Could the influence on women buying guns be in part to the men they interact with (husbands, boyfriends, fathers, brothers, and sometimes even sons). I've taken girlfriends to the range after a couple months of dating unless they ask before I can take them. And I know a few of my exs whom it ended amicably with and still talk to bought guns, Glocks, Smiths, and some Cobras(derringers and the .32 and .380 jobs).
I was the one who bought my mom the two guns she owns, my Dad is sort of an anti, not in legal or political arena but in the whole philosophical arena. My mom couldn't bring herself to buy a gun so I took her to a gun show, found out she liked the feel of a Kel-Tec P3AT, just happened a buddy of mine owned a P3AT he was looking to trade-in into get the Sig .380 model he now enjoys. Later I also bought her a used Taurus 85 snub another buddy owned and was looking to trade up to a S&W 642 (I bought it for $160).
Now my mom goes with me and my fiancee to the range no less than once a month after we all(minus my Dad, and yes they are still married) go out for breakfast.
My mom is arthretic, has back issues, and even though she manages to put in a good hard hour and a half workout five times a week (has helped reduce greatly her arthritis and back issues) she wouldn't stand a chance against an attacker, she's one hundred and thirty pounds soaking wet at 5'2". A good JHP from a .380 or .38 special is more effective than a weak crotch kick.
My fiancee though loves my Ruger P90, actually I'm paying off a layaway additional Ruger P90 (granted it was meant to be a potential blow deflector against me buying a CETME, whole other story), and can't manage to get her to like any other gun so far other than my .44 magnum Blackhawk now.
If I have a daughter(praying for sons, only sons dear God) she's going through a martial art(I did it as a kid), will start lifting weights with her dad when she is age able, and will learn to shoot like Annie Oakley.
