Local firearms instructors report an increase in female customers; point towards political climate

(Update: Adding video, comments from gun instructors)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ)— Gun owners and instructors across Central Oregon are reporting an increase in female interest in gun ownership

"Already my classes are already ticked up. So just to let you know, I mean, they've been full for a long time, but now I'm looking even farther out, so I'm getting a lot of phone calls," said Sharon Preston. She owns and operates Ladies of Lead.

She says she has seen an increase in bookings for her female lead gun classes just shortly after the 2024 election, with ages ranging from early 20s to elderly.

"I think women, it's really important that we dive deep down into our souls to figure out who we could become and defend ourselves. And that's really what I feel like I've been most successful at. Reaching women on that level to give themselves permission to survive. "

A study done by Oregon State University in 2023 said that from 2007 through 2022, women’s gun ownership rose from 16% to 22%, while the rate for men stayed roughly steady at 43%.

The study’s findings, based on an analysis of 20 years of gun advertising, were recently published in the Journal of Macromarketing. Coauthors are Aimee Huff, associate professor in the OSU College of Business, and Brett Burkhardt, associate professor of sociology in OSU’s School of Public Policy.

They pointed towards a change in marketing by gun manufacturers catering to female fear.

It's evident on social media. Women have expressed renewed interest in gun ownership across both aisles. Many fear an increase in danger from the political climate.

"The act of violence is no longer academic. It's become real. And they understand that the only one that wins in a violent act is, unfortunately, the one doing the violence," she said.

Kenneth Brown with Liberation Firearms Training in Redmond has also seen an increase, "They come in here, they're coming in here for a reason, and they're not leaving until they're ready to go."

But he says the election is not the only factor bringing more women to his shooting range.

"It's just a reality that we live in. It's a little bit more dangerous for a lady walking down the street than for me walking down the street," said Brown. "There's certain things that they have to think about or like, kind of foresight you know, is, is kind of what they have to do. "