• Possible Downtime Alert

    I am working to migrate THR from the current cluster to a new one. I would like to get this done before the weekend, but it's unclear what the timeframe will be, as testing is still ongoing. As I am writing this the new (rebuilt) host is doing a burn-in to ensure that everything will keep running under load.

    When the migration happens users will see a Cloudflare message indicatating it cannot connect to the server. This is expected, and depending on how the migration goes this may last from 30 minutes to 3 hours - I won't know more until testing the various migration options is complete and I have finalized the plan.

    More information is available in this thread.

    As always, thanks so much for your patience.

Wall Street Journal - It’s Ladies’ Night at the Gun Range

hso

hso

Member.
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Messages
68,443
Location
0 hrs east of TN
Some of the typical inaccurate terminology is used, but this overall a positive for us.



When Jennifer Evans’s husband announced he’d purchased a membership for the couple at an indoor gun range near their home in northern Ohio, she protested.

“I was like, ‘Why, why, why would you do that?’ ” said Evans, 55. “Then I went, and the perception just completely changed.”

The couple now goes to Lake Erie Arms in Milan, Ohio, four or five times a month. They like to shoot, but often go just to eat at the club restaurant, hear live music or take cocktail-making classes.
Evans recently attended an euchre night. The local humane society where she volunteers held its holiday party there.
She started shooting a small .22 pistol, in part to placate her husband. Now the couple own several firearms, including a shotgun to use for glow-in-the-dark clay shooting. Evans is thinking of joining the range’s all-women shooting league called Lethal Ladies.
“I never thought I would be a gunslinging girl,” she said. “But now I get it.”
Click to expand...
1743256613330.png
Guntry in Owings Mills, Md., offers ‘the comforts and amenities of a country club,’ and the gear to match. Photo: Jared Soares for WSJ
High-caliber shooting ranges are expanding their niche thanks to a new wave of gun-curious Americans, including women, minorities, liberals and the apolitical. About 26.2 million people became first-time gun owners in the past five years, catalyzed by the pandemic and subsequent social unrest and crime spikes, according to annual surveys of gun retailers by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun-industry trade group.


“You want a place where they feel comfortable coming in and shooting,” said Oklahoma-based gun-range consultant Jeff Swanson. He tells prospective clients that old-school ranges—what he calls “stale, pale and male”—had better evolve so as “not to become the next RadioShack or Linens ‘n Things.”

Topgolf for guns​

American indoor gun ranges have long garnered a reputation for being dingy, with staff who are strident about politics and often condescending toward newcomers, especially women. Mark Oliva, an NSSF spokesman, calls it the “Hey, little lady” syndrome—where mansplaining is the lingua franca.

Some shooting sports businesses have tried for years to lure a broader clientele with more high-tech, upscale offerings. Now, with the sharp influx of new gun owners, more businesses are moving quickly to transform. Some appear to be hitting the target.
Click to expand...
 
I saw that link pop up in my phone news feed. I got to read through it one time before the paywall went up.

I go to many indoor ranges and they sure have gone upscale compared to the indoor ranges of old. I haven't been to an indoor range that tries to be a country club, but I've seen them from the outside.

One thing of note is the new higher quality indoor ranges are hitting $30 for a basic range fee. Thankfully, many offer senior discounts for which I'm now eligible.

Back to the article, the nicer indoor ranges I've been to do seem to have at least one discounted day per week for ladies. And I've seen an increase of women range officers as well, not just ladies at the register.
 
Last edited:
The high end ranges are a good thing. One problem with women's participation is that the bathroom facilities are vile. My club's outdoor range is vile even for men! I did read that many women think the pink guns are stupid but some like them. My friend had to pay a good deal extra for a pink Taurus for his wife.
 
Locally here a Gun shop offers a "ladies only" concealed carry course which is taught by two female serving LE. A sheriff's deputy and a state trooper. No guys are allowed so participants can speak frankly about their experiences and concerns. First day of two day course covers personal safety, situational awareness and legal aspects as well as weapon retention and unarmed combatives. Second day firearms safety, basic handling, familiarization to address both revolvers and auto pistols, culminating in live fire. Ladies can repeat the course again for free within 6 months of licence renewal or to request personal coaching from a female LE instructor on handling a new firearm.
 
At my local haunt we have a female Federal probation officer who offers range sessions to our lady-friends.
So yes, overall a great idea to have the “ladies” work with the “ladies.”
 
chicharrones said:
I saw that link pop up in my phone news feed. I got to read through it one time before the paywall went up.

I go to many indoor ranges and they sure have gone upscale compared to the indoor ranges of old. I haven't been to an indoor range that tries to be a country club, but I've seen them from the outside.

One thing of note is the new higher quality indoor ranges are hitting $30 for a basic range fee. Thankfully, many offer senior discounts for which I'm now eligible.

Back to the article, the nicer indoor ranges I've been to do seem to have at least one discounted day per week for ladies. And I've seen an increase of women range officers as well, not just ladies at the register.
Click to expand...
My wife won't shoot at a "typical old school" range. Dingy lighting, holes in the wall and ceiling, haphazard layout of product covered in dust, no real exhaust system for lead and powder residue.

Sure, I grew up in ranges like that. But today's clientele want clean, well maintained, and what appears to be a safe environment.

I agree with my wife especially from a business standpoint.

Women and minorities are the fastest growing segment of new shooters. Younger shooters also have higher tastes too and want better.
 
GEM said:
I did read that many women think the pink guns are stupid but some like them. My friend had to pay a good deal extra for a pink Taurus for his wife.
Click to expand...
Both my mother and now deceased MIL survived breast cancer and I won't hesitate to put pink ribbon on my range bag, buy pink guns or use pink magazines/shooting products to express my support.

Gun manufacturers and product vendors offer pink models and products often in support of breast cancer awareness with all/portion of proceeds going to breast cancer awareness charities - https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Breast+Cancer+Awareness+Charity&ia=web

Smith & Wesson Expands M&P Pistol Series With New Julie Goloski Model M&P9 JG to Help Raise Money for Breast Cancer Awareness Charity - https://www.juliegolob.com/think-pink-for-breast-cancer-awareness-month

Breast cancer edition Glock - https://gracesultimateguns.com/glock-42-breast-cancer-edition.html

DPMS offers Breast Cancer Survivor AR-15 series with $200 going directly to Breast Cancer Society - https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/fight-like-a-woman/

Bear Creek Arsenal offers pink uppers for breast cancer awareness - https://www.nrawomen.com/content/we-love-it-breast-cancer-awareness-ar-upper

STAG ARMS offers pink rifle upgrades for breast cancer awareness - https://info.stagarms.com/blog/bid/...nk-Rifle-Upgrades-For-Breast-Cancer-Awareness

Leupold offers “Lady Leupold” scopes with all proceeds being donated directly to National Breast Cancer Foundation - https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/lady-leupold-riflescopes-for-breast-cancer-awareness/

Spike's Tactical offers pink ribbon magazine for breast cancer awareness month - https://www.spikestactical.com/blog...-magazines-for-breast-cancer-awareness-month/

Fobus pink Ruger LCP holster to support breast cancer awareness - https://www.policemag.com/patrol/ne...ster-sales-to-support-breast-cancer-awareness
 
Last edited:
An “upscale” indoor range opened recently in Austin.
Kinda pricey compared to the old school businesses.

Austin Shooting Range & Gun Shop | The Range at Austin

Discover why our Austin, TX shooting range & firearms store is the finest in the country! We are a preferred location for seasoned shooters & welcome curious beginners.
therangeaustin.com therangeaustin.com
 
Last edited:
My local range has lots of women-oriented training, a shooting league, even “ladies challenges” on the chalkboard that involve some sort of shooting skills test with winners given prizes like free range time, ammo, targets, holsters, etc. :D

They also have several bays for axe throwing that were installed last summer. I guess this gets quite busy on the weekends (The time when I’m not going to the range).

Any opportunity put out there to expand the number of safe and competent shooters is alright by me. 👍

Stay safe.
 

Facilities | Dallasgunclub

"Explore the state-of-the-art facilities at Dallas Gun Club, featuring premier shooting venues, a welcoming clubhouse, the farm-to-table Clubhouse Tavern by Chef Luca, and meticulously maintained grounds. Experience the ultimate in comfort and convenience for all your shooting and social needs."
www.dallasgunclub.com www.dallasgunclub.com
 
Ks5shooter said:

Facilities | Dallasgunclub

"Explore the state-of-the-art facilities at Dallas Gun Club, featuring premier shooting venues, a welcoming clubhouse, the farm-to-table Clubhouse Tavern by Chef Luca, and meticulously maintained grounds. Experience the ultimate in comfort and convenience for all your shooting and social needs."
www.dallasgunclub.com www.dallasgunclub.com
Click to expand...

Now that's a country club style range.
 
For future reference, Archive the links to help avoid most pay walls. Also doesn't give the source the click traffic.


My wife was invited back in like 2015 from a co-worker when she worked at Wal*Mart to go to a women's day shooting event. She had fun. Was her first and sadly only time she has fired any firearm. Been trying to get her, her own, but she either doesn't want one or something else. It's more of a PITA because since we have different last names, have to bring in the marriage certificate.

Anyway, it's nice to see more of these articles get written, despite the political affiliation.
 
It’s a good thing to see! I’m doing my best to make my kiddo fall in love with the shooting sports. So far, she’s a good shot with a BB gun.
Some friends went to a meet of some sort where the ladies group was also to participate… some of those dudes had their ego SERIOUSLY deflated by the opposite gender. lol
 
. Now the couple own several firearms, including a shotgun to use for glow-in-the-dark clay shooting. Evans is thinking of joining the range’s all-women shooting league called Lethal Ladies.
“I never thought I would be a gunslinging girl,” she said. “But now I get it.”

"Lethal Ladies"? Hmmmm...

I think "Gunslinging Girls" would be a wiser choice.
 
GEM said:
The high end ranges are a good thing. One problem with women's participation is that the bathroom facilities are vile. My club's outdoor range is vile even for men! I did read that many women think the pink guns are stupid but some like them. My friend had to pay a good deal extra for a pink Taurus for his wife.
Click to expand...
this was the biggest impediment to females using our range. It only took over 20 years of pointing this out for them to change, Also why you're likely to see more women at clean indoor range.
 
GEM said:
The high end ranges are a good thing. One problem with women's participation is that the bathroom facilities are vile. My club's outdoor range is vile even for men! I did read that many women think the pink guns are stupid but some like them. My friend had to pay a good deal extra for a pink Taurus for his wife.
Click to expand...
LOL, I seem to see the Pinks discounted often. The women shooters I know like blue, brown, and tan guns.

In any case this is a great trend for future 2A expanded demographics.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
Ladies Night at the Range
Replies
13
Views
860
9MMare
9
D
  • Locked
(DE) This Ladies Night is a real blast with shots all around
Replies
0
Views
625
Drizzt
D
D
  • Locked
(TX) Ladies' Night draws a gun-toting crowd
Replies
13
Views
1K
GunnySkox
G
T
  • Locked
Ladies' Handgun 101 at my range tonight
Replies
8
Views
924
Doc
D
W
  • Locked
Ladies get ready, aim, fire
Replies
3
Views
724
blades67
B
Back
Top