Provide women security at home, efficiency in the field

Shooting Industry, Oct, 2004 by Lisa Parsons-Wraith

It is very important for the female shopper to get her money's worth and when it comes to guns, women find versatility a huge selling point. If a firearm can do double duty as a home defense weapon, women are far more likely to be able to justify the cost of purchasing a new gun. It also makes it easier for you to sell a firearm when you can appeal to your female customer's sporting, as well as protective, side. Many self-defense experts view the shotgun as the ultimate home defense weapon for its sheer intimidation power as well as its firepower. And most wingshooters agree that a pump shotgun just feels right for waterfowling. If you have customers in the market for a quality pump shotgun this hunting season, suggest Benelli's Nova 12-gauge pump.

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Versatile, Lightweight Champ

The Nova is a workhorse shotgun capable of performing both as home defense weapon and bird gun. It features a newly designed pump mechanism that operates smoothly, whether the shotgun is loaded with 2 3/4-inch target loads, 3-inch shells for turkey hunting or 3 1/2-inch shells for waterfowl.

On the Nova, the traditional pump's wooden buttstock and separate receiver have been replaced with a single unit that encases the steel action in lightweight, weather-resistant polymer. This unique bit of engineering and technology means the Nova weighs less than a traditional pump shotgun (less than 8 pounds), making it easier for women to carry in the field.

Another nice touch on the Nova is the stock can be shortened and optional recoil pads are available so women can customize the length of pull to fit their personal needs. There is also a rubber recoil pad and optional recoil reduction devise installed in the buttstock to dampen recoil and ensure maximum shooter comfort.

It's All In The Details

Sometimes it's the little things that make a firearm popular and the Nova is chock full of them. For example, there is a button on the underside of the forend that activates a shell stop, allowing the chambered shell to be removed without releasing rounds from the magazine. The Nova's engineers thought of everything!

The Nova also looks different from traditional pump shotguns, and part of the reason is the unique grooves that wrap around the wrist and forend of the shotgun replacing the checkering traditionally found on pump actions. The Nova's forend has been ergonomically designed and contour tapered to promote a firm grip. Additionally, the elongated styling allows for a wide range of arm lengths to achieve a comfortable grip on the shotgun.

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The Nova comes in a black finish that makes it look like something a SWAT team would use, or in hunter friendly camo. The camo patterns are Advantage Timber and Advantage's new Max-4 pattern.

The 12-gauge Nova comes in 24-inch, 26-inch and 28-inch barrel lengths, and with a set of choke tubes. Benelli also offers the Nova in a short stock 20-gauge version. It has a 13-inch length of pull and comes with a 24-inch barrel. This Nova weighs in at a mere 6.4 pounds, so it should be well received by petite women or youths. Regular 20-gauge pump action Novas are also available. Both the shortened and regular versions come in black and Advantage Timber finishes.

The suggested retail price on the Nova ranges from $340 to $415, making it very affordable--especially when women can use it for home defense and in the field. The only trouble you'll have in making the sale is getting your customers to choose between tactical black or field-friendly camo!

Women want value for their money and are more likely to purchase an item if it can be used for multiple purposes. Women are famous for their ability to multi-task and they want their shooting equipment to do the same. So, as the hunting season is upon us and women begin to trickle into your store for new shotguns, consider introducing them to the Benelli Nova. This pump action shotgun does it all--it's a fine bird gun and a great home defense weapon.

Blown Away

A compelling story is the basis for any good book, and Blown Away, by Caitlin Kelly, delivers a great many compelling stories from women on both sides of the gun issue. Kelly states her goal in the introduction of Blown Away, "... [M]y aim is to examine the intersection of guns and American women's lives, investigate gun ownership and use, and its portrayal in the media, as both a cultural artifact and historical by-product of a country founded on a distrust of government and institutional authority."

In order to accomplish this goal, she interviewed more than 100 women on the subject of gun ownership and filled her book with their stories. Kelly went out of her way to find a diverse group of women to speak with, and this is, perhaps, one of the most interesting aspects of the book. She demonstrated that women gun owners are everywhere, come from all walks of life and own guns for many different reasons. This aspect alone makes the book a valuable tool for gun dealers. It gives them a unique look into the reasons women own or do not own firearms.