would describe myself as being full throttle.

I'll do what it takes to make the shot.

I kinda have everything working for me.

Go!

Mark hits.

Alex hits.

Both men hit the second target.

Alex wins by a hair.

Nice!

And now, a couple self-taught shooters.

Bill and Drew, it is your turn.

I don't do anything unless I

plan on being the best at it.