More women are becoming gun owners: ‘I need to be able to protect myself and protect my children’
More women are wanting to learn how to use a gun and improve their shooting skills.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - More women say they are making their family’s safety a top priority. For some that means becoming more familiar with guns.
“Women are realizing that they are their first line of defense for not only themselves but their families,” said Colleen Gallagher.
Gallagher and Gretta Ireland started the Nashville Women’s Gun Club eight years ago.
“More women are coming in to learn and buy,” said Ireland. “They want to get educated about how to use firearms, and they also want to be educated on which firearms to buy.”
These classes are specifically designed for women and are taught by women.
“They make it really stress free,” said mom Kim Neese. “Casual environment and no dumb questions. I feel completely comfortable being as good or as bad as anyone else here.”
Neese is part of the growing number of women who own a gun and want to know how to use it.
The latest national Gallup poll shows women’s gun ownership has risen from 13% in 2007 to 22% of women in 2022.
The Nashville Women’s Gun Club saw that growth firsthand. They had to cap the number of students per class and add classes at Royal Range USA to help answer the demand.
“It’s not the world it once was, and so being able to protect myself and feel safe when I’m out and about, even in my own home, is so important to me,” said BetsyRae Jurgens.
Jurgens had been training at Royal Range USA and had just purchased her first gun.
“I’ve been taking classes here for seven months, and I feel comfortable shooting so that I know what I like and what I don’t like,” said Jurgens. “I was finally able to take all that knowledge and purchase a handgun.”
Mother of two, Neese said someone broke into her house when her family wasn’t home, and she wanted to be prepared if there was a next time.
“We had two babies at the time, and just that violating feeling, the violation of it all was scary and just wanted to like, if this happens again, what if we’re home, I need to be able to protect myself and protect my children,” explained Neese.
Mom Kim Rhodes said even though she had been around guns for years, she found them intimidating.
“We have the guns, but it doesn’t help if you don’t know how to work it, said Rhodes. “So that’s why I’m here is to learn how to work the gun and also get over that anxiety of shooting a gun.”
In an industry typically dominated by men, these ladies said they were thankful for this platform that encourages women to train alongside other women- as they learn potential life-saving skills.
“We just all want to learn how to protect ourselves and be comfortable shooting a gun,” said Rhodes.
Bob Allen is Director of Training at Royal Range USA and said almost 500 women come into the range and shoot annually, and that number does not include all the additional classes outside Nashville Women’s Gun Club.
“That’s excluding the ones we have private lessons for, the moms that bring their daughters, the ladies who are single who live alone,” said Allen. “We even have a house in here where we teach ladies, anybody who wants to learn, how to protect their home.”
NWGC holds classes twice a month.
More advanced classes including a Defensive Pistol Series, and Urban Rifle Series are offered weekly and monthly at Royal Range USA.
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