Chamber of Commerce wants to give 50 guns in 50 days

by Charles Gerian

The Blackwell Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its first-ever gun raffle, entitled “50 Guns in 50 Days,” to help support the Chamber’s work in the community. 

According to a flyer announcing the event, 500 tickets will be sold, and the odds of winning are one in 10. Tickets are $100 each, and entrants must be 21 years old or older in order to enter the contest. Tickets are non-transferable, and the only person who may claim a gun is the person whose name is on the ticket, according to the Chamber’s rules.

The deadline to purchase tickets is October 3. 

Tickets may be purchased from Chamber board members. They may also be purchased at the Chamber’s office, located at 120 South Main Street in Blackwell. 

The drawing itself won't start until all 500 tickets have been sold, but the Chamber hopes to have all tickets sold by October 4. The Chamber plans to hold the drawing October 7 during its “normal business hours.” 

The Chamber is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Guns may be claimed at Bubba’s Outdoor Sports, located at 513 West Doolin Avenue, within 30 days of the raffle’s close. If prizes are not claimed in time, they will be forfeited, according to the Chamber’s rules.

The winners of the raffle must pay a $20 transfer fee at Bubba’s, and they must pay any filing fees or shipping costs that are incurred.

All winners of firearms must fill out ATF Form 4473 and pass the NICS background check upon picking up their firearms. If the winner fails the NICS background check, he or she will forfeit the prize awarded. No refunds, substitutions, or assignments will be allowed.

The list of guns to be raffled can be found at Bubba’s, on the Chamber of Commerce's official website, and on the Chamber’s social media profiles. Some of the pieces include a Century Arms RH-10 AK-47, a lever-action Henry Sidegate lever-action 30-30, a Winchester JXP Compact 12-gauge shotgun, and a Beretta M9A3 9mm.