What guns are women buying?

[seeker_two]

After watching a recent episode of Sons Of Guns (and shaking my head a lot at the thought of an 8" derringer being considered a "ladies' gun"), I started thinking.....

Is there any hard data being collected that shows what type of handguns are being bought by women....esp. first-time buyers? And where would I go to find such data?

Are women buying pocket autos?....snub revolvers?....Glocks?.....Judges?......

Can anyone point me in the right direction?.....


Thanks in advance.....

[Bic]

In the last 18 months my wife has bought (all by herself with only a little tech. input from me) a Walther PPS 40S&W, a Ruger LCP and I think there's a Hogue stocked Rem 700 .308Win. 20"  in the near future.

MP

[tombogan03884]

In the last 18 months my wife has bought (all by herself with only a little tech. input from me) a Walther PPS 40S&W, a Ruger LCP and I think there's a Hogue stocked Rem 700 .308Win. 20"  in the near future.

MP

That must be one helluva purse she's toting around ! 

[gunman42782]

Can only speak for what I have observed in the shop I work at, but we sell a lot of LCPs to women.  And snubbie revolvers.  Sad thing is, two of the hardest guns to try to master shooting with.  But they see them, they are light, and they think because they are little and light that they are "cute:, till they shoot the damn things.  I always try to get first time shooters to get proper instruction, instead of having thier bubba husbands and boyfriends pick out their guns for them.  But, usually, it don't work, they buy the little cute gun, go out and shoot it, hurts them like hell or they can't hit anything or both, and never shoot it again. 

[billt]

Can only speak for what I have observed in the shop I work at, but we sell a lot of LCPs to women.  And snubbie revolvers.  Sad thing is, two of the hardest guns to try to master shooting with.  But they see them, they are light, and they think because they are little and light that they are "cute:, till they shoot the damn things.  I always try to get first time shooters to get proper instruction, instead of having thier bubba husbands and boyfriends pick out their guns for them.  But, usually, it don't work, they buy the little cute gun, go out and shoot it, hurts them like hell or they can't hit anything or both, and never shoot it again.  

I think this is where manufacturers are making a big mistake. Putting pretty pink cylinders on these revolvers, and molding them in colors that are better suited for a 4 year old girl's Birthday party, may help sell guns to women, but not for the proper reasons. Guns are not a "fashion statement", and should not be treated as such. It takes away from the total seriousness of the whole situation.

Carrying a firearm involves making the conscious decision to carry, with the intent to use if necessary, deadly force. There shouldn't be anything that takes away from the seriousness of that decision. All of this silly "styling" manufacturers are building into these weapons aimed at the female buyer is doing just that. It takes away from the more necessary practical aspects of the gun, and puts more focus on looks, style, and eye appeal. Unfortunately women believe they must be "in style" to do anything.....even kill someone. Playing on that type of consumer weakness is a very poor judgement call in my opinion.

Smith & Wesson started this whole thing with their "Ladysmith" series of guns that were aimed at the female population. They were designed with weight and controllability in mind, while maintaining good stopping power should the need arise. This started out as a good thing. From there it's gone all the way to silly, with these weapons molded in every color of the rainbow, and as was mentioned, much too small and light to offer much in the way of controllability. There are far too many confusing factors already involved for a woman who is totally unfamiliar with weapons, in making the proper choice of a tool that could be called upon to defend her life. It is silly to play on style as a method to secure a sale, over the ability to be able to handle the weapon effectively, simply because it's more important that it be, "cute" and "pretty".

[Sponsor]

[seeker_two]

Billt: I respectfully disagree. I like the fact that the gun companies are making guns in colors other than black or stainless. It opens a broader market, and styling and color sells more product. I don't think it takes away from the "deadliness" of the product anymore than the styling of the Camaro or Challenger takes away from the responsibility of driving safely.

I do agree with you about S&W's "lady" guns. The Ladysmith line and the Julie Golob M&P's are good guns that are well-suited for just about any shooter....women included. And slapping a pink finish on any old gun does not a ladies' gun make. A lot of companies need to do more market research on what women buy and what women like to shoot.....hence my question.

[Bic]

tombogan:  "That must be one helluva purse she's toting around !   "

Don't even joke about it      

Actually she almost always carries the PPS on her belt, under a sweatshirt or sweater in the cooler weather. It'd be appendix carry if she weren't wrong handed. The 700 came about after her seeing 'Shooter' and fancying herself as a 'sniper', we took my 'scoped AR to a 100yd range and she got better groups than I could and it was the first time she'd shot it, GI trigger and all!  - so I guess she's our family sharpshooter. Here she is with her first buck, taken about 3 weeks ago:

 

The rifle is my 1904 .30-'03 Springfield

MP

[billt]

I like the fact that the gun companies are making guns in colors other than black or stainless.

The problem isn't that they are making them, but rather that it becomes to involved in the criteria of making the proper choice. If a woman chooses the weapon based on the necessary factors such as weight, grip, stopping power, and controllability, then moves on to color, etc., that is fine. It should not become a deciding factor in the purchase of a concealed carry weapon. Judging by the popularity of these guns, one cannot help think it might be. Many of these petite guns lack sufficient stopping power and accuracy to be carried for self defense purposes.

[Timothy]

My daughter is 5'1" and carries/owns a Sig Sauer P228 in 9mm.  She's tried smaller frames like my Ruger SP101, SR9c and a Walter P22 but prefers the larger handgun.  She shoots it well too!

I think she'd carry more often with something smaller but it's not a priority for her at this point.

[gunman42782]

Agree with billt on this.  I have seen too many women come in the shop and buy a gun just because it is pink!  No amount of reasoning on my part usually talks them out of it either.  Most of them seem to want something to carry concealed, and most of them get shot little if at all.  It does no good to have a gun and not know how to use it!  I am not against pink guns, or any color guns for that matter, but nobodys decesion to buy one should be based just on the "cuteness" factor.  The little .380s are hard for anyone to hang on to, and a lot of women have trouble racking the slide on them.  The small light weight .38 snubs are a bear to shoot, even for experienced handgunners.  I can shoot almost any gun better than a J frame gun, just because there aint much to hang on to. (And I love DA revolvers, second only to the 1911)  I know women have smaller hands than men, but the law of physics do not change.  The smaller the gun, the less weight to the gun, the more it kicks.  Lots of women have trouble shooting the small DA revolvers DA.  We rent guns where I work, and I will try my best to convince first time shooters of either sex to rent a few guns and decide from that which one is right for them.  Most of them will still go with the "cute" guns (which we seldom have a used one that they can rent!)