Rifle Raffle - Legal Issues?

I coach in youth sports and recently another team in our league raffled an AR-15 to raise money for their up coming tournament trip. They did very well and now I'm interested in possibly doing the same. My concern is the legality of how to purchase/sell/gift the firearm and be within all laws and make sure it's not being won/given to someone who cannot legally own a firearm. Anyone ever have experience with this or know what I need to do to make this happen? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Admin if this is in the wrong area please move the thread! Thanks!

Raffle the rifle, take the winner to the shop and buy it in his name and have him fill out the paperwork.

Get a shop to donate the rifle and have a rep there that can transfer it on the spot.

That's what I was thinking, if they fill out and get approved but I pay for it, it's not a straw purchase right?

We have done a few. We always had a representative of the place the gun would be purchased from bring the gun. The deal would later be completed at the gun shop.

Natedogg, I will transfer for your youth sports team.
I also have a few ARs in stock. call me at your convenience

Thanks Boonee, I'll call you around lunch time today.

Another way to do it is buy the rifle on layaway, with 1 cent left on the balance. Raffle it, give the winner a penny and they go pay/fill out proper paperwork to take ownership.

I recently won a .270 Ruger American in a youth baseball teams raffle. They used a local gun shop for the paperwork / hold the gun. It was printed on the ticket, you have to be able to own a gun to pick up the rifle, and only the persons name on the ticket could pick up the gun. So, if I were a felon, won the gun, couldnt pick up the gun, the youth team pocketed the cash and gun.

The ones we have had around where I live, the group pays for the rifle, and the gun store holds it. At the end of the raffle, the winner goes to the gun store and completes the paperwork and the gun is theirs. You are technically not purchasing the gun for another party (straw purchase), you are paying for the gun and they are the actual owner.

Nearly all raffles are illegal in Texas so it really doesn't matter.

Raffles are not illegal in Texas. You just have to be a qualified organization to run one. The law is here:

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/OC/htm/OC.2002.htm

Unless it has changed, you have to be in possession of the item you are raffling, most here sign out the gun, raffle it, log it back in to the FFL, then let the FFL log it back out to the winner.

Yep, like I said, NEARLY all raffles in Texas are illegal.

I know of one where they go to Academy and make a deal on the guns and take pictures. Academy rep tags the guns sold and keeps them in the back. Raffle is held and then gift cards are purchased for the exact amount of the gun purchase. Winner takes the gift cards to Academy, completes the purchase and the paperwork is done for the transfer. Seems to work and everyone is happy.

This is exactly how we do it also.

good ideas

A local organization bought a gift certificate for the prize from a local shop. The winner got the gift cert and took care of the paperwork etc., at the gun shop.