A Lancashire entrepreneur has started his own business in a bid to make the sport of shooting safer and more enjoyable for those taking part.
Simon Ward, of Scorton, Preston, has launched his company, Wardfield Sporting Goods, to manufacture and market a unique product aimed at the shooting enthusiast market. He first thought of this revolutionary idea approximately four years ago.
The businessman has run his own ground-working company for a decade, which continues to be successful. A lifelong passion for shooting picked up from his father Robert, has given him the inspiration to start another business to promote his brainwave, which he has called the LightGun.
Simon reveals that the average shotgun weights around 5-6kg, which can be an inconvenience when enjoying a day’s shoot, but also potentially raise safety issues if the person carrying the gun becomes fatigued while in the field. He says tired arms can lead to shooters carrying their guns incorrectly, and the LightGun is a holster designed for safety, with the barrel pointing downwards and webbing distributing the weight across the shoulders.
Simon said: “I came up with the idea while on a shoot, when I heard more and more of the party complaining their shotguns were weighing heavily. People were tempted to break them over their shoulders or put them on the ground, and when they came to shoot, they were less accurate and it was a poorer experience all round.
“There is no substitute for adequate safety tests, training and precautions ahead of any shoot, but we feel our product can help mitigate the potential risks of inexperience and mistakes. Feedback we have received is that the LightGun can reduce fatigue, and improve both comfort and accuracy. It looks great too and is another accessory in the shoot-kit box.”
Simon has dedicated four years to the LightGun shotgun holder, which has not only been an exciting journey and testing at times, but it has been educational and he has seen the product evolve over time to where it is now. The product is handcrafted in the UK by Cheshire leather specialists Rutherfords, with customisation options offered for the leather and stitching.
