A little insight to how things work on a TV show.
I show up at the practice range at 8am...the host hasnt arrived yet. Umarex has set up a couple of rifles and a practice range for us. The rifle is a break barrel Ruger Air Hawk. I immediately start shooting groups smaller than a dime at 65'. A few minutes later, I'm just putting them all in one hole. This is from a sandbag rest. Air rifle shooters are all weird about shooting spring piston rifles because of what they call 'double recoil' ...like its some kind of rifle voodoo. It really just means use a soft rest, let the rifle float, and follow thru on your shots, simple stuff.
The host arrives and seems offended that we're shooting without him and that we are competent with the gun. He makes us use a pen loader for the pellets (which sucks, you can easily double load with it). He starts telling me that I'm holding the rifle wrong (its resting gently on a sandbag) and that it takes 5 minutes to learn how to shoot one, but a lifetime to master... He continues to tell me that I'm holding it wrong. I tell him I'm pretty happy with the results. He asks another shooter if they want to be on national TV in front of "millions" doing it wrong. We all say if we're hitting, we're ok with it. He is not happy. (While I was shooting the challenge, he tells the audience that I was doing it wrong and wouldnt take his advice...this did not make the show)
Anyway, the rifle is fine. Good trigger. Hits perfectly to POA. I'm super confident.
The challenge is to hit 3 cans at 60, 65, and 70 feet. The cans are shaving cream, silly string, and spray foam insulation. We draw straws, I'm up first. I think this will be an easy 45 second shoot. (BTW, the cans shown on TV were all shaving foam, all the hits were filmed afterword)
I start shooting and I'm hitting exactly nothing. I double check my hold and sight picture, I'm several shots in and I have no hits. So I start walking the POA around the clock. Finally at a 9 oclock hold and 6" out I find the target. It takes me 2:21 to clear the cans. It takes the others 3, 4, 6, 8 minutes. I win the challenge but something is very wrong. The host is ranting about something being wrong with the rifle. I glance at it and notice that the rear sight is jacked all the way over to one side.
They decide to nullify the challenge and shoot it again after lunch. I have to go 1st again. It turns out to be a huge disadvantage.
I decide that I can hit everything dead center in 45 seconds (actually took me 47) But now everyone else knows that the rifle hits dead on. I went 3 for 3 dead center in the label. You almost cant miss. The others now know they just have to go faster...and they all do. I went from a win with a crap rifle to a loss with an accurate gun.
So instead of being into the next round and flirting with the craft services girls, I get a quick break and back to the range for the elimination challenge. The show makes it look like I just plain lost.
I later argued that I should have had some consideration of some sort for 'winning' the 1st challenge. I also argue that I should not have had to go 1st again or had the others be able to watch. I got no relief. Next week I'll be back in the ring to take another swing. We'll be shooting zombies in the dark on a stage that rivals a set from 'The Walking Dead'.
