Lindsay McCrum's new photo book Chicks With Guns is just what you think it is: Striking portraits of women with their firearms. What's unexpected, however, is the impact of the photos as a collection. If viewers don't personally know one of these gun-toters, McCrum hopes the book serves as an introduction to a growing community of 15 to 20 million women in the U.S. who own and use guns. “Usually women with guns are turned into comic book characters — Lara Croft, Kill Bill — and I thought it would be fascinating to find out who the real women in our country are who own guns,” she says. After three years and 280 photo shoots, McCrum chose 80 compelling and thoughtful frames for her book. Each photo is accompanied by quotes from the subjects about their history or feelings on gun ownership. For McCrum, Chicks With Guns is not an attempt to enter the ideological debate about guns. Instead, she says she tried to harness the visceral power of photography to provide a more rounded, honest picture of what women gun owners look like today. Some of the frames in the book are certainly what one would expect — a policewoman with her shotgun, a woman in a cowboy hat in front of a picturesque Western backdrop. Others are more surprising. In one picture, a woman holds her naked three-year-old son in her left hand and her grandfather’s shotgun in her right. In another, an older woman stands in the middle of her living room surrounded by dolls and teddy bears (above). “I’m not in the judgment business and the photographs are not policy, nor are they advocacy,” McCrum says. “I wasn’t interested in glorify anyone or vilifying anyone.” Regardless of where she stands, McCrum’s portraits of this community seem have resonated with a much broader public. The book sold out on Amazon its first day and McCrum has been busy signing books and dealing with media requests from places as far afield as Field and Stream and Juxtapoz Magazine. McCrum says all the attention has been humbling and surprising, but ultimately values the access and relationships the book allowed for. “All these women were extraordinary, they were excited and generous with their time, and I cannot tell you how many told me that were so happy to be seen and heard,” she says. Above: Ellie

Merced, California

Taurus Titanium .38 "I bought my gun — the one in the photograph — at the local gun store in Merced, California. It’s a .38 titanium revolver made by Taurus. My hands are not strong enough to pull certain guns back, so I need a revolver. It’s very lightweight and easy to use.... When I was mayor, I couldn’t practice as often as I wanted to, but now that I’m no longer mayor I go a lot more often. The girls usually go on Tuesday nights. We go to our local gun range, hook up our targets, and then all go down and see who’s the best shot." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Liz

San Jose, California

Beretta 96G Vertec .40-caliber pistol "Being in law enforcement and having been a detective, I am acutely aware of things that can go wrong. Since I’ve been in law enforcement, I’ve always had a gun in my nightstand that I keep loaded, no safety on, ready to go, one in the chamber, because that’s the only way I feel it’s effective. If I had kids it would be a different story. I would never, under any circumstances, have a loaded gun in the house if there were children there. That is extremely unsafe. I can’t think of a worse thing to do." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Alexandra & Truett

Houston, Texas

Ithaca 20-gauge side-by-side "Hunting this past weekend in South Texas, I thought of the beautiful picture I have. It brings tears to my eyes because I see generations of respect and love. I have my grandfather’s gun, which my father taught me to master, in my hand while holding my youngest son, naked, pristine, and innocent, in my arm. I’m so eager to teach my boys everything I know. They went out into the field with us this weekend and I loved every minute of it, all of us together with the beautiful sun setting in the sky. Knowing that one day they will be teaching their boys or girls the same thing with the same gun makes me smile." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Anita

St. Paul, Minnesota

Glock .40-caliber & remington 11-81 Police model "I was pushing middle age the first time I held a gun. I wasn’t raised around hunters and the only other cop in my family history was my great-great-grandfather. He was a cop in New York City and I imagine he carried nothing but a nightstick." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Pamela

Monte Sereno, California

Freedom Arms .454 Casull "I ﬁrst looked into handgun hunting when I found my .375 riﬂe was heavy to carry while climbing a mountain, and its recoil was too punishing. I am 5'2" and weigh about 110 lbs. When I switched to a hunting handgun, I found it challenging and fun to shoot.... I’ve had several men mention to me that the .454 Casull kicks too much for them. My response is they’re ﬁghting it too much. Men seem to want to control the recoil but can’t, so they hold on too tight. I know I can’t beat it so I just go with the recoil and it doesn’t give me any trouble." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Victoria

Stamford, Connecticut

Beretta 20-gauge over-and-under "I think it’s great that women have begun to hunt and shoot because it’s a fun sport and something that men and women can do together. You can be a girly girl and still shoot just as good as a guy." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Caitlin

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Anschütz Fortner rifle with Altius Firearms custom stock "In the sport of biathlon we use lots of skis but only one rifle. Our rifles become an extension of ourselves as we carry them with us throughout the racecourse. I love how precise the measurements and angles of each individual’s rifle are." Carolyn

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Anschütz Fortner rifle with Czech custom stock "I have enjoyed shooting as part of biathlon because of the unique combination of endurance fitness with fine motor control and concentration. I haven’t done any other shooting, because firearms also make me uncomfortable." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Alison, Marlee, Lee, & Margaret

Richmond, Virginia

Boss 20-gauge side-by-sides Margaret: "Growing up in a hunting family meant adventures so great that the images of these trips loomed large in my childhood imagination. Watching the preparation, gathering the gear, cleaning the guns, listening to the talk of hope and success in the field." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Courtney

Houston, Texas

Yildiz 20-gauge "My favorite gun is a 20-gauge over-and-under. The 12-gauge I can use, but it has too much kick for the kind of hunting/shooting that I like to do. I recently bought a ladies’ Turkish 20-gauge side-by-side that I love. It is lightweight, and it looks pretty. And I like the look of side-by-sides and over-and-unders.... I also really like to dress to hunt even though dove are colorblind." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Greta

Napa Valley, California

English Forsyth system scent bottle pistol, ca. 1820 "I was only seven or eight months old when I received my first gun, a gift from a longtime friend of my parents. A miniature stocked Colt 1861 Navy revolver, it has a personalized inscription with an engraved stock. I still have it, of course." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Ginny

Long Island, New York

Sturm, Ruger & Co. 20-bore over-and-under "I own more guns than shoes. Since my husband isn’t interested in hunting, my most memorable experiences in the outdoor field have been those I’ve shared with other women. Hunting camps and shooting schools are usually in remote areas involving tents and outhouses. Typically, there are days of being cold, wet, and hungry. Sharing the exhilaration of the hunt as well as the camp experience with good friends has transformed every outdoor situation into a great memory and endless laughter." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Jessica

Bozeman, Montana

Abercrombie & Fitch 20-gauge side-by-side "I’ll never forget the first time my father put a .22 in my hands.... At first it was a little bit intimidating and frightening holding and using something so powerful. But my father taught me that as long as I was confident and strong, there was no reason for me to be afraid. He explained the importance of knowing how to handle a firearm correctly, making sure I understood that they weren’t toys but that I could still have fun." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Lynn

Houston, Texas

Sako .308 bolt-action rifle with scopes "I love the juxtaposition of stalking game one day and then dressing for a glamorous evening the next. It’s appreciating and enjoying the most out of each experience." Photo: Lindsay McCrum

Ruth

Savannah, Georgia

Winchester Model 12 20-gauge "Since I was the only child and I know Father wanted a boy, he taught me how to shoot when I was just a little girl. And so I grew up shooting with him. I can remember how he taught me safety first, which was wonderful to know. He said that was the best thing of all — to know where the people you are hunting and shooting with are, and to always be careful. My father was such a good shot, and we had so much fun together." Photo: Lindsay McCrum