Seems like it was just a couple weeks ago that I was bemoaning the cancellation of Boomershoot 2020, and here we are, looking down the barrel (so to speak) of Boomershoot 2021. My spot for last year has been carried forward to this year, so I will be going. I booked my hotel yesterday.
Now to the business at hand: guns ‘n funds.
First, the gun. Last year I purchased this bad boy:
…and the lucky winner of its raffle got it in time for the hunting season, despite it being a near-virgin. (No news on what if anything he bagged, but that’s okay.)
This year I’m approaching the whole thing in a different way. We have a time squeeze (I’ll be leaving for Boomershoot on April 27), so if we’re going to do the raffle this year, we’re going to have to do it with some urgency and alacrity.
Here’s what I’m proposing. Last year I vacillated between .300 Win Mag and .308 Win, ending up with the .300 Win. The response from everyone was lackluster, so after all cost and expenses and such, I didn’t quite break even. I put the disappointing response down to two reasons: 1.) the .300 Win Mag chambering isn’t to everybody’s taste (and I understand that), and 2.) economic (tickets cost $40 instead of $25).
So this year, we’re going to do it differently, and for some other reasons that I’ll talk about below.
Firstly, I’m going to get a rifle chambered in .308 Win. While not everyone might like a .300 Win Mag rifle, everyone should own at least one in .308, right? And let’s bring the price of entry down, too, and go cheap and dirty (one of my personal favorite approaches, anyway).
Here’s my thinking on the rifle: something inexpensive, like this Savage 12 FV, which typically sells for less than $450:
…or this Remington 700 ADL Varmint, for about $50 more:
…or this Savage 10T-SR for about $100 more than that:
…but whatever rifle I get, I will be putting some decent glass on it like the Burris Veracity or Vortex Viper, but whatever brand it turns out to be, it will likely be 5-25x50mm (30mm tube).
NOTE: I should point out that in the current gun-buying frenzy that we find ourselves in, I will be forced to choose from places that have whichever of these items actually in stock (at time of writing, all the above are thus, but that’s no guarantee in a week’s time).
The lucky winner will be getting a rifle that is well sighted in, and a proven record of accuracy, in a popular caliber.
Now for the fun stuff: the funding — and pay attention, because things are different this time.
Ticket cost is $25 BUT — unlike in times past — you may buy as many tickets as you wish. Yes, this means that the 1% will have a better chance of winning than the Pore & Starvin (i.e. folks like me). I can’t help that. The reason I’m lifting the restriction on ticket sales is that I’m going to need some overflow moolah to be able to afford the trip, so what doesn’t get spent on the rig will go towards defraying the cost of attendance.
Also, this time you don’t have to send me a paper check, as I’ve finally figured out how to get the proper output from PayPal — but if you’d rather stick with paper like last year, that’s okay too. Just make a note in the PayPal entry that it’s earmarked for Boomershoot NoR Lucky Guy. (Thankee to all who pointed out the PayPal problem.) Anyone who’s not interested in the rifle but still wants to help out with the expenses, you are fine and wonderful and have my blessing.
Let’s get this show on the road.
Oh and by the way: if anyone has an issue or any bad history with the specific rifles, let me know.