Thinking About Purchasing a Gun?
Here’s What You Should Know
The number of female gun owners has increased within the last five years.
According to the 2020 data released by Statista, there are approximately 169 million women in the United States, and of those women, roughly 23–30 percent are gun owners.
What is behind the recent spike in female gun ownership?
The World Health Organization reports 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced either physical or sexual intimate partner violence in their lifetime with race and low-income increasing the risk for domestic violence.
The CDC reports 1 in 5 women have encountered a complete, or an attempted rape, with women ranging 18–30 years of age noted more likely to experience sexual assault.
Consequently, what type of protection have you considered for yourself or your family?
Women seeking protection from an assault have several options:
1. Pray nothing ever happens
2. Take a self-defense course
3. Purchase mace, pepper spray, or other defense items
4. BUY A GUN
A combination of all four options would be ideal but for those solely interested in purchasing a firearm, here are a few things you should know.
Type of firearms available
Handgun- is a gun designed for use by one hand, typically a pistol or a revolver
Shotgun- is a two-handed gun with a long, smooth-barrel that is designed to rest on the shoulder that releases multiple small pellets known as shots, or a single projectile known as a slug.
Rifle- is a two-handed gun with a long, spiral-grooved barrel intended to make the bullet spin, providing greater accuracy over a longer distance, typically used during hunting.
The most popular guns for self-defense are usually handguns, simply because they are easily concealed.
Two types of handguns
- Semi-automatic- also called a self-loading gun, is a gun that loads a cartridge called a magazine that can fire repeatedly, but requires the user to access the trigger, releasing one bullet at a time.
2. Revolver- is a handgun having a revolving chambered cylinder which holds bullets that are positioned for firing by the cocking of the hammer.
Key points to consider when choosing a gun
The Size — handguns can range from full size, compact, sub-compact and pocket pistols
The Caliber -can either refer to the diameter of the firearm or the diameter of the bullet.
The power of a gun depends on the size of the bullet(caliber) and the length of the barrel as well as the velocity and mass
The Recoil — or sometimes called kickback, refers to the force of backward movement experienced by the shooter when a bullet is discharged from a gun.
When you find a gun you’re interested in, determine how it feels in your hand?
Is it comfortable?
Can you load it easily?
Are you happy with the kickback/recoil?
What are the safety features?
Is the gun prone to accidental discharge?
Does the gun require low or heavy maintenance?
Does it frequently get jammed? Guns that jam frequently are usually due to low velocity ammunition, worn ejectors, or gunk built up near the firing pin.
Top 3 guns for women
- KAHR CW9- Is a thinner gun for women with smaller hands. It’s reliable, accurate, uses a 7 round magazine and cost less than $400.
2. Glock 43 9mm — is subcompact, ultra-concealable, and accurate, complete with a built-in beaver grip, which allows for a tighter grasp, has a 6-round magazine, and is easy to maintain.
3. Smith and Wesson MP — is simple to operate and maintain, has a grip angle, has interchangeable panels to accommodate the hands size of any shooter, with a trigger system that prevents the firearm from discharging unless the trigger is fully depressed.
Be sure to check with your state’s guidelines for owning a gun.
And by all means use responsibly.
