In the 2025 Competition Rules update, there was a small change to the wording of a couple rules. This change was done to reflect what actually happens at matches and what NROI has been teaching in the RO class for years. Let’s discuss why the change was made.
In rules 8.3.1.1 and 8.7.1, ‘make ready position’ was substituted for ‘start position’. 8.3.1.1 explains that competitors cannot move from the make ready position without approval and supervision of a RO. And 8.7.1 states that competitors are allowed to take a sight picture from the make ready position. We also added a definition in App. A3: “‘Make ready position – The position on the stage where the Range Official gives the ‘Make Ready’ command to a competitor. This position does not need to be the same as the start position.” I know some of you are thinking that this seems like a silly change, but let’s discuss why it was made.
On most stages, the start position and the make ready location will be identical. Let’s say the start position is feet touching marks on the rear fault line and several targets can be clearly seen from that position. This allows for competitors to take a sight picture on a clearly visible target and adjust their red dot brightness if needed. But what if the start position is up against a solid wall and there are no targets in view? We have been teaching for years in the RO seminar that competitors can ask to make ready at a position where they can see a target with RO approval and they will be under RO supervision because it is part of the make ready process. We also have stages where the firearm starts on a table and the competitor starts a distance away at a start stick or seated in a chair. On a stage like that, the make ready position clearly needs to be by the table, but the competitor assumes the start position after staging the firearm.
You will notice that we did not make any changes to rule 3.2 that lists the required elements for the WSB. The make ready position does not need to be specified in the WSB and should be something the RO controls and works with the competitors to determine. No, this doesn’t mean a competitor can make ready at each shooting position on the stage. The competitor gets one make ready location that should be close to the start position. But as the sun changes over the day, maybe the morning competitors want to sight in on a target on the left side of the stage and maybe in the afternoon it’s a target on the right. That is fine as long as it is reasonable. This was a minor change and has not changed anything with how we run stages.
The bottom line is that the competitor has the right to request a make ready position that is different from the start position with RO approval, even if the WSB says something about a make ready position. The RO should always be the one who manages this and allows it when a competitor requests it. It only takes a few seconds to do and is not a big deal. And the reality is, there will be very few stages where a make ready position that is different from the start position is needed.