January 2026 copy - Flipbook - Page 58
Shooting
from
the Sitting
Position
by David Minshall
The Muzzle Loaders Association of Great Britain (MLAGB) runs many
competitions that require
the prone position to be
adopted. In recent years
it was recognised that for
some shooters the prone
position is impractical (eg.
due to neck, back or knee
complaints; either temporary caused by injury or
long term) and they cannot
therefore take part. During
2022 & 2023, in MLAGB
Mid & Long Range National Ri昀氀e Championship
matches and the competitions of the Long Range
Ri昀氀es (LRR) Branch of
the MLAGB, the principle of shooting seated at
a bench was trialled. To
be clear, this is not bench
rest shooting, as the ri昀氀e
is supported in the same
manner as prone shooters.
No competitive advantage
was seen to be gained, and
the principle of shooting
58
Note that the ri昀氀e is only supported by the use of a sling,
in the same manner as used for prone shooting
seated was adopted by the
MLAGB and LRR. The
spring 2024 edition of the
MLAGB ‘Black Powder’
magazine published the
rule change. For prone
matches at short, mid and
long range, shooters that
require so are permitted
to 昀椀re whilst seated at a
bench, and where range
regulations permit that position to be adopted. So...
• Where competition rules
specify that the prone
position is to be adopted, and a shooter has a
genuine reason why this
is impractical (eg. due
to neck, back or knee
complaints), then they
may 昀椀re from a seated
position. Elbows may be
rested on a bench, but
the 昀椀rearm must only be
supported in the same
manner as allowed for
prone shooters, i.e. sling
and/or wrist rest as permitted under the speci昀椀c
match conditions.*
(*) A wrist rest is permitted in some matches
昀椀red at distances greater
than 600 yards.
The published notice also
included explanation of
the purpose of the rule and
its intended application:
• This is not meant to
change the character
of the well-established
MLAGB competitions,
where prone is expected
to continue to be adopted by the majority of
shooters. It is provided
Modern BPCR Shooter - January, 2026
