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>> Narrator: THEY'RE

CRACK SHOTS...

[ BEEP ]

DEAD-EYE GUNSLINGERS...

SHARPSHOOTERS.

THESE MARKSMEN REPRESENT THE

VERY BEST IN THE WORLD.

THEY ARE ABOUT TO TRY TO

RE-CREATE THE GREATEST

SHARPSHOOTING FEATS OF ALL

TIME...

SPLITTING AN ARROW WITH AN

ARROW, SEVERING THE HANGMAN'S

NOOSE, EVEN SHOOTING A

BULLET THROUGH A WASHER.

AND WHEN THEY HIT THEIR MARK, IT

WILL BE CAPTURED ON

CUTTING-EDGE,

SUPER-SLOW-MOTION PHOTOGRAPHY.

>> HEY!

>> Narrator: OUR FIRST EXTREME

MARKSMAN IS A BIT OF AN

EXHIBITIONIST.

MEET TOM KNAPP.

>> HERE WE GO.

>> Narrator: TOM IS A SPONSORED

EXHIBITION SHOOTER.

EXHIBITION SHOOTERS ARE MORE

THAN JUST CRACK SHOTS.

THEY'RE PITCHMEN, PERFORMERS,

AND, ABOVE ALL ELSE, SHOWMEN.

>> LET'S TRY TWO RIGHT UP HERE.

>> Narrator: TOM IS A

ONE-OF-A-KIND SHARPSHOOTER.

>> AN EXHIBITION SHOOTER IS SO

RARE, MAYBE, OR UNIQUE THAT

PEOPLE WANT TO REALLY GET IN ON

THE LIVE ACT.

MY SALUTE TO YOU AND THE RED,

WHITE, AND BLUE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

WHEN I DO EXHIBITIONS IN WESTERN

KANSAS, IT'S VERY SPARSELY

POPULATED, BUT PEOPLE DRIVE FROM

MILES AROUND JUST TO GET THERE

TO SEE A LIVE SHOW.

AND IF YOU CAN ENTERTAIN AN

AUDIENCE FOR ONE HOUR WITHOUT

ANYBODY WALKING AWAY, THEN

YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB.

WATCH FOR THE BARE-NAKED

CHICKEN.

HEY!

THERE'S THE CHICKEN RIGHT THERE!

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

HOW ABOUT IT?!

HO, HO, HO!

THANK YOU!

>> Narrator: TOM WILL PERFORM

ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SHOTS

OF HIS EXHIBITION ROUTINE --

SHOOTING EIGHT CLAY TARGETS OUT

OF THE AIR WITH A SHOTGUN.

>> HERE WE ARE.

TWO WITH ONE SHOT IS NOT FAIR.

ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAVE TO

HAPPEN JUST RIGHT FOR THIS TO

WORK.

HERE WE ARE.

THERE'S THE EIGHTH ONE RIGHT

THERE.

>> Narrator: TOM'S SHARPSHOOTING

ACUMEN IS REMINISCENT OF A

SILVER-SCREEN COWBOY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CHALLENGE HIM

TO RE-CREATE ONE OF THE GREAT

SHARPSHOOTING FEATS FROM THE

GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD

WESTERNS.

IN THE FILM "WINCHESTER '73,"

JIMMY STEWART'S CHARACTER HAS TO

SHOOT A BULLET THROUGH A RING

COVERED WITH A STAMP...

>> HE'S GOING TO SHOOT A HOLE

THROUGH THIS HERE POSTAGE STAMP.

>> Narrator: ...TO WIN A CONTEST

OF SHARPSHOOTING SKILL.

[ RING CLINKS ]

>> THE WINNER!

>> Narrator: THAT WASN'T

HOLLYWOOD TRICKERY.

IT WAS AN AMAZINGLY DIFFICULT

SHOT PERFORMED BY A LEGENDARY

SHARPSHOOTER -- HERB PARSONS.

BUT CAN A MODERN-DAY MARKSMAN

PULL OFF THIS SAME FEAT FOR OUR

CAMERAS?

TOM'S CHALLENGE IS TO RE-CREATE

THE "BULLET THROUGH THE WASHER"

TRICK FROM "WINCHESTER '73."

TOM WILL LOFT A WASHER HIGH INTO

THE AIR AND THEN TRY TO SHOOT A

SINGLE BULLET THROUGH THE HOLE

BEFORE IT FALLS TO THE GROUND.

IT'S THE EQUIVALENT TO THREADING

A NEEDLE IN MIDAIR.

THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ERROR.

TOM KNOWS HOW TO ZERO IN ON A

TARGET WITH A SHOTGUN.

>> HOW ABOUT THAT?

>> Narrator: BUT FOR THE WASHER

CHALLENGE, HE'LL RELY ON A

REPLICA OF A SINGLE-SHOT

ROLLING-BLOCK WINCHESTER

RIFLE -- A FAVORITE OF HUNTERS

BACK IN THE WILD WEST.

THE RIFLE IS LOADED WITH A

.22-CALIBER BULLET, WHICH IS

ABOUT HALF THE DIAMETER OF THE

HOLE IN THE WASHER.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A PERFECT

SHOT.

>> SHOOT YOUR LAST TARGET

AWAY...

AND THEN SHOOT THE EMPTIES AS

THEY COME OUT OF THE PUMP

SHOTGUN.

>> Narrator: ALTHOUGH TOM WILL

USE A RIFLE FOR THE CHALLENGE,

HIS FAVORITE FIREARM IS THE

SHOTGUN.

HE SHOOTS BOTH THE PUMP AND THE

SEMI-AUTOMATIC.

>> THIS ONE IS

INERTIA-RECOIL-OPERATED, MEANING

IT'S A MECHANICAL SYSTEM IN

HERE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN

IT AS OFTEN.

WHEN I SHOOT OVER 40,000 TO

50,000 12-GAUGE ROUNDS A YEAR, I

CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THE TIME TO

BE CLEANING THEM.

>> Narrator: TOM HAS A HARD TIME

CHOOSING HIS FAVORITE TYPE OF

SHOTGUN, SO SOMETIMES HE JUST

USES BOTH.

>> THIS IS MY DUCK GUN.

THIS IS MY GOOSE GUN.

AND IF I GOT TWO DUCKS AND ONE

GOOSE COMING STRAIGHT AT ME, I

SIMPLY SHOOT THE TWO DUCKS WITH

THE DUCK GUN -- BOOM, BOOM --

THEN I CASUALLY LAY DOWN THE

DUCK GUN, PICK UP THE GOOSE GUN,

AND SHOOT THE GOOSE.

I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THAT MIGHT

LOOK LIKE.

HERE WE GO.

TWO DUCKS, ONE GOOSE.

YOU GOT TO BE QUICK FOR THAT

GOOSE BECAUSE THEY'RE TRAVELING

88 FEET PER SECOND.

>> Narrator: TOM'S BARELY

BREAKING A SWEAT, BUT WHAT

YOU'RE SEEING IS THE FINELY

HONED SKILL OF A PREMIER

MARKSMAN.

>> I HAVE DEVELOPED A SENSE OF

BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE A SIGHT

PICTURE.

AND THIS IS THE WHOLE FORMULA OF

WHAT I BASE MY SHOOTING ON.

THE FRONT SIGHT OF MY SHOTGUN IS

VERY IMPORTANT, BUT MY PRIMARY

FOCUS IS ON THE TARGET.

I'M ABLE TO CAPTURE THESE SIGHT

PICTURES, I'M ABLE TO OBTAIN

THEM VERY QUICKLY, AND I'M ABLE

TO DO IT FROM PRECARIOUS

POSITIONS -- EVEN UPSIDE DOWN

OVER THE HEAD.

THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT

POSITION TO SHOOT FROM.

BUT AFTER YOU GET THE

UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIGHT

PICTURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

IN RELATION TO THE TARGET YOU'RE

SHOOTING AT, IT'S ALL POSSIBLE.

TAKE A CLAY TARGET, THROW THAT

TARGET OVER YOUR SHOULDER...

>> Narrator: TOM IS ONE IN A

LONG LINE OF EXHIBITION SHOOTERS

THAT HAVE THRILLED AND AMAZED

AUDIENCES.

THIS RARE FOOTAGE HIGHLIGHTS

JUST SOME OF THE SPECTACULAR

FEATS PERFORMED AT THE HANDS OF

THESE SHARPSHOOTING SHOWMEN.

AMONG OTHERS, THERE WAS

ED McGIVERN, ONE OF THE FASTEST

PISTOLEERS THE WORLD HAS EVER

SEEN...

THE SURE-SHOT REMINGTON

EXHIBITION SHOOTERS...

AND THE HUSBAND-AND-WIFE DUO OF

ADOLPH AND PLINKY, BETTER KNOWN

AS "THE FABULOUS TOEPPERWEINS."

THE ROOTS OF EXHIBITION SHOOTING

DATE BACK TO THE 19th CENTURY,

WHEN THE SPORT WAS AS MUCH ABOUT

ENDURANCE AS IT WAS ABOUT

PRECISION.

IN 1877, 35,000 SHARPSHOOTING

FANS IN NEW YORK CITY BOUGHT

TICKETS TO WATCH FAMED SHOWMAN

ADAM HENRY BOGARDUS ATTEMPT TO

BREAK A WORLD SHOTGUN RECORD --

SHATTERING 5,000 GLASS-BALL

TARGETS IN THE AIR IN 500

MINUTES.

IT WAS AN EPIC PERFORMANCE.

>> EIGHT HOURS LATER HE

COMPLETED THE SHOOTING.

THE LAST 500 SHOTS HE TOOK

SITTING DOWN.

HE WAS IN SUCH PAIN, SUCH AGONY.

>> Narrator: BOGARDUS'

ACHIEVEMENT WAS PAINFUL FOR BOTH

HIM AND THE AUDIENCE.

FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND THE

SHEER LENGTH OF THE EVENT FORCED

MOST OF THE CROWD TO LEAVE

EARLY.

FEW REMAINED BY THE TIME

BOGARDUS MADE THE FINAL HISTORIC

SHOT.

[ GUNSHOT, GLASS BREAKS ]

DESPITE HIS SKILLS, BOGARDUS

NEVER ACHIEVED THE GLORY OF THE

GREATEST WESTERN SHOWMAN OF ALL

TIME, BUFFALO BILL CODY.

IN 1883, CODY MOUNTED A SHOW

THAT ELEVATED THE SPORT OF

EXHIBITION SHOOTING TO A

CROWD-PLEASING SPECTACLE.

CODY WAS A WAR HERO, A

DIME-NOVEL ACTION STAR, AND AN

ARDENT SELF-PROMOTER.

REALIZING AN OPPORTUNITY TO CASH

IN ON HIS FAME, HE RECRUITED THE

COUNTRY'S BEST EXHIBITION

SHOOTERS AND FORMED A

CROSS-COUNTRY TRAVELING SHOW --

"BUFFALO BILL'S WILD WEST."

INSTEAD OF ONE SHOOTER

PERFORMING AN ENDLESS

EXHIBITION, AUDIENCES WERE

TREATED TO THE BEST SHOOTERS IN

THE COUNTRY SHOWCASING THEIR

GREATEST HITS.

>> BUFFALO BILL DECIDED HE WAS

GOING TO MAKE A SHOW THAT WOULD

HAVE A BROAD APPEAL.

THEY SAW BUFFALO BILL,

ANNIE OAKLEY, SITTING BULL.

HE HAD EVENTS WHERE THE AUDIENCE

FELT AS IF THEY WERE PART OF THE

MIX.

THEY SAW AMERICA IN ACTION.

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE

FOR THOSE THAT WERE THERE.

>> Narrator: CODY WAS A GREAT

SHOWMAN, BUT NOT A GREAT

BUSINESSMAN.

THE COST OF HIS TRAVELING CIRCUS

EVENTUALLY PROVED TOO GREAT TO

SUSTAIN.

IN 1913, "BUFFALO BILL'S WILD

WEST" TOUR FOLDED ITS TENT.

[ RAGTIME MUSIC PLAYS ]

THE SPECTACLE OF THE WILD WEST

SHOW SEEMED TO VANISH AS

AUDIENCES MOVED ON TO OTHER

FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

BUT TWO DECADES LATER, IN THE

1930s, A NEW MARQUEE STAR

EMERGED...

>> LET'S DO IT.

>> Narrator: ...HERB PARSONS.

>> MY INSPIRATION WAS

HERB PARSONS.

HE WAS, IN MY OPINION, THE MOST

COLORFUL AND THE BEST SHOWMAN

SHOOTER OF ALL.

>> TAKE A BAKED POTATO.

LET'S START OFF WITH THAT.

>> IT'S A MAN THAT HAD AN

ARSENAL OF 12 GUNS HE WOULD

BRING TO A DEMONSTRATION.

HE'D SHOOT THOSE 50 DIFFERENT

WAYS.

HE'D FIRE OVER 700 SHOTS.

>> A BALL.

>> Narrator: LIKE BOGARDUS,

PARSONS' MARKSMANSHIP WAS

UNCANNY.

>> LET'S TRY OUT ONE OF THOSE

VITAMIN CRUSHERS.

>> Narrator: BUT IT WAS PARSONS'

CHARISMA THAT KEPT AUDIENCES IN

THEIR SEATS.

>> LOADED WITH DYNAMITE.

>> GEE, THOSE MUST BE POWERFUL

VITAMINS WE HAVE HERE.

>> IF YOU'RE OUT THERE WATCHING

A GUY BREAK 60,000 TO 70,000

BLOCKS AND NEVER MISSING ONE,

THAT GETS OLD IN A HURRY AS A

SPECTATOR SPORT.

BUT IF YOU HAVE SOME

ENTERTAINMENT WITH IT, AND

ACTION, IT BECOMES INTERESTING

AND ENTERTAINING.

>> Narrator: AND THAT SENTIMENT

IS PERSONIFIED IN TODAY'S

EXHIBITION SHOOTERS,

WHO CARRY ON THE

OVER-A-CENTURY-AND-A-HALF-OLD

TRADITION OF SHARPSHOOTING

SHOWMEN.

TOM IS READY FOR HIS CLOSE-UP.

ARMED WITH A REPLICA RIFLE FROM

THE OLD WEST, TOM WILL TRY TO

RE-CREATE HIS IDOL PARSONS'

FAMOUS SHOT FROM

"WINCHESTER '73."

HIS TARGET IS THE HOLE OF A

WASHER.

[ BULLET RICOCHETS ]

>> THAT ONE WENT THROUGH THE

HOLE, BUT I TOOK A LITTLE MEAT.

>> Narrator: THAT RICOCHET SOUND

WAS THE BULLET HITTING THE

WASHER.

LET'S GIVE IT ANOTHER SHOT.

>> RIGHT THROUGH THE HOLE.

>> Narrator: HERE IT IS AT

20,000 FRAMES PER SECOND.

NOW, THAT'S A SHOT WORTHY OF THE

SILVER SCREEN.

>> Narrator: YOU DON'T HAVE TO

USE A FIREARM TO BE CONSIDERED

AN EXTREME MARKSMAN.

MEET ONE OF THE GREATEST LONGBOW

EXHIBITION SHOOTERS LIVING

TODAY -- BYRON FERGUSON.

BYRON WILL START THINGS OFF BY

ATTEMPTING SOME AERIAL

SHARPSHOOTING.

HIS LUCKY WIFE, WANDA, WILL

ASSIST.

>> NOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT

SHOOTING AERIAL TARGETS, YOU

NORMALLY THINK ABOUT SHOTGUNS.

BUT, LET ME TELL YOU, SHOOTING

WITH A BOW AND ARROW IS A WHOLE

LOT MORE FUN.

WE'LL START WITH A FAIRLY SIMPLE

SHOT -- A BALLOON INSIDE THE

DISK.

LIKE I SAID, THAT WAS A FAIRLY

SIMPLE SHOT, BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA

MAKE IT HARDER.

THE NEXT SHOT IS A WHOLE LOT

SMALLER.

THIS IS A LITTLE WOODEN DISK.

THIS ONE'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF A,

I'D SAY, A SMALL DUCK.

>> Narrator: RIPPING THROUGH THE

AIR AT 200 FEET PER SECOND,

BYRON'S ARROW CUTS THE WOOD IN

TWO.

BYRON'S ON HIS GAME, SO LET'S

SEE WHAT HE CAN DO TO A TARGET

THAT'S A WHOLE LOT SMALLER -- A

BREATH MINT.

>> NOW, YOU GUYS KNOW I CAN HIT

THIS SHOT EVERY TIME.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE ONLY

TIME I EVER MISS IS WHEN SHE

DON'T THROW IT RIGHT.

SOMETIMES IT MAY TAKE HER

SEVERAL TRIES, THOUGH, TO GET A

GOOD ONE.

AND SOMETIMES NOT.

>> Narrator: HERE IT IS AGAIN IN

SUPER-SLOW MOTION.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST BYRON'S STEADY

HAND THAT MAKES THE SHOT...

IT'S HIS EQUIPMENT.

LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT

BYRON'S TOOL OF TRADE -- THE

RECURVE LONGBOW.

>> THIS PARTICULAR BOW IS MADE

OUT OF BUBINGA VENEERS ON THE

OUTSIDE.

THAT'S TO MAKE IT PRETTY.

THE ACTUAL WORKING PART IS MAPLE

WITH A GLASS CORE FOR EXTRA

STRENGTH.

THE MECHANICS OF HOW THIS BOW

OPERATES IS KNOWN AS "FISTMELE."

IN OTHER WORDS, HOW FAR THE

STRING IS FROM THE BOW ITSELF.

THE CLOSER THE STRING, THE MORE

ENERGY IS APPLIED TO THE ARROW.

>> Narrator: UNLIKE A COMPOUND

BOW, WHICH USES A SYSTEM OF

CABLES AND PULLEYS TO GAIN A

MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE, A RECURVE

LONGBOW REQUIRES THE FULL

STRENGTH OF THE ARCHER TO DRAW

ITS BOWSTRING.

>> I PERSONALLY USE THE

SPLIT-FINGERED METHOD OF DRAWING

THE BOW, WHICH IS ONE FINGER ON

TOP, TWO FINGERS UNDER THE

ARROW.

THIS BOW IS PULLING 70 POUNDS AT

28 INCHES OF DRAW.

SO, OBVIOUSLY, WHEN I'M PULLING

THE STRING, I HAVE TO HAVE

SOMETHING TO PROTECT MY FINGERS

FROM THE STRING.

>> Narrator: BYRON'S STYLE IS

OLD-SCHOOL NOTTINGHAM AND

REMINISCENT OF THE MOST FAMOUS

ARCHER IN HISTORY -- ROBIN HOOD.

ACCORDING TO LEGEND,

ROBIN HOOD'S SKILL WITH THE BOW

WAS SO GREAT THAT HE COULD SPLIT

AN ARROW WITH ANOTHER ARROW.

WHILE HISTORIANS DOUBT THAT A

SINGLE MAN NAMED ROBIN HOOD

REALLY EXISTED, HIS FABLED

ABILITIES WITH A BOW AND ARROW

SET A STANDARD FOR MARKSMEN TO

ACHIEVE.

FOR BYRON TO COMPLETE HIS

CHALLENGE, HE MUST SHOOT HIS

ARROW WITH AMPLE FORCE ALONG A

PRECISE TRAJECTORY.

HIS TARGET IS THE BACK OF THE

ARROW CALLED THE NOCK, WHICH IS

ABOUT THE SIZE OF A MATCH HEAD.

IF BYRON'S AIM IS EVEN A

MILLIMETER OFF, OR HE FAILS TO

PUT ENOUGH POWER BEHIND HIS

RELEASE, THE ARROW WILL MISS ITS

MARK.

BYRON'S INCREDIBLE ACCURACY

COMES FROM YEARS OF PRACTICE AND

A UNIQUE SHOOTING STYLE INSPIRED

BY ONE OF THE GREATEST BOWMEN OF

ALL TIME.

>> I LEARNED ABOUT A FELLOW FROM

MY HOME STATE OF ALABAMA NAMED

HOWARD HILL, WHO, AT THE TIME,

WAS JUST A PHENOMENAL ARCHER.

I STARTED READING EVERYTHING I

COULD ABOUT HOWARD HILL, BUYING

HIS BOOKS, AND REALLY STARTED

STUDYING HOW HE SHOT.

THROUGH LEARNING HIS TECHNIQUES,

I HIT ON MY OWN SYSTEM OF AIMING

THE ROW, WHICH I CALL "BECOME

THE ARROW."

WHEN YOU BECOME THE ARROW, YOU

ACTUALLY SEE THE ARROW STRIKE

THE TARGET BEFORE YOU EVER

RELEASE THE ARROW.

>> Narrator: UNLIKE ROBIN HOOD,

HOWARD HILL WAS THE REAL DEAL.

TO MANY, HE IS CONSIDERED THE

GREATEST ARCHER TO EVER DRAW A

BOWSTRING.

HILL WAS BORN IN THE SMALL TOWN

OF WILSONVILLE, ALABAMA, IN

1899.

AS A PROFESSIONAL ARCHER, HE WON

AN ASTOUNDING 196 CONSECUTIVE

FIELD-ARCHERY TOURNAMENTS -- A

RECORD THAT STANDS TO THIS DAY.

AND AS AN EXHIBITION SHOWMAN,

HILL WAS A VIRTUAL ROCK STAR.

THIS RARE ARCHERY-EXHIBITION

FOOTAGE DEMONSTRATES THE

REMARKABLE ACCURACY THAT MADE

HIM A LEGEND.

>> THINGS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T

IMAGINE HAPPENING.

AND, OF COURSE, THEY'D ALWAYS

HAVE THE LOVELY LADIES THERE AS

HIS AIDE-DE-CAMPS -- SETTING UP

THE THING AND THEN STEPPING

BACK.

BUT HE WAS DOING ALL KINDS OF

TRICK SHOTS FOR THESE SHORTS,

AND THEY WERE VERY POPULAR OVER

THE YEARS.

>> Narrator: HILL'S REPUTATION

AS A MODERN-DAY ROBIN HOOD

LANDED HIM ON THE BIG SCREEN AS

THE STUNT SHOOTER FOR

ERROL FLYNN IN THE 1938

BIG-BUDGET ACTION SPECTACULAR,

"THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD."

>> THEY HAD TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO

COULD DO A LOT OF THE SHOOTING

AND ALSO TO WORK WITH FLYNN.

SO HE CAME OVER THERE TO

WARNER BROS. IN BURBANK IN 1937

WHEN THE FILM WAS PRODUCED.

AND, OF COURSE, ONE LOOK AT HIS

ACT [Laughs] AND THEY SAID,

"THIS IS THE GUY."

>> Narrator: HILL'S LEGEND LIVES

ON...

EMBODIED BY MARKSMEN LIKE BYRON.

BUT BEFORE BYRON ATTEMPTS THE

MOST DIFFICULT SHOT IN ALL OF

ARCHERY, HE'LL TRY HIS

LUCK ON A TARGET THAT'S ABOUT

FOUR TIMES BIGGER.

>> WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A RING.

I'VE DONE THIS SHOT SEVERAL

TIMES, BUT IT NEVER GETS ANY

EASIER.

THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE RING

IS ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A DIME,

AS YOU CAN SEE.

A VERY HARD SHOT, BUT A SHOT

THAT IS A LOT OF FUN TO DO.

I CERTAINLY HOPE THEY HAVE

INSURANCE ON THAT RING...

UNLESS, OF COURSE, IT'S A CHEAP

RING.

>> Narrator: RIGHT DOWN THE

PIPE.

HERE IT IS AGAIN AT 20,000

FRAMES PER SECOND.

BYRON'S ACCURACY IS REMARKABLE.

BUT HE'S ABOUT TO PUT HIS

REPUTATION...ON THE LINE.

NOW, ON AN OPEN FIELD AT A

PRIVATE RANGE IN CORONA,

CALIFORNIA, BYRON IS READY TO

ATTEMPT THE MOST CELEBRATED SHOT

IN ALL OF ARCHERY.

>> NOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A

VERY, VERY EXACTING SHOT.

I HAVE A TARGET ABOUT THE SIZE

OF A PINHEAD I HAVE TO HIT IN

ORDER TO MAKE THIS SHOT WORK.

SO, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO

GUARANTEES.

I WILL DO THE BEST I CAN, BUT

[LAUGHS] IT MAY TAKE A FEW SHOTS

TO GET THIS ONE DONE.

>> Narrator: TO SHOOT HIS ARROW

THROUGH THIS MINISCULE TARGET,

BYRON WILL NEED METICULOUS

EXECUTION...

PERFECT AIM...

AND PROBABLY A LITTLE LUCK.

>> JUST A LITTLE OUTSIDE.

LOOKS LIKE THE ELEVATION WAS

PERFECT, BUT I SHOT JUST A

LITTLE BIT TO THE RIGHT, SO I'M

GONNA MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT AND

AIM A LITTLE BIT TO THE LEFT.

[ LAUGHS ]

IT STILL DIDN'T GO IN THERE,

BUT, BOY, IT'S CLOSE.

WE WOUNDED THAT ONE.

WE GOT A PRETTY GOOD LICK ON IT,

BUT STILL WE DIDN'T SPLIT IT.

WE PUT A NEW ARROW IN -- WE'RE

GONNA SPLIT THIS ONE.

HOO-YAH!

[ LAUGHS ]

O YE OF LITTLE FAITH.

>> Narrator: SLOW-MOTION REPLAY

CAPTURES BYRON'S PERFECT SHOT...

RIGHT DOWN THE SHAFT.

>> THE LEGEND IS TRUE.

ROBIN HOOD COULD SPLIT AN ARROW.

AS YOU CAN SEE, I SPLIT AN

ARROW, AND IT ONLY TOOK ME 937

TRIES.

BUT WE GOT IT DONE.

AS FAR AS ARCHERY IS CONCERNED,

THIS IS ABOUT AS EXTREMELY

ACCURATE A SHOT AS YOU CAN

POSSIBLY HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH --

TO ACTUALLY PUT AN ARROW INSIDE

ANOTHER ARROW.

>> Narrator: ROBIN HOOD MAY BE

NOTHING MORE THAN A MYTH, BUT

ARCHER BYRON FERGUSON IS A TRUE

LONGBOW MASTER...

AND THIS SLOW-MOTION FOOTAGE

PROVES IT.

[ RAPID GUNFIRE ]

>> UPSTAIRS!

>> Narrator: THIS MAY LOOK LIKE

A MODERN-DAY VERSION OF THE

O.K. CORRAL...

>> HIT! HIT!

>> Narrator: ...BUT IT'S JUST A

TYPICAL DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR

THESE COMPETITIVE SHOOTERS.

[ GUNSHOTS ]

AND THIS EXTREME MARKSMAN IS

ARGUABLY THE GREATEST

GUNSLINGING COMPETITOR WORKING

TODAY.

MEET JERRY MICULEK.

HERE IN GEORGIA, JERRY IS

COMPETING IN THE ANNUAL

FORT BENNING 3-GUN TOURNEY.

>> IT KIND OF GOT YOUR HEART

RATE UP, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW

EVERYTHING HERE IS FRIENDLY.

IT PUTS YOU INTO THE MOMENT.

>> Narrator: IN A 3-GUN TOURNEY,

COMPETITIVE SHOOTERS HAVE TO BE

ABLE TO RUN AND GUN WITH A

RIFLE...

>> ON A RIFLE LIKE THIS, JUST

SHOOTING ONE TARGET -- SIX,

SEVEN, EIGHT ROUNDS A SECOND

WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.

IT'S REALLY SET UP FOR FAST

WORK.

>> Narrator: ...A SHOTGUN...

>> USUALLY A STOCK SHOTGUN WILL

HOLD THREE TO FIVE ROUNDS.

THESE ARE MODIFIED TO HOLD UP TO

16 ROUNDS.

>> Narrator: ...AND A PISTOL.

>> ON A PISTOL LIKE THIS, YOU

CAN PRETTY EASILY FIRE SIX

ROUNDS IN A SECOND.

>> Narrator: PARTICIPANTS

COMPETE IN 10 DIFFERENT STAGES.

EACH PERFORMANCE IS TIMED.

IF A SHOOTER MISSES A TARGET, HE

OR SHE RECEIVES A 10-SECOND

PENALTY.

THE COMPETITOR WITH THE FASTEST

OVERALL TIME IS THE CHAMPION.

>> I MEMORIZE EACH SECTION --

WHAT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT I'M GONNA

ENGAGE.

BASICALLY, HOW MANY STEPS, WHAT

I'M GONNA SEE.

AFTER I GET A WALK-THROUGH, I

CAN COME BACK HERE AND SHOOT IT

WITH MY EYES CLOSED.

YOU'RE WINNING BY BEING FAST.

YOU NEVER WANT TO STOP MOVING

YOUR FEET.

YOU ALWAYS WANT TO STAY

AGGRESSIVE -- KEEP THE SIGHTS

GOING.

I ALWAYS WANT TO STAY HUNGRY FOR

A SHOT.

>> Narrator: IN COMPETITIVE

SHOOTING, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

FIRST AND SECOND PLACE CAN COME

DOWN TO TENTHS OF A SECOND, SO

SHOOTERS LIKE JERRY TRICK OUT

THEIR GUNS FOR SPEED.

BUT TAKE AWAY THE MODIFICATIONS,

AND HOW FAST CAN HE REALLY

SHOOT?

>> YOU WANT TO FILM THIS ONE?

>> YES, SIR.

>> Narrator: IN 1999, JERRY SET

A WORLD RECORD USING A

STRIPPED-DOWN SMITH & WESSON

REVOLVER...

[ BEEP ]

[ CHEERS ]

...FIRING 12 SHOTS ON A TARGET

WITH A SINGLE RELOAD IN JUST

UNDER THREE SECONDS.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

>> 2.99.

>> WHOO!

>> Narrator: BUT HOW FAST CAN HE

DO IT BLINDFOLDED?

JERRY WILL BE STANDING 15 FEET

AWAY FROM A STEEL TARGET.

WHEN HIS TIMER BEEPS, HE'LL

ATTEMPT TO FIRE SIX SHOTS,

RELOAD, AND FIRE SIX SHOTS

AGAIN -- ALL ON TARGET AND IN

UNDER SIX SECONDS.

AS IF THAT WASN'T DIFFICULT

ENOUGH, HE'LL BE BLINDFOLDED.

JERRY WILL HAVE TO RELY ON

MUSCLE MEMORY, BECAUSE HE'LL

NEED TO FIND THE TARGET AFTER

DRAWING HIS PISTOL AND AGAIN

AFTER HE RELOADS.

[ BEEP ]

JERRY'S A CHAMPION BECAUSE HE

PUTS LEAD ON THE TARGET WITH

SPEED AND PRECISION.

>> HOW DOES IT FEEL?

>> WHEW!

IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

>> Narrator: YET THE FIRST

NATIONAL COMPETITIVE SHOOTING

TOURNAMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF

THOSE VERY TRAITS.

DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE

19th CENTURY, THE WORDS

"MARKSMAN" AND "SOLDIER" HAD NO

JOINT MEANING IN THE

U.S. MILITARY.

>> THE INDIVIDUAL MARKSMAN WAS

NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS

TRAINED PRIOR TO THE CIVIL WAR.

AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD,

INDIVIDUAL MARKSMANSHIP WAS

BECOMING VERY IMPORTANT.

IN FACT, THE BRITISH SOLDIERS

HAD TO PLACE FIVE SHOTS ON A

TARGET 1,000 YARDS AWAY.

AND THIS WAS IN 1869.

THE AMERICAN SOLDIER COULD DO

NOTHING OF THE SORT.

>> Narrator: IN RESPONSE TO THIS

POOR MARKSMANSHIP,

GENERAL GEORGE WINGATE AND

COLONEL WILLIAM CHURCH FOUNDED

THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

IN 1871.

TWO YEARS LATER, THE NRA

ORGANIZED THE FIRST COMPETITIVE

SHOOTING MATCH AT THE CREEDMOOR

RANGE IN LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK.

>> THE COMPETITIONS WERE AMONGST

THE UNITS OF THE NEW YORK

NATIONAL GUARD.

AND THEY WERE SHOOTING FOR

PRIZES.

THEY WERE SHOOTING FOR PRIDE.

THEY WERE PARTICIPATING TO

REALLY SHOW THEIR PROWESS IN

MARKSMANSHIP.

>> Narrator: THE WINNING UNIT

RECEIVED A GATLING GUN, VALUED

AT OVER $2,000.

COMPETITIVE SHOOTING TOURNAMENTS

AMONGST THE MILITARY CONTINUED

ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

THE SPIRIT OF COMPETITION

INSPIRED SOLDIERS TO EXPERIMENT

WITH NEW SHOOTING TECHNIQUES --

ANYTHING TO GET AN EDGE.

SKILLS LEARNED THROUGH

COMPETITION LED THE MILITARY TO

ADOPT NEW TRAINING METHODS,

WHICH, IN TURN, HAD A RESOUNDING

IMPACT ON SOLDIER MARKSMANSHIP.

>> A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE

TODAY -- THE SHOOTING PLATFORM,

HOW THE GUN WAS HELD, HOW YOU

SIGHTED THE FIREARM -- JUST THE

TECHNIQUES OF SHOOTING WERE

REFINED TO A POINT WHERE YOU

COULD MAKE THAT SHOT AT

800 YARDS AND PUT IT INTO A

SIX-INCH BULL'S-EYE.

>> Narrator: THE POPULARITY OF

COMPETITIVE SHOOTING HAS SINCE

CROSSED OVER INTO THE CIVILIAN

POPULATION, SPURRING THE

FORMATION OF NEW ORGANIZATIONS,

LIKE THE "UNITED STATES

PRACTICAL SHOOTING ASSOCIATION."

ITS FAST-PACED, SHOOT-'EM-UP

STYLE BRINGS A UNIQUE BRAND OF

ENTERTAINMENT TO THE SPORT.

AND JERRY IS ONE OF THE BEST.

JERRY KEEPS HIS TRIGGER FINGER

COMPETITION-READY BY SQUEEZING

OFF ROUNDS EVERY CHANCE HE GETS.

THAT MEANS SPENDING A LOT OF

TIME AT THE RANGE.

>> IN COMPETITION SHOOTING,

SPEED IS KING.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'D LIKE

TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE

EQUIPMENT THAT WE USE TO DO SOME

SPEED-SHOOTING.

WHAT I HAVE HERE TODAY IS ONE OF

OUR TIMERS THAT WE SHOOT IN

COMPETITION.

THE WAY THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF

EQUIPMENT WORKS -- IT PICKS UP

THE SOUND OF EVERY SHOT, AND IT

REGISTERS ON THE TIMER.

SO WHEN YOU GO BACK AND REVIEW

IT, YOU CAN GET AN IDEA EXACTLY

HOW MANY SHOTS YOU FIRED AND THE

TIME SPAN IT TOOK YOU TO DO IT.

SO, WE'LL TAKE THIS 1911 PISTOL

AND GO AHEAD AND FIRE 10 ROUNDS

ON THAT TARGET AND TRY TO DO IT

IN AROUND TWO SECONDS.

>> Narrator: JERRY'S MODEL 1911

PISTOL IS A SEMI-AUTOMATIC

HANDGUN THAT HOLDS 10

.45-CALIBER BULLETS.

[ BEEP ]

>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE

CLOCK HERE AND SEE, ACTUALLY,

THE TIME IT TOOK TO DO THAT.

THE TOTAL TIME WAS 1.99, BUT

WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE IS WHAT

THE FIRST SHOT WAS, 'CAUSE WE'RE

GOING FROM THE FIRST TO THE

TENTH SHOT.

AND THE FIRST SHOT CAME IN

EXACTLY 77 HUNDREDTHS.

>> Narrator: THAT MEANS JERRY

SQUEEZED OFF A SHOT EVERY TENTH

OF A SECOND.

BUT HIS TRIGGER FINGER IS JUST

GETTING WARMED UP.

>> THIS PARTICULAR TIMER HAS AN

R.P.M. MODE, WHICH MEANS "ROUND

PER MINUTE," AND THE SAME THING

THAT YOU WOULD TIME A MACHINE

GUN WITH.

SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS SET IT

ON "R.P.M." AND TAKE THAT 1911

PISTOL -- AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO

CHEAT A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE IT

SHOOT A LITTLE FASTER.

I'M GONNA SHOOT IT WITH BOTH

HANDS.

LET'S SEE WHAT KIND OF R.P.M. WE

CAN DO HERE.

[ MAGAZINE CLICKS ]

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE R.P.M.

THERE.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY 674 ROUNDS PER

MINUTE.

SO, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FASTER

WITH TWO HANDS, BUT SOMETIMES

YOU HAVE TO CHEAT.

>> Narrator: HERE IT IS AGAIN.

JERRY SHOOTS HIS PISTOL AS FAST

AS A MACHINE GUN, BUT HOW FAST

CAN HE HIT A TARGET HE CAN'T

EVEN SEE?

STANDING 15 FEET AWAY FROM A

STEEL TARGET, JERRY WILL ATTEMPT

TO FIRE SIX SHOTS, RELOAD, AND

THEN FIRE ANOTHER SIX SHOTS IN

SIX SECONDS OR LESS.

AND HE'LL BE UNABLE TO SEE HIS

TARGET.

JERRY WILL BE USING A

SMITH & WESSON MODEL 625

REVOLVER SET FOR DOUBLE-ACTION

FIRE.

>> I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU MY

HANDGUN IF YOU HAVE A SECOND

HERE.

THE WAY THIS GUN IS SET UP, IT'S

SET UP FOR REALLY FAST RELOADS

AND ALSO, THE ACTION ON IT IS

VERY SMOOTH, SO IT'S CONDUCIVE

TO SPEED.

>> Narrator: THE MODEL 625

HOLDS SIX .45-CALIBER BULLETS

AND FEATURES A WIDE-GROOVED

SPEED TRIGGER FOR QUICK

SHOOTING.

FOR HIS RELOAD, JERRY WILL USE A

MOON CLIP THAT HOLDS SIX SHOTS

AND SLIDES RIGHT INTO THE

CHAMBERS FOR ULTRA-FAST LOADING.

JERRY PULLS IT OFF IN JUST UNDER

SIX SECONDS.

ALTHOUGH JERRY CAN'T SEE THE

TARGET, HE STILL MANAGES TO AIM

HIS PISTOL ACCURATELY AFTER

DRAWING FROM HIS HOLSTER AND

AGAIN, FOLLOWING HIS RELOAD.

>> OKAY, WE BEAT THE CHALLENGE

HERE AT 5 YARDS.

NOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT A LOT

HARDER.

WE'RE GONNA MOVE ALL THE WAY

BACK TO 10 YARDS, AND THIS

SHOULD MAKE IT AT LEAST 10 TIMES

HARDER.

>> Narrator: JERRY'S MARGIN OF

ERROR HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF.

HE'LL NEED AN ABSOLUTELY

FLAWLESS TECHNIQUE.

[ BEEP ]

HE'S DONE IT.

>> WHEW!

[ LAUGHS ]

THERE IT IS -- SIX AND SIX

BLINDFOLDED AT 10 YARDS AND

5.23 HUNDREDTHS OF A SECOND.

>> Narrator: PRECISION WITH A

BLINDFOLD AND BLINDING SPEED TO

MATCH.

>> Narrator: ALREADY, OUR

MARKSMEN HAVE AMAZED US WITH

SPECTACULAR FEATS OF ACCURACY.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO HITTING A

TARGET AT GREAT DISTANCES, IT

TAKES A COMBINATION OF

TECHNOLOGY AND THE SKILL OF AN

EXTREME MARKSMEN TEAM.

[ GUNSHOT ]

MEET TWO OF THE BEST -- SNIPERS

SERGEANT JASON ST. JOHN AND

ROBBIE JOHNSON.

HERE AT FORT BENNING, GEORGIA,

JASON IS PLACING A STATIONARY

TARGET ATOP A SHOOTING RANGE.

TO GET INTO POSITION FOR THE

SHOT, HE AND HIS PARTNER,

ROBBIE, WILL HIKE THE EQUIVALENT

OF 10 FOOTBALL FIELDS...

1,000 YARDS AWAY.

ROBBIE AND JASON WILL POSITION

THEMSELVES ON A SHALLOW RISE.

THEIR TARGET IS STRAIGHT IN

FRONT OF THEM, BUT 3,000 FEET

AWAY.

TO HIT THEIR MARK, THEY'LL HAVE

TO COMPENSATE FOR GRAVITY AND

WIND.

A SLIGHT MISCALCULATION AND

THEY'LL MISS THE TARGET

COMPLETELY.

>> YOU'RE NOT JUST GONNA STEP UP

AT 1,000 YARDS, DAY ONE, OR EVEN

PROBABLY A YEAR INTO IT, AND

HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE.

YOU CANNOT MAKE AN ERROR IN THE

WIND.

YOU CAN'T MAKE AN ERROR IN THE

RANGE.

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GET AWAY

WITH ANYTHING.

AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT KIND OF

THE CRUX OF SNIPER CRAFT IS THE

1,000-YARD SHOT AND, REALLY, THE

GOLD STANDARD.

>> Narrator: SO FAR, NONE OF OUR

SHOOTERS HAVE RELIED ON

HIGH-TECH GADGETRY TO COMPLETE

THEIR CHALLENGES.

BUT HITTING A TARGET SO FAR AWAY

THAT THE NAKED EYE CAN BARELY

DISTINGUISH IT MEANS PULLING OUT

A HIGH-POWERED RIFLE AND A SET

OF SCOPES.

FOR THIS CHALLENGE, ROBBIE IS

EQUIPPED WITH A REMINGTON M-24

BOLT-ACTION RIFLE.

THE RIFLE HOLDS A FIVE-ROUND

INTERNAL MAGAZINE AND SHOOTS

.33-CALIBER MAGNUM BULLETS AT

2,800 FEET PER SECOND.

ATOP THE RIFLE SITS A

3 ½-TO-10 VARIABLE POWER LEOPOLD

SCOPE.

AT FULL POWER, IT CAN MAKE AN

OBJECT 1,000 YARDS AWAY APPEAR

ONLY 100 YARDS AWAY.

PEERING THROUGH THE EYEPIECE

REVEALS THE FAMILIAR CROSS-HAIR

PATTERN USED BY THE SNIPER.

FIVE MIL DOTS ARE SPACED OUT

SYMMETRICALLY ACROSS EACH LINE

FROM THE CENTER.

ROBBIE'S TRAINED EYE WILL USE

THE DOTS TO GAUGE THE DISTANCE

AND SIZE OF THE TARGET.

TWO KNOBS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE

SCOPE ADJUST FOR WIND AND FOR

BULLET DROP -- THE EFFECT THAT

GRAVITY HAS ON THE BULLET ONCE

IT FIRES FROM THE BARREL.

>> IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY

37 MINUTES OF ANGLE TO GET OUT

TO 1,000 YARDS.

SO, IN TERMS, THAT'S 370 INCHES

THAT THAT BULLET DROPS, FROM

100 YARDS TO 1,000 YARDS.

>> Narrator: AS THE BULLET

TRAVELS THE SIX-TENTHS OF A MILE

TO THE TARGET, IT DROPS AS MUCH

AS 30 FEET BECAUSE OF GRAVITY.

>> I'M BASICALLY USING THE KNOBS

HERE ON TOP OF MY SCOPE TO

CHANGE MY ZERO TO COME UP THOSE

370 INCHES, SO MY CROSS HAIRS

ARE STILL ON TARGET.

BUT I'M ACTUALLY CANTING MY

BARREL UP TO ALLOW FOR THE DROP

OF THE ROUND.

>> Narrator: AS ROBBIE ATTEMPTS

TO SECURE AN ACCURATE SHOT, THE

ELEMENTS CONSPIRE AGAINST HIM.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> Narrator: CHANGING WINDS ARE

HIS GREATEST ENEMY.

HE MUST RELY ON HIS PARTNER'S

MORE POWERFUL SCOPE TO MAKE HIS

WIND ADJUSTMENT.

>> EXCUSE ME -- 6 INCHES RIGHT

OF CENTER.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS

THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT TO

DETERMINE WHAT THE WIND IS

DOING.

THE PRIMARY THING THAT MOST

PEOPLE LOOK AT IS THE MIRAGE.

AS THE DAY HEATS UP, AS THE SUN

COOKS THE GROUND AND THE HEAT

BEGINS TO RISE, THE HOT AIR

RISES, THAT'S WHAT CAUSES THE

MIRAGE AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE

AIR.

>> Narrator: AT THIS DISTANCE, A

SLIGHT MISCALCULATION IN WIND OR

SIZE AND RANGE OF THE TARGET

WILL CAUSE THE BULLET TO MISS

ITS MARK.

>> I CAN TELL YOU EVEN AFTER

15 YEARS THAT ME AND

SERGEANT JOHNSON WILL SIT DOWN

HERE AT 1,000 YARDS, AND IT'S A

VERY DAUNTING TASK.

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GET AWAY

WITH ANYTHING.

>> Narrator: THROUGHOUT HISTORY,

THE PATIENCE, SKILL, AND

PRECISION NEEDED TO PULL OFF A

KILL SHOT FROM 1,000 YARDS...

>> SIX INCHES RIGHT OF CENTER.

>> Narrator: ...HAS ONLY BEEN

DEMONSTRATED BY A SMALL GROUP OF

ELITE MARKSMEN.

>> SEND IT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> Narrator: NOVEMBER 1942 --

STALINGRAD, RUSSIA.

THE STREETS APPEAR EMPTY, BUT

INSIDE A BOMBED-OUT BUILDING,

RUSSIAN SNIPER VASSILI ZAITSEV

SCANS THE WINDOWS OF A BUILDING

ACROSS THE VOLGA RIVER, HALF A

MILE AWAY.

THE TIME IS NOW.

ONE SHOT. ONE KILL.

VASSILI ZAITSEV WAS A DEADLY

SNIPER, KILLING OVER 200 GERMAN

SOLDIERS DURING THE

BATTLE OF STALINGRAD.

YET HIS REMARKABLE FEAT WAS

POSSIBLE, THANKS TO A LETHAL

COMBINATION OF CUTTING-EDGE

TECHNOLOGY AND FIVE CENTURIES OF

MARKSMANSHIP TRIAL AND ERROR.

THE EARLIEST SNIPERS HAD ONLY

THEIR EYES AND THEIR WEAPONS,

AND THE EARLIEST WEAPONS DIDN'T

ALWAYS COOPERATE.

[ GUNSHOT ]

THE FIRST FIREARM TO EMERGE

AFTER THE ADVENT OF GUNPOWDER

WAS THE SMOOTHBORE MUSKET.

DEVELOPED IN CHINA, THE MUSKET

MIGRATED TO EUROPE AND

EVENTUALLY TO AMERICA.

IT STOOD AS THE WORKHORSE WEAPON

OF WARFARE FOR FIVE CENTURIES,

BUT IT WASN'T KNOWN FOR ITS

ACCURACY.

>> FOR OVER 500 YEARS, FROM THE

1300s ALL THE WAY TO ALMOST

1850, THE STANDARD STYLE OR TYPE

OF MILITARY MUSKET WAS THE

SMOOTHBORE MUSKET.

>> Narrator: DAVID STIEGHAN

ISN'T A MARKSMAN.

HE'S AN HISTORIAN, A

GUN-COLLECTION APPRAISER.

AND OVER THE YEARS, HE'S

COLLECTED A FEW VINTAGE GUNS OF

HIS OWN.

>> THIS MUSKET IS READY TO FIRE.

IT'S ON HALF-COCK, OR THE SAFETY

POSITION.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T

GO OFF HALF-COCKED.

SO, YOU READY?

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN HIT THAT

WATERMELON FROM HERE.

NOPE, WE DIDN'T.

AS YOU SAW WHEN WE PULLED THE

TRIGGER, A BIG CLOUD COMES OUT,

ABOUT THE SIZE OF A COW, OF

WHITE SMOKE.

BUT ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE FLINT

ACTION HERE.

ONCE YOU PULL THE TRIGGER, YOU

SEE A LOT OF FLASH AND FLAME AND

SMOKE COMING OUT OF IT, SO THE

SOLDIERS WOULD CLOSE THEIR EYES

AND PROTECT THEM JUST BEFORE

THEY PULLED THE TRIGGER WITH

THEM.

AND SO, IT'S REALLY IMPOSSIBLE

TO AIM.

ALL YOU'RE DOING IS POINTING.

>> Narrator: BUT IN THE 1850s,

THE EMERGENCE OF TWO

TECHNOLOGIES, RIFLING AND THE

ELONGATED, EXPANDING BULLET,

STARTED TO BRING MARKSMANSHIP TO

THE BATTLEFIELD.

>> IN 1848, A FRENCH ARTILLERY

CAPTAIN BY THE NAME OF

CLAUDE MINIé DEVELOPED THIS

BULLET.

EVERYBODY CALLED IT THE

MINIé BALL HERE IN AMERICA.

IT'S A SOLID LEAD BALL SHAPED

KIND OF LIKE A FOOTBALL, WITH A

POINTED END AND A FLAT BASE

THAT'S BEEN CUT OFF.

THERE'S A CAVITY, OR HOLE, IN

THIS END.

AND SINCE IT'S MADE OUT OF SOFT

LEAD, WHEN YOU LOAD IT ON TOP OF

THE POWDER AND RAM IT DOWN

INSIDE THE BARREL, THEN THE

POWDER, WHEN IT IS IGNITED, WILL

GO INTO THE CAVITY, SPREAD OUT

THESE SKIRTS -- SO IT MAKES A

TIGHT SEAL INSIDE THE BARREL --

AND THEN THE RIFLING, GROOVED

RIFLING INSIDE, WILL CAUSE IT TO

SPIN AS IT COMES OUT.

>> Narrator: WHEN A SHOOTER

FIRES THE GUN, THE AERODYNAMICS

OF A SPINNING, ELONGATED

PROJECTILE MAKE IT SHOOT TRUE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE BULLET GOES

WHERE YOU AIM IT.

>> THIS MUSKET WAS ORIGINALLY

MADE IN 1845 AT SPRINGFIELD,

MASSACHUSETTS.

WHEN IT WAS FIRST MADE, IT WAS A

SMOOTHBORE, LIKE THE OLD

FLINTLOCK MUSKETS OF THE

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

THIS HAS A PERCUSSION-STYLE

IGNITION SYSTEM.

THIS PERCUSSION CAP HAS GOT A

DROP OF FULMINATED MERCURY, AN

EXPLOSIVE, ON THE INSIDE.

SINCE IT DOESN'T EXPLODE

OUTSIDE, THE SOLDIER CAN KEEP

HIS EYE OPEN ON THE SIGHTS.

WELL, LET'S SEE HOW IT SHOOTS

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.

>> Narrator: BULL'S-EYE.

THE ACCURACY OF THE RIFLE GAVE

RISE TO DEADLY MARKSMEN LIKE

THE BERDAN SHARPSHOOTERS OF THE

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

ONLY THE ART OF STEALTH WAS

MISSING FROM THE SNIPER'S

REPERTOIRE.

IN 1886, THE FRENCH INTRODUCED

THE COUP DE GRACE WITH THE

LEBEL RIFLE.

>> THE CARTRIDGE CASE HELD

SMOKELESS CARTRIDGES.

INSTEAD OF HAVING THAT BIG CLOUD

THE SIZE OF A COW THAT WOULD

COME OUT WHEN YOU PULL THE

TRIGGER, INSTEAD...

THERE WAS NO SMOKE.

THAT MEANT THAT TROOPS COULD NOT

ONLY FIGHT ON A BATTLEFIELD THAT

WASN'T OBSCURED BY SMOKE, BUT

THEY COULD ALSO HIT TARGETS AT

OVER 1,000 YARDS.

>> Narrator: NOW THE SNIPER

ENTERED THE THEATER OF WAR.

SOME 55 YEARS LATER DURING

WORLD WAR II, SNIPERS LIKE

ZAITSEV CHALKED UP HUNDREDS OF

KILLS AND TERRORIZED THOUSANDS

MORE.

ALTHOUGH ZAITSEV'S MODEL 1891

MOSIN NAGANT RIFLE USED A LESS

POWERFUL SCOPE THAN TODAY'S

MODERN SNIPER-WEAPON SYSTEMS,

THE EXTRAORDINARY MARKSMAN

TOOK OUT AN ESTIMATED 242

AXIS SOLDIERS AND OFFICERS.

>> THIS IS THE SAME TYPE OF

RIFLE THAT VASSILI ZAITSEV, THE

FAMOUS SOVIET SNIPER, USED IN

STALINGRAD.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN HIT THAT

FASCIST HEAD IN THE WINDOWSILL

OVER THERE.

TOOK HIM RIGHT OFF AT THE NECK.

AS YOU SAW, THE WATERMELON

DIDN'T EXPLODE.

THE BULLET HAD A VERY SMALL

ENTRY HOLE BUT A MUCH LARGER

EXIT HOLE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE BULLETS

ARE KILLERS.

>> Narrator: FOR SUCH AN

IMPORTANT TOOL IN THE MARKSMAN'S

ARSENAL, MODERN AMMO SEEMS

DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE.

BUT, IN FACT, IT IS COMPLEX.

AND MAKING IT IS BOTH AN ART AND

A SCIENCE -- ONE THAT HAS GROWN

AND EVOLVED THROUGH THE YEARS

JUST AS GUNS HAVE.

HERE AT SIERRA BULLETS IN

SEDALIA, MISSOURI, PROJECTILE

DESIGNERS CONTINUE TO PUSH THE

ACCURACY ENVELOPE.

>> WE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING IN

WHAT IS, I BELIEVE, THE LONGEST

UNDERGROUND, PRIVATELY OWNED

RANGE IN THE WORLD.

THE RANGE ITSELF IS 300 METERS.

RIGHT NOW, THE TARGET THAT YOU

SEE IN THE BACKGROUND IS SET UP

AT 200 YARDS, WHICH IS WHERE WE

DO MOST OF OUR TESTING.

>> Narrator: SIERRA MAKES MORE

THAN 170 DIFFERENT KINDS OF

BULLETS, EACH DESIGNED WITH A

SPECIFIC APPLICATION IN MIND.

>> IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A

MODERN METALLIC CARTRIDGE,

YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY LOOKING AT

FOUR DIFFERENT COMPONENTS IN IT.

YOU HAVE THE CARTRIDGE CASE,

WHICH HOLDS THAT ALL

TOGETHER -- GENERALLY, BRASS.

YOU'VE GOT A PRIMER THAT SERVES

AS KIND OF THE SPARK PLUG THAT

SETS THE WHOLE THING OFF.

YOU'VE GOT THE POWDER, OR THE

PROPELLANT, THAT'S LOADED

INSIDE.

AND THEN YOU GOT THE PROJECTILE,

WHICH IS EJECTED OUT THE BORE.

MAKE STRICTLY THE PROJECTILES

HERE.

>> Narrator: THESE HIGH-VELOCITY

PROJECTILES ARE JACKETED -- A

LEAD CORE ENVELOPED BY A COPPER

JACKET TO PROTECT THE BULLET

INSIDE THE GUN, IN FLIGHT, AND

WHEN IMPACTING THE TARGET.

>> WITH THE ADVENT OF SMOKELESS

PROPELLANT, THE HIGHER

VELOCITIES INVOLVED, THE GREATER

STRESS IS INVOLVED, YOU HAD TO

PUT SOME SORT OF PROTECTIVE

JACKET AROUND THE LEAD CORE.

>> Narrator: MANY FACTORS AFFECT

A BULLET'S ACCURACY, INCLUDING

ITS SHAPE, ITS VELOCITY, AND

EVEN THE TEMPERATURE AND

HUMIDITY OF THE AIR.

BUT THE METAL JACKET IS A KEY TO

ENHANCED PERFORMANCE.

>> PROBABLY THE MOST CRITICAL

FEATURE THAT GOES INTO TURNING

OUT AN ACCURATE BULLET IS A

CONCENTRIC JACKET.

IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF

DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE WALL

THICKNESS, THAT CREATES AN

IMBALANCE.

AND ONCE THE BULLET'S IN FREE

FLIGHT, IT WILL ROTATE AROUND

ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY, AND

YOUR ACCURACY'S GONE.

>> Narrator: EVEN THOUGH SIERRA

TURNS OUT MILLIONS OF BULLETS A

WEEK, EVERYTHING IS

HAND-INSPECTED.

BUT THAT'S STILL NOT GOOD

ENOUGH.

>> NO MATTER HOW CONSISTENT YOU

MAKE EVERYTHING UP THERE ON THE

MACHINERY, IT REALLY COMES DOWN

TO, "HOW DOES IT PERFORM IN THE

GUN?"

AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIND THAT

OUT IS TO ACTUALLY SHOOT IT.

>> Narrator: NO BATCH OF BULLETS

LEAVES THE FACILITY WITHOUT THE

CHIEF BALLISTICI'S STAMP OF

APPROVAL.

SO, JUST HOW ACCURATE DO THESE

PROJECTILES HAVE TO BE TO PASS

MUSTER?

>> BASICALLY, AT 200 YARDS, WE

WANT ALL 10 ROUNDS TO BE ON AN

AREA ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A

QUARTER.

>> Narrator: LOCKING THE GUN IN

PLACE, WE'RE READY FOR THE TEST.

[ GUNSHOT ]

RIGHT ON TARGET.

[ GUNSHOT ]

THE EVOLUTION OF GUNS AND AMMO

MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO HIT A TARGET

FROM EXTREME DISTANCES.

BUT IT STILL TAKES THE SKILL OF

SPECIALLY TRAINED MARKSMEN TO

PULL OFF A 1,000-YARD SHOT.

BACK AT FORT BENNING, OUR

SNIPERS ARE JUST ABOUT READY TO

SEND A SPECIAL DELIVERY TO A

TARGET OVER HALF A MILE AWAY.

>> I PUT IT RIGHT ON THAT

SPOTTER.

>> READY.

>> SEND IT.

>> Narrator: SINCE 1987,

FORT BENNING HAS BEEN HOME TO

THE ONLY U.S. ARMY SNIPER SCHOOL

IN THE UNITED STATES.

[ GUNSHOT ]

SERGEANTS JASON ST. JOHN AND

ROBBIE JOHNSON ARE TWO OF ITS

MOST GIFTED GRADUATES.

>> ...RIGHT FAVOR.

>> Narrator: WE'RE GOING TO PUT

THEIR SKILLS TO THE ULTIMATE

TEST BY CHALLENGING THEM TO HIT

A TARGET FROM 1,000 YARDS.

IT WON'T BE EASY.

>> WHEN WE LOOK AND WE GOT A

1,000-YARD SHOT, SOMETIMES, I

MEAN, YOU HAVE THE APPROACH OF

"WELL, I GUESS WE'LL ROLL THE

DICE, AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT PLAYS

OUT," BECAUSE THERE'S THAT MUCH

THAT GOES INTO IT.

>> Narrator: SO, WHAT DOES IT

TAKE TO HIT A TARGET FROM OVER

HALF A MILE AWAY?

>> THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION

ABOUT SNIPERS IS, IS THAT WE'RE

STONE-COLD KILLERS -- WE'RE

COLD-BLOODED KILLERS.

AND WE'RE NOT.

WE'RE AMERICAN SOLDIERS PICKED

TO DO A SPECIFIC JOB IN THE

UNITED STATES ARMY.

>> Narrator: TO BECOME A

U.S. ARMY SNIPER, THESE AMERICAN

SOLDIERS WILL HAVE TO

DEMONSTRATE A DISTINCTIVE

SKILL SET OF MARKSMANSHIP...

[ GUNSHOT ]

...INTELLIGENCE...

AND STEALTH.

BLENDING INTO THE TERRAIN

REQUIRES SOME SERIOUS MAKEUP AND

A WELL-MANICURED UNIFORM...

THE GILLY SUIT.

>> THE GILLY SUIT IS JUST

BASICALLY WHAT WE TEACH AT BASE

FOR YOUR CAMOUFLAGE.

ONCE YOU'VE GOT THE BASE DOWN,

THEN WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS GRAB

AS MUCH STUFF AROUND YOU AS

POSSIBLE TO HAVE YOU BLEND IN

WITH THE TERRAIN THAT YOU'RE IN.

>> Narrator: TODAY, THESE

STUDENTS WILL EMBARK ON AN

ESSENTIAL SNIPER-TRAINING

EXERCISE...

THE STALK.

EACH STUDENT IS GIVEN A MAP WITH

THE SET BOUNDARIES FOR THE

STALK.

TO PASS THE EXERCISE, THEY'LL

NEED TO MOVE WITHIN 1,300 FEET

OF THE TARGET AND FIRE THEIR

WEAPON WITHOUT BEING SPOTTED.

TWO INSTRUCTORS, INCLUDING

SERGEANT DOOLITTLE, ARE POISED

NEXT TO THE TARGET.

>> THAT'S RIGHT -- I'LL JUST

KEEP LOOKING AT THAT AREA...

>> Narrator: THEY'LL

CONTINUOUSLY SCAN THE TERRAIN,

LOOKING FOR TELLTALE SIGNS THAT

WILL EXPOSE A STUDENT'S

POSITION.

>> SOMETIMES, WHAT WILL HAPPEN

IS, THE SNIPER WILL SEE A TREE

AND HE'LL CRAWL BEHIND IT, AND

IT WILL GET WHAT WE CALL A TREE

CANCER.

THERE WILL BE A STRAIGHT LINE ON

THE TREE AND THEN A BIG LUMP AT

THE BOTTOM OF THE TREE WHERE THE

SNIPER'S SITTING.

OR THEY DON'T CAMOUFLAGE THEIR

SCOPE, AND THE SUN'S SHINING

RIGHT AT IT.

THE GLINT FROM THE SCOPE CAN

GIVE THEM AWAY.

FREEZE HIM, FREEZE HIM, FREEZE

HIM.

IF I SEE SOMEBODY OR IF I THINK

I SEE SOMETHING, I'LL GET A

WALKER OVER THERE, AND I'LL TRY

AND WALK THE WALKER WITHIN 12

INCHES OF THE SNIPER.

IF WE CAN GET HIM WITHIN 12

INCHES OF THE SNIPER, THEN

THEY'RE BUSTED.

FORWARD.

[ BEEP ]

FORWARD.

[ BEEP ]

INCH FORWARD.

[ BEEP ]

SNIPER?

>> Roger.

>> ROGER.

[ BEEP ]

SEND HIM BACK TO THE O.R.P.

>> Roger.

>> WE TRAIN THESE GUYS TO THE

BEST OF OUR ABILITY, AND,

HOPEFULLY, WE SEND TO IRAQ AND

AFGHANISTAN WITH THE KNOWLEDGE

TO BE ABLE TO DO THE MISSION

THAT THEY'RE TRAINED TO DO.

>> Narrator: MANEUVERING INTO

POSITION UNDETECTED IS THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND

DEATH FOR A SNIPER.

BUT IF A SNIPER'S BULLET MISSES

ITS MARK, HIS POSITION CAN BE

EXPOSED.

AT FORT BENNING, SNIPERS AND

SPOTTERS SPEND HOURS ON THE

RANGE, HONING THEIR SKILLS TO

DELIVER THE PERFECT SHOT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> SNIPERS GET OUT ON THE RANGE

EVERY DAY, AND THEY PULL THE

TRIGGER EVERY DAY, AND THEY SEND

AT LEAST 20 ROUNDS DOWN RANGE

EVERY DAY.

THEIR SKILLS ARE GONNA INCREASE

EXPONENTIALLY.

>> Narrator: BUT MISSING THE

TARGET IS PART OF THE LEARNING

CURVE.

WHEN THE TRIGGER IS PULLED AND

THE LEAD STARTS FLYING, THE

SPOTTER RELIES ON HIS

HIGH-POWERED SCOPE TO READ THE

TRACE OF THE BULLET.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> Narrator: AS THE BULLET FIRES

OUT OF THE BARREL...

[ GUNSHOT ]

...IT CUTS THROUGH THE AIR AT

2,600 FEET PER SECOND,

GENERATING ENOUGH HEAT TO BOIL

THE WATER IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

THIS CREATES A MATRIX-LIKE TRAIL

THAT'S ONLY VISIBLE THROUGH THE

SPOTTER'S HIGH-POWERED OPTIC.

BY FOLLOWING THE WAKE OF THE

BULLET, THE SPOTTER CAN GUIDE

THE SHOOTER LEFT, RIGHT, UP, OR

DOWN IF THE INITIAL SHOT MISSES

ITS MARK.

BUT EVEN WITH ALL THIS

SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT,

BECOMING A ONE-SHOT, ONE-KILL

MARKSMAN TAKES YEARS OF

PRACTICE.

>> IT'S REALLY NOT THAT EASY,

ESPECIALLY FOR GUYS THAT ARE

JUST NOW LEARNING HOW TO SHOOT

THE RIFLE AND GUYS THAT HAVE

NEVER SPOTTED BEFORE.

IT JUST COMES WITH PRACTICE.

>> Narrator: SNIPER SCHOOL LASTS

FOR FIVE WEEKS.

ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN

ONE-QUARTER OF THE STUDENTS WILL

FAIL TO BECOME U.S. ARMY

SNIPERS.

JASON AND ROBBIE ARE TWO OF THE

BEST, AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO PROVE

IT.

>> ROBBIE, I NEED RIGHT FAVOR.

>> Narrator: HERE AT A CLOSED

RANGE IN FORT BENNING, GEORGIA,

JASON AND ROBBIE WILL ATTEMPT TO

HIT A STATIONARY TARGET FROM

1,000 YARDS.

>> ALL RIGHT, ROBBIE, I HAVE A

TARGET AT 1,000 YARDS.

>> ROGER.

I GOT A GREEN TARGET OVER A

NUMBER SIX ON A WHITE BACKDROP.

>> ROGER.

YOUR TARGET IS TARGET BOARD SIX.

JUST MIL IT TO BE SURE.

>> I'VE GOT HIM AT ONE MIL TALL.

>> ONE MIL TALL CONSTANT OF

10-16 PUTS HIM AT 1,000 YARDS.

YOU NEED TO HAVE 26 MINUTES ON

THE GUN.

>> 26.

>> 26 CONFIRMED.

IT'S A REAL LIGHT WIND --

TWO MILES AN HOUR.

IT'S KIND OF BLOWING AT US UP

HERE, SO I WANT YOU TO GIVE ME A

LIGHT, RIGHT HOLD, PLEASE.

>> Narrator: THE BARREL OF

ROBBIE'S GUN IS POINTED ABOVE

AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE TARGET.

BUT IF JASON'S ESTIMATIONS ARE

ACCURATE, GRAVITY AND WIND WILL

BRING THE BULLET ONTO THE

TARGET.

>> READY.

>> SEND IT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> Narrator: IN JUST OVER A

SECOND, GRAVITY FORCES THE

BULLET TO DROP 370 INCHES, AND

THE WIND PUSHES IT TO THE LEFT.

THE RESULT IS A LETHAL HIT FROM

1,000 YARDS.

>> IT'S GONNA BE THREE INCHES

RIGHT OF CENTER.

>> Narrator: JASON AND ROBBIE

HAVE HIT THE TARGET ON THEIR

FIRST SHOT, BUT OUR CHAMPION

SNIPER TEAM ISN'T SATISFIED.

THEY WANT A DEAD-CENTER

BULL'S-EYE.

>> ROGER.

>> I WANT YOU TO ACTUALLY FAVOR

ABOUT A HALF MINUTE HIGH.

>> READY.

>> LEFT FAVOR -- SLIGHT LEFT

FAVOR.

SEND IT.

>> Narrator: ON THE SECOND SHOT,

ROBBIE CANTS HIS RIFLE HALF A

MINUTE HIGH, WHICH EQUALS FIVE

INCHES AT 1,000 YARDS.

THE OUTCOME IS A BULL'S-EYE.

>> THAT'S GONNA BE ABOUT

FOUR INCHES HIGH -- DEAD CENTER.

>> Narrator: THE FIRST TWO SHOTS

HAVE HIT THEIR MARK.

ROBBIE AND JASON WILL NOW

ATTEMPT TO SEND A GROUP OF FIVE

SHOTS ON TARGET IN RAPID

SUCCESSION.

>> GO AHEAD AND SEND ANOTHER ONE

CENTER.

>> READY.

>> SEND IT.

THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT RIGHT

THERE, ROBBIE.

>> Narrator: OUR CHAMPIONSHIP

SNIPER TEAM HAS DELIVERED SEVEN

SHOTS FROM 1,000 YARDS AWAY.

LET'S GET AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT

THE RESULTS.

>> THE FIRST SHOT THAT WE

TOOK -- THE WIND WAS COMING

ABOUT 2 TO 2 1/2 MILES AN HOUR

OUT OF THE RIGHT, SO I HAD

SERGEANT JOHNSON HOLD ABOUT A

QUARTER MIL.

THE RESULT OF THAT FIRST SHOT

WAS RIGHT HERE.

WE ENDED UP BEING A HALF A

MINUTE LOW AND A LITTLE BIT

LIGHT ON THE WIND, SO I HAD

ROBBIE HOLD A HALF A MINUTE

HIGH.

AND THE RESULT OF THAT SECOND

SHOT WAS HERE.

AFTER THAT SHOT, OUR GOAL WAS TO

SHOOT A FIVE-SHOT GROUP.

SERGEANT JOHNSON WAS AGAIN

HOLDING ABOUT A QUARTER MIL,

WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY

CLOSE TO THE LEFT-HAND SIDE

THERE.

SHOT THE FIRST TWO SHOTS.

THEY ENDED UP BEING ONE OF THESE

FOUR -- OUR FIRST TWO SHOTS.

NUMBER FOUR AND FIVE WERE ALSO

WITHIN THESE FOUR RIGHT HERE.

IF YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED ME IF WE

WERE GONNA COME OUT HERE AND PUT

SEVEN SHOTS, THEY ALL BE ON

TARGET AND BE THIS IMPRESSIVE, I

WOULD HAVE DOUBTED THAT WE WOULD

HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT.

>> Narrator: LETHAL PRECISION

FROM OVER HALF A MILE AWAY.

>> Narrator: THIS MAN EMBODIES

THE SPIRIT OF THE OLD-WEST

COWBOY.

MEET BILL OGLESBY.

WHEN IT COMES TO GUNS, BILL'S

STYLE CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS

HANDS-ON.

HE'S A PROFESSIONAL EXHIBITION

SHOOTER...

AND A FOURTH-GENERATION

GUNSMITH.

HIS FAVORITE FIREARM...

IS THE PISTOL.

>> THIS IS A RUGER -- HIGHLY

CUSTOMIZED GUN.

INSIDE, THE LOCKWORK IS

DIFFERENT.

THE TRIGGER AND HAMMERS ARE

DIFFERT.

AND THIS GUN IS WHAT YOU'RE

GONNA SEE, PROBABLY, IN MOST OF

THE COWBOY MOVIES -- .45-CALIBER

BULLET FOR THE GOOD GUYS AND

THE BAD GUYS.

>> Narrator: BILL'S CUSTOMIZED

RUGER VACARO IS A SINGLE-ACTION

PISTOL MODELED AFTER THE CLASSIC

SINGLE-ACTION REVOLVERS OF THE

1800s -- BUT WITH THE MOST

MODERN INTERNAL MECHANISM.

IN TRUE "OLD WEST" FASHION, BILL

WILL USE HIS RUGER TO PERFORM

SOME QUICKDRAW SHOOTING.

TRAVELING AT OVER 800 FEET PER

SECOND, THE .45-CALIBER BULLETS

RIP THE TARGETS TO PIECES.

BILL MAKES THESE SHOTS LOOK

EFFORTLESS.

BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT...

THAN MEETS THE EYE.

>> YOU HAVE TO SHOOT VERY FAST

AND FROM THE HIP WHEN NOT

UTILIZING YOUR SIGHTS.

SO WE CALL IT "INSTINCTIVE

SHOOTING."

IT'S JUST KNOWING RIGHT WHERE

THE BULLET'S GONNA GO AND TO PUT

IT THERE WITHOUT TAKING THAT

EXTRA TIME TO AIM.

>> Narrator: THE SECRET TO

BILL'S SHARPSHOOTING SKILL IS

UNDER HIS HAT.

>> SHOOTING IS 99.9% MENTAL.

IT'S A MENTAL GAME.

IT REALLY IS.

WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GET READY TO

MAKE A SHOT, YOU HAVE BE IN WHAT

A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL YOUR OWN

ZONE.

I JUST FOCUS EVERY BIT OF ME ON

THAT AND TAKE THE TARGET OUT.

>> Narrator: AS DEPICTED IN DIME

NOVELS FROM 19th CENTURY, BILL'S

CHALLENGE IS TO DUPLICATE THE

LEGENDARY TALE OF SEVERING THE

HANGMAN'S NOOSE.

THE DETAILS OF THIS CLASSIC TALE

FROM THE WILD WEST OFTEN VARY

FROM SOURCE TO SOURCE.

BUT THE STORY ALWAYS ENDS THE

SAME WAY.

AN INNOCENT MAN IS TO BE

EXECUTED AT THE GALLOWS.

BUT JUST AS THE TRAPDOOR DROPS

AND THE BODY BEGINS TO FALL, HIS

PARTNER...

SAVES HIS LIFE, SEVERING THE

NOOSE WITH A SEEMINGLY

IMPOSSIBLE SHOT.

TO TRY TO FIND THE TRUTH BEHIND

THE LEGEND, WE'VE CONSTRUCTED A

MODERN-DAY VERSION OF AN

OLD-WEST GALLOWS, FITTED WITH

ITS VERY OWN HANG-'EM-HIGH

NOOSE.

A BURLAP SACK STUFFED WITH

50 POUNDS OF POTATOES...

WILL STAND IN FOR THE CONDEMNED.

AS SOON AS THE TRAPDOOR DROPS,

BILL'S CHALLENGE WILL BE TO

SHOOT AND SEVER A SWAYING ROPE

JUST HALF AN INCH THICK.

AND HE HAS TO DO IT QUICKLY...

...BECAUSE TIME IS OF THE

ESSENCE.

BUT JUST HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES

FOR A PERSON TO HANG CAN VARY

GREATLY.

THE GOAL OF ANY GOOD EXECUTIONER

WAS ALWAYS TO PERFORM A SWIFT

AND PAINLESS EXECUTION.

FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, THE ROPE HAD

TO CREATE ENOUGH FORCE TO BREAK

THE NECK BETWEEN THE SECOND AND

THIRD CERVICAL VERTEBRAE.

>> OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THEY

DEVELOPED CHARTS ON THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HEIGHT

AND WEIGHT OF AN INDIVIDUAL, SO

AS HOW LONG THE ROPE SHOULD BE,

WHERE IT SHOULD BE PLACED, AND

HOW LONG THE DROP SHOULD BE.

>> Narrator: BUT A HANGMAN'S

KNOW-HOW HAD TO EXTEND BEYOND

JUST READING A CHART, BECAUSE

HANGING WAS AS MUCH AN ART AS A

SCIENCE.

>> YOU HAD TO MAKE A JUDGMENT ON

HOW STRONG THAT PERSON'S NECK

WAS.

HE USUALLY INQUIRED AS TO WHAT

KIND OF WORK THE PERSON DID, SO

IF HE WAS A LABORER, HE WOULD

GENERALLY THINK THAT HIS NECK

WOULD BE STRONGER THAN IF HE WAS

AN ACCOUNTANT.

AND HE PRIDED HIMSELF IN GETTING

IT JUST RIGHT.

>> Narrator: HANGING WAS A

SKILL, AND AS WITH ALL SKILLS,

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT,

EXECUTIONS RESULTED IN A

GRUESOME DISPLAY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

USUALLY WENT WRONG IS THAT THE

NECK WAS NOT SNAPPED...

AND THAT THE PERSON JUST

DANGLED THERE FOR 30 MINUTES OR

SO.

IT WAS CALLED THE DANCE OF

DEATH.

IN SOME CASES, THE EXECUTIONER

HIMSELF WOULD HANG ON YOUR LEGS

TO HASTEN YOUR DEATH.

IN OTHER CASES, IF THE RELATIVES

WERE THERE, THEY WOULD HANG ON

YOUR LEGS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR

DEATH.

>> Narrator: DURING THE DAYS OF

THE WILD WEST, GEORGE MALEDON

WAS PERHAPS AMERICA'S MOST

NOTORIOUS HANGMAN.

HE PERFORMED HIS LETHAL TRADE

HERE AT THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE

IN FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS.

PRESIDING OVER THE COURT WAS

ISAAC C. PARKER, A MAN WHOSE

REPUTATION AS "THE HANGING

JUDGE" STRUCK FEAR IN EVEN THE

MOST HARDENED CRIMINALS.

>> ONE OF THE MEN WHO WAS

ARRESTED BY DEPUTY MARSHALS

TELLS THE DEPUTIES, "DON'T TAKE

ME TO FORT SMITH!

KILL ME NOW!"

AND THAT CERTAINLY SPEAKS TO THE

PERCEPTION OF THE COURT.

>> Narrator: BETWEEN 1873 AND

1896, 87 PEOPLE WERE PUT TO

DEATH AT THE FORT SMITH GALLOWS,

WITH MALEDON PERFORMING THE

MAJORITY OF THE HANGINGS.

YET, OF THE MORE THAN SEVEN

DOZEN EXECUTIONS CARRIED OUT

HERE, NONE OF THE CONDEMNED WAS

SAVED BY A GUNMAN'S BULLET

SEVERING THE NOOSE.

BILL ONLY HAS TO WORRY ABOUT A

SACK OF POTATOES AS HE TRIES TO

RE-ENACT THE LEGEND.

AND A LEGEND IT MOST LIKELY IS,

SINCE THERE'S NEVER BEEN A

DOCUMENTED ACCOUNT OF A GUNMAN

SEVERING A HANGMAN'S NOOSE.

NEVERTHELESS, IS SUCH A SHOT

EVEN POSSIBLE?

FOR THE CHALLENGE, BILL IS ARMED

WITH A REPRODUCTION FIREARM FROM

THE ERA.

>> THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE

RIFLES -- THE MODEL '92

WINCHESTER LEVERGUN.

HOLDS 10 SHOTS -- TOP LOADING,

EJECTING.

BUT IT SHOOTS A .45-CALIBER

ROUND.

150-GRAIN LEAD BUTTON-NOSED

BULLET AT ABOUT 850 FEET A

SECOND.

THEY'RE JUST SO SLIM AND TRIM.

THEY'RE A NATURAL POINTER.

THEY JUST WORK SO WELL IN

ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO.

>> Narrator: THE WINCHESTER

MODEL 1892 WAS A FAVORITE AMONG

WESTERN SETTLERS IN THE LATE

19th CENTURY FOR ITS

COMPACTNESS, LIGHT WEIGHT, AND

SMOOTH ACTION.

BILL'S POSITIONED 20 FEET AWAY

FROM A TARGET THAT'S ONLY A

HALF-INCH THICK.

FROM THIS DISTANCE, JUST HITTING

THE ROPE WILL BE A FEAT IN

ITSELF.

BUT TO PASS THE CHALLENGE, BILL

WILL HAVE TO CUT IT DOWN.

[ RIFLE COCKS ]

[ GUNSHOT ]

BILL NAILS THE ROPE ON HIS FIRST

SHOT.

THE BULLET STRIKES THE ROPE AT

MORE THAN HALF THE SPEED OF

SOUND, BUT IT ONLY BREAKS A FEW

STRANDS.

[ GUNSHOT ]

NOW THE LEAD STARTS FLYING.

[ GUNSHOTS ]

FINALLY, THE ROPE GIVES WAY.

BILL COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE,

BUT PERHAPS NOT FAST ENOUGH TO

SAVE THIS SACK OF POTATOES.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE THE BULLET WAS

ACTUALLY TURNING THE ROPE AND

SOMETIMES PASSING THROUGH THE

ROPE.

IT WASN'T ENOUGH CUTTING ACTION

FOR THE ROPE TO ACTUALLY LET GO.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S ONE OF

THE MOST CHALLENGING SHOTS THAT

I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED.

HITTING IT -- NO PROBLEM.

CUTTING IT -- TOUGH!

>> Narrator: BILL'S NOT USED TO

COMING UP SHORT, SO WE'VE AGREED

TO LET HIM TRY AGAIN.

HE'S SWAPPING OUT HIS NORMAL

AMMO FOR THE WADCUTTER, A

FLAT-NOSED BULLET THAT SHOULD

PROVIDE GREATER CUTTING ACTION.

>> HERE WE GO.

[ GUNSHOT ]

I HIT THAT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

HIT IT AGAIN!

[ GUNSHOT ]

YOU KNOW, I THINK I PROBABLY

SAVED HIM.

>> Narrator: THE CHANGE OF AMMO

MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

ON THE FIRST SHOT, THE FLAT EDGE

OF THE BULLET DOES SOME SERIOUS

DAMAGE.

BUT IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH TO CUT

THE NOOSE.

BILL'S THIRD BULL'S-EYE DOES THE

TRICK.

OUR MARKSMAN'S REPUTATION

REMAINS INTACT, AND NOW BILL'S

READY TO GO ONE BETTER.

THIS 10-POUND FISHING LINE IS 20

TIMES THINNER THAN THE ROPE.

THE CHALLENGE HERE ISN'T MERELY

BREAKING THE STRING -- IT'S JUST

TRYING TO SEE IT.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS STUFF IS

ACTUALLY THIN ENOUGH TO FLOSS

WITH.

I'M GONNA TRY AND SHOOT IT WITH

MY RIFLE.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> Narrator: HE HIT IT...

AND HERE'S THE PROOF.

THE FAMOUS SEVERING-THE-NOOSE

SHOT MAY BE A TALL TALE FROM THE

WILD WEST, BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP

BILL OGLESBY FROM PULLING IT OFF

IN REAL LIFE.

>> STAND BY!

FIRE!

>> Narrator: THIS IS AN

M119 HOWITZER.

IT FIRES A 105-MILLIMETER SHELL

UP TO 11 MILES, CASTING A DEADLY

WEB OF SHELL FRAGMENTS THAT CAN

DESTROY VEHICLES AND KILL

PERSONNEL WITHIN 50 YARDS.

PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

NOW IMAGINE AN ENTIRE BATTALION

OF M119 HOWITZERS SHOOTING

MULTIPLE SHELLS AT THE SAME

TARGET AT NEARLY THE EXACT SAME

TIME.

>> FIRE!

>> Narrator: IT'S A LETHAL

DEMONSTRATION OF CONCENTRATED

FIREPOWER THAT THE MILITARY

CALLS A "T.O.T." -- OR "TIME ON

TARGET."

>> 3-3-8-3.

>> Narrator: HERE AT THE ARMY

BASE IN FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA,

THESE MODERN ARTILLERY MEN ARE

ABOUT TO DEMONSTRATE THE

PRECISION OF MASS ARTILLERY

FIRE.

>> PLEASE STAND BY.

FIRE!

>> Narrator: TWO M119 HOWITZERS

WILL TRY TO HIT A VIRTUAL TARGET

AT PRECISELY THE SAME MOMENT

FROM MORE THAN TWO MILES AWAY.

TO ACHIEVE A SIMULTANEOUS

IMPACT, IT WILL TAKE A

WELL-ORCHESTRATED CHAIN OF

EVENTS BETWEEN THREE SEPARATE

TEAMS -- THE FORWARD OBSERVER,

THE FIRE DIRECTION CENTER,

AND TWO HOWITZER SECTIONS.

IF ALL ARE IN SYNC, BOTH CANNON

CREWS WILL DELIVER THEIR

ORDINANCE SIMULTANEOUSLY.

THE M119 HOWITZER GUN PACKS A

SERIOUS WALLOP.

>> FIRE MISSION!

>> Narrator: ITS RECOIL CAN

KICK BACK AS MUCH AS 3 1/2 FEET.

>> FIRE!

>> Narrator: AT THE COMMAND OF A

SKILLED GUN CREW, IT CAN FIRE

SIX 105-MILLIMETER SHELLS IN 60

SECONDS.

BUT WHILE A SHARPSHOOTER WITH A

RIFLE NEEDS A CLEAR LINE OF

SIGHT...

A CANNONEER DOESN'T NEED TO SEE

THE TARGET TO ENGAGE IT.

A HOWITZER IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS

AN INDIRECT-FIRE WEAPON.

THIS MEANS THAT THE SHELL IS

AIMED AT A TARGET OVER THE

HORIZON, OUT OF SIGHT OF THE

CANNON CREW.

THE PROCESS OF ZEROING IN ON THE

TARGET STARTS WITH THE TRAINED

EYES OF THE FORWARD OBSERVER.

>> OUR ROLE IS WHAT WE CALL

"FIRE SUPPORT."

BASICALLY, IT IS THE GUYS WHO

ARE OUT FRONT WITH THE

BINOCULARS, WHO ACTUALLY ARE

GONNA OBSERVE THE TARGET AND

SEND THE CALL FOR FIRE.

ONCE THEY DETERMINE THEIR CALL

FOR FIRE, THEY'RE GONNA SEND

THAT TO THE FIRE DIRECTION

CENTER.

THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THE BRAINS

OF THE ARTILLERY.

>> Narrator: EQUIPPED WITH A

NUMBER-CRUNCHING COMPUTER AND

SOME HIGH-TECH SOFTWARE, THE

FIRE DIRECTION CENTER CALCULATES

THE BEARING OF THE TARGET TO THE

CANNON.

>> 3-5-5-7.

>> Narrator: THE COORDINATES ARE

THEN TRANSMITTED ELECTRONICALLY

TO A GUN-DISPLAY UNIT LOCATED AT

THE ARTILLERY LINE.

>> THIS IS THE GUN-DISPLAY UNIT.

THE WAY IT WORKS IS, WE'LL

RECEIVE A LOUD RING.

WHEN WE GET THE LOUD RING, WE

ACKNOWLEDGE IT BY PRESSING

"CYCLE."

ONCE I GET MY DEFLECTION, WHICH

IS LEFT AND RIGHT, AND MY

QUADRANT, WHICH IS UP AND DOWN,

I RELAY IT TO MY GUNNER.

>> Narrator: THE GUNNER ROTATES

A PAIR OF KNOBS TO INPUT THE

DEFLECTION AND QUADRANT NUMBERS

ONTO THE GUN-SIGHT COUNTER.

TURNING A PAIR OF HANDWHEELS,

THE GUNNER THEN BALANCES HIS

GUN-SIGHT BUBBLE.

ALIGNMENT IS CONFIRMED BY

CHECKING THE SIGHT'S CROSS-HAIR

PATTERN AGAINST THE CROSS-HAIR

PATTERN OF THE AIMING REFERENCE,

LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE GUN.

>> WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH THE

SIGHT, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE A

CROSS HAIR WITH NUMBERS IN

INCREMENTS OF 5, AND YOU'LL ALSO

SEE THAT ON YOUR AIMING

REFERENCE.

ONCE THE "0" MATCHES THE "0," A

"5" MATCHES A "5," OR WHATEVER

THE CORRESPONDING NUMBERS ARE

WITH THE SIGHT AND THE AIMING

REFERENCE, THEN YOU'RE SET.

>> Narrator: THIS MULTISTEP

PROCESS MUST HAPPEN IN A MATTER

OF SECONDS FOR THE TIME ON

TARGET.

COMMUNICATION AND EXECUTION

BETWEEN THE FORWARD OBSERVER,

THE FIRE DIRECTION CENTER, AND

NOT ONE, BUT TWO, CANNON CREWS,

MUST BE PERFECT.

A MINOR MISCALCULATION OR

MISCOMMUNICATION, AND THEY'LL

FAIL THE CHALLENGE.

THE ACCURACY OF ARTILLERY HAS

DRAMATICALLY INCREASED OVER THE

LAST CENTURY AND A HALF.

IT BEGAN AS AN INEXACT WEAPON,

CAPABLE OF DEVASTATING BUT

UNFOCUSED DESTRUCTION.

BUT ONCE IN A WHILE, A LUCKY

SHOT WOULD HINT AT ITS

POTENTIAL.

JUNE 14, 1864.

PINE MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA.

ATOP A RIDGE, THREE CONFEDERATE

GENERALS, INCLUDING

LEONIDAS POLK, OBSERVE A BATTERY

OF UNION CANNONS.

IN THE VALLEY BELLOW, UNION

GENERAL OLIVER OTIS HOWARD IS

SHOCKED TO SEE THE CONFEDERATE

GENERALS OUT IN THE OPEN.

TWO SHOTS ROAR OUT.

ONE HITS POLK IN THE CHEST,

KILLING HIM INSTANTLY.

WHILE THIS HISTORIC BATTLEFIELD

ACCOUNT FROM AMERICA'S CIVIL WAR

IS ACCURATE, MOST OF THE

ARTILLERY GUNS FROM THAT ERA

WERE NOT.

BUT BY THE 20th CENTURY, THE

ADVENT OF RIFLING AND MORE

ACCURATE PROJECTILES TRANSFORMED

THE PRECISION OF ARTILLERY FIRE.

BY THE TIME THE UNITED STATES

JOINED THE FIGHT IN WORLD WAR I,

ARTILLERY BATTALIONS WERE

SERVING AN ESSENTIAL ROLE FOR

THE ARMY.

BUT FOR FORWARD OBSERVERS,

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH

AN ENTIRE ARTILLERY BATTALION

SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE

BATTLEFIELD WAS A TALL ORDER.

IN THE 1930s, MAJOR GENERAL

ORLANDO WARD ARRIVED AT

FORT SILL AND DEVELOPED THE

FIRE DIRECTION CENTER,

STREAMLINING AMERICA'S

FRAGMENTED ARTILLERY BATTALIONS

INTO A COHESIVE NETWORK.

>> SO, THEY ALL WERE TIED INTO

THIS FIRE DIRECTION CENTER, SO

NOW ONE FORWARD OBSERVER COULD

MASS FIRES OF 48 GUNS.

DRAMATIC BREAKTHROUGH.

THEN, A FEW YEARS LATER, WITH

THE EMERGENCE OF THE

MAN PORTABLE RADIO, THIS FORWARD

OBSERVER COULD GO ANYPLACE THE

INFANTRY WENT, ANYPLACE THE

ARMOR WENT, AND CALL FOR FIRES,

WHICH NOW GAVE THEM THE ABILITY

TO PROVIDE UNPRECEDENTED FIRE

SUPPORT ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

>> Narrator: WITH THE POWER TO

COORDINATE AN ENTIRE BATTALION

OF ARTILLERY GUNS, FIELD

ARTILLERY TEAMS COULD NOW

CONCENTRATE BATTERY FIREPOWER

ONTO A SPECIFIC TARGET.

>> THE IDEA WOULD BE TO TIME THE

FIRE FROM THE VARYING GUNS SO

THAT THE SHELLS WOULD ARRIVE AT

THE SAME TIME.

VERY COMPLICATED, BUT YET, WHEN

A T.O.T. WORKED, YOU GOT THIS

INSTANTANEOUS MASS FIRES.

WITHIN THREE OR FOUR SECONDS,

EVERYTHING DROPPING DOWN.

THE VIRTUE BEHIND THE "TIME ON

TARGET" WAS THAT ARMIES COULD

NOT ESCAPE.

>> Narrator: DURING

WORLD WAR II, ARTILLERY TACTICS

DEVELOPED AT FORT SILL PLAYED A

PIVOTAL ROLE IN NORTH AFRICA, AT

THE BATTLE OF THE

KASSERINE PASS.

IN FEBRUARY 1943, UNDER THE

COMMAND OF FIELD MARSHAL

ERWIN ROMMEL, GERMANY'S 10th

PANZER DIVISION MOVED WITHIN

MILES OF CONTROLLING A KEY

ALLIED FORCES SUPPLY DEPOT IN

TUNISIA.

BUT UTILIZING SUCCESSIVE "TIME

ON TARGET" MANEUVERS, AN

ARTILLERY BATTALION FROM THE

U.S. 9th INFANTRY DIVISION

STOPPED THE GERMAN ADVANCE...

IN ITS TRACKS.

>> MASS FIRES FROM THE 9th

INFANTRY DIVISION STOPPED THE

GERMANS COLD.

T.O.T.s BROKE UP TANK FORMATIONS

AND FORCED THEM TO RETREAT BACK

THROUGH KASSERINE PASS.

THIS IS AN INSTANCE WHERE "TIME

ON TARGET" PROVED ITSELF FOR THE

FIRST TIME IN COMBAT.

>> Narrator: TODAY AT FORT SILL,

WHERE THE "TIME ON TARGET"

MANEUVER ORIGINATED, TWO FIELD

ARTILLERY SECTIONS WILL ATTEMPT

TO EXECUTE THIS AWESOME DISPLAY

OF PRECISION FIREPOWER.

>> STAND BY.

>> THE "TIME ON TARGET" FOR

TODAY IS GONNA BE THIS FINGER

HERE, WHICH IS BASICALLY LIKE A

RIDGE OR A HILL.

THERE'S A CLEARING THERE WHERE

THERE'S TWO TARGETS.

WE'RE GONNA SHOOT AT THE LEFT

TARGET.

>> Narrator: WITH THE TARGET

SELECTED, THE FORWARD OBSERVER

CALLS IN THE GRID COORDINATES TO

THE FIRE DIRECTION CENTER.

>> MISSION SERVER BRAVO.

QUICK IN EFFECT -- TWO ROUNDS.

TARGET NUMBER --

ALPHA-ALPHA-0-0-1-7.

DIRECTION -- 5-2-5-0, LEFT 6-0.

OVER.

>> Narrator: NOW THE FIRE

DIRECTION CENTER MUST

CALCULATE THE DISTANCE AND

DIRECTION OF THE TARGET FROM

EACH ARTILLERY PIECE.

>> GUN THREE.

FIRE FOR TWO ROUNDS.

DEFLECTION -- 3-5-5-7.

QUADRANT -- 2-7-4.

>> 3-5-5-7. 2-7-4.

ROGER!

>> GUN ONE.

DEFLECTION -- 3-5-7.

>> QUADRANT -- 3-3-A!

>> BATTERY STAND BY.

>> STAND BY!

>> BATTERY STAND BY.

>> FIRE!

>> Narrator: THE FIRST SHOTS

LAND WITHIN SECONDS OF EACH

OTHER, SENDING SHRAPNEL FLYING.

A CLOSER LOOK SHOWS THAT, AFTER

THE GUNS FIRED, THEIR SHELLS

REACHED AN ELEVATION OF 821 FEET

BEFORE PLUMMETING BACK TO EARTH.

WITHIN 13 SECONDS, THE SHELLS

CONVERGED, LANDING WITHIN 20

FEET OF EACH OTHER.

OUR VIRTUAL TANK IS READY FOR

THE SCRAP YARD.

AND HERE COMES THE CAVALRY.

>> WHOO!

>> Narrator: EXTREME

MARKSMANSHIP FROM TWO MASSIVE

CANNONS.

>> Narrator: WE'VE ALREADY SHOWN

THAT BILL OGLESBY IS ONE OF THE

GREAT MODERN-DAY EXHIBITION

SHOOTERS.

WHETHER HE'S SHOOTING TARGETS

WITH A PISTOL...

OR CUTTING A PIECE OF FILAMENT

WITH A BULLET...

THERE'S SEEMINGLY NOTHING HE

CAN'T PULL OFF, INCLUDING

SPLITTING THE THIN SIDE OF A

PLAYING CARD IN HALF.

BUT WE'RE ABOUT TO TURN THINGS

AROUND ON HIM AND SEE IF HE CAN

MIRROR ONE OF THE GREATEST

SHOOTING STUNTS IN HISTORY, MADE

FAMOUS BY A LEGENDARY

SHARPSHOOTER.

A WOMAN PULLS OUT A MIRROR AND

PLACES A .38-CALIBER RIFLE OVER

HER SHOULDER.

THE TARGET -- A COIN.

IT MAY NOT BE THE SAFEST WAY TO

MAKE CHANGE, BUT FOR

"LITTLE SURE SHOT" ANNIE OAKLEY,

IT'S THE ONLY WAY.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

STANDING JUST 5 FEET TALL, WITH

DELICATE FEATURES, OAKLEY MAY

HAVE BEEN THE MOST IMPROBABLE

SHARPSHOOTER OF ALL.

BORN IN OHIO IN 1860, SHE WAS

ALREADY A STAR AT THE AGE OF 25,

TOURING WITH BUFFALO BILL'S

WILD WEST EXTRAVAGANZA.

THE DIMINUTIVE MARKSMAN WAS A

TOP DRAW, DAZZLING AUDIENCES

WITH HER BREATHTAKING ACCURACY.

>> SHE WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE

THAT COULD STAND OUT IN FRONT OF

AN AUDIENCE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

SHE'D HOLD THEM IN THE PALM OF

HER HAND WITH WHAT SHE COULD DO.

>> Narrator: OAKLEY COULD SHOOT

A DIME TOSSED INTO THE AIR AND

HIT A TARGET WHILE RIDING A

BICYCLE OR WHILE STANDING ATOP A

GALLOPING HORSE.

THESE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE

FEATS, WHICH SHE ACCOMPLISHED

WITH EASE, MADE HER A FAVORITE

AMONG AUDIENCES.

BUT WAS OAKLEY UNIQUE AMONG

SHARPSHOOTERS, ENDOWED WITH

SUPERHUMAN SHOOTING SKILL?

OR IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A

MODERN-DAY MARKSMAN...

BILL OGLESBY, FOR EXAMPLE...

TO MATCH OAKLEY'S DAUNTING

TALENT?

BILL'S WILLING TO GIVE IT A TRY.

HERE'S HIS CHALLENGE.

STANDING 20 FEET AWAY, WITH HIS

BACK TO THE TARGET, BILL WILL

RELY ON A MIRROR TO SIGHT THE

RIFLE ON THE OBJECT.

IT'S A DISORIENTING POINT OF

VIEW.

EVERYTHING'S BACKWARDS, WHICH

ADDS ANOTHER LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY

TO AN ALREADY DIFFICULT TASK.

ALL OF BILL'S MARKSMAN SKILLS

WILL HAVE TO BE SUMMONED TO PULL

OFF THIS SPECTACULAR SHOT.

FOR AN EXHIBITION SHOOTER,

THERE'S NO TRUER TEST OF

MARKSMANSHIP SKILL THAN HITTING

A TARGET REFLECTED IN A MIRROR.

WHILE OAKLEY IS BEST KNOWN FOR

IT, THE MIRROR SHOT ACTUALLY HAS

A LONG HISTORY BEYOND HER

LEGEND.

>> THE SHOT WAS A REAL TRICK

SHOT THAT PEOPLE DID IN THE 19th

CENTURY, AND ANNIE OAKLEY WAS

NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO DO IT.

THERE WERE MEN WHO DID THAT SHOT

ONSTAGE FOR AUDIENCES QUITE

OFTEN.

AND WHY DO WE, THOUGH, REMEMBER

IT AS BEING ANNIE OAKLEY'S SHOT?

I THINK A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO

WITH THE FACT THAT SHE'S A WOMAN

WHO LOOKED QUITE YOUNG.

>> Narrator: IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR

19th- AND EARLY 20th-CENTURY

AUDIENCES TO SEE A WOMAN FIRING

A GUN, LET ALONE FIRING ONE AT A

MAN, WHO, IN THIS CASE, JUST

HAPPENED TO BE HER HUSBAND AND

MANAGER, FRANK BUTLER.

TALK ABOUT A DEVOTED HUSBAND.

BUT DANGER WAS PART OF THE

APPEAL.

>> HER ABILITY TO USE THE MIRROR

TO DELIVER A SHOT TO THIS TARGET

SO CONFOUNDED ALL THE

STEREOTYPES OF WOMANHOOD, OF

FEMININITY, AND OF SHARPSHOOTERS

THAT IT WAS JUST ENTRANCING TO

WATCH THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WITH

A RIFLE AND A MIRROR HITTING

THIS TARGET DEAD-ON.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> Narrator: OAKLEY'S OBVIOUS

FEMININITY AND DIMINUTIVENESS

APPEARED QUITE A CONTRAST TO HER

GUN-WIELDING STAGE EXPLOITS.

NO ONE'S EVER CALLED BILL

DIMINUTIVE OR FEMININE.

YET HERE AT THE RAAHAUGES

SHOOTING RANGE IN CORONA,

CALIFORNIA, HE'S WILLING TO

ATTEMPT OAKLEY'S MOST CELEBRATED

STUNT -- THE MIRROR SHOT.

LET'S START WITH SOMETHING BIG.

BILL'S FIRST TARGET WILL BE A

BALLOON.

>> ANNIE OAKLEY WAS KNOWN FOR

SHOOTING WITH A MIRROR IN THE

1800s.

WELL, I'M GONNA DUPLICATE THAT

SHOT, BUT MY GUN, OF COURSE, HAD

TO BE SET UP FOR THIS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A '92

WINCHESTER, CALIBER .45,

SHOOTING A .45-CALIBER BULLET.

THE MIRROR, OF COURSE, IS GONNA

BE MY REAR EYE WHEN I'M LOOKING

THROUGH THE SIGHTS.

NOW, HERE WE GO.

WISH ME LUCK ON THIS.

OKAY.

>> Narrator: DESPITE ITS SIZE,

OUR BALLOON IS GETTING BLOWN

AROUND BY THE WIND.

BILL'S TARGET WON'T BE THAT EASY

TO HIT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

LET'S SEE THAT AGAIN.

JUST FOR FUN, FOR BILL'S NEXT

SHOT, WE'VE FILLED A BALLOON

WITH WATER.

[ GUNSHOT ]

NOW BILL'S GOING TO HAVE TO USE

HIS MIRROR TO HIT A TARGET

THAT'S A WHOLE LOT SMALLER...

A GOLF BALL.

>> THESE ARE TOUGH SHOTS.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> Narrator: HERE IT IS AT

20,000 FRAMES PER SECOND.

>> THAT'S HOW THE COWBOYS DID

IT.

>> Narrator: BILL'S MANAGED TO

MAKE SOME DIFFICULT SHOTS, BUT

THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE AWAITS.

HE'S NOT DONE YET.

>> THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA USE A

TRADITIONAL OLD-WEST TARGET --

A CARD.

WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS,

I THINK I'M GONNA MAKE IT A

LITTLE TOUGHER AND PUT IT ON

EDGE.

THAT WAY...

WE HAVE GOT AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE

TARGET TO SEE.

KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED, AND

HERE WE GO.

>> Narrator: BILL'S TARGET IS AS

THIN AS A PIECE OF PAPER...

AND HE'S TRYING TO SHOOT IT

BACKWARDS WITH A MIRROR.

AND HE'S DONE IT!

THE FORCE OF THE BULLET CAUSES

THE CARD TO BEND EVER SO

SLIGHTLY, PROHIBITING A CLEAN

SLICE.

>> ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF THE

WAY THROUGH.

I TELL YOU, THAT'S SUCH A TOUGH

SHOT, THE CARD JUST COULDN'T

REALLY HOLD UP TO IT.

[ GUNSHOT ]

>> Narrator: BUT IT'S AN

INCREDIBLE FEAT, NONETHELESS.

>> Narrator: AS THE 19th CENTURY

DREW TO A CLOSE, FEW WILD PLACES

REMAINED WEST OF THE

MISSISSIPPI.

BOOMTOWNS BECAME CITIES...

AND AUTOMOBILES REPLACED HORSES.

THE FAMOUS SHARPSHOOTERS OF THE

ERA HAS LONG SINCE LEFT THE

STAGE.

BUT THE LURE OF THE MYTHIC

OLD WEST REMAINED.

SO IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE THAT

SPIRIT WAS RESURRECTED IN

HOLLYWOOD, WITH THE

LARGER-THAN-LIFE SILVER-SCREEN

COWBOY, AND AT AMUSEMENT PARKS,

LIKE ON CONEY ISLAND, WHERE

URBAN COWBOYS FLOCKED TO THEMED

SHOOTING GALLERIES.

HERE, ASPIRING MARKSMEN GOT THE

RARE CHANCE TO STEP INSIDE THE

BOOTS OF A WILD-WEST GUNSLINGER.

>> THE TARGETS WERE ROTATING

METAL STARS, RABBITS, SQUIRRELS,

DISKS, THAT YOU'D SHOOT AT WITH

A .22 RIFLE.

YOU'D TRY TO HIT A MOVING TARGET

AT FAIRLY CLOSE RANGE.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MANY

PEOPLE ENJOYED.

>> Narrator: REAL GUNS, REAL

AMMUNITION.

BUT LIKE MOST CARNIVAL GAMES,

THE ODDS HEAVILY FAVORED THE

HOUSE.

NEVERTHELESS, EVERY ONCE IN A

WHILE, A REAL SHARPSHOOTING

RINGER WOULD COME ALONG AND GIVE

THE HOUSE A RUN FOR ITS MONEY.

>> WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT THIS DUDE

COULD SHOOT THINGS UP SO

COMPLETELY?

>> ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT

DEFINITELY DID WAS JOHN GARAND,

THE INVENTOR OF THE M1.

HE, FOR KIND OF A BUSMAN'S

HOLIDAY, WOULD GO OVER TO

CONEY ISLAND, PULL OUT A $100

BILL, AND HE WOULDN'T GO HOME

UNTIL HE HAD SHOT UP THAT $100.

>> Narrator: WHY WOULD THE

CREATOR OF ONE OF THE MOST

IMPORTANT FIREARMS OF THE 20th

CENTURY ACT LIKE SOME

TRIGGER-HAPPY COWBOY STROLLING

INTO DODGE?

PERHAPS HIS TRIPS TO

CONEY ISLAND WERE GUN RESEARCH,

OR MAYBE IT WAS JUST A LOT OF

FUN.

AS A TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT

SHOOTING GALLERIES OF THE 20th

CENTURY, WE'VE BUILT OUR OWN

SHOOTING GALLERY -- A REAL ONE.

AND WE'VE FILLED IT WITH TARGETS

THAT'LL POP, SHATTER, AND

SPLINTER WHEN THEY'RE SHOT.

BEST OF ALL, WE'VE BROUGHT BACK

A RINGER -- EXTREME MARKSMAN

TOM KNAPP.

>> YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAYS OF

THE SILVER-SCREEN COWBOY,

SHOOTING GALLERIES WERE THE REAL

DEAL.

NOWADAYS, SHOOTING GALLERIES ARE

ELECTRONIC OR SOMETHING LESS

FUN.

WELL, I'VE DESIGNED A SHOOTING

GALLERY, AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE

YOU A STEP BACK INTO YESTERDAY,

WHEN WE HAD REAL GUNS AND WE HAD

REAL AMMUNITION.

>> Narrator: TOM'S READY TO FILL

THIS PLACE FULL OF HOLES, SO

LET'S GET STARTED.

>> REAL SHOOTING GALLERIES HAVE

TOUGH TARGETS AND EASY TARGETS.

I LIKE TO BUILD MY CONFIDENCE

WITH THE EASY TARGETS FIRST.

WELL, NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO

SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE

DIFFICULT.

>> Narrator: TOM DOESN'T LIKE TO

WASTE HIS AMMO IS HE CAN HELP

IT, SO LET'S SEE HOW HE TACKLES

THESE GLASS BOTTLES.

>> I'M GONNA TRY AND GET MY

MONEY'S WORTH OUT OF THIS ONE

BULLET.

>> Narrator: THE BOTTLES CLEARLY

AREN'T MUCH OF A CHALLENGE,

EITHER.

SO LET'S MAKE THINGS A WHOLE LOT

SMALLER.

CAN TOM HIT THIS NAIL ON THE

HEAD WITH A .22-CALIBER BULLET?

>> [ CHUCKLES ]

I NAILED THAT ONE.

>> Narrator: KEEP IN MIND THE

HEAD OF THE NAIL IS 25

HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH...

AND THE BULLET IS ONLY 22

HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH.

TOM DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MARGIN OF

ERROR.

FILLING THESE TARGETS FULL OF

LEAD CAN LEAVE A GUNSLINGER

PARCHED.

>> YOU BET I'D LIKE A BOTTLE OF

SARSAPARILLA, BUT DON'T OPEN IT.

I'LL OPEN IT MYSELF.

>> Narrator: TOM'S KNOCKING DOWN

THESE TARGETS WITH EASE.

BUT ON THIS NEXT SHOT, WE'VE

THROWN HIM A CURVE.

IT'S THE KIND OF CHALLENGE THAT

COMES STRAIGHT OUT OF A CARTOON.

HERE IT IS.

IT ALL BEGINS WITH A PIECE OF

BENT PIPE.

TOM WILL TRY TO SHOOT TO ONE

END OF THE PIPE AND HOPE THAT

THE BULLET FOLLOWS THE CURVE AND

FLIES OUT THE OTHER END, HITTING

THE TARGET.

>> AT A SHOOTING GALLERY, ALL

YOU NEED TO DO IS USE YOUR

IMAGINATION.

RIGHT THROUGH THE SIDE DOOR.

>> Narrator: THAT WASN'T TRICK

PHOTOGRAPHY.

AND HERE'S THE PROOF.

>> AFTER A FUN DAY AT THE

SHOOTING GALLERY, DON'T FORGET

TO TURN OUT THE LIGHTS BEFORE

YOU GO HOME.

>> Narrator: AND WITH THAT LAST

LITTLE BIT OF SHARPSHOOTING

SKILL, TOM PUTS OUT THE LIGHTS

ON THIS CHALLENGE.

WHETHER THEY'RE SHOOTING UP A

WESTERN-THEMED SHOOTING GALLERY,

PIERCING ARROWS WITH ARROWS,

HITTING A TARGET MORE THAN HALF

A MILE AWAY, SLICING A ROPE IN

HALF WITH BULLETS, OR JUST

BLOWING STUFF UP...

WE'VE SHOWN THAT THE SPIRIT OF

THE GUNSLINGER LIVES ON IN

EXTREME MARKSMEN LIKE

TOM KNAPP...

BILL OGELSBY...

JERRY MICULEK...

AND BYRON FERGUSON.

AND IF ANYONE QUESTIONS WHETHER

THESE MYTHIC SHOOTERS ARE THE

REAL DEAL, YOU'LL KNOW THE

TRUTH.

YOU SAW IT HAPPEN...

UP CLOSE AND IN AMAZING DETAIL.

AND THAT'S...NO TALL TALE.