Women and Real-World Gear Choices: 2026 AG & AG National Conference Report

Every year, A Girl & A Gun’s National Conference delivers one of the clearest snapshots of how women are training, competing, and preparing across the firearms community. More than 700 women participated in UNITE 2026, generating one of the largest real-world firearms equipment datasets focused exclusively on women shooters in the United States. During the event’s Gear Check process, participants logged 783 pistols along with rifles, shotguns, optics, support gear, and safety equipment, providing valuable insight into the firearms and products women trust most on the range.

Our data continues to stand apart in the firearms industry because it reflects real-world use. No serial numbers or personal identifying information were collected. The focus remained on trustworthy data and authentic trends from women who actively train with their equipment. As the largest women’s firearms training organization in the United States, A Girl & A Gun is proud to provide a benchmark the industry can rely on when evaluating the evolving women’s firearms market.

Pistols: The Brands Women Trust and the Optics They Choose

A total of 783 pistols were logged during Gear Check at the 2026 A Girl & A Gun National Conference, providing valuable insight into the models that are trending in the women’s market.

As in previous years, Title Sponsor, GLOCK, maintained a significant presence on the line, led by the GLOCK 19. Walther continued its strong momentum, and the PDP Series once again earned the top position among individual models.

Top Represented Brands

• GLOCK: 158 (20%)
• Walther: 142 (18%)
• SIG Sauer: 101 (13%)
• Heckler & Koch (HK): 67 (9%)
• Canik: 64 (8%)
• Smith & Wesson: 62 (8%)
• CZ: 48 (6%)
• Springfield Armory: 45 (6%)
• Staccato / STI: 43 (6%)

Most Popular Pistol Models

• Walther PDP:  123 (16%)
• SIG Sauer P365: 81 (10%)
• GLOCK 19: 63 (9%)
• HK VP9: 62 (8%)
• Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0: 28 (5%)
• GLOCK 34: 27 (5%)

Walther’s PDP variants continued to dominate the firing line at UNITE 2026, reinforcing the platform’s position as one of the most widely adopted pistol choices among AG & AG members. The Walther PDP lineup led all individual models with 123 pistols represented, finishing well ahead of the SIG Sauer P365 variants (81), GLOCK 19 variants (63), and HK VP9 variants (62). The continued strength of the PDP platform reflects sustained confidence in full-size performance-oriented pistols that balance performance, ergonomics, and recoil management for women shooters.

GLOCK remained the top overall brand presence, accounting for approximately 20% of all pistols logged at National Conference. The G19 and G34 alone represented 87 pistols on the line.

Optics continue to define modern pistol setups and remained one of the clearest indicators of how women are configuring modern defensive and training pistols. 64% of participants favored pistol-mounted optics over stock or upgraded irons.

The overwhelming adoption of pistol-mounted optics, particularly Holosun systems at 66%, reinforces how quickly optics-ready pistols have become the standard configuration among women who train consistently. Trijicon, SIG Sauer, and Vortex were also present at smaller but still meaningful levels.

Red dot sights continued to outperform green dot configurations overall, although green dot usage increased from 38% to 42% this year. That steady growth suggests women shooters are continuing to evaluate visual preference and sight acquisition performance based on personal experience.

For participants running upgraded iron sights, Trijicon accounted for 36% of the sights used at Conference.

Pistol-Mounted Optics

• Holosun: 329 (66%)
• Trijicon: 40 (8%)
• SIG Sauer: 30 (6%)
• Vortex: 13 (3%)

Dot Color Preference

• Red: 289 (58%)
• Green: 209 (42%)
• Gold: 2 (0%)

The data reflects that most women ran factory triggers, reinforcing a broader trend toward reliability and familiarity. While upgraded trigger systems increased slightly this year to 12%, the majority of participants still favored stock configurations.

Among those choosing aftermarket upgrades, GLOCK Performance and Apex Tactical remained the leading choices, while Cajun Gun Works and SIG Sauer also maintained representation.

Triggers

• Stock triggers (89%)
• GLOCK Performance (26% of upgraded triggers)
• Apex Tactical (13% of upgraded triggers)

Holsters and Magazine Pouches: Trusted Gear, Proven Systems

Holster selection continues to provide one of the clearest indicators of what women trust during live-fire training and competition.

This year, Haven Defense moved into the top position at 18%, followed closely by Comp-Tac at 16% and Black Scorpion at 15%.

Magazine pouch selections closely mirrored holster preferences, reinforcing a consistent pattern seen throughout the women’s market. Women tend to remain loyal to brands that deliver dependable performance across an entire gear ecosystem.

Haven Defense led the magazine pouch category at 18%, while Black Scorpion and Pitbull Tactical each earned 9% representation.

Top Holster Brands

• Haven Defense: 18%
• Comp-Tac: 16%
• Black Scorpion: 15%

Top Magazine Pouch Brands

• Haven Defense: 11%
• Black Scorpion: 9%
• Pitbull Tactical: 9%
• Blade Tech: 8%

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Apparel: Function Still Drives the Decision

The belt category showed clear leadership once again, with Nexbelt earning 32% of the market share represented during Gear Check. Kore Essentials followed at 13%, while Black Scorpion and 5.11 Tactical continued to maintain strong visibility.

These results reinforce an important reality within the training community. Women prioritize stability, comfort, and reliability when selecting foundational equipment that supports both training and competing.

Pants selections reflected a similar balance between performance and familiarity. While 5.11 Tactical remained the dominant choice at 38%, brands like Duluth Trading Co., Wrangler, and Levi’s continued to hold meaningful positions.

The data suggests women are successfully blending purpose-built training apparel with trusted everyday brands that deliver durability and comfort. Percentages reflect represented equipment among completed Gear Check submissions and may not total 100% due to incomplete responses, custom products, or unbranded configurations.

Top Belt Brands

• Nexbelt: 32%
• Kore Essentials: 13%
• Black Scorpion: 10%
• 5.11 Tactical: 9%

Top Pants Brands

• 5.11 Tactical: 38%
• Duluth Trading Co.: 10%
• Wrangler: 8%
• Levi’s: 5%

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Safety First: Protective Equipment That Performs

Safety gear selections reflected a strong commitment to both protection and performance throughout the event. For hearing protection, Walker’s dominated at 39%, followed by Axil at 15% and AKT1 Sport at 8%, underscoring the priority women place on clear communication and long-term hearing health during extended training days.

Eye protection choices also showed a strong preference for trusted ballistic brands. Hunters HD Gold led at 11%, with SSP Eyewear at 8%, and Oakley and Wiley X each at 6%. Notably, 29% of participants wore prescription eyewear, reinforcing the need for brands to offer ballistic-rated options that accommodate inserts or prescription lenses.

While firearms and optics often dominate industry conversations, these findings highlight an equally important truth. Quality safety gear designed for clarity, comfort, and tactical performance remains a core investment for women who train seriously and expect their equipment to support extended performance and confidence.

Top Hearing Protection Brands

• Walker’s: 39%
• Axil: 15%
• AKT1 Sport: 8%

Top Eye Protection Brands

• Hunters HD Gold: 11%
• SSP Eyewear: 8%
• Wiley X: 6%
• Oakley: 6%

Shotguns: Semi-Automatic Platforms Continue to Lead

Shotgun preferences shifted slightly this year, with Mossberg taking the top position among represented brands at 18%, followed by Beretta at 15%. Benelli and CZ-USA tied at 9%, while Stoeger rounded out the leading manufacturers.

When evaluating shotgun action types, semi-automatic platforms continued to dominate, increasing from 50% last year to 59% at UNITE 2026.

That growth aligns closely with women’s increasing participation in multigun competition, defensive training, and home-defense focused shooting disciplines. At the same time, hinge and break-action shotguns maintained a strong presence at 22%, reflecting the continued popularity of clay sports within the AG & AG community.

Pump-action shotguns accounted for 15% of entries.

Top Shotgun Brands

• Mossberg: 18%
• Beretta: 15%
• Benelli: 9%
• CZ-USA: 9%
• Stoeger: 8%

Shotgun Action Types

• Semi-automatic: 59%
• Hinge / break action: 22%
• Pump: 15%

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Rifles: Precision, Customization, and Practical Performance

Rifle selections at UNITE 2026 reflected a strong balance between trusted factory platforms and personalized builds.

Among factory rifle brands at UNITE 2026, Custom/hybrid builds represented 10% of rifle entries, followed closely by Smith & Wesson at 9%, and then by Ruger and SIG Sauer, at 7% each. These brands formed the core of identifiable factory selections, while the remaining responses reflected a wide spectrum of individual or other model entries, underscoring the diversity of rifles brought to the event.

These findings reinforce a growing trend among women shooters: performance matters, but personalization matters too. UNITE 2026 data shows that women are increasingly building rifle systems around specific goals, whether those goals involve defensive readiness, competition, recreational shooting, or long-range precision.

Sighting systems revealed one of the more interesting shifts in this year’s data. Scopes accounted for 47% of rifle setups, while non-magnified optics followed closely at 44%. Iron sight usage also increased to 9%, up significantly from 1% last year.

Among non-magnified optics, Holosun remained the dominant brand at 37%. In the scope category, Vortex led at 33%, followed by SIG SAUER at 10%.

Sling selections reflected continued trust in proven support equipment, with Magpul maintaining a commanding lead at 30%.

Top Rifle Brands

• Smith & Wesson: 9%
• Ruger: 7%
• SIG Sauer: 7%

Rifle Sighting Systems

• Scopes: 47%
  • Vortex: 33%
• Non-magnified optics: 44%
  • Holosun: 37%

Sling Brands

• Magpul Industries: 30%
• Troy Industries: 7%
• Allen Company: 3%

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Why This Matters

The UNITE 2026 Gear Report provides more than a snapshot of product popularity. It reflects how women are actively training, competing, carrying, and building confidence with firearms across the country.

These numbers are not driven by marketing campaigns alone. They represent real-world decisions made by women who depend on their equipment during training days, competitions, instructor development, concealed carry, and defensive preparation.

For industry partners, this report provides meaningful insight into the preferences, priorities, and buying behavior of one of the fastest-growing segments in the firearms community. For women shooters, it offers validation, direction, and practical perspective when evaluating new equipment.

The data also reinforces the growing influence of hands-on product experiences and live-fire demonstrations during National Conference. “The brands that continue to resonate most strongly within the women’s market are rarely successful by accident,” said Robyn Sandoval, President & CEO of A Girl & A Gun. “Again and again, we see women gravitate toward companies that invest in authentic relationships, hands-on education, and live-fire experiences at National Conference. Demo opportunities give women the ability to compare ergonomics, evaluate performance, ask questions directly to company representatives, and make informed purchasing decisions with confidence. Brands that show up and engage meaningfully with women shooters are building trust that extends far beyond a single event.”

A Girl & A Gun remains committed to advancing women’s firearms education through credible training, trusted community, and data-driven leadership. As the women’s market continues to evolve, these insights help shape stronger products, better training experiences, and more confident shooters nationwide.

Because when women train consistently, invest intentionally, and trust the gear they carry, the entire firearms community becomes stronger.

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About A Girl & A Gun

A Girl & A Gun (AG & AG) is the most influential women’s firearms organization in the United States. It helps women learn how to safely and responsibly own and use firearms, no matter their experience level. The organization offers many ways for women to learn and grow, including self-defense training, competitive shooting, and social events that help build friendships and community.

Members can learn through thousands of easy-to-understand videos and articles, as well as hands-on classes taught by highly qualified instructors. Training programs range from beginner-friendly and social to advanced and skill-focused, and they are offered at hundreds of shooting ranges across the country. AG & AG also hosts special destination events that give women the chance to learn more, build confidence, and connect with others in an encouraging and empowering environment.

A Girl & A Gun is more than a club. It’s more than a community. It’s about inspiring women to live their best lives through firearms education, competition, and connection, and empowering them to thrive. It’s More Than Shooting.® For more information about A Girl & A Gun, or to learn how to join, please visit AGirlandAGun.org. Follow AG & AG on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn for social media and corporate news.