Skip to main content

Women & Guns Part 3: How a Woman Does Homework

Women & Guns Part 3: How a Woman Does Homework

Editor's Note: This article is part 3 of our series about the National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) report, "Women Gun Owners: Purchasing, Perceptions and Participation." We invite you to read part 1 here.

Research shows women are consulting with local gun shops for purchasing information. Photo: Taurus Carry On 2015

In Parts I and II of this series exploring the NSSF's study on Women Gun Owners, G&A established that the traditional stereotypes regarding women and firearms have proven to be largely misunderstood. So then how are women choosing a firearm to purchase? Are their decisions hasty or guided by a male's influence as so often portrayed? The NSSF report discusses this issue.

PART 3

Sixty-seven percent of women in the survey spent a few months thinking about buying a gun before they made their purchase and many considered the decision much longer.  Women are not impulsive gun buyers. Less than 5 percent of the women surveyed stated that they made the purchase without at least a few days' reflection.

NSSF Report: Women's consideration time before purchasing

During the time that women contemplated a gun purchase, they were doing homework €¦ to a greater extent than male counterparts. Of the women polled, 96 percent sought information from at least one source before purchasing a firearm. The most popular information was gained through a woman's family. At least half of all female gun buyers consulted a firearm manufacturer's website and/or discussed the information with friends. Half of the women conferred with personnel across a gun counter before making their final decision, and just over a third consulted online discussion forums. Only 25 percent of the women scanned print magazines or periodicals before making their purchase. By the numbers, it's also clear that most of the women surveyed considered multiple sources before making a choice.

NSSF Report: Where women do their homework

After the NSSF's careful research, women primarily headed to local gun shops to make their purchase with 58 percent choosing small local businesses. Almost all of the remaining customers bought from big box stores such as Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's or Walmart. Less than 13 percent of women polled bought guns at a gun show and less than 1 percent purchased a firearm from a pawnshop.

NSSF Report: Where women purchase guns

It became clear to G&A from the data in this report that women are highly informed buyers when it comes to making a firearm purchase. Women are spending a great deal of time considering their purchase and are actively seeking out multiple information sources before joining the gun-owning fraternity.

To continue reading: click here for "Women & Guns Part 4: Why It's Important for Women to Own Guns"

Recommended





Current Magazine Cover

Enjoy articles like this?

Subscribe to the magazine.

Get access to everything Guns & Ammo has to offer.
Subscribe to the Magazine

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Handguns

Building The Bespoke 1911: Jason Burton

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Rifles

Best Affordable Rimfire Lever Action?

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

AR-15 for Home Defense

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

Target Transitions

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Optics

Red Dot Sights

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

Room Clearing with a Light

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

Malfunctions

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

AR-15 Basics

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

Lighting Techniques

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

Appendix Draw

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

Follow Through

On or just behind the hip is one of the most comfortable and practical ways to carry a concealed handgun. But just havin...
Personal Defense

Drawing from Hip Carry

Guns and Ammo Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Guns & Ammo App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Guns & Ammo stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Guns & Ammo stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use