The Well Armed Woman
courtesy TWAW

A survey performed by The Well Armed Woman shows just how big a force women are becoming in the firearms business. More women are buying guns, gear, training and equipment every year, but from TWAW’s survey results, the demographic is skewing toward older women.

Here’s what they found.

The Well Armed Woman Releases Surprising New Data on the Female Gun Owner

Powerful insights into the female demographic

(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – February 1, 2019 –  The Well Armed Woman, the nation’s largest resource and social media community of women gun owners releases new data on the mysterious female firearm and accessory consumer.

A recent survey conducted by The Well Armed Woman received four thousand entries yielding a 97% female response. The women ranged in age from 18 to more than 75 years of age. Male responses were removed to gather pure female related data. The survey collected data on numerous topics including buying habits, gun purchases, concealed carry preferences and demographics.

“The response from thousands of women demonstrates the desire of the American woman gun owner to speak up and be heard by the firearms and shooting accessories industry. Women want the industry to see them for who they are, not whom the industry dictates them to be. I think the industry will be fascinated by the results.” Says Carrie Lightfoot, Owner of The Well Armed Woman, LLC and founder of The Well Armed Woman Shooting Chapters non-profit organization.

Highlights of the female purchasing data collected show that the more mature female makes up the majority of the female shooting community as well as the highest spending block of firearms and accessories. Women in the 36-65-year-old age range made up 76.5% of respondents with those in the 56- 65-year-old range being the largest demographic represented with 33%.

When it comes to purchasing firearms and gear, women don’t hold back. Sixty percent of women polled bought at least one handgun in 2018, with 26% purchasing more than two. The Well Armed Woman survey of 2017 showed women on average, personally own 5.6 guns. Women aren’t just buying handguns, 26.39% of women polled also purchased a long gun in 2018.

courtesy TWAW

Thirty-seven percent of the nearly six million dollars spent on guns and gear in 2018 reported by this collection of 4000 women polled was purchased by the 46-55-year-old demographic. The lowest spending buying block were women ages 18-25 with 68.75% of this group spending under $750.00 during the year.  Interestingly, 1.4 Million or 23.31% of total purchases were made by women 65-75 years old. It is important to note there are an estimated 20 million female gun owners in the United States.

“This is significant information for the industry, which generally tends to market to the younger female demographic. Although all female gun owners should be of interest and importance to the industry, it’s important to note that the true purchasing power lies with the mature, everyday gun-owning woman.” Shares Lightfoot.

 

About Carrie Lightfoot

Carrie Lightfoot is the owner of The Well-Armed Woman, LLC and the founder and Chairwoman of the Board of TWAW Shooting Chapters Inc. a 501(c)3 Non-profit organization with 400 chapters in 49 states. She also is the principle of the Carrie Lightfoot Consultancy, assisting brands to effectively reach, market to and serve the female shooter. Carrie was elected to the National Rifle Association Board of Directors in 2018 and is an NRA Benefactor Life Member. She is a published author and popular national speaker and frequent guest in national media. She holds the following Firearms Instructor Certifications: NRA Certified Pistol, NRA Personal Protection in the Home, NRA Refuse To be a Victim, NRA Home Safety, USCCA Firearms Instructor and is a USCCA Training Counselor.

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26 COMMENTS

  1. Careful who you vote for, ladies, for those lovely democrats don’t think you should own firearms in the first place

      • Uh, had Hillary and the democrats won in 2016, all semi-autos and pump guns and Airsoft would have been turned in two years ago and Australian Style Gun Control would be the law of the land, forever.

        At least the SCOTUS is pro-gun for a while. And Nope, the NFA and Hughes Amendment are NOT going away….ever….so come to your senses. Quit blaming the GOP, there’s only so much they can actually do. Not every GOP district is 1000% Pro-Gun and representatives must kowtow to their constituents.

        • And just like that, you showed how *you* are part of the problem. Instead of surrendering on the NFA (and Hughes) you should be fighting it every chance you get. The only way to truly lose is to surrender.

          FYI, the Senate could have passed the HPA as part of SHARE with only 51 votes as it is a tax issue.

      • Consider the Constitution Party as an alternative and bulwark against the depraved
        Democrats and Reprobate Republicans or RINO’s! I don’t know what state you reside
        in. I reside here in Merrill, Oregon in Klamath County. On the net:

        The Constitution Party of Oregon at http://www.constitutionpartyoregon.net.

        • Let me see, seems like we had a third party some time ago, and that got us Slick Willy (such an apropos moniker). So think twice on who you decide to vote for. Better to promote a Green or Socialist party that will draw from the DemonRats than a Right leaning party that will draw from our side. Then make sure that we have the best we can get on our side.

          You may not like Trump, but he has done more for the Economy and the Courts that any republican in the last 50 years. Could we have done better, maybe. Could we have done worse, with out a doubt.

  2. I’m not surprised in the least the women spending money on self-defense tend to be older.

    Older women realize they are no match compared to a younger, stronger male, their typical assailant…

  3. Well, duh. I conducted CCW classes for a couple of decades. I never held a survey, but even I could see this trend.

  4. Given this, the firearms manufacturers should take more than half steps toward offering firearms that satisfy these customers. Hand strength and simplicity of use are real issues. A modern, tip up barrel at a reasonable price should be on the table.

    • The firearms makers do seem to be going after the small handed market.
      S&W shield EZ
      Glock 43x, 48
      XD-S

      As women buy more, they will be catered to. I believe the latest grips variations going smaller are for the small handed buyer.

      Some just don’t need to be targeted (single stack CCW). Some do (Bersa Thunder). There will be much overlap.

      The following 9mms also do well:. Shield, Sig P938.

      Or you too want a higher capacity Sig P365, perhaps with a 3.6″ barrel? ;). That would sell well! At least this man thinks so.

  5. I belong to this group, (TWAW). In the Chicago area, most of us are just regular suburban moms. You’d never know we own guns by just looking at us. I was a member for a year before I had the guts to use the range…..just chicken. Most women have husbands or fathers who taught them. I didn’t. This is a great group for new shooters. The leaders are all certified instructors. We have a meeting once a month, with a speaker. We, also, get a discount on range fees that day.

  6. The genie is not going back into the bottle. Its not what the leadership wanted but the women’s movement produced this. Independent women with a desire for controlling their own personal safety.

    Its not what the short sited socialists had in mind for the future they envisioned.

  7. Young women are under tremendous social pressure to be good feminists, good Democrats, and hate and abhor the concept of armed self defense lest they be crucified as traitors to the sisterhood.

  8. Maybe you have to have been attacked 3 times like I was. Or, maybe you had to see the result of someone attacking your 87 yr. old mother in her home, like I did. Maybe it’s hearing gunshots at night in the city that spurs the desire a little more every year. First you have to admit you are vulnerable and the knight in shining armor is a myth. I now have a friggin’ collection of self defense guns and got an FFL to sell them hopefully to other women. This is real.

    • Marcia, the knight in shining armor isn’t a myth. You probably have just had bad experiences and I apologize to you for those. You can find a knight but you’ve got to do a little searching and sometimes make yourself see him. Yes, have a gun for self-defense but allow the right man to be your knight. You’ll probably stumble across him at the range! Keep hope alive!

    • Good for you! You are in control of your own destiny! I wish more women would realize that when it comes to self defense the old adage “Let George do it” can get you killed! I watched individual get killed because protection and security was “the other guys job” and they were a technician who did not need to have a firearm! The same thinking will get you killed when someone breaks into your home with the intent of doing harm to you and loved ones!
      A Vietnam Veteran

  10. The nice thing about having a wife shoot and buy guns right next to you is when you die she won’t sell them for what you told her you paid for them, when I buy one she usually buys one too. When I got my CCW I told her she should go with me and get hers, she never shot a pistol (only small caliber rifles) before so I took her shooting and taught her to shoot. She loves it and carries daily.

  12. First, I really like the well armed woman group.

    The well armed woman I called Mom or Aunt. 😉 All sharpshooters.

    I have grey hair and am proud my grandmother defended herself (Navy combat nurse) with a 45ACP acp… no Geneva convention in her combat theater. A woman surrendering was just a bad death.

    I teach (informally, I’m not an instructor) women, men, gays whomever to shoot. My most diverse group of friends is at the range! (Every color of the rainbow).

    Lately, it is the wives telling me to teach husbands as the woman doesn’t want to wait for the dross, so she can send hubby to the gun store and know he’ll buy correctly. Yes, I’m serious!

  13. I spent my childhood in what was is now known as Russia. Trust me, you do NOT want to be unarmed, defenseless, and walk through life surviving in fear. Now living in the United States, and enjoying the Second Amendment right to defend myself is one I will never take for granted. I pray Americans never take this for granted, and fight to always keep that right. I am glad that more women are deciding to arm themselves, and defend themselves, their children, and their loved ones.

  14. My wife is from Peru and was leery of guns. I took her and my daughters to the range (10 and 8 at the time) to shoot a rifle and handgun. All three enjoyed it and the range master was grinning from ear to ear the whole time seeing them there. At first my wife was very mad, but didn’t let on that such was the case. After shooting my .45 ACP, she was converted. She had been indoctrinated into fearing guns.

    After I retired and moved back to my home state, I enrolled all three of them into Hunter’s Ed. Both of my girls have gone hunting with me. Not only that, my brother takes his daughter hunts with us. My step-mother hunts as well. I also know several other women, friends from school and spouses of my battle-buddies that hunt.

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