13st MLAIC Long Range World Championship 2023

The 51 athletes, coming from 3 continents, faced this difficult challenge with the tenacity and determination that has always distinguished black powder shooters.

Shooting distances increase considerably compared to traditional disciplines, 300/500/600/900 and 1000 yards, to be precise. Perhaps some readers, connoisseurs and practitioners of the long-range shooting, with modern rifles, might consider them ordinary, perhaps even of little importance, not considering the additional difficulties imposed by the loading process, where an uncertainty during the pushing of the bullet to the bottom of the barrel or a micro-deformation of the bullet, made of soft lead, can vain an otherwise excellent performance.

To this difficulty, intrinsic to the tools used, we add the use of historical sights, mechanics with a certain degree of complexity, without lenses, reticles and compensating elements.

In the field, finely crafted rifles, created specifically for these disciplines. Heavy and unbalanced, this is how you perceive the rifles, while carrying them, but extremely stable once positioned in front of the firing lines.

It is the case of our Gibbs rifle, a gun of English origin, used since its early days in the sporting field and has always been the flagship of our production. Not one of the simplest rifles, our Gibbs, certainly not the right choice for a neophyte, but extremely faithful in its results, capable of not betraying the expectations of those shooters who, with time and experience, have been able to tame its temperament.

There were quite a few Gibbs rifles in the field, over 20, not bad considering that the participants are among the best in the world in this discipline.

Our hope of getting on the podium came true, thanks to excellent placings recorded over all distances. In total, our Gibbs reached the podium with:

6 gold medals;

4 silver medals;

4 bronze medals.

A special thank you to the organization led by the friend Nemeth Balazs, who was able, again this year, to stand out thanks to his presence on the field and constant assistance, all filled with a jovial spirit and a pleasant smile.

A heartfelt applause to all the athletes involved in these noble disciplines, with the hope that they will be an example to the new generations of shooters, the future of black powder.

Stefano Pedersoli