“In the gun world, there are obvious women’s guns,” wkrn.com pronounces, without revealing which firearms qualify for the double-X chromosome set. It’s a good question: what IS a woman’s gun? We asked our readers that very thing last month in Question of the Day: Is There Such a Thing As A “Woman’s Gun”?. Some 98 members of TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia weighed-in without obvious consensus, and a lot of obvious snark. Our friends at Remington hit the NRA convention in Nashville in search of answers . . .
“There needs to be a distinction in firearms for men and women,” explained Ashley Kerr who works for Remington. “That’s one of the big things we’re doing here at Ladies Zone, we’re encouraging ladies to stop by and give us their feedback.”
The Ladies Zone is a new launch by Remington that’s tapping into a market that’s largely been ignored.
“We’ve been conforming to male designed firearms for a while, and we want to get the feedback. What is it about this rifle that we could change that would really help you?” Kerr said.
Adjustable stock? Low recoil? Ergonomic grip? I’m thinking . . . an AR-15! ANY AR-15! But what do I know? And when it comes to handguns, props to Remington for developing the R51.
No seriously. Although the R51 was a production disaster, it’s easy-racking slide, diminutive (but not dinky) size, low recoil and sleek, stylish design made it the perfect handgun for women’s armed self-defense.
We had high hopes for that handgun. And still do. Let it be known that we will give the new, improved R51 a fair review when we get our hands on one. AND we’ll give it to a female writer.
Props to Big Green for doing market research for female-friendly firearms…assuming the Ladies Zone was not a PR exercise in pusillanimous pandering. Remington is, it must be said, making all the right noises.
With the feedback it gets this week, Remington will begin designing new rifles and handguns for women and others who are looking for guns that aren’t necessarily marketed toward male gun owners.
“We really want to make something that’s well-rounded but in order to do that we need to get a ladies feedback and what they’re needing,” said Kerr. “We seem to know what the gentlemen are wanting but we need to know what the ladies are wanting as well.”
I wonder how the Remington RM380 suits women shooters. Dan liked what he saw of it in the booth this weekend. I guess we’ll have to buy one and find out.