Indians For Guns

Women Gun Owners: Not Just a Trend Anymore
by Dylan Polk •

Women shootingIt’s no secret that women can enjoy shooting just as much as men. But would you believe women are becoming the face of the sport?

According to a report from CBS News, the national total for female gun owners has doubled over the last decade, increasing to nearly 5 million women since 2001.

The focus tends to be on defense. A 2010 story from the Washington Times, citing a study by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Southwik Associates, 80 percent of female gun owners purchased firearms for self-defense. In addition, 35 percent armed themselves for target practice, and 24 percent for hunting.

Though the federal government does not track gun sales by sex, local independent studies have shown an increase among female buyers. In North Carolina, for example, officials noted a 15 percent increase in Mecklenberg County over a two-year span, according to Armed Females of America.

Of course, the increasing demographic isn’t just localized to North Carolina. In Kentucky, sporting store owner Randy Glauber told The Daily he’s noticed the trend, and he took full advantage of it during the Christmas shopping season.

“Basically, the idea is to get the ladies out of the mall and into my shop,” said Glauber, owner of Glauber’s Sports in Carrollton, Ky., adding that one of the store’s hottest items — a Russian-made rifle priced at $79.99 — was a popular item among female shoppers. “… I’ve had little old ladies come in… and buy them by the crate for gifts for all the men in the family,” Glauber said. “Across the board, we used to sell to men, adult men, ages 18 to 45. Now we’re advertising to everybody.”

And pink guns? Glauber plans to have more of them next year, noting a huge demand for the rosy rifles.

“I can’t keep a pink gun on the shelf. That kind of marketing, it’s kind of weird but it works,” he said.

Though grandmas packin’ heat probably aren’t the first thing you think of when you think of shooting, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out the industry is churning out more products aimed at women. In recent years, for example, pink guns have become more mainstream — beginning as a fad before the brightly colored firearms evolved into top sellers.

But the rising trend isn’t just mere aesthetics. Gun companies like Heizer and Colt have introduced — or in Colt’s case, re-introduced — lighter, smaller-frame guns that are not only easier to conceal, but are also easier to handle while still doing the work of any larger-frame handgun.

And it goes far beyond just guns. Holsters, jackets, cases, vests — any gun accessory you can think of, chances are there’s a version made exclusively for women.

The trend is obviously paying dividends for families that have not just one, but two and sometimes more legal gun owners in the house, each trained in proper gun safety.

The basic desire to own a gun, however, ultimately derives from a general interest in shooting.

“All of us are brought together by the love of the sport,” Lesa Ellanson, a certified shooting instructor for the National Rifle Association’s “Women on Target” program, told CBS, adding that shooting doesn’t necessarily take away from a woman’s femininity. “It would depend on how you define femininity. I think a capable woman is the most feminine expression of power that there is.”

[youtube][/youtube]

So new year resolution, get more ladies into sports shooting and hunting - Haji

Personally, I feel that getting females into the shooting and collecting sports/activities is VITAL for the success and survival of RKBA. Such a move not only adds to our numbers, it takes away the misogynist stigma to guns as a whole -- something that SHOULD NOT be present to begin with!

The Republican Party here in the USA is conducting its nomination process for the presidency right now. If you are watching this, you can see how, in a democratically representative government like the USA's -- which, incidentally, is exactly what India is, as well -- politicians reach out to interest groups of any and all types to gather voting blocs. In any division of voters, the female voting bloc is the largest -- which means that it is VITAL to us!

Brothers: look at the plethora of cartridges and the proliferation of various gun designs: we banter these things about even here on this board as if they were all matters of the greatest import, but they are only small details that are primarily matters of our own tastes (no matter how rational we try to make the arguments defending our tastes -- look at the recent discussion of pistol vs. revolver!).

We MUST reach out to our sisters to win our rights, and this means accepting a feminine point of view as just as important and just as significant as our own. Like the stainless steel finish? Your opinion about this is no different than a woman's preference for a pink finish. Dismissing such female opinions is simply cutting our own throat.

We all have our preferences and ergonomic needs. Women have their own unique ergonomic needs and aesthetic tastes that aren't always shared by us men. We need to be careful that we are ACCEPTING of this fact, and welcome into our ranks as many women as we can. If we do, I'm sure that we'll ultimately win our RKBA struggle. Once a significant number of women see guns as a normal, natural part of life like dining room tables and electrical cords, we have won this battle!

As gun owners and proponents of RKBA, we must always be careful to open our ranks to every kind and group of people who want to responsibly and legally enjoy guns.

Also, I think it only right to promote women's use of guns as a means of self-protection. Women have historically been at a physical disadvantage with men, and as we've often heard from the cliche about Colonel Colt's invention, the gun is a great equalizer that can protect our mothers, wives, daughters, and loved ones from goons who need a lesson in acceptable behavior.

Let's all think about this, because bringing in a new gun lover to our ranks may well include reaching out and welcoming someone who isn't exactly like us.

Its true Haji and Timmy,
We absolutely need more women gun owners on our side .....and not just women. We need everybody legally allowed to own a gun to be interested in our hobby/sport. Teach all your kids to shoot, not just the boys. Teach your female relatives how to shoot safely. If we are able to show people that the shooting sports can be safe and fun, we will all be the ultimate beneficiaries.


Oleg recently posted a couple of videos dealing with this very topic:

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

Lots of details if you notice but a really good hunting video - Haji

Aloha,

Yes, Women are the salvation of the gun Movement.

In the US, women are slowly becoming a political force, comming of Age.

Because of Conceal Carry Permits, women are taking more and more gun safety classes.

Gun makers have come to realize this and are making guns especially for women.

Firearms are becoming availible in all sorts of custom colors for women.

In an Emergency, your Wife is your Best backup. No one is going to back shoot you when

she is watching your back.

It's also "for the children", no child in her care wil be a victim as long as

Momma bear is around. She will happily make every effort to hurt or kill when she is with the chldren