   AT THE VINTAGE CUP, SEPTEMBER 17/18, 2004Searcy Double Rifle Sweepstakes Results
For the second year in a row, the Concours created a sweepstakes to benefit the Institute for Legislative Action, the lobbying arm of the NRA that fights for our 2nd Amendment rights on Capitol Hill and in state houses across America. And for the second year the prize was a Searcy boxlock ejector double rifle in .470 Nitro Express, housed in a beautiful (and highly functional) alloy travel case by Dan Walter. The rifle is an upgraded, engraved version of Searcy’s PH model, so the total retail value of the package is about $12,000. Every shooter should be most grateful to Butch Searcy and to Dan Walter (and Dakota Arms, new owner of Dan Walter Cases) for their generous donations to the cause.
Sweepstakes tickets went on sale at GMC VII in California in April; continued on this website and Shooting Sportsman Magazine through the summer; and culminated at this Concours at The Vintage Cup, where volunteers (thank you, Deneen, Dani, Barbara et al.) stalked the crowd with the rifle in one hand and tickets in the other. With some fanfare, ticket No. 0563 was drawn during the banquet on Saturday night by Kayne Robinson, President of the NRA. The winner, Dr. Robert Gilman of California, was not present; when reached by cell phone by Roger Sanger and Silvio Calabi, he seemed slightly overwhelmed by the news. The rifle has been fired to date only by Butch Searcy, for regulation, and, appropriately, by Kayne Robinson, who confessed that he had never shot a .470 and would like to give it a go. Thanks to Concours entrant Lena Gershenov, who handed over a fistful of .470 cartridges, and to the Vintagers, who opened the Stopping Rifle course to Kayne for his initiation into elephant guns.
The proceeds from the sweepstakes will be donated to NRA-ILA. Friends of the Concours who would like more information on charitable giving to the NRA are urged to contact Steve Anderson, executive director of the NRA Foundation, at 703-267-1127 or [email protected]. Even small amounts can make big differences. |
