Mention guns and you’ll get one of three reactions: (1) I hate guns, (2) I love guns or (3) today’s most interesting and fascinating response, that ranges from interest in owning a gun, planning to buy a gun or actually making a purchase to then getting instruction, spending time on the range and even obtaining a CCW permit to carry a concealed weapon.

This third fast-growing category is the driving force behind today’s gun industry jaw-dropping sales and it is dramatically reshaping gun ownership perceptions and time-honored demographics.

One look at current gun sales clearly indicates that Main Street America has shifted its thinking – from a once-mild interest to now taking action and newfound gun ownership – and the transition is both undeniable and profound.

Firearms by the Numbers

A report by the Small Arms & Analytics Forecasting (SAAF) research organization reports that 23 million U.S. civilian firearms were sold in 2020.

All gun sales – by gun shops, pawn shops and gun retailers – require a background check. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NCIS) operated by the FBI, was developed in 1998 along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and various state and local law enforcement agencies to quickly and effectively determine if a person could legally buy or own a firearm.

In 2020, a reported 21 million new background checks were also conducted for the sale of a firearm, breaking all previous records. Gun dealers were swamped and reported that 40 to 50% of their sales were to first time buyers. Industry estimates put that number at about 8.4 million new U.S. gun owners.

It is also worth noting, that growing concerns throughout the year – ranging from civil unrest and defunding police to a contentious Presidential election, fears of gun control and a raging worldwide pandemic – saw sales in the month of August 2020 alone exceed total gun sales for all of 2019.

While this number, in and of itself is telling, such figures collectively only represent the proverbial tip of the iceberg… as the “who and why” is even more intriguing and warrants even closer inspection.

Today’s Newest Gun Owners 

To better understand what is shaping today’s universe of firearms, we should perhaps start by taking a closer look at home.

Today, Nevada is the 8th most heavily armed state in the nation. We have a reported 20 registered guns per 1,000 residents and 47.3% say they have a gun in their home.

Nevada’s gun sales generally parallel those reported nationally – and the state’s Department of Public Safety records indicate that our “Point of Contact Firearms Program” conducted over 200,000 background checks for gun purchases in 2020.

An initial spike in sales occurred last March, due to alarming national news and the stunning closure of Las Vegas, followed by even greater 20,000-plus surges in the months of June, August and November – that had gun shop phones ringing off the hook and out-the-door lines clearing shelves of both firearms and ammunition.

Amidst this flurry of frantic sales activity was another emerging phenomenon of sorts, overwhelmed gun retailers noted that 40 to 50% of their customers now were first-time buyers and (surprisingly) nearly half of these purchasers were women. Serious women, asking serious questions and buying serious firearms.

While gun ownership has always been pretty-much a male-dominated domain, it is apparent this too is rapidly changing. In 2020, record numbers of women – of all ages and backgrounds – thought about, inquired about and ultimately became registered gun owners. Record numbers of couples also heard their significant other say “Honey, it’s time.”        

Changing Demographics

A small sampling of Las Vegas residents mirror what is now an everyday, everywhere occurrence, all across America… from border-to-border and coast-to-coast.

Consider Las Vegas resident Tyra Bell-Holland. As President and Founder of Ava Rose PR Agency, she is both a busy executive and a married mother of three. Recently, one of Tyra’s friends and associates – Melissa Mirich – had purchased a Glock 43x 9mm handgun, gone for professional training and mid-year 2020 obtained her CCW permit to carry a concealed weapon.

“With the election fast approaching… and having heard that it may become more difficult to purchase a gun in the future,“ notes Tyra, “I decided it was time and asked Melissa to walk me through the process.”

Originally from Austin, Texas, she had grown up surrounded by gun culture… but had never owned one herself. After discussing it with her husband, they decided to ask questions and make a dual purchase that would suit them both.

In short order, they went to a local gun shop in Las Vegas, where Tyra settled on a sub-compact Glock 43X 9mm and Rob chose a beefier Sig Sauer P320-M18 which is the current handgun of choice for the United States Armed Forces. They then took a “Firearms Training for the Modern Executive” course together, with instructor Chris Barden at Precision Armory, obtained their certifications to apply for CCW permits and received their LVMPD concealed carry cards four months later in mid-December.

“In this day and age, it seems you are your own first responder, “states instructor Chris Barden, “and skilled training in firearms, self-defense and situational awareness are becoming increasingly important.”

Tyra is also social media savvy, and as such, commands a sizeable following of friends, family and associates. Once she posted her experience online, it lead to many other women following her process step-by-step… including close friend and fellow executive,  Peggy Pruchnicki – Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Owner of Simply Radiant Med Spa in Las Vegas – who purchased a Smith & Wesson 38 revolver and took the same training course (along with Sr. Account Executive Nick Vardakis) resulting in both obtaining their CCW’s.

Home on the Range

Tyra’s story is not unique and today, firearms are a more common togetherness item than one might think.

Consider Mary Baker, a busy Branch Manager for a national Mortgage Company, who recently purchased a gun for home defense. Engaged to a retired Lieutenant of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, her fiance’ offered advice., “I didn’t want her to buy a small gun that is a common choice for females,” states John Baylis. “She instead tried a number of larger models for a comfortable fit and feel… and decided on a Springfield XD Elite 9mm. An excellent choice for home defense.”

Mary is a Marine Corp Veteran and is comfortable with guns. She took a training class with Mac McAllister, owner of Blue & Gold Firearms Training, and obtained certification for her CCW. She is also in the process of researching and buying a small sub-compact handgun for concealed carry.

Today, Mary and John are one of many couples who regularly go to the range together for a day of shooting. Another Las Vegas couple, Gene and Stephanie Raper, are perfect examples of twosomes that carry. Seven years ago, they bought matching Sig Sauer P938 9mm handguns and recently replaced them with the newly introduced Glock 43X 9mm that is rapidly gaining in popularity.

Gene and Stephanie live in the upscale MacDonald Highlands Community on the East side of Las Vegas. “It is interesting to see how many of our friends are doing the exact same thing,” notes Gene. “They both have guns and CCW’s and… like Steph and I… along with golf, horse riding and fine dining… they’ve added a day on the range together to their list of favorite activities.”

Gene also noted their community’s posh Dragon Ridge Country Club just announced it will be offering a course for members on training and certification to obtain a CCW put on by a local gun shop.

Practice, Practice, Practice

There’s an old saying that when someone asks “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” the correct answer is… yep, see above.

Same goes for firearms. “In my many years as a state-certified instructor after teaching officers in the US Navy,” observes trainer Mac McAllister, “I’ve seen a constant growth in the percentage of women wanting to learn about owning guns and using them for self-defense.”

“This is also the case with a high percentage of men, as many have little or no accurate knowledge of firearms while growing up,” he continues, “owing to a complete lack of any real exposure to firearms and their safety issues along the way. So as adults, many have preconceived bad habits learned from toys and the way guns are used in films and video games.” Mac’s advice… train with a pro and then spend time on the range.

Maggie Mordaunt is another seasoned pro trainer. Headquartered in Las Vegas, she is Founder, Owner and Lead Instructor for Homeland Personal Protection Firearms Training. Her company is geared toward defensive shooting to counter any and all potential lethal threats. As a firearms instructor teaching the Certification Course for Multi-State Concealed Cary Weapon Permits, she is known throughout the industry simply as “CCW Maggie.” Also the mother of two, she notes “I am a woman who understands the importance of self-defense as a fundamental right.”

Concealed Carry for Women

Maggie is known as one of the top defense instructors in Las Vegas and often trains trainers wanting to develop their own personal protection courses. She notes that “old school” one-size-fits-all instruction just isn’t good enough today, especially for women.

“We start by asking questions,” she states, “especially for those wanting to learn how to shoot the new gun that they just bought… or wanting to obtain a CCW permit.”  Questions like “Why did you buy the gun… and what are you going to use it for?” are key starting points that help properly tailor instruction and training to meet one’s need.

The size and type of gun is another important issue for women. “In some cases, we find they may have purchased a small compact ‘pocket pistol’… like a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380… but its small size doesn’t allow enough surface contact with the hand to allow properly managing the recoil,” she observes, “making it harder to remain on target… and as a result, a brand new shooter will not be off to a good start.”

“What we are seeing today, based on the numbers of women we’ve actually trained, is more of a sub-compact… like some of the newer guns with a longer grip and more magazine capacity… are a better choice,” she advises. Guns like a Springfield Armory Hellcat, Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, Sig Sauer P365 and the Glock 43X are all great guns and warrant consideration.

“We have an ‘Introduction to Defensive Handguns’ class that allows women to shoot a variety of firearms to determine which is most efficient for its intended use,” she says. Top trainers, like Mac McAllister, fully agree. “Every woman getting into firearms should spend significant time actually handling… and preferably shooting… many types of guns, and not limit themselves to just what might be readily available from friends, family or a sales person,” he notes, “and as such, we too maintain a large inventory that students are able to test.”

Well Dressed and Well Accessed

Pro trainers also note it is important for women to have specialized clothing that is easily accessible while keeping a firearm secured. “One of the big concerns is how do I carry a gun when I’m wearing a cocktail dress…or leggings,” Maggie observes. “A lot of companies make products specifically geared for women… but unfortunately, not every one gets it right.”

A concealed carry garment could actually put a woman at risk if it is not an efficient way to access a firearm. Maggie points to one company she likes that does get it right…

Dene Adams… with products like a well-designed tank-top garment that sits just above the waist at the 2:30 position as being one garment worth considering.

The Times They Are A-Changing

Today, there are many gender-specific considerations for women… in between the “Right to Bear Arms” and “Where to Wear Arms.”

There are also many tremendous organizations and support services that extend far beyond one’s due diligence, training and obtaining a CCW permit. The nationwide “A Girl & A Gun” Women’s Shooting League and “CCW Safe” for Legal Defense are just a few worth checking out.    

We trust the observations, tips and resources noted herein will serve to better reassure and/or enable any woman questioning “Is it the right time for me to purchase a firearm, to learn safety and get instruction and/or to train for a CCW permit?” It just may be.

To paraphrase a popular quote, “Today… the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun… just may be a woman with a gun.”

Resources for Women and Firearms

Maggie Mordaunt, Instructor
Homeland Personal Protection Firearms Training
www.CCWMaggie.com
(702) 375-5900

Chris Barden, Instructor
Armed Executive
www.armedexecutive.com
(702) 518-4480

Mac McAllister, Instructor
Blue & Gold Firearms Training
mac.firearms@gmail.com

Concealed Carry Wear
Dene Adams LLC
www.deneadams.com

Women’s Shooting League
A Girl & A Gun
www.agirlandagun.org

Legal Service Membership
CCW Safe
www.ccwsafe.com/ccwmaggie

Self-Defense Insurance/Education
U.S. Concealed Carry Association
www.uscca.com

Don Logay is an award-winning journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of three national magazines. He writes luxury lifestyle articles for numerous publications. Contact press@donlogay.com.