The fifth season of the History Channel television series Top Shot premiered on May 29, 2013. It is an all-star season with all competitors returning from prior seasons.

Unlike past seasons, the players are not assigned to teams, but compete on an individual basis throughout the season. Also, the process of nominating players for elimination is not used. Instead, the lowest-performing players from an individual challenge take part in a "Proving Ground" challenge; the two lowest performers from this step then compete head-to-head in an elimination challenge.

The season was filmed in Santa Clarita, California.

Contestants

Contestant Occupation/Background EliminatedPhil MordenSeason 3 / 6th Video Producer, Three Gun Competitor, GunsmithWinnerChris CerinoSeason 1 / 2nd Law enforcement trainer2nd PlaceSeason 3 / 3rd Department of Homeland Security Agent, U.S. Army Veteran, Competition Shooter3rd PlaceBrian ZinsSeason 2 / 2nd Cabot Gun Ambassador, independent security contractor, former Marine Corps pistol team member, 12-time NRA National Pistol Champion 4th PlaceWilliam BethardsSeason 4 / 7th 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 5th PlacePeter PalmaSeason 1 / 4th Plumber, Marine Scout Sniper 6th PlaceAdam BensonSeason 1 / 6th Construction project manager, former Marine rifleman, USPSA Master Class shooter, competitive pistol and three-gun shooter, muzzleloader and archery hobbyist, competitive catapult engineer 7th PlaceJoe SerafiniSeason 2 / 4thConstruction worker, Company High Shooter in Marine boot camp, Champion archer, qualified expert with both the M16 and Beretta 9mm pistols. 8th PlaceKelly BachandSeason 1 / 5th Student, competition shooter, USA National Rifle Team9th PlaceJamie FranksSeason 2 / 5th US Navy rescue swimmer, graduate of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Skills and Practical Weapons courses and Anti-Terrorism Force Protection/Deadly Force Training, Navy rifle and pistol marksmanship expert.10th PlaceAlex CharvatSeason 3 / 5th Gun range engineer, 4H-shooting instructor, 3-Gun competitor, firearms enthusiast11th PlaceGabby FrancoSeason 4 / 8th Firearms instructor, business owner, competitive IPSC shooter, history maker as the first female to qualify for the Venezuelan Olympic Shooting Team, 2000 Sydney Olympics competitor, 1999 Pan American Games silver medalist shooter, 2000 South American Games gold medalist shooter, 2002 South American Games three-time gold medalist shooter12th PlaceKyle SumpterSeason 4 / 5th Police Commander, Former SWAT Team Member, Washington State IDPA and Steel Championship Winner13th PlaceChee KwanSeason 4 / 6th Range Master, State Certified Firearms Instructor, Former Marine Infantryman, Recreational Shooter, 3x Rifle and Pistol Expert14th PlaceBlake MiguezSeason 1 / 7thSemi-professional speed shooter15th PlaceSeason 4 / 2nd Federal Police Officer, USAF Veteran, Former Air Force Security Forces Member, World Champion Grenadier, ISPC Shooter16th Place

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The player(s) either won an individual challenge or performed well enough to earn immunity from elimination for the current round. The player(s) lost an individual challenge, but did not lose a Proving Ground challenge. The player lost a Proving Ground challenge, but won an elimination challenge. The player lost an elimination challenge and was eliminated. The player voluntarily withdrew from the competition. The player won the $100,000 grand prize, the title of Top Shot, and a Q5i speedboat.

Episodes

Episode 1: "Best of the Best" Premiere date Individual challenge weapon(s)Individual challenge Winning player(s)May 29, 2013 SVT-40 rifleLaRue Tactical Optimized Battle Rifle (based on the AR-10/AR-15 rifles)FN FAL rifleRun an obstacle course with 3 shooting stations under simulated mortar/flamethrower fire:

Cross a rope to the first station, then shoot one target at 125 yards with the SVT-40 (prone position). Climb a pole to the second station and hit one target with the LaRue (standing). Crawl under barbed wire to the third station, then use the FAL to hit one target (standing on an unstable platform).

Fastest time wins a pair of Oculus binoculars; the eight fastest times are safe from elimination. Alex, Blake, Chris, Jamie, Joe, Kelly (winner), Peter, Phil Proving Ground challenge weapon(s) Proving Ground challenge Sent to Proving Ground Sent to elimination challenge Colt Peacemaker revolver Fire one shot at a target from 40 feet. The two players whose shots are farthest from the center go to the elimination challenge. Adam, Brian, Chee, Gabby, Gary, Gregory, Kyle, William Gary, Gregory Elimination challenge weapon(s)Elimination challenge Eliminated player Milkor USA M32A1 grenade launcher Fire at 4 targets from 50/60/70/75 yards. First to hit all targets wins. Gregory

No practice session was held for the individual challenge. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Craig "Sawman" Sawyer, Navy SEALs instructor and former sniper.

Episode 2: "Tricks of the Trade" Premiere date Squad challenge weapon(s)Squad challenge Winning player(s)June 5, 2013 Winchester Model 1873 rifleSmith & Wesson Model 10 revolverM1911 pistolColt Peacemaker revolverA series of trick shots from past seasons:

Using a hand mirror to sight, fire over the shoulder and hit a beer bottle at 25 feet. (Winchester; 3 shots, 1 point each) Shoot the corncob pipe out of a mannequin's mouth. (Model 10; 3 shots, 1 point each) Shoot a bowling pin so that it travels backward between two others without knocking them down. (M1911; 3 shots, 1 point each) Shoot the bottom paint can in a stack of two, knocking the top can into the air, then shoot the top one before it hits the ground. (M1911; 3 shots, 1 point each) Fire a bullet at an axe blade so that it splits to break a balloon on each side. (Colt; 4 shots, 3 points for each pair of balloons broken)

The players are split into three 5-person squads, with each squad member trying a different shot. Each member of the highest-scoring squad wins an Ascend backpacking tent; the lowest-scoring squad goes to the Proving Ground. Alex, Chris, Gary, Jamie, Phil (winners)Adam, Brian, Chee, Joe, Peter (2nd place) Proving Ground challenge weapon(s) Proving Ground challenge Sent to Proving Ground Sent to elimination challenge Henry rifle Fire one shot at a target from 60 yards. The two players whose shots are farthest from the center go to the elimination challenge. Blake, Gabby, Kelly, Kyle, William Blake, Kyle Elimination challenge weapon(s)Elimination challenge Eliminated player Smith & Wesson Model 686 revolverVolquartsen .22 rifleRuger Security-Six revolver Three trick shots from previous seasons:

Shoot a beer bottle from 30 feet, holding the weapon upside down. (Model 686; 3 shots, 1 point each) From 35 feet, shoot a gumball without hitting the golf tee on which it sits. (Volquartsen; 3 shots, 1 point each) Shoot a pair of plates simultaneously from 25 feet. (Two Rugers; 3 shots, 2 points for each pair hit)

Higher total score wins. Blake

Blake and Kyle tied with 3 points each. The gumball shot was randomly chosen to be replayed as the tiebreaker, and Kyle won 1-0.

The trainer for the squad and elimination challenges was Taran Butler, national/world shotgun champion.

Episode 3: "Pick Your Poison" Premiere date Individual challenge weapon(s)Individual challenge Winning player(s)June 12, 2013 SIG Sauer P229 pistol Two players compete at a time. For each matchup, one name is drawn at random; that player chooses his/her opponent.

Shoot 3 targets at 30/50/75 feet. First player in each pair to hit all targets is safe from elimination; fastest time wins a sleeping bag. Brian, Chris, Gary, Jamie, Kelly (winner), Kyle, Phil Proving Ground challenge weapon(s) Proving Ground challenge Sent to Proving Ground Sent to elimination challenge SIG Sauer P229 pistol Fire one shot at a target from 50 feet. The two players who hit farthest from the center of the bullseye go to the elimination challenge. Adam, Alex, Chee, Gabby, Joe, Peter, William Chee, Gabby Elimination challenge weapon(s)Elimination challenge Eliminated player Schofield Revolver Shoot 4 rows of 6 targets each from 35 feet. Target size decreases from 9 inches (top row) to 5.5 inches (bottom row). All targets on a row must be shot without a miss to close it out. First player to close out all rows wins. Chee

The players practiced without a trainer for the individual and elimination challenges.

Episode 4: "Crank Trigger" Premiere date Individual challenge weapon(s)Individual challenge Winning player(s)June 19, 2013 Longbow Fire arrows at a 30-foot target from 100 yards. Hits on the main bullseye score 20-50 points based on point of impact; two small targets at the far corners award 100 points per hit. Each player has 45 seconds to fire as many arrows as possible.

Highest score wins a Red Head compound bow; top nine scores are safe from elimination. Adam, Brian, Chris, Gabby, Gary (winner), Joe, Kelly, Peter, Phil Proving Ground challenge weapon(s) Proving Ground challenge Sent to Proving Ground Sent to elimination challenge Steyr SSG08 rifle with scope Fire one shot at a target from 200 yards. The two players farthest from the center go to the elimination challenge. Alex, Jamie, Kyle, William Jamie, Kyle Elimination challenge weapon(s)Elimination challenge Eliminated player 1877 "Bulldog" Gatling gun Fire at 3 telephone poles from 15/20/25 yards, trying to cut through them. First to bring down every pole wins. Kyle

The trainer for the individual challenge was Chris Palmer, longbow and traditional archery expert. The trainer for the elimination challenge was Garry James, former Army ordnance officer.

Episode 5: "Shooting Dice" Premiere date Squad challenge weapon(s)Squad challenge Winning player(s)June 26, 2013 Remington Model 1875 revolver Players are split into two 6-member squads. Squad leaders are chosen at random, then pick their teammates after the practice session.

Pairs of players (one per squad) go head-to-head at 6 stations, shooting at separate sets of targets arranged to resemble the 6 faces of a die. At each station, the revolver is pre-loaded with one round for every target; any additional rounds must be loaded by hand. A station ends when one player hits all of his/her targets.

The squad with the higher total number of hits is safe from elimination; every member of that squad wins an Ascend backpack. Adam, Chris, Jamie, Peter, Phil, William Proving Ground challenge weapon(s) Proving Ground challenge Sent to Proving Ground Sent to elimination challenge Volquartsen .22 rifle From 25 feet, fire through the center hole of a compact disc without touching the plastic. Three attempts per player; 1 point per successful shot. Lowest two scores go to the elimination challenge. Alex, Brian, Gabby, Gary, Joe, Kelly Alex, Gabby Elimination challenge weapon(s)Elimination challenge Eliminated player Ruger 10/22 rifle From 50 feet, players fire simultaneously at separate sets of 100 targets. Higher number of targets hit in 2 minutes wins. Gabby