Women And Minorities Most Affected

When I started shooting the only time you'd see a woman at a range was if she was there with her boyfriend.

And she didn't look happy and she wasn't there to shoot.

If she did shoot it was either a joke made by the boyfriend or a barely tolerated, "ok if this will make you happy canwegosoon?" thing.

Starting a few years ago, I started seeing more girls at ranges.  Then I noticed they were shooting like it was why they'd come to the range.  Then I noticed a lack of male accompaniment.

OUTstanding!

It's doubtlessly sexist of me to notice that we've more female shooters and being happy about it.

I don't care.

More women shooting means more people shooting and that means more shooters.  That's a good thing!

My best shooting moment in a long time is having one of these women come up and ask me what my Finn Kv/28/30 was.  A fellow geek wanted to geek on the guns as an equal!  HUZZAH!

I've noticed more black people at the ranges lately too.  There've long been the occasional group of black people shooting, but it's different now.  Before it had a bachelor party feel as several guys would bang away with an AK clone or SKS all laughing and fooling around.  Now it's alone or in pairs and shooting "with a purpose".  Trying to make smaller groups or get faster times.

The "them" of the bachelor party youth has morphed into the "us" of recreational shooter.

It's been interesting to see the transition.

One demographic that seems to have fallen off is the "loud and proud" of both white trash and Latinos.  Both subsets seem to have decided to dress and talk like everyone else at the range and blend in rather than be in people's faces about their ethnic pride.

The shooting range as a melting pot?