The Muzzle Loaders Associations International Committee (MLAIC) is the world governing body for competition with
muzzle-loading
A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun (i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from the modern (higher tech and harder to make) desig ...
firearms. Both originals (made prior to 1900) and replica's thereof.
MLAIC organises World Championships on even-numbered years, with European and Long Range Championships run in odd-numbered years. In 2022,
Deutscher Schützenbund hosted the 29th World Championship in
Pforzheim
Pforzheim () is a city of over 125,000 inhabitants in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwest of Germany.
It is known for its jewelry and watch-making industry, and as such has gained the nickname "Goldstadt" ("Golden City") ...
, Germany.
History
From an early document by our Patron, Paul Marchand 1976.
While M.L. guns were always used in Europe, especially hunting by farmers, there was no shooting club for old gun fans. In the U.S., Red Farris and Oscar Seth held a first shooting match at Portsmouth (Ohio) on 22 February 1931, then founded the N.M.L.R.A. in 1935, and held a yearly championship at Friendship (Indiana) attended by many shooters. Their scope was mainly civil free guns, and folklore, while Europeans were more concerned with military muskets and rifle events.
In Europe, the M.L.A.G.B. founded on 25 October 1952, held a first shoot at Bisley on 1 August 1953, then first British Championship on 9 May 1954. In France, some collectors, grouped around Mr Demaison, began to shoot old rifles at the Tir National de Versailles in 1960, and founded a special division of T.N.V. to shoot old guns. They then founded "Les Arquebusiers de France" in 1962. The first French—British Championship organized at Bisley on 1 and 2 June 1953 by President Burton of M.L.A.G.B. and Mr Demaison—This "Entente Cordiale" cup became a yearly event, and attracted, as well as British and French shooters, some foreign spectators. During this time some postal matches were organized with South Africa and U.S.A. The Entente Cordiale continues till this day.
In 1967, Piero Vergnano founded the "Archibugieri di Piemonte" (Torino) and had a first shoot with A d F, in Lyon, on 7 and 8 October 1967.
In 1969, the manager of the Deutsches Waffen Journal, Richard Horlacher decided to sponsor M.L. shooting, and organized a first match at Schwtibisch Hall, that was a big success, and became a yearly championship. The rules for M.L. Shooting were different in each country and in 1971, Arquebusiers de France invited all countries interested, to an international championship at Vaudoy-en-Brie, based on roughly agreed rules, and to a provisory international committee: "to establish common rules acceptable by all countries involved, so as to permit the use of the international rules for the national matches, with standard guns, and equipment, facilitate postal matches, and to initiate an international committee able to organize championship, and take necessary decisions".
The response was enthusiastic, with British, German, Italian and Spanish shooters attending the match, and even two members of N.M.L.R.A. – U.S.A. – Jim Briggs and Thomas Evans. The committee formed by Landry, Marchand and Cunnington for ‘France, Bill Curtis for Great-Britain, Richard Horlacher for Germany, Piero Vergnano and Sterrantino for Italy, Jorge Sichling for Spain, and Jim Briggs for U.S.A., decided:
1) To found a M.L.A. committee-meeting at each yearly championship.
2) To adopt standard shooting rules.
3) To keep as Aim of the
a) Develop public interest in old arms thru shooting them as near as reasonably possible to original conditions and style.
b) Prevent any alteration spoiling historical value of old weapons, promote intelligent cleaning and repair to save old guns from destruction or damage beyond repair.
c) Develop historical research on old guns and on old shooting methods.
d) Organize postal and yearly matches, establish shooting rules, publish results, give cups and championship titles, settle all litigations about shooting rules, etc.
The first M.L.A.I.C. Championship, due to initiatives of Jorge Sichling, was held on 23 and 24 September 1972 at Madrid, organized by the
Real Federacion Española de Tiro Olimpico
The Royal Spanish Olympic Shooting Federation, ''Spanish'' Real Federación Española de Tiro Olímpico (RFETO), organizes all shooting sports in Spain and is amongst other a member of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), the ...
, under the Presidency of Jose Angel Escorial y San Felice, with British, French, German, Italian and Spanish teams. It was a big success with 31 expert-shooters, and contributed much to the establishment of muzzle-loading shooting in Spain.
The next year, the 2nd Championship organized by the,
Muzzle Loaders Association of Great Britain
The Muzzle Loaders Association of Great Britain was formed in 1952 and is the governing body for muzzle loading within the UK. It is recognized by the Muzzle Loaders Associations International Committee. Its objectives are to encourage an inte ...
(President E. Burton) at
Bisley on 29 and 30 September, saw a greater number of shooters (83), and the miry of Danemark; clay pigeon events were tried, and officially adopted. The third championship was held on 5 and 6 October, at Schlibisch Hall (Germany) organized by the
Deutscher Schützenbund (President Alfred Michaelis) under the direction of Hans Kowar, with 100 shooters, and addition of Switzerland and Netherlands, and attracted many spectators. The Fourth championship has been organized by the FIATA (Federazione Italiana Associazoni Tiro ad Avancarica), at Codogno, on 27 and 28 September 1975, with participation of South African and Austrian Teams, with 8 records broken. The fifth championship organised by Arquebusiers de France, Tir National de Versailles and Federation Francaise de Tir will be shot a T.N.V. range on 25 and 26 September, with participation of U.S. and Japanese shooters.
Member nations
The European Zone consists of
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
,
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
,
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
,
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
,
Slovak Republic
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, and
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, have member status.
The Pacific Zone consists of
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
have member status.
Correspondent nations are
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
,
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
.
Secretary Generals
* 1970 – 2002: Capt' Paul Marchand, France
* 2002 – 2003: Mr Andrew Courtney, Great Britain
* 2003 – 2007: Mr Donald (Bucky) Malson, USA
* 2007 – 2008: Mr Kim Atkinson, Australia (Temp)
* 2008 – 2016: Mr David Brigden, Great Britain
* 2016 – Current: Mr Gerhard Lang, Germany
See also
*
List of shooting sports organizations
This is a list of national and international shooting sports organizations who promote sport shooting to civilian sport shooters, hunters, police, military and/or military reservists.
International governing bodies
* Amateur Trapshooting As ...
References
{{Reflist, 30em
External links
Official WebsiteLong-Range Muzzle-Loading website
Shooting sports organizations
Muzzleloading