Shooting by the Numbers – More Women on the Range

It is election season and in the back and forth of candidates seeking to win office, there can be a lot of twisting of facts until the truth sometimes isn’t recognizable at all.

And when it comes to shooting, both candidates and the media more often lose sight of the big picture of the role firearms play in the sporting lives of millions of Americans. Here is a quick look at recreational shooting and firearms ownership in America by the numbers.

Target Shooting on the Rise

Since 2009, the number of target shooters in this country has risen by 17 million participants, growing from 34 million in 2009 to 51 million in 2014, the last year data is available. That represents 50 percent growth in the number of target shooters in just a

Who are Today’s Shooters?

They are Younger – Sixty-eight percent of new shooters are 18 to 34 years old.

They are Increasingly Female – Of those people new to the shooting ranks today, women account for 50 percent. That compares to women who have enjoyed recreational shooting for years where they account for 26 percent of all established shooters. Approximately 31 percent of all women report having a firearm in their home. They increasingly account for more concealed carry permits applied for and a growing number of purchases for firearms and shooting-related gear. It is for this reason, Winchester today continues to focus more efforts on developing products friendly to this new market such as W Train & Defend loads.

They Like Handguns – 66 percent of new shooters surveyed prefer shooting handguns.