Which gun for a raffle?

My parish wants to have a gun for a raffle prize this Fall.

I've already got most of the mechanics figured out, but what I am sort of in the dark about is which gun to use for the prize. Odds are also pretty good whichever dealer I use will allow the winner to apply the prize value towards a different gun if they don't like the one we used for the prize.

One philosophy is to get something that a guy would not get for himself otherwise, but his wife would let him drop $20 on a ticket because it's for a good cause. Now this also has the possible dimension of being a guy who owns no guns at all, but wants to get started.

I'm also a little cautious about going too high-end, because there's a chance we might not sell enough tickets to cover the cost.

What ideas do you guys have?

2010-07-01T10:08:51Z

I should add: this is the first gun we have ever done. I'm not sure of the budget/demand yet. And I'm a little reluctant to throw a handgun out there on the first go 'round. I don't want to irritate all the little old ladies right out of the gate, so I'm focusing on a hunting gun at this point.

2010-07-01T10:09:36Z

Good answers so far guys, keep 'em coming!

2010-07-01T10:30:30Z

More clarification: parish = church
This is in Minnesota. We do a lot of hunting, but roughly 1/3 of the state is shotgun only for deer.

Mr. P2010-07-01T10:11:55Z

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I think that it depends on where you are located in America. If you are in a state that has a large hunting population some sort of scoped game rifle would be in order. I don't think you can go wrong with a Ruger 10/22 either it's a rifle that anyone would be happy to get and a wider base of people can use it. Maybe a deluxe version or distributor exclusive model to make the prize a little sweeter.

Anonymous2010-07-01T17:05:13Z

Something in a "fun gun" might be right on time. Maybe a Sig 522, or a GSG-522, or a S&W AR15-22, something fun to shoot, and cheap to feed. If your parish has a lot of hunters, then something like a heavy caliber single shot, maybe a Ruger #1 in 45-70 Gov't., or 444 Marlin.
If your parish has a lot of bird hunters, you're going to want to consider shotguns, maybe a new Benelli, or a Remington 1187. Remington 870 Wingmaster's are really nice.

Anonymous2010-07-01T17:06:02Z

Ahh, Obama was right, clinging to our guns and religion. LOL I suggest a Remington 1911 R1, it is new and not that expensive, around $600, but many will assume a 1911 costs more if they aren't up on current production. Still a nice piece to have at a good price point.

EDIT - Okay, caution is best, how about a nice Marlin 336cs lever action in .30-.30, A very nice rifle and only around $350.

John de Witt2010-07-01T17:24:59Z

Is this parish as in church, or parish as in the Louisiana equivalent of a county? In MS, the standard inexpensive gun for raffles seems to be the Remington 870. I can't count the number of those that have been raffled over here. It's inexpensive, and there are few people who don't like it. And if you're in LA (and most of the rest of the country), it'll be darned useful.

Cougars & Texans2010-07-01T17:17:43Z

Remington 1911 R1 would be a good choice, BUT, it's a handgun. People under 21 can't get handguns from dealers so that would cut out a lot of potential players. You should go with a long gun.

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