SHOOTING
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AS RECREATIONAL SHOOTING AND INTEREST IN SELF-
DEFENSE CONTINUES TO STEADILY GROW ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WINCHESTER DEVELOPS AMMUNITION TO MEET THE PERFORMANCE NEEDS OF EVERY DISCIPLINE.
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epending on the source, it’s estimated there are between 20 million and 40 million recreational shooters in the United States. When you factor in that this crowd includes clay target shooters, rifle and handgun competitors, self-defense practi-
3.3 million women target shooters in the United States in 2001. By 2013, that number had grown by 60 percent to 5.4 million. Forty-three percent of those women hit a range for target practice at least once a month. For many, self-defense and home safety are huge con- cerns. The success of many states streamlining concealed carry requirements now allows more people to legally carry a firearm on their person when going about their daily routines. Odds are, the majority of these people will thankfully never require a firearm to actually defend themselves, but for those who have had one when they needed it, it was the best insurance they could’ve had. For the rest, it’s about maintaining a sense of responsibility and self-reliance, common traits that Americans have exhibited in the founding and protection of this country throughout its 200-plus year history.
tioners, weekend plinkers and even those who own a firearm and maybe only shoot it once or twice a year at most, you can quickly see how pinpointing a precise estimate of recreational shooters can be, well, such a moving target. One thing is certain, however, the number of people joining the gun-owning ranks and flocking to local ranges or signing up for training classes continues to skyrock- et, and women are leading the way. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) there were
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