Making History Aiming at the Top Shot!

03.18.2012 – It’s been a while since I held a weapon and it never feels good when it can kill another human being. But for anyone who should know that I used to hold an air rifle some more than twelve years ago. I haven’t played darts since the early 2000s and my aim is rusty. I was one of the few who were invited for History Channel’s Top Shot event that was held at the Fort Bonifacio Shooting Range in Taguig. This was no walk in the park kind of event that you just go there and start shooting targets. There was a waiver for you to read and understand before you sign up. You’ll be using real firearms and would-be deadly weapons.

The meet-up point was at 10AM in Kabisera ni Dencio at the Bonifacio High Street in Taguig and only a few people where invited for this occasion.

The bloggers who were on my team including me consist of five people. It was a whole day event that has given us the knowledge not only about shooting in the firing range but the dangers of using the projectile weapons that was used for the event.

The event started late as we were taken to the firing range by lunch time. It was a training facility for the Philippines’ military. We can hear the guns being used but the one we are assigned for the shooting is a non-recoil version. I was on a team who has not experienced any of these kinds of sports, and the last time as I previously held a projectile weapon was a long time ago.


We where called up once they calling the team names and were taken to a brief explanation the Do’s and Don’ts of holding a firearm. It was nerve wracking as it has been a while since I really held a gun and I’m pretty much the most cautious in the team. Loading five bullets in one cartridge was a bit of thrill and setting it up before I shoot. There was a bit of relaxing part as I take a deep breath when they signaled to get ready. In my mind there was this deep thought of letting all that pent up anger take its course as I squeeze the trigger softly as volleys of bullets starts flying.

Then I put on the safety and then released the empty cartridge then reloaded the next one. I aim as I see the target as I see a different perspective. I fire again for the second round by the time I used up the third bullet it stopped. My expert assistant checks the gun as he recoils it for me. Then I shot two more bullets in the target with aggression.

After the last bullet was spent I trigger the gun as a sign I have emptied my cartridge and unloaded it. I removed my goggles and ear protector as I walk back to the safety zone calmly up to the bleachers. I see the others faired well with their targets until I found out my results.


The shots made out of ten most of them like eight made it to the center body or A for Alpha. I didn’t skip a beat that I still have the aim to really do some damage to a human being. I’m good at playing darts instead of firearms since the last time I did held an air rifle the big rats at the old backyard in the old house was an endangered specie.

It’s been a while but I guess I never lost my touch at taking on a target and it’s something I would probably polish it. The next one was the slingshot competition which is probably one of the difficult games in this event that needs practicing.


The team took a break at the holding area where we had our afternoon snack. We got served up with two small bread and carbonara pasta. We where just resting up for the next round which a bit on a lighter side of this competition now that we’re done with the hard stuff.

Actually the second hard part was the archery but with the slingshot it was a mere child’s play. All of us where given ten marbles and a sling with a protective mask. It was thirty yards that our target needs to be toppled down. This was the relaxing part for me to take the game less seriously at the same time at least knock off the cans that have “History Channel” stickers on them.

Unfortunately from five us one had nearly knocked off all of them instead of one can that remained standing. There was no mishap that happened but earlier a fellow teammate grazed someone in the finger with a bullet shot. Though it was not that serious it’s still a precaution to each and everyone competing to be careful using a live firearm.



The hours we spent in the afternoon could not be contained until we where done with the slingshot and moved to the other hard part of the competition which is archery. The sport is for the rich and the privilege with some of them experts compete in the high level of this sport.

For most of us everyone was thinking about Marvel’s Avenger hero Hawkeye and Katniss Everdeen of the upcoming live action movie based in the novel of the same title known as the Hunger Games. Seriously it’s a very difficult sport and it requires your upper body strength to have a precise skill in using the bow and arrow as your weapon of choice.

Overall some of my targets are not on the mark and since this is my first to have held a bow and arrow it’s not a good feeling but I was able to try and get one for the team. The competition is not that stiff but my shoulder is taking the stretching of the quiver to its potential limit.


After my round another team member took over but still not a single bull’s eye was in sight. The yellow round in the middle was not letting us get a good target. Both the slingshot and the archery were not in our favor unlike shooting the target with a live firearm. The archery part was also a learning experience and now I know it feels to be someone with an arrow as a weapon.

After all the teams have been done with their rounds some of us mostly stayed in the archery section who just wants to have a photo pretending to be Katniss Evergreen or Clint Barton before going back to Kabisera ni Decio. If you see some of the bloggers using the same pose based in the upcoming movies those were taken by me before wrapping up the games.

We left the firing range at 5PM and head back to Kabisera ni Dencio where the organizers and marketing arm of History Channel which shows the latest season of Top Shot treated everyone for some hearty dinner. They also awarded the winner of the PhP 20,000 pesos with a special medal from History Channel that was customized.

History Channel also previewed of their upcoming shows like The Titanic which will be shown sometime in April 2012 to marked its 100 years and Mankind an upcoming show in Asia that will be making its own history on November 2012. Catch History Channel on Destiny channel 57 and SkyCable channel 25!