Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Women are becoming an increasingly significant part of America’s gun-owning community, and personal protection is helping drive that growth.
In a recent NSSF report, author Jenn Jacques highlighted new research showing that women now account for nearly one-third of American firearm owners, up substantially from just six years ago.
According to a September 2026 RAND Corporation analysis, personal firearm ownership among adult women increased from 10% in 2018 to 16% in 2024. Women’s share of all gun owners also jumped from 22% to 32%.
And the growth isn’t limited to one demographic.
RAND researchers found increases across nearly every racial, age, income, and educational group examined. Ownership among Black women rose from approximately 7% to more than 11% between the study periods, while ownership among Hispanic women more than doubled.
Jacques also highlighted the growing participation of women in shooting clubs and firearms training programs.
In Atlanta, a predominantly Black chapter of A Girl & A Gun has reportedly tripled in size over roughly two years, approaching 200 members.
Personal safety remains a major motivation. RAND researchers found that women place greater emphasis on self-protection when explaining their decision to own firearms.
Meanwhile, NSSF’s First-Time Gun Buyers study found that women represented nearly three-quarters of first-time buyers sampled between 2021 and 2024, compared with slightly less than half in its 2020 sample. Those figures describe study participants, not the entire national market.
Jacques emphasized that the trend also creates opportunities for firearm retailers, ranges, and instructors to introduce new gun owners to safe handling, responsible storage, and training.
The takeaway? The traditional picture of the American gun owner continues to change, with women playing an increasingly prominent role in the Second Amendment community.
Read the original reporting by Jenn Jacques at NSSF.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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