WHY THE GUN TRADE MUST BACK UNIVERSITY SHOOTING

Student shooting is growing – but without support, it may stall. In this exclusive interview, Cambridge University head coach Richard Wilson explains why now is the time for the gun trade to invest in the next generation.

Across the UK, student clay shooting is quietly evolving into one of the most promising lifelines for the future of the shooting industry. But this growth, and the trade’s long-term survival, now depends on one thing: getting guns into the hands of young shooters.

“Every week, I see students from all walks of life arrive at the ground in borrowed cars, carrying borrowed kit, driven not by luxury but by pure passion,” says Richard Wilson, head coach at Cambridge University Clay Pigeon Club and co-founder of the Varsity Inc. Shooting Academy alongside Colin Burrows. “They’re committed, often wildly talented and they are the future of our sport.”

Yet one critical obstacle still remains: hardware.

NO GUNS, NO FUTURE

Student shooting clubs often struggle to access enough serviceable firearms to support their members. Guns wear out. Stocks split. Recoil becomes too harsh for beginners. And while quality coaching can bridge many gaps, students can’t train with a trigger they cannot pull.

“The reality is simple,” says Wilson. “Without shotguns, students can’t shoot. And without student shooting, the market that sustains this industry will struggle to grow.”

This is where the trade has been presented with a unique opportunity. Wilson points to Cambridge University’s journey as proof of what’s possible when the right support is in place. Just ten years ago, the club had only seven active shooters. But a phone call to then-Browning representative David Stapley changed everything.

“David backed us when we were nobody,” says Wilson. “He found us six guns and I put in every weekend as a volunteer coach. That early belief transformed us.”

Today, Cambridge University is the defending national university champion, with more than 300 students currently involved through the Varsity Inc. Shooting Academy. Among those shooters is Cambridge medical student Georgina Chamberlain who, by her own admission, wasn’t exactly setting the clay world alight in the beginning. Four years later, she was selected to shoot for England – a remarkable achievement that highlights just how far student shooters can progress with the right support and coaching.

THE LOYALTY EFFECT

The commercial case is clear. Students supported by a brand early in their journey often develop long-term loyalty. “All they’ve ever known is Browning,” says Wilson. “So when they go to buy their first gun, that’s what they look for. It’s brand alignment built on trust and experience.”

Yet this model isn’t currently scalable across the UK. While Cambridge and Oxford may secure limited hardware from major brands, other university clubs – such as those at Reading, Southampton or Keele – often go without. The result is a growing gap between potential demand and equipment supply.

A CALL TO ACTION

Wilson believes the answer lies in coordinated, industry-wide support. “We’ve proven the model,” he says. “It works. Now we need other gunmakers, distributors, and governing bodies to recognise the value of student shooting and come on board.”

He proposes the creation of a shared, trade-backed equipment pool to ensure clubs can access reliable firearms.

Manufacturers could contribute by supplying loan guns or retired demonstration stock where resources are otherwise limited.

In parallel, he advocates for structured funding to subsidise coaching programmes, ensuring students receive consistent, high-quality training regardless of background. On the ammunition front, the development of cost-effective cartridges specifically aimed at student shooters could dramatically lower entry costs and broaden participation.

THE GTA’S ROLE

With its mandate to protect and promote the trade, Wilson sees the Gun Trade Association as a natural partner in this mission. “This isn’t about charity,” he says. “It’s about investment. Investment in the next 20 years of customers, advocates and skilled participants. If we don’t act now, we risk handing the narrative over to a generation that’s never pulled a trigger.”

Back the students. Back the sport. Put your guns in their hands.