I was wrong about PINK

[BonnieB]

Ladies, I was wrong about pink shooting gear, and I'm big enough to admit it.

I was being pretty loud earlier in the year about bubblegum-barbie-pink gear on the range, up to and including sneering at it openly. And whining about pink guns. It made me think that women were deliberately identifying themselves as "not serious shooters".

HOWEVER, the lights have finally come on in my head.

I was at the gun store the other day, getting something out of jail. A man was standing next to me, asking for 'pink guns'. I was getting ready to climb on my high horse, until the guy said "No, not just pink ! The pink that's for breast cancer!".

I have to say, my jaw dropped. I didn't know there was such a thing. Sure enough, the salesman brought out a 9mm (?) Smith and Wesson that had a partially pink grip and a breast cancer awareness pink ribbon engraved on the barrel. They are now commonly called "Hope guns". Wow. Apparently, this guy was paying for (but not choosing) a gun for his wife, who is a survivor of breast cancer. Wow again.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_Y Or Walther, http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...s_id/411548697 or Glocktalk

I had no idea that the bubblegun pink was sometimes about BCA. Now, let's be clear. Just because something's pink does not mean that it financially benefits the Susan B Komen Foundation. There are conflicting reports that the SBKF has officially rejected certain of the guns. (It would be worth it to ask, if you're buying something. Or maybe even pressure manufacturers to donate a percentage.)

But there is no question in my mind that we ALL should support BCA, (whether SBK or not), men and women both. Every one of us probably knows a victim or a survivor. Maybe you yourself are a survivor.

I will be buying some BCA pins to put on my pink camo hat and the CGN pink windbreaker that's being made for me. And I will flaunt my pink at the range, and cheerfully explain it to anyone who will listen.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention this. When I first started to shoot, all I wanted was to fade into the background and not make an issue out of being a woman. Just insecure in the middle of the boys club, I guess. But now, when I see all the women shooters at the range, I am prepared to step out of the camo closet and make them watch how well "the girl in pink" shoots, and how safely she does it.

Even stubborn, hardheaded, uppity women can change their minds....

[Bugguts]

I still boycott pink anything and I am so tired of the "we donate..." crap. Turning penalty flags in the NFL pink for the month of October? C'mon! Even breast cancer survivors hate it(I worked oncology, met a lot of them and for the most part they don't care). I checked out the Bersa 380 in the Breast Cancer pink mode and found the wooden pink grips to be even more uncomfortable due to the thickness of them.

Yeah, I'm still anti-pink.

[gun.gal916]

I dont own any pink firearms. I do however think that its wrong to judge anyone about their choice in color for a firearm. If it gets them into learning, shooting and arming themselves: more power to them. I took a recent handgun training course and it was pouring rain. I stopped by the store to get a pancho since I was not expecting the rain, the only one they had in my size that I could actually use my holster with was a childs size pink one. Its sad that I *almost* considered not purchasing it on the grounds of being judged or not taken seriously. Who really cares about the color? and whats it really matter. Breast cancer awareness or not.

[Vampyredark]

I agree with gun gal, I am not a female, but I do not think the color of ones gun matters. If it appeals to the shooter, then they will probably like their gun more and that is a plus. Pink, purple, blue (kimbers new sapphire 1911), red and black (charter revolver), I would not want to belittle the firearm just because it is not a blued or stainless gun.

How about a firearm for Cystic Fibrosis awareness!

[Tubbie]

I don't care if it's crimson red, saphire blue, or passion purple. Not everyone likes black. If it creates a peak in getting in shooters to our sports and teach them about our rights to bear arms then that's ALL that matters.

The anti-gunners count on an uninformed/uneducated subjects. If it takes a pink gun to get someones interested in learning about firearms then dammit so be it!

[Sledge]

I remember when I was a kid and my friend and I were arguing about which was better. ON TV or SELECT TV. Or you were Ghey if you bought Zanny Zappers. Just saying.

[movie zombie]

my thinking is much along the lines of Bug.....but as much as i hate pink anything, i hate pink guns even more. why? because they look like toys and imo guns are not toys. having said that, i don't really care if someone else wants to buy a pink/red/purple/orange/black/silver/grey/green/camo gun as long as they buy a gun and support 2A rights.

[BonnieB]

For the record, I"m not on board yet with pink guns for myself either. But for a woman who was a breast cancer survivor, I can totally see it.

For feminist reasons, the pink range gear is looking more acceptable to me all the time. Why should women be 'one of the boys' at the range? And pink isn't even my color, since I'm a redhead!

Now. Bugs likes orange, Savannah likes pink, not sure about Zombie, and I always prefer a lovely shade of teal. Interestingly enough, there's a new (additional, optional) official shirt color for CGN women at gun shows, a lovely shade of teal...

[FatCity67]

Question

If you were color blind would it matter?

[Bugguts]

For the record, I"m not on board yet with pink guns for myself either. But for a woman who was a breast cancer survivor, I can totally see it.

For feminist reasons, the pink range gear is looking more acceptable to me all the time. Why should women be 'one of the boys' at the range? And pink isn't even my color, since I'm a redhead!

Now. Bugs likes orange, Savannah likes pink, not sure about Zombie, and I always prefer a lovely shade of teal. Interestingly enough, there's a new (additional, optional) official shirt color for CGN women at gun shows, a lovely shade of teal...

Hmmmm, wonder how that happened?

[masameet]

I love pink and its various shades. I even look good in pink. Which, I suppose, accounts for the pink shirts and dress shirts I've had over the years. Even still have a pink robe but don't often wear it. Should probably send it back to LL Bean.

Anyway dunno if I'd ever buy any pink firearms and accessories. Resale transactions would seem to be quite limited and, I imagine, similar to trying to sell a purse and boots on Calguns (no nibbles yet ).

But lemme shoot some gal's pink pistol, rifle or shotgun, and sure! I'm willing to see if pink in anyway enhances the shooting experience.

[kaligaran]

I have always disliked pink. It burns my eyes. It has nothing to do with guns.

I despise companies that think to market to women, they can just paint any object pink and women will come flocking to it screaming 'oh pretty...'. But I guess it works or else it wouldn't be so widespread.
All of my interests are primarily male dominated and I see this with them all (motorcycle gear, shooting stuff, video games, etc).

Again this is just my personal opinion. I would much rather be overlooked as 'one of the boys' at the range than tagged as the 'girl at the range'.

I will say that anything that diversifies the shooting demographic is a good thing. Even if it is pink.

[Bugguts]

I hear ya' on the motorcycle gear! Sportbike rider and it's not so much the pink gear as it is the damn sizes!

I guess the pink bothers me because at Guns, Fish and Other Stuff(which sucks and I don't shop there) I walked in and some idiot guy clerk looked at me and instantly wanted to show me the "girl's guns". His words exactly. Went in to an archery shop and was immediately pointed to the pink camo bows too. WHY????

[JaMail]

I built a 10/22 for my wife, used the hogue pink stock, she likes it.. I used it once myself in a .22 rimfire competition and placed in the top 5 out of 20 people. color doesnt do anything to make it shoot different.

i just bought her a ISSG Pink 22 pistol... whether it be for cancer support, or just because they think its pretty, who cares if it causes the person to smile when ever they see it. it the same as guys only wanting to buy FDE or Tan pistols or rifles.

I dont really care what color it is, as long as it shoots straight.

[Steph]

I don't understand all the hate for pink. Is it simply against the color or what it represents (all things girly)?

Is there some unwritten rule that we can't be feminine and gun enthusiasts? Personally, I like pink. Every time I see a pink gun behind the counter or a pink camo bag/hat/etc I can't help but smile. I don't personally own a pink gun (I do have a teal CZ and my rifle will be purple) but I've always liked the hot pink/black combination.

I enjoy going to the gun shows/stores in a nice dress and boots and then catching the guys behind the counter off guard when I open my mouth because I actually know a thing or two about guns (happened twice in Victorville). There's just a certain satisfaction of being totally girly and then seeing the shock on the dude's face because I know more than his employees.