Need to Buy a Nice Factory Rifle for a Fundraiser....Which one
- Thread starter Longtine88
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
lyle2231
Well-Known Member
I vote for Savage. Always had good luck with them.
Another vote for a decked out Springfield Armory Waypoint 2020.
My experience in doing fund raisers for the last 20+ years is rifles are tough. If you have a small local audience. Every one seems to have the scope they want the calibers they prefer, so on so on. We have the best luck with shotguns, usually some thing nice that shows nice. However if you are stuck on a rifle stick with something suited for the masses in where you live, for example if you live out west you might pick something that will appeal to many like a 300 win mag or 7mm mag a270 or a 6.5 prc. Maybe a 22-250 to appeal to varmint guys or many ranchers. Out East in whitetail country maybe a 270 6.5 creed or prc. 243 win. Just find what is most suitable and preferred. The trick is to appeal to as many people as possible and that is tough with rifles. IMO. Have had many people walk away because they didn't like a caliber or even know what the caliber was. Good luck. Hope it goes well for you.
For the broad rifle/hunting market, a Winchester Model 70 Super Grade, or Cooper Arms of Montana with a Nightforce(or comparable quality) scope would have high recognition and appeal…..IMO
We did one like this just when the COVID restrictions started and raised $5,400 on a bergara approach.
Another vote for a Springfield Waypoint. I don't own one, but I would sure buy a raffle ticket to get a chance to own one. The reviews and the accuracy guarantee are exceptional. My second choice would be the Bergara HMR. Whatever you decide, I believe you would sell more Raffle tickets with a target proving it's accuracy and some ammo that achieved said accuracy would be beneficial. Are the Raffle sales open to anyone?
Ucsdryder
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2016
- Messages
- 1,571
I think less and less people are interested in wood stock rifles. I would go with the Springfield 2020. Maybe a SIG CROSS in 6.5 CM. Guns are like fashion items, what's in right now? Carbon fiber barrels…threaded barrels…carbon fiber stocks…light weight setups….cerakote. Nobody wants their grandpas wood stock model 70….unless it's actually from their grandpa!
Last edited:
At our local sportsman banquets with gun giveaways, it seems rifles that come scoped and ready to shoot do better. Nothing like winning a $2000 rifle and only have an old tasco to put on it and met with a bunch of costs to actually enjoy it. If possible source some ammo to include with it.
Agree
nealm66
Well-Known Member
Probably should throw a Ruger #1 in the mix.
Todd Carpenter
Active Member
Get u a mark 5 wby 7mm weatherby mag will be a nice rifle for anything in north america and outshoot most 7mms get the pretty wood also nothing feels better in your hand than a mark 5 weatherby!!!!!
.300 Dakota
Well-Known Member
I suspect the decision has already been made, but I'm going to offer my $0.02 just because I've done what you're doing before and didn't know the pitfalls. My opinion is going to go against the grain of more than 90% of the respondents, and will likely land me some hate mail. That said, I would just like to offer my experience and observations and then let you do as you wish.
Back in 1992, I was the president of a college campus association (not a fraternity) and was tasked with creating a fundraiser for our annual awards ceremony. I was an avid hunter and gun nut back then just like now. My faculty adviser suggested if I was going to do a gun raffle that I make it a Mossberg 500, Remington 870, or Remington ADL. But OHHH NO! I wanted a quality piece that would really bring the donations. Something someone would really want and donate big bucks for a big chance at a gun of a lifetime.
Fortunately, we had a kid in our association whose father ran a pawn shop in a nearby city and held an FFL. He was willing to order us our gun of choice at cost. Back then, the choices were much fewer, but I knew the Cadillac was the Weatherby Mark V. So I had them order a new Mark V (don't recall the exact model, but likely a Weathermark) chambered in 7mm Wby. I was able to get that Mark V for under $600. I was sure I'd make a fortune for the organization. In the meantime, my faculty adviser nearly passed out when he heard what I'd spent from the treasury. Still, I wasn't worried and told him to relax and trust me. "This is what the ALL want," I assured him.
To make a long story slightly longer, we worked the Walmart entrances, the entire campus for faculty and students, members solicited to their friends, families, and Churches. In about 2 1/2 months just before the end of the semester, I finally broke us even on donations. We wound up $40 to the good and had to scramble to find other means of funding the awards banquet. Much to my chagrin, I saw that the adviser had been correct in his assessment.
The moral of the story is that people will donate if they are going to donate regardless of what you offer. If they don't do donations, they still won't, no matter of you're offering a $2500 semicustom or a $500 Ruger American with Cerakote. Further, contrary to popular belief here on this forum, Seekins, Fierce, Larue, Christensen, POF, etc. AREN'T household names to the "general public." The general public still knows Remington, Ruger, Winchester, Browning, Weatherby, and maybe Tikka or Sako if you're lucky. I do understand you don't want to look like a cheapskate and want to offer something nice, but that higher price tag is going to eat into your profit margin greatly, and you MAY not even break even.
For ANY sort of raffle that isn't for a group of seasoned hunters or shooters (i.e. for the general public around a high school) there's no way I'd spend $2500 on the prize. Get a Browning Long Range Max Hunter or Tikka Alpine Veil of you want to get something nice that they will recognize and pocket the extra money for the event you're trying to fund.
Remember, the moms out there that want to donate to help the kids and maybe Win something for her husband for Christmas isn't going to give more because the name is one brand vs another. Many dads will be looking for something nice for their kid for Christmas or a nephew. They would probably want to start with something they are more familiar with than any of the $2500 semi-customs.
So there's a fool's advice. Go ahead and bash me. I don't think any of the suggestions are for "bad guns." They're all great. I just know the habits of the general public and their mindset on donations. Either way, good luck, and let us know how it turns out.
