Shooting ranks amongst Cambridge's oldest varsity sports and has links dating back to at least 1803 with the formation of the Cambridge University Rifle Volunteers. The University Revolver club was formed in 1902 and forged close links with the rifle club in 1909 which itself had been established as a University club two years earlier. The first varsity match between Oxford and Cambridge took place in 1908 at the NRA Imperial meet and was officially incorporated into the programme in 1909. Alumni of the club include Olympians and international medalists representing many different countries. The constitution of the club is here.
The 10m range, used on Wednesdays and Saturdays, is where the majority of the air pistol shooting takes place. It has mechanical target changers and an electronic target is available to top shooters. The 20yrd range is only available on Saturdays.
On the 20yd range we shoot .22 rifles of two types: lever-action as well as semi-auto Ruger 10/22s. We have 4 automated turning targets for timed shooting as well as 4 stationary targets.
For help finding the range, contact us.
The club has has 13 air pistols for members' use in training and in varsity matches:
4 × Steyr LP50 multi-shot pistols
4 × Steyr LP5 multi-shot pistols
1 × Steyr LP2 single shot pistol
4 × manual single-shot pistols.
There are also 9 club rifles for members' use in gallery rifle training and varsity matches:
4 × Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic .22 rifles
2 × .22 Marlin under-lever rifles
3 × .357 Marlin under-lever rifles
What follows is an incomplete list of CURPC captains:
2024-25: Constance Xiao (Newnham)
2023-24: Xian Stewart (Homerton)
2022-23: Kevin Wang (Trinity)
2020-22: Jontie Honey (Emmanuel)
2019-20: Ming Qi Dai (Fitzwilliam)
2018-19: Theodore Chua (Churchill)
2017-18: Damiano Giuseppe Barone (Gonville & Caius)
2016-17: Jonathan P. Waite (Clare)
2015-16: Nicky Soane (Downing)
2014-15: Stewart Forshaw (King's)
2013-14: Alexander Hackmann (King's)
2012-13: Jonathan P. Waite (Clare)
2011-12: Sophie Reed (Murray Edwards)
2010-11: Vin Shen Ban (Christ's)
2009-10: James M. R. Bullock (Clare)
2008-09: Daniel Kumbang (Queens')
2007-08: Cheng Liu (Gonville & Caius)
2006-07: Xueni Zhu (New Hall)
2005-06: Nicole Taylor (Jesus)
1997-2005: No records
1996-97: Beatrix von Meier (Girton)
1995-96: Stuart J. Ince (Sidney Sussex)
1994-95: Graham Simpson (Girton)
1993-94: Eryl T. Done (Girton)
1992-93: Mike Marrison (Downing)
1991-92: Aidan Gibson (Jesus)
1990-91: Matt Whiting (Caius)
1989-90: Anthony Cross (Clare)
The Cambridge University revolver and pistol team is proud to be sponsored by Haendler & Natermann Sport GmbH, manufacturers of high precision ammunition and air pellets.
For more about shooting, check out:
Cambridge University Small-bore Club (CUSBC)
Cambridge University Rifle Association (CURA)
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)
National Small-bore Rifle Association (NSRA)
English Smallbore Shooting Union (ESSU)
Oxford University Pistol Club (OUPC)
National Rifle Association (NRA)
British Pistol Club
British Shooting
Captain: Xian Stewart
President: Tony Garwood
Secretary: Shau'ri Wiggins
Treasurer: Anjali Biswas
Senior Treasurer: David Goode
Social Officer: Shujing Shi
Safety Officer: Thomas Yam
Communications Officer: Ying Yue Chan
Armourer: Constance Xiao
To contact the committee, email us or message us on instagram.
Membership form: PDF
Safety role: DOCX
Constitution: DOCX or HTML
Welfare Policy: DOCX
Code of Conduct: PDF or DOCX
Risk Assessment: PDF or DOCX
Privacy Statement: PDF or DOCX
There are many opportunities to shoot in competitions during the year. None of the competitions are compulsory, but they come highly recommended as a way of tracking your performance, and there is always a competition to suit your standard:
Beginners' Competition: This is held near the beginning of Michaelmas term and is a chance for very new members to shoot against each other, with no old hands getting in the way, and win fantastic prizes!
Handicap Match: Held in Michaelmas term, this is a chance for all members to shoot against each other with a handicap system to level the playing field.
Past and Present Match: This is held at the end of Michaelmas term and is the first match of the academic year against Oxford and the alumni of each club. It's a fun day out at Bisley and a chance to shoot .357 gallery rifles.
Varsity Match: This is the annual competition against Oxford, held in February. A First, Second and Ladies team, each of 4 people, shoot shoulder to shoulder with the Dark Side in Cambridge or Oxford. Anyone who shoots can earn a Half Blue by scoring over 500 out of 600. Usually tightly contested, this is a tense match and a great challenge!
Imperial Meeting: This is an excellent opportunity to shoot at Bisley and is the main gallery rifle competition. There are several University competitions and a second Varsity match, this time with rifles. Only one team of 4 normally completes and there is another chance to earn a Half Blue by scoring above 90%. There is also quite a lot of silverware to be won.
Postal Leagues: The NSRA and CTSA both run two leagues a year, winter and summer. These are postal competitions in which competitors shoot each round by a set date. There is no minimum requirement and competitors are entered into different groups depending on their average. Club members shoot their rounds during the normal club sessions and then hand in their targets to the organiser.
Intershoot: Intershoot is an annual, international, three day competition held in The Hague and is a chance for club members to shoot against national squads from around the world. An excellent environment to improve your shooting and is extremely good fun. As an international event there is a qualifying score of 500/600 to enter. It runs early in the calendar year.