The stale tide of the firearms industry’s yesteryear are changing and that direction is the one with one less Y chromosome. Everywhere you look across the country, women are lining up to learn and purchase all things firearms. While this shift may appear to have happened over night, there’s a select few female shooting ambassadors that have by and large been the driving force of empowerment for women even remotely interested in guns. And to be honest, the huge influx of women into the shooting community is extremely beneficial to every single gun owning individual man and woman alike.
In no particular order, these are the gun toting females that we think are doing/ have done the most for this new direction.
Eva Shockey
–Daughter of well-known TV hunting personality Jim Shockey, Eva has managed to bring female hunting to the mainstream with a ton of coverage on various news segments. Most notably, she was the first women in 30 years to make the cover of Field and Stream Magazine. You can find her on outdoor channel as the co-host to her father’s hunting shows or in person at pretty much every hunting/outdoor trade event in the country.
Kirsten Joy Weiss
–Earning her start with what seems like a trophy room of Olympic style rifle competition accolades, Kirsten is a big proponent of the joy of shooting. She’s a, to use the word lightly, “great” ambassador for firearms with her YouTube channel where she demonstrates some pretty unbelievable trick shots. Oh and you can thank her for running the uber fun Texas Firearms Festival too.
Jessie Duff
–Name the major USPSA match and I bet the money in my pocket, Jessie’s won it in her respective division. Captain of the Taurus shooting team, Jessie is also the first female shooter to earn the ranking of Grand Master. You can find her as the co-host of the show Friends of the NRA on the Outdoor Channel.
Janna Reeves
-A.K.A. “Miss BattleBorn”, I’ve personally gotten a butt whoopin from this 3 Gun pro and can attest that this chica can shoot. While she’s all business at the buzzer, Janna’s like a big sister for a lot of the junior female shooters. She’s heavily involved in women’s shooting clinics and will literally give interested pew-pewr’s the gear off her belt to try out.
Katie Francis
–Technically still a teenager, Katie shoots and represents her sponsors with a level of maturity better than most of the guys twice her age (myself included). The video of her shooting a 3-Gun match at the age of 13 is still till this day one of the highest watched and most widely covered 3-Gun videos on the interweb. She’s truly a role model for the young women around the country that want to get into firearms.
Natalie Foster
–CEO and co-founder of Girls Guide to Guns, NRA Commentator, and host of the NRA’s Love at First Shot web series, it’s safe to say that Natalie is doing quite a bit to get women into firearms. While some women may be a little intimidated by the likes of the aforementioned competitive shooters, her site Girls Guide to Guns is about as inviting as it gets to women of all firearms backgrounds or lack thereof.
Julie Golob
–Julie’s list of major pistol match wins stretches considerably longer than any other women in existence with the most impressive being a USPSA ladies champion thirteen times over. Not only does she kickass and take names in USPSA and IDPA pistol matches around the country but she hunts, writes, and does a lot of work with the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation). As of late, the videos and content she’ teamed up with Natalie Foster on, are without a doubt a catalyst for the betterment of women and firearms.
Regardless whether your passion lies in hunting, competitive pistol shooting, 3-Gun or just general love for firearms, it’s good to know there’s a member of the fairer sex leading the charge to introduce open minded individuals (not just women) to the awesomeness that is shooting and gun ownership.
Don’t like my list? Let me know who you think should’ve made the cut below! As always guys (and girls), shoot-em straight and be safe.
If it goes bang or has to deal with the outdoors then I am most likely passionate about it. If I'm not at the gun range then I'm either hiking, mountain biking or kayaking. Follow along as I dive into outdoor gear related products and topics.
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Great list! All of these women are standout shooters and role models.
Great list however I would say it is sorely missing the two best female shooters currently out there with the longer guns;
Kim Rhode – 5 times Olympic medalist while being forced to change discipline half way through as the IOC decided to delete her event. Show up on one day and win. You know the day it comes every 4 years, now do that 5 times. In a row. Kim Rhode is one of the greatest Olympians and greatest shooters (no chromosome need mention) in history. She is also an ambassador for the sport and one heck of a nice person to boot. When Tom Knapp points and said to me at a SHOT Show long ago “Watch her” that sums it up.
Anette “.30calgal” Wachter – Shooting NRA High Power and international target rifle, Anette has amassed an outstanding record of international individual and team victories, records and trophies representing the US. In sports that don’t have segregated divisions. At 1000 yards on a blustery day she is the ultimate team player you want on your side and her friendly demeanour makes her welcome around the world. Mostly so we can carry her in a chair after she kicks our butts. With a smile on. And seriously we don’t even seem to mind. She IS that good and is always helping and introducing women to her sports. She is finally getting well deserved recognition in 3 gun – while still winning in TR and HP – but you need to look into that lady’s background. She is already a true Champion.
Thanks for a great article and hopefully its “9” next time.
Agreed! On the defense of the Second Amendment front I’d add radio personality, author, and new G&A Magazine cover person, Dana Loesch.
What about Kim Rhode and Gabby Franco?
Anette Wachter was left off your list. Just check her FB page or her blog, 30CalGal
Yep, you missed the competitive long range Precision Rifle women like Melissa Gilliland and Regina Milkovich. These women compete with all the men due to no separate division for females.
Uh yeah, women in all shooting sport disciplines compete against the men due to a lack of women’s divisions. Thats the norm
Love sw Munson should be on the list.
I would add Gabby Franco to this list. Top shot contestant, instructor, speaker, amazing role model and representative for shooting sports.
Lena Miculek, Kay Miculek, Diana Liedorff…….
Cant leave out Katie Harris
Keisha Mackerney from Oklahoma. She was in the Army. After deployment, she was riding her motorcycle and was in an accident that left her with one leg. She continued with her service and did competitive shooting. She was my neighbor growing up and I have always looked up to her.
Where is Gabby Franco???
You to make room for another…Jan Morgan from Hot Springs Arkansas.
Kim Rhode Olympic skeet/trap shooter. Rhode is the only American competitor to win medals for an individual event in five consecutive Olympics.
Jeremy,
While these amazing women are wonderful visible for outdoor industry, I think you left out one important element. The women that paved the way & stayed in the trenches for women to become the leaders in “the good ole boy’s outdoor world”.
I remember when men would not allow me to breathe their air at outdoor industry shows and expos. Their comment & body language would say move on little lady we have products to sale to men. Only a few men during this time recognized our value in the outdoors. The only women visible were scantly dressed “show girls” to attract the attention of men for a non-family friendly industry and the women in booths did not have knowledge of shooting or products they were selling, ONLY A PRETTY FACE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO PRODUCTS!
I founded over 16 years ago, DIVA Women Outdoors Worldwide is the largest and oldest women’s only outdoor organization worldwide. Our mission: We introduce women to the outdoors. We are the first STOP for women to become introduced to skills in the outdoors. Our clinics, leagues & training were developed out of desperation: women wanting to learn outdoor skills through a softer side of encouragement. Our organization has introduced thousands of women to the outdoors so women can have an opportunity & voice in the outdoors. I am proud of many championing our cause to awaken the excitement and empowering women in the outdoors.
Thank you Judy Rhodes! And Kim Rhode!!!
[…] 7 women changing the shooting world 7 Women Changing the Shooting World – GearExpert […]
Tori Nonaka is highly regarded as well. I think she deserves a spot on this list. And maybe not yet, but keep your eye on little Cheyenne Dalton. Still very much a junior, she’s following Katie Francis’s pattern into the scene. She’s my top prospect.
Randi Rogers should top the list.
Lisa Munson of Team NorthWest shoots out of Marysville, Washington. She has been shooting USPSA since at least 1990 and is at least a Master Class shooter. She mentored my Daughter Jacqueline from the age of 10 until Jacque left for the Army at age 18. Lisa is still active mentoring girls and women in the Pacific Northwest to this day.
Have you ever heard of Lena Miculek?!?!?!?!?
Ashley Rheuark should be on your list. Ask Julie Golob about her.
Tori Nonaka shouldve made this list and Lena Miculek should’ve gotten an honorable mention at least
Jeanie Almond AKA ‘Mama Jeanie’ owner and founder of Lipstick and Lead and also the country’s fastest growing youth shotgun high school organization- Youth Target Foundation. With over 4,000 NEW shooters (not numbers reused from other organizations) Mama J and her team strive to change the game. Make shooting sports a sport that moms and women understand and are proud of. Mama J has also appeared on Natalie’s Love at First Sight and many other TV and promo spots promoting shooting sports for women and our youth- they truly are the future.
Janessa Beaman American Trap & International Trap
This is a great list! The only person I would’ve added would be Gabby Franco. Since appearing on History Channels “Top Shot” she has definitely set the standard for women and shooting and promoting the Second Ammendment. I definitely feel she has set a standard for women in the shooting community and is a great role model for women of all age ls interested. Being an Olympic Shooter she has definitely earned her credit! Congratulations to all the women on the list! You’re all definitely my role models!
What?!? No Tori Nonaka??? Serious omission!
I think Jan Morgan should be on the list. Owner of The Gun Cave, and with multiple NRA certifications in firearms safety/training as well as recognition in journalism, she is a strong contending force. Overlooking her is a mistake.
I would have loved to of seen Juliana Crowder, founder of A Girl & A Gun, on this list. She is truly an inspiration and phenomenal teacher to new and seasoned shooters
It’s cool knowing that someone from your hometown is on this list (Katie). I also think that Kim Rhode should be mentioned. She shoots the greatest shooting sport there is.
These are all newbies. The real woman that made the biggest changes in the industry aren’t listed. Vicki Farnam, Dr Susan Gratia-Hupp, Diane Nichols, as well as Gila Hayes, Gail Pepin, Kathy Jackson…
Wow, thank you! It’s an honor to be on such a great list :) thank you for including me! I’m happy to share my passion for shooting with others and see it spread to them as well. I would add that Kim Rhode is a great one worth mentioning too. From my interactions with her, she seems to have a sweet spirit and is also a great shotgun shooter of course! Again, I appreciate being amongst this wonderful list.
Where are the Miculek women? Kay and Lena?
Lena is the current women’s IPSC World Shotgun Champion and the 2013 3-Gun Nation Lady’s Champion and Kay is the winningest female shooter in history.
I agree wholeheartedly with your first 7 picks but you gotta expand the list and include these two.
Anette Wachter, the .30cal Gal
[…] 7 Women Changing the Shooting World […]
How awesome is it that there are so many possible omissions! :D I will admit when I saw the title, I totally expected to see Julianna Crowder and A Girl & A Gun club. She has opened the doors to so many new shooters and allowed local women to step into leadership roles. She has also managed to get a lot of good press for women and fire arms in the main stream media. Maybe your next article could be about all the great programs out there for women. I know when I started shooting I had a hard time finding any.
I don’t see Eden-Rose Lil Red Danger on the list, either…she uses her size to show women that, if SHE can do it, THEY can! A qualified instructor, she’s worked in the industry making firearms, testing them, and can be found anywhere shooters congregate!
Randi Rogers, Michelle Viscussi, Gabby Franco all should have been on this list.
Another vote for Anette Wachter. Have met her and her husband several times… Great folks, and Anette is a great ambassador as well as a talent.
[…] 7 Women Changing the Shooting World […]
Randi Rogers?!
My first thought was, where’s Randi?
Agree. ADD, Michelle, Gabby, Randi, Diane Hufstetteler. Plus, Eva is not a competitive shooter. Eva is a beautiful huntress that is getting married this year.
And what about SAS shooters like Ashlynn Peters. One of the top ladies at only 18.