Girls Got a Gun

Girls Got a Gun was born from Lauren Hartnett's mission to educate and empower women on their Second Amendment rights. Growing up in NYC, Hartnett fell in love with shooting after visiting her aunt in Hudson, New York 10 years ago. She immersed herself in the sport, took her first NRA class, and became an NRA Certified Instructor.

Hartnett began instructing at Dynamic Firearms Training on Long Island, where she focused on reaching and training women shooters. She recognized a critical gap: women represent a huge and growing demographic in the shooting industry—now approximately 22% of gun owners and continuing to increase—yet there weren't enough outlets providing quality instruction and resources specifically for female shooters.

Girls Got a Gun provides:

• •NRA-certified firearms instruction for women of all experience levels
• •Concealed carry training and education on NYC permit laws
• •Self-defense instruction focusing on situational awareness and practical skills
• •Second Amendment advocacy and education on firearms laws and constitutional rights
• •Women's shooting club membership through their organized A Girl & A Gun: Women's Shooting League

Hartnett recently opened the first organized women's shooting club in NYC through A Girl & A Gun. This community provides women shooters with networking, education, and a supportive environment to learn and practice together. The club addresses a real need: women looking for information on gear, guns, training, and community.

Beyond training, Girls Got a Gun is deeply involved in Second Amendment advocacy. Hartnett serves as the New York City delegate for The DC Project—an educational initiative of women from every state who travel to Washington DC annually to speak with legislators about gun rights and women's safety.

"We have made the decision to take our stand and defend ourselves, our families and our rights. We have become our own first responders in our lives."

Hartnett has been vocal about the complexities of gun policy affecting women, including:

• •Red flag laws and due process concerns for women in domestic violence situations
• •NYC permit costs ($340 initial, $340 every three years) that effectively exclude lower-income residents from exercising their constitutional rights
• •NICS background check errors that can wrongly deny law-abiding citizens
• •The importance of proper training over legislation alone

Based in New York City, Girls Got a Gun operates within one of the most restrictive firearm environments in the country. Despite NYC's challenging legal landscape, Hartnett has built a platform to educate women on their rights and provide quality instruction to local shooters.

The organization maintains an active blog and educational platform at girlsgotagun.com, where they publish articles on:

• •Women's firearms training and technique
• •Concealed carry for women (holster options, clothing, lifestyle integration)
• •Second Amendment policy and legislation
• •Women's safety and self-defense
• •Industry news and advocacy updates

Their content reaches hundreds of subscribers and focuses on practical, no-nonsense guidance for female gun owners.