Michelle Singleton Wiggins: Representing from the Bench

This year, I’ve been focused on spotlighting the people who represent what’s right in long-range shooting. The ones building community, showing up with purpose, and proving that this sport has room for more than just one type of shooter. I’m not here to dwell on what’s missing. I’m here to highlight what’s already working—and the people making it stronger.

Michelle Singleton Wiggins is one of them.

From Pistols to Precision

2025 Sierra Cup Win

Michelle didn’t grow up chasing Xs at 1,000 yards. She grew up with pistols. That was her lane, quick, intuitive, and close enough to feel familiar. Rifles were someone else’s game. So when her husband asked her to shoot a long-range match with him in 2019, she was skeptical. She knew how to shoot. But a full-on precision team match at 600 yards? That wasn’t exactly in her wheelhouse.

Still, she went. And they won haha.

That one match flipped the switch. The moment she saw that center punched out, something changed. The uncertainty gave way to curiosity. She started showing up with her Savage Palmer chambered in 6mm dasher, competing in tactical matches and learning what it really meant to manage wind, watch conditions, and tighten groups on paper. She set a goal to win Shooter of the Year at her club. She did. Then she stepped into Open Class, took a seat behind the bench, and never looked back. Since then, she’s stacked up Sierra Cup medals, landed top placements in team events, and most recently shot a clean 200-18X. That score alone is enough to raise eyebrows. The only thing that hasn’t kept up is the rulebook, because the division she shoots in still doesn’t officially exist.

The Unnamed Division

2025 Sierra Cup Win

Michelle shoots what’s best described as a benchrest–F-Class hybrid. Same distances. Same targets. Same scoring. The only difference is that she’s sitting at a bench instead of lying prone. That’s not a preference. It’s a necessity. She’s got a fused neck. Her husband has a brace that spans eight vertebrae. Getting down on the ground and craning their heads up to a scope just isn’t an option. But they still show up. Still compete. Still put up solid scores. And yet, on paper, they don’t exist.

There’s no classification path. No Master rank. No official recognition. These matches happen, the work gets done, but the system acts like it’s not real because the shooters aren’t on their elbows in the dirt. Michelle’s not asking for a favor. She’s asking for fairness. If you’re shooting the same course of fire, with the same level of discipline and difficulty, you should be counted. Period. She’s already taken it up with the NRA. She’s not doing it to make noise. She’s doing it for everyone else who’s ever thought, I could compete if there was just a way for someone like me. Michelle is trying to build that lane—for them, not for herself.

This Generation and the Next

What sets Michelle apart isn’t just her scorecard. It’s how she shows up for other shooters. She spends time coaching juniors, sharing gear, and breaking down concepts in ways that actually stick. One of those juniors is eight-year-old Harper Wheeler. Michelle taught her how to read a clock, not for time, but to understand wind direction using the clock-face method. Harper shot her first match with one of Michelle’s rifles. A while later, Michelle gave her the rifle as a birthday gift.

While we were talking about Harper, I mentioned Shiloh, a 13 year old F-Class Open shooter on the USA Rifle Youth Team who had just been on the podcast. Turns out Michelle already knew her. They’ve shot together. Same birthday. Same range. That’s how this sport works when the right people are involved. It gets small, fast.

Michelle doesn’t just talk about growing the sport. She’s doing it. She lends gear. She makes people feel like they belong before they’ve even fired their first shot. She’s honest about the real barriers, too. For women especially, it’s not about confidence or intimidation. It’s cost. The gear, the ammo, the travel, the time, it adds up fast. That’s why Michelle supports local matches and factory divisions that let people get started with what they already have.

She also told me how excited she was at this year’s Sierra Cup, six women competed. Four walked away with medals. Michelle made sure they got a photo together. That one image has already inspired other women to reach out and ask how to get involved. That’s what actual representation looks like. Not just showing up, but making sure others can too.

Final Thoughts

Michelle shoots because she loves the sport. She competes because she can. She coaches because she wants to see others succeed. And she’s pushing for recognition that reflects what’s already happening on the firing line, shooters showing up and performing, whether the rulebook sees them or not.

If you’re new to long-range shooting, unsure where you fit, or just trying to find your way, Michelle is someone worth knowing. She’s approachable, experienced, and quick to help. More importantly, she’s proof that this sport is already changing for the better, one shooter at a time.

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