Do you know what one thing is helping our cause?

[goawayfarm]

One of the things that has helped to spread the concealed carry message is........women.

I think this is the key to expanding our base. The more women, mothers, daughters, girl friends...etc.....the better.

Once women are converted, politicians will have to follow. The more females are convinced that a firearm is a good way to defend themselves, the easier the conversion will be. Women drive a lot of political & social issues where men just do things to make the females happy. Gun control was one of them, now with more & more women shooters, gun control is less of a political pllatform.

Hopefully it will morph from being a gun-control issue to a self-defense issue.

see this article:
'Survey says: More women are hunting and shooting'
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/app...LE05/610190322

— from the National Shooting Sports Foundation that says more women are taking up hunting and the shooting sports.

-- 72 percent more women are hunting with firearms today than just five years ago. And 50 percent more women are now target shooting.

-- more than 3 million women now hunt and over 5 million women now enjoy shooting.

-- Women today account for just over 15 percent of the shooting, hunting and firearms marketplace, which could equate to $420 million in commerce this year alone.

-- Women also regularly make up at least half of attendees in NSSF's First Shots program.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

I'd say you are probably right - in as much as I'd reckon growth of firearms uptake and even CCW has shown what might be exponential growth.

I reckon some has occurred thru husbands etc trying to get wives involved and also many ladies have ''seen the light'' regarding taking their own personal responsibility - for their well being.

Could be too - across the board - NOLA post Katrina even had some influence too.

[QKShooter]

Females have the majority vote in the U.S.

[Sheldon J]

Marion Hammer was one Kick Ass NRA president we need more of her kind. BTY all my daughter's (and wife) CCW.

[gimpy]

My wife never agreed with my decision to start carrying, but she didn't make a big deal about it either. Each time I donned my rig before leaving the house she would just roll her eyes. Then a few weeks ago when her best friend, a lady in her sixties, picked her up here at the house for a morning of shopping and lunch my wife got the surprise of her life. When they parked at the mall my wife was asked to open the glove compartment of her friend's car and hand her the gun that was in there. My wife was stunned when she found out that her friend has had her CCL for several years and never leaves home unarmed. Apparently, they had quite a conversation at lunch. My wife still doesn't plan on getting a CCL, but she readily accepted her friend's reasons for being armed. It is funny how she gave so little credence to MY arguments for carrying, but when ANOTHER WOMAN explained it to her she didn't hesitate to accept the rationality of concealed carry. Women!?

[HotGuns]

Interesting that this was brought up.

I just had a conversation with the president of our gunbclub that in that I mentioned that some sort of womens program should be included. I beleive that there are many women out there that want to be able to defend themselves but dont know how to or where to look for guidance.

One of the things that has helped to spread the concealed carry message is........women.

I think this is the key to expanding our base. The more women, mothers, daughters, girl friends...etc.....the better.

Amen to that...

I also think that women in general are the largest "untapped"resource available and its time to capitalize on that resource.

We used to teach the NRA Personal Protection Course which I beleive was better suited for new shooters,whereas now we teach the state police course which qualifies one for the permit but isnt near as extensive as the Personal Protection course.

We are looking at attending the NRA Counselor 3 day course which would enable us to certify instructors. I think that if possible, we should include at least one woman that could take on the responsibilty of teaching classes specifically geared to women.

I've talked to several women that have taken various classes around the state that were taught by men, and each felt that there was a bit too much of testosterone and ego included to make it a truly effective class. I think that some women might be less intimidated and perhaps more open to a woman instructor that could speak their language. Knowing some of the instructors, I could see where they might feel this way.

In my way of thinking, having a woman imstructor, even if assisted by men, would be one less obstacle to the path of self defense.

As already noted, the more women that arm themselves and become responsible for their own defense, the more pro-gun votes there are and ultimatley the less BS would or could be passed to limit firearms ownership in the future.

Then, when some communist/socialist wench like Hillary decided to run for president, at least some women might recognize her as the messenger of the antichrist that she really is...

[srfl]

I agree...the voting power of women can sway this "battle" in favor if they elect to vote pro 2AD.

I'm lucky...I've started dating a woman who is a gun owner (S&W J-Frame .38Spl), and who wants to go shooting with me and get trained, obtain a CCW permit, and purchase a 9mm pistol as her next gun. She also got a FL hunting and fishing license....and all of this before I met her.....I think I'm in love!

[Linda]

One of the things that has helped to spread the concealed carry message is........women.

Women drive a lot of political & social issues where men just do things to make the females happy.

Great thread!!Thanks for bringing this subject up.

As a CCW instructor, my classes have been averaging 1/3 women. I love it! I would love to do some all women's class.

The guy who co-instructs with me is great. He is not intimidating at all to either the ladies or the guys. We have very compatible personalities which reflects well to our students.

I feel because we are a male/female team, that takes a lot of the testosterone out of the all men instructor classes. More enjoyable 12 hour day for all involved.

As far as women driving a lot of political/social issues....,absolutely! Once concealed carry became "my issue", there's been no stopping me. The 2nd Amendment didn't get hardly any thought from me before CCW. Now...,it IS my issue. I learned the laws, got involved with like minded individuals, oops...quite by mistake..., got noticed by the most influential grassroots organization in Ohio and was asked to be on the leadership team, sat in the Statehouse for many, many hearings, have become friends or at least known on a first name basis with many of our Senators and Representatives, took my training to become an instructor...,and the fun continues! All because of concealed carry in Ohio!

Once women get an issue to wrap themselves around, they are unstoppable! A force to be reakoned with!

[artz]

I wished it would spread like wild fire ! My GF was in the truck with me when it could have gotten ugly at that childrens' hospital parking garage (see link- http://www.combatcarry.com/vbulletin...ad.php?t=14995 )
and she is studying to be a criminal and forensics investigator.
She doesn't see the need to carry a firearm...
I suspect she'll change her mind, but I hope when its not too late....

[Tubby45]

I was thinking the counted vote. Then again, women make up the majority of the population, are more likely to vote than men, and are the growing population of gun owners.

[sgtD]

My wife and I spent the last couple of days of our honeymoon hunting. My mom & Dad met while shooting. My daughter was hunting with me in diapers and I bought her a BB gun for her 5th B-day.

Girls & Guns go together in my family.

Nuff-said.

[peacefuljeffrey]

I wished it would spread like wild fire ! My GF was in the truck with me when it could have gotten ugly at that childrens' hospital parking garage (see link- http://www.combatcarry.com/vbulletin...ad.php?t=14995 )
and she is studying to be a criminal and forensics investigator.
She doesn't see the need to carry a firearm...
I suspect she'll change her mind, but I hope when its not too late....

Jeez! She's gonna work at crime scenes (has she been to them already during her training?) and she's gonna see the kind of wreckage left behind by violent criminals, and she doesn't understand the utility of being prepared by carrying a firearm?!

I wonder, what does she think about the cops carrying them. Why does she think they do it? Because the world is a gentle, fluffy place lined with down and silk?

[peacefuljeffrey]

We are looking at attending the NRA Counselor 3 day course which would enable us to certify instructors. I think that if possible, we should include at least one woman that could take on the responsibilty of teaching classes specifically geared to women.

This sounds like a great idea. I'll bet is has far better chances of success than having women trained by men. It's a simple fact that they might be intimidated.

I would make sure to market the course for women carefully -- specifying that the training they will receive will be BY a woman FOR women, and that it will not be less serious or less informative than what the men get, although it may be tailored a bit for what women need to know and do as far as CCW and personal defense.