In my limited expertise of what women love (according to my wife, that is), there are many things that make a woman feel special: chocolate, the occasional bouquet of flowers 
for no reason, chocolate, that special birthday card, chocolate, thoughtful jewelry, chocolate, a rub on the back, chocolate, a tender kiss for no reason…chocolate!
You might think chocolate was the big news here, but it’s not. It’s GUNS!
The NRA states that women represent the largest demographic increase in gun
ownership over the past three years. According to USA Today, gun retailers experienced a 61% increase in female shoppers between 2009 and 2010 alone. And the National Sporting Goods Association reports that female target shooters grew over 46% between 2001 and 2010. An October 2010 Gallup Poll identified that 23% of women owned a gun. Of the estimated 200 million guns in the United States, about 17 million belong to women.
While those trends may be thought provoking, the increased feminine interest in weaponry has sparked another trend: If it shoots, it must be PINK!
Yes, pink is the latest fashion in weaponry. All 
things lethal must also be available in pink. There are pink guns, pink ear protectors, pink shell pouches and (my favorite) the pink “Pistol Packing Princess” sticker for your car or home window. There are even purses with pistol holsters as the perfect accessory for that special night out.
Gun and gun accessory manufacturers are scrambling to make their products more appealing to the female market segment. Protection is the primary reason a lady owns a gun, but gray or black is no longer acceptable as a color choice.
Statistically, we own guns for protection against crime, target shooting and for hunting (in that order). More women than men claim to own a gun for crime protection, whereas it’s nearly equal for men and women owning a gun for target shooting. And more men report owning a gun for hunting than do women, but it’s only by an 18% margin.
I know women who carry pistols in their purses, but I’ve never seen a pink one. As a writer,
my first thought was that I would use a pink gun as the usual accessory for one of my characters. I’m sure some of my friends who write crime novels are thinking the same thing.
Thoughts? Comments? I’d love to hear them!
Prescription For Murder 
Jim,
I am encouraged by this trend. It indicates that the gun industry is willing to pay attention to the desires of their customers, and it indicates that more women are willing to take more responsibility for their own and their family’s protection. According to UNODC, 22.5% of homicide deaths by any means in the US in 2009 were women. In all of these terrible multiple death incidents that make the news and tear at our hearts, only the shooter(s) have guns. If caught in that kind of event, I would be happy to have a trained gun-carrying woman in the area, even if the gun is pink.
Thanks for the update.
Walt.
A couple of years ago I went to a gun show with my brother and we both chuckled when we saw our first, pink, hand-gun. Then we saw couple of long guns that were pink. I think I’ll wait for the line in teal! Just think of the fun we can have with designer colors.
Well, James. You’ve come up with a delightful and informative post once again! Enjoyed every bit of it, from tasty chocolate to pink holster.
Thanks for the comments. We’ve had a recent tragedy on the running trails in our area (a murder of a lone woman runner), and many of my women running friends now admit that they have a license to carry a concealed weapon and that they now will while running. I’d feel safe running with them!
I get that some women like pink guns. I totally get it. This comes from the woman who has a pink and purple camo range bag, a pink shooting bag for skeet, and a pink shell pouch for skeet. My custom molded ear plugs are neon pink. I like pink and Hello Kitty.
However.
I’ve literally been shooting since I was a kid. My dad took me and my sister out in the backyard and taught us. I range shoot pistols. I shoot skeet. I have guns for home defense, and for concealed carry. I want my guns to be functional. Too often, I see pink guns that as soon as you shoot them, they start to look like crap, or the pink grips get dirty and you can’t get all the gunk out of them. No, thank you. I want my guns black, or blued, or stainless, etc. I’m not even a fan of chrome, or the coated guns that they say don’t get discolored. I want my guns to still look good as much as I shoot them. I have a concealed carry permit, and I want my guns to last in holsters of various kinds, sweat, etc.
I have no problems with guns of color — any color. Personally, they are NOT my choice. And I really start to get pissed off at gun shows when the thirtieth or fortieth vendor says, “Hey, I have a pink gun here you might like.”
Dude, just because I have Hello Kitty sneakers and a Hello Kitty backpack doesn’t mean I’m giving up my S&W 3913, or my Bersa Thunder, or any of my other guns, for a pink gun.
No, thank you.
But rock on with the colors, I’m glad there is now a selection for those who want them. But please don’t assume all women want those colors.
Well said, Tymber Dalton, and I applaud your individuality. Just goes to prove that you can’t put people into slots and expect that it works for everyone. Black will always be in style, and it goes with everything! 🙂
You left out the clothing accessories google womens gun accessories or visit mizmac.com. Another interesting thing is women tend to be better shots than men.
I didn’t know that, but thanks for sharing that about women tending to be better shots than men – maybe they’re more patient and cool-headed.
I have a female character (who’s a hell of a shot) who might get a kick out of a pink gun, and she has a 15 year old daughter that would really like it. I’ll have to write this into a story with them.
That’s great, John. Glad I could help and let me know when you publish it – I want a copy. Thanks!