History Channel's 'Top Shot' Week One Recap

On Tuesday night, viewers of the History Channel's Top Shot season three premiere witnessed   take another step toward his goal of earning the $100K Top Shot grand prize and the title of “Top Shot."

Early on day one of competition, contestants were paired up to go head-to-head, shooting what some deem the most powerful handgun in history, the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum. Top Shot Host Colby Donaldson described the gun as "what might be the biggest, heaviest, most powerful double-action production revolver in the world" and a “mini cannon.”

Before the event, Marinaccio, a graduate of James Caldwell High School, gives his take on the weapon saying with a smirk, "I have seen people handling big firearms like this and they either wind up getting hit in the face with them, or it goes flying."

Marinaccio, who was matched up with New York State court officer Michael Marrelli, wasted no time hitting all three of his targets from distances of 30, 50 and 70 feet. Meanwhile Marrelli, who declared before the event that he was, “better than these people,” was unable to hit any of his targets.

Winners of the competition formed the blue team, while the losers formed the red team.

In the first team competition of season three called “Up the Pole," teams were equipped with the Larue OBR, one of the worlds most advanced semiautomatic sniper rifles.

The goal: Each team paired up in twos, designating one person to hit a target from 75 yards and the other from 100 yards, while standing on a platform.

The twist: Teams were shown a 16-foot long, 220-pound wooden pole that they must use to climb up to the shooting platform, and carry from one platform to another.

Marinaccio’s blue team got out to a fast start, and at the second platform, after partner and former Navy SEAL Jake Zweig hit his 75-yard target, Marinaccio nailed the 100-yard target with ease, surging the blue team ahead even more.

The red team made things interesting, gaining ground by the third platform, while the blue team’s Sara Ahrens, a police sergeant in Roscoe, IL, struggled to hit the 75-yard target. Despite the third platform struggles, the blue team was able to close out the competition with solid shooting on platform four, sending the red team to an elimination challenge.

Amanda Hardin, a nurse and real estate agent, and Mark Schneider, a customer service professional, were selected by the red team to head into elimination challenge.

The challenge: The two challengers, equipped with a Winchester ’73, needed to hit as many of the 10 targets ranging from a distance from 15 to 25 yards as possible, while riding on an Old West inspired stagecoach.

Schneider took home the win, hitting just three targets, while Hardin was only able to nail one.

Marinaccio's quest will continue on episode two, airing on Tuesday, Aug. 16, at 10 p.m.