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Long Range Shooting


Unlike Continental Europe, where grand shooting festivals had been held since at least the 14th century, target shooting as a sport never had a strong following in Great Britain until the mid 19th century. With the establishment of the Volunteer Force in 1859 and the subsequent founding of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the mass appeal of the sporting aspects of rifle shooting was to grow throughout the mid-late Victorian era.


From their inaugural meeting on Wimbledon Common in 1860, the NRA held competitions at ranges up to 1000 yards. During the latter part of the 19th Century, there was great public interest generated in long- range shooting with the famous international matches held at Creedmoor (USA), Dollymount (Ireland) and Wimbledon.


During the initial years, rifles used at long-range were generally of military configuration. This class of muzzle-loading match rifle evolved through the 1860s into a highly specialised form, typically incorporating a heavy barrel of .45 bore, finely adjustable sights and a pistol grip stock. Such rifles dominated in long- range target shooting competition until the end of the 1870s when breech-loading rifles began to replace the muzzle-loader in the hands of long-range marksmen.


35


The Eighth MLAIC Long Range World


Championships Bisley England by David Minshall


Modern Revival


The modern revival of long-range shooting with muzzle-loading rifles began in the 1960s amongst members of the Muzzle Loaders Association of Great Britain (MLAGB). Long-range shooting has become an established discipline within the MLAGB and National Championship matches are held at distances of up to 1000 yards. A group of enthusiasts within the Association also formed their own Branch to further expand their long-range shooting opportunities and, on occasion, shoot out to 1200 yards.


The world governing body for muzzle-loading shooting is the Muzzle Loaders Associations International Committee (MLAIC). Founded in 1971, the MLAIC held their first World Championship in 1972 in Spain. In 1984 Zone Championships were introduced with the European Championships held in the Netherlands and the Pacific Zone Championships held in the USA. Subsequent to that World and Zone Championships have been held on alternate years.


Until 1999, muzzle-loading competitions were held at short range - 25m for pistol and revolver, 50m for musket and rifle, 100m for rifle, plus clay pigeon events for shotgun.


Worldwide interest in long-range muzzle-loading grew to such an extent that in 1999 the MLAIC held their first Long Range World Championships at Bisley, Surrey. Following on from the success of this, the Championship was again held at Bisley in 2000, then South Africa 2001, USA 2003, Great Britain 2005, South Africa 2007, and USA 2009.


This year, the 8th MLAIC Long Range World Championship was held at Bisley from 11 – 17th September. It was managed by the MLAGB as the national governing body for muzzle-loading and this year was the largest Championship held to date, with 68 competitors from 12 nations;


Australia - Austria - France - Germany - Great Britain - Netherlands - New Zealand - Norway South Africa - Sweden - Switzerland & United States.


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