The fourth season of the History channel television series Top Shot premiered on February 14, 2012.Mueller, Chris. "Top Shot Season 4: What Kind of Crazy Competitions Will the Show Feature?", Bleacher Report. Retrieved February 9, 2012.Finger, Stan (February 5, 2012). "Wichita Police Sergeant Featured in History Channel's Top Shot", The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved February 9, 2012.Top Shot season 4 contestants on the History channel web site. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
The season contains twelve episodes, and was filmed in Santa Clarita, California. The season was won by Chris Cheng.
Gregory Littlejohn, Kyle Sumpter, Chee Kwan, William Bethards, and Gabby Franco returned for Top Shot: All-Stars. Littlejohn finished in 16th, Kwan finished in 14th, Sumpter finished in 13th, Franco finished in 12th, and Bethards finished in 5th, meaning that Season 4 was the only season without a representative in the finale.
Contestants
Contestant Occupation/Background Original Team Merged Team Eliminated Craig Buckland47, Sandisfield, MA Chemist, National and International Competitive Shooter, 3x World Champion and 4x National Champion, IDPA 5-Gun Master None 18th Place Forrest McCord21, Houston, TX Kinesiology Student, World Champion Pistol Shooter, Former U.S. Junior Shooting Team Member, IPSC World Shoot Gold Medalist, USPSA Competitive ShooterNone 17th Place Frank Melloni28, Middle Island, NY High School Custodian, Self-Taught Shooter, World War II Firearms Collector Blue Team 16th Place Keith Gibson28, Ghent, NY Grass-Fed Cattle Farmer, Former U.S. National Guard Combat Medic, Former U.S. Army Veteran, Junior Olympic Shooting Camp Member, Army Basic Rifle Marksmanship Award Winner, Private Pistol Instructor, IDPA Shooter Red Team 15th Place Michelle Viscusi21, Gilbert, AZ Military Police Officer/Border Patrol, Former Army National Guardsman, Weapons Accessories Company Model Blue Team 14th Place Colin Gallagher35, Wichita, KS Police Sergeant, New Recruit Weapons Trainer, Criminal Profiling Training Blue Team13th Place Eric "Iggy" Keyes39, Chicago, IL Police Officer, Former Homicide and Narcotics Detective, Former SWAT Team Member, Skilled Pistol and Rifle Shooter, Weightlifter Red Team12th Place Tim Trefren34, Thayne, WY Professional Big Game Guide, Business Owner, Bow Hunter, Skilled Archer, 2x World Champion Moose Caller Red Team11th Place Dylan Fletcher30, Alpharetta, GA Knife Maker, Businessman/Entrepreneur, Skilled Knife Thrower, Pistol and Rifle Shooter Blue Team10th Place Terry Vaughan40, London, UK Professional Speaker for Personal Safety, NRA Pistol Instructor, Former British Royal Marine CommandoBlue Team9th Place Gabby Franco30, Doral, FL Firearms Instructor/Business Owner, Former Venezuelan Shooting Team Member and Olympian, Pan American Games Silver Medalist, South American Games Gold Medalist, Tactical and IPSC Competitive Shooter Red TeamGreen Team8th Place 47, Fredericksburg, VA FBI Law Enforcement Specialist/Firearms Instructor, Former Marine, Marine Corps Shooting Team Member and Coach, Ex-Virginia State Trooper, National and State 3-gun Competitive Shooter, Gold Lauchheimer Trophy Winner, FBI Shooting Team National Record Holder in 3-gun Blue Team7th Place Chee Kwan23, San Gabriel, CA Range Master, State Certified Firearms Instructor, Former Marine Infantryman, Recreational Shooter, 3x Rifle and Pistol ExpertRed Team6th Place Kyle Sumpter50, Kent, WA Police Commander, Former SWAT Team Member, Washington State IDPA and Steel Championship WinnerRed Team5th Place Augie Malekovich34, Belle Vernon, PA Financial Advisor, Former Department of Homeland Security Agent, Former Marine, Triple Nickel Award Winner Blue Team4th Place Gary Shank28, Reno, NV Firearms Instructor, Civil War Reenactor, Historical Firearms Appraiser, Former Gun Library Manager, Local ISPA and USPSA Shooter, Cowboy Action 3-Gun Competitor Red Team3rd Place 31, Waterloo, IL Federal Police Officer, USAF Veteran, Former Air Force Security Forces Member, World Champion Grenadier, ISPC Shooter Blue Team2nd Place Chris Cheng31, Mission Viejo, CA IT Professional, Firearm Enthusiast, Skilled Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun Shooter. Self-taught.Red TeamWinner
Contestant progress
#ContestantEpisodes1234567891011121ChrisWINSAFEWINWINSAFENOMWINWINNOMWINSAFEWINWINTOP SHOT2GregoryNOMWINSAFENOMWINWINSAFENOMSAFESAFEWINBTM2SAFESECOND PLACE3GaryWINSAFEWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINSAFENOMSAFEWINOUT4AugieSAFEWINSAFESAFEWINWINSAFESAFEWINSAFENOMOUT5KyleWINNOMWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINSAFESAFEOUT6CheeWINSAFEWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINSAFEOUT7WilliamSAFEWINSAFESAFEWINWINNOMSAFEOUT8GabbyWINSAFEWINWINSAFESAFEWINWINOUT9TerrySAFEWINNOMSAFEWINWINSAFEOUT10DylanSAFEWINSAFESAFEWINWINOUT11TimWINSAFEWINWINNOMOUT12IggyWINSAFEWINWINOUT13ColinSAFEWINSAFEOUT14MichelleSAFEWINOUT15KeithWINOUT16FrankOUT17Forrest OUT18Craig OUT
The player's team won the team challenge (Episodes 1 - 8) The player(s) won an individual challenge, or placed high enough to earn immunity from elimination for the current round (Episodes 9 - 11); the player(s) won an elimination challenge to avoid elimination (Episode 12) The player's team lost the team challenge, but the player was not nominated for elimination (Episodes 1 - 8); the player(s) lost an individual challenge, but was not nominated for elimination (Episode 9 - 11) The player was nominated for elimination, but won an elimination challenge (Episodes 1 - 11); the player was in the bottom two shooters, but won an elimination challenge (Episode 12) The player lost an elimination challenge and was eliminated The player(s) was eliminated in the preliminary challenge of Episode 1 The player came in second in the final challenge The player won the $100,000 grand prize and the title of Top Shot in the final challenge
Episodes
Episode 1: "Sweating Bullets" Premiere date Preliminary challenge weapon(s) Preliminary challenge Blue Team members Red Team members Eliminated playersFebruary 14, 2012 M14 rifle Fire one shot at a target from 200 yards. Players are ranked by distance to the center of the bullseye; odd and even ranks join the Blue and Red Teams, respectively. The two farthest shots are eliminated.Augie, Dylan, Gregory, Colin, Terry, Michelle, Frank, WilliamChee, Tim, Keith, Chris, Gary, Kyle, Gabby, Iggy Craig, Forrest Team challenge weapon(s)Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team Ruger Vaquero revolver"The Perfect Run Challenge": From 35 feet, shooters fire at separate grids of 48 targets (8 rows of 6). Target size decreases from 10" at the top to 4.5" at the bottom. One shooter per row; all 6 targets on a row must be shot without a miss to eliminate it. First team to eliminate all 8 rows wins. N/A Red Team Elimination challenge weapon(s)Elimination challenge Nominated players Eliminated player M1 carbine"Sidecar Shootout Challenge": While riding in a motorcycle sidecar, fire at 10 targets from 15-25 yards. Maximum 15 rounds per player. Higher number of hits wins; ties are broken by fewer total rounds fired.Gregory, FrankFrank
No practice sessions were held for the preliminary and team challenges. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Garry James, historical firearms expert and former United States Army ordnance officer.
Episode 2: "In the Trenches" Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team February 21, 2012 M1918A1 Browning Automatic Rifle "In the Trenches Challenge": Crawl through sand under 40 feet of barbed wire, then jump into a trench and fire at separate sets of 7 targets from 100-150 yards. One shooter per target; the next shooter cannot start onto the course until the current target has been hit. First team to hit all targets wins.CheeBlue Team Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player Milkor USA M32A1 grenade launcher "Capture the Frag Challenge": Fire at separate sets of 4 targets each from 50-75 yards, starting with the closest. First to hit all targets wins.Keith, KyleKeith
The trainer for both challenges was Craig "Sawman" Sawyer, Navy SEALs instructor and former sniper.
Episode 3: "Shotgun Showdown" Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team February 28, 2012 Benelli M4 shotgun, loaded with slugsBenelli Vinci shotgun, loaded with birdshot "Double Tap Challenge": Teams compete separately, with one shooter at a time per weapon. The M4 shooter must hit an 8" moving target to launch two clay targets for the Vinci shooter. Each shooter then goes to the back of the line for the weapon he/she did not use. One point per clay hit; higher score after 4 minutes wins. N/ARed Team Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player Benelli Nova shotgun "Horse Race Challenge": From 35 feet, shooters fire buckshot loads at separate 3-target wheels to make them roll along 35-foot tracks. Once a shooter's wheel passes a marker on the track, he/she may switch to slugs. First shooter to get his/her wheel to the other end wins.Terry, MichelleMichelle
The trainer for the team challenge was Chris Reed, the winner of Season 2. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Taran Butler, national/world shotgun champion.
Episode 4: "Crossbow Crossfire" Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team March 6, 2012 BowTech StrykeZone 350 crossbow "Crossbow Shootout Challenge": From 20 yards, pairs of shooters (one per team) fire at separate sets of 8" targets on rotating wheels. Six rounds are played; one target each in Round 1, with another target added in each successive round. One point per target hit; a round ends as soon as one shooter has hit all of his/her targets. Higher total score wins. TimRed Team Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player Smith & Wesson M&P 40 pistol "Tick Tock Challenge": From 35 feet, shooters fire at targets on opposite sides of separate walls, causing a pendulum with 10 balloon targets to swing through a triangular opening. Balloons range from 8" at the bottom to 3.5" at the top. First to hit all 10 balloons wins.Greg, ColinColin
The trainer for the team challenge was Chris Brackett, archery expert. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Julie Golob, national/world pistol champion.
Episode 5: "Swing Into Action" Premiere date Team challenge weapon(s) Team challenge Benched player(s) Winning team March 13, 2012 Kentucky flintlock pistol "Swing Into Action Challenge": Swing from one elevated platform to another over a 20-foot gap, then fire one shot at a set of 5 glass jugs from 30 feet with one hand and swing back. One shooter per jug; the next shooter must wait to swing out until the previous one has either swung back or climbed up. First team to hit all 5 jugs wins.Gary, KyleBlue Team Elimination challenge weapon(s) Elimination challenge Nominated for elimination Eliminated player Heckler & Koch USP Tactical pistol (.45 caliber) "Moving Porthole Challenge": While keeping pace on foot with a moving wall, fire through a window at 20 glass jars placed 25–45 feet downrange. Higher number of hits in one run along the course wins; ties are broken with a second run.Iggy, TimIggy
The trainer for the team challenge was Russ Combs, national flintlock champion. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Steve Gilcreast, former Army Ranger and SWAT team leader.
Episode 6: "Blast from the Past"