Some four million guns will be sold in the US this year, many of them in large supermarket-style outlets and others in chic stores where the sales pitch emphasises looks and fashion.
Shooting can be a cheap thrill or an elaborate expensive hobby. But it is also a big business and one that does not discriminate between the sexes in the trawl for disposable income.
For instance a Taurus .38 Special, a small revolver with a five shot capacity, will cost about $299 (£212). Or, if your budget allows, you could choose a single-shot bolt action Harris Desert Rhino rifle in wood or fiberglass for $3,600.
There are some 200 million firearms in the US, in the hands of 60 million gun owners. Rifles are the most popular guns, but handguns are not far behind.
However, the shooting business involves more than guns; a look in any gun store or a visit to any gun exposition reveals a display of chic accessories; fine grain hand-dyed leather holsters, a dizzying array of bullets hollow point or varmint, for example and laser sights.
Ms Elizabeth Shaw of Texas-based Lady Derringer attends the US National Rifle Association convention showing her wares of pearl-handled revolvers and blue velvet gun cases.
A mecca for the gun enthusiast in Los Angeles is B and B, a store in the San Fernando Valley. It is a well-loved place in a city that has numerous Mom and Pop gun stores. And the first thing that contrasts it with others is its size; walking into B and B is like walking into a SuperValu or a Centra market. It's large, and it's usually crowded. The customers, and perhaps this is what seems most startling, are diverse.
Sure, there are the burly Hemingway types who are hunting and fishing devotees. But there is also a considerable representation of women, young and middle-aged, and bespeckled businessmen.
They gather around the glass countertops, and discuss the merits of various guns with the helpful staff. Occasionally, a salesman will turn to the vertical gun racks which line the walls to show a customer a Browning BPS rifle or a 12 gauge shotgun.
One woman is holding a sleek, grey metal Glock. It's pretty: a modern gun that looks like it would be at home in a chic furniture accessory design shop.
"Is this for home protection?" asks the salesmen. Yes, the woman replies. "Are there other people living in the home? How many bedrooms do you have?" As the woman responds "three bedrooms and a roommate" the salesmen tells her this is not the gun for her. It's a sweet gun and easy to handle, but it's a 9mm automatic, which means that its bullets will penetrate walls. Shooting the intruder in the middle of the night could also result in a dead roommate in the other bedroom. Instead, he cheerfully steers her to a 38 calibre handgun.
The new Derrringer 38 gun was designed with women in mind. This gun is lighter. And it will also give her the opportunity to get used to shooting, to become accustomed to the backward kick of a gun going off. Then, when she's more comfortable, she can come back and look at more powerful guns, like a nice 357 Magnum or a Colt 45. She agrees, makes the purchase and leaves.
Women are the fastest-growing segment of the shooting market. In 1996, Chanel acquired Britain's Holland and Holland Ltd and opened a store on West 57th Street in Manhattan. A chic shooting outfit can cost up to $7,000.
But for some Americans, owning a gun, no matter how expensive or powerful, is not enough. A company in New Jersey called Tanks A Lot Toys for the Big Boys (TanksAL@aol.com) will sell you a refurbished tank. You are in luck if your taste runs to a refurbished Stalwart Amphibious load carrier, currently available for $43,200. Or perhaps a FV701 Mk, refurbished as a "Stealth Ferret" for $17,500.
