Firearm Give Away -- Photo Contest!!!

[dmstone]

So anyone wanna lend me a UTAS shotgun. I got to Burke mountain in poco.

[Grumpy Wolverine]

It's a valid concern. It does not necessarily make it easy for those that can not afford the shotgun itself entry into the contest. While some avenues have opened for some to have access it is not as easily attained for many. This reduces the pool of participants and is counter-productive to Wolverines wishes: to increase the pro UTS-15 population. The shotgun had suffered for some time a little bit of bad press ((jamming, breaking, etc etc.)) and while Grumpy has done a LOT to show that this has changed and quality has been a feature of the UTS shotguns there is still that black mark. The goal should be to bring more new owners of the shotgun into the fray than supply one to someone who has already spend the cash for one.

At the same time, it's fine for him to raise the concern as the next time Grumpy puts together a contest he can take those comments into consideration if he wishes too. It would not be the first time you have to buy something to enter a contest. Hell look at Dealership contests throughout the year "WIN YOUR CAR!" but you gotta buy the thing first.

I hope more shots like PowerWagons are posted in thread though; that's a nice grab.

I really don't think that it is a valid concern. The contest is not about getting those who don't have one of these shotguns to buy one so they could enter to win one. That was never the intent, not for one minute. The purpose is two-fold. One, to show those who have been sitting on the fence, or distrusting of these shotguns that there are lots of people out there who use them and enjoy them. Having them post pictures of the various ways in which they are doing it should help to show that these are really a nice, fun and versatile little firearm (same purpose as we are hoping the roadshow will serve.) Two, to reward those who have been supporting and using these shotguns. It seems that the folks who like something are far less vocal here on the internet about things than those who dislike or think they dislike something, whether they have had any actual hands-on, practical experience with them or not. Hopefully this will give some of these folks a little incentive to post some of those pictures and write a few words to go with them. I'd rather see a shotgun go to someone who already owns and appreciates one, than to have one given away in a random draw to someone who has been slamming and bashing them without any real basis etc. (Murphy's law says that is exactly what would happen). I was also hoping that folks might have a little fun with this as well, thinking of great pictures to show the rest of us.

I'm old enough to remember the same thing happening with the black rifles when they first started showing up on ranges etc. back in the late 70's and early 80's. They were problematic and they took a pile of bashing from folks for various reasons. Once people saw others using them, things started to change. Are they for everyone, nope they are not and the same goes for the UTS-15, but that doesn't mean they deserve a lot of the crap that gets dumped on them.

This thread has also warmed the cockles of my little black heart (well it might be the Irish Whiskey) but seeing UTS owners offering to lend their shotguns to fellow shooters so they can enter the contest. Our shooting brotherhood needs more of that. Seems to me that people that are making this offer are helping as well to show folks that these shotguns work. Who knows, the guy that shows up at the range to take a person up on their offer might just end up being a life long shooting buddy. The same goes for those offering to take pictures for others, I think that is great.

Now don't get me wrong, while I understand what you are saying, please understand this isn't a random give-away contest, and it certainly wasn't done to sell more shotguns to those who can't afford them, just so they can enter a contest.

[RageStation]

I like the response Grumpy truly do. I will elaborate more when I am back to a proper keyboard and not disgracing my education with this smart phone.

In any case I am a man who enjoys his gun #### and look forward to more in this thread! :D

[Atman.01]

I wonder does any residents of Swift Current have a UTAS-15 available for a photo op.

[lil_juiced_coupe]

It's a valid concern. It does not necessarily make it easy for those that can not afford the shotgun itself entry into the contest. While some avenues have opened for some to have access it is not as easily attained for many. This reduces the pool of participants and is counter-productive to Wolverines wishes: to increase the pro UTS-15 population. The shotgun had suffered for some time a little bit of bad press ((jamming, breaking, etc etc.)) and while Grumpy has done a LOT to show that this has changed and quality has been a feature of the UTS shotguns there is still that black mark. The goal should be to bring more new owners of the shotgun into the fray than supply one to someone who has already spend the cash for one.

At the same time, it's fine for him to raise the concern as the next time Grumpy puts together a contest he can take those comments into consideration if he wishes too. It would not be the first time you have to buy something to enter a contest. Hell look at Dealership contests throughout the year "WIN YOUR CAR!" but you gotta buy the thing first.

I hope more shots like PowerWagons are posted in thread though; that's a nice grab.

its called the internet, photoshop yourself fighting a velociraptor on the plains of a rainbow while mounted on a unicorn steed that breathes fire.... and when you win i will take the a2 pistol grip from the gun as producing rights from your victory.

[luke s]

well what do you know. a uts15 just arrived in the mail today

[Evil_Edie]

And #### like this is why we can't have nice things. Vendor is doing an awesome giveaway and you are complaining? Want to win - make it happen.

what part of my post sounded like a complaint? RageStation seems to get what i mean, it just didn't seem like an effective method for gaining additional interest in the firearm. for the record i do know of a few ways i can get access to one for the contest, that was not my concern when i made that post. my concern were for those who might not, but mostly again for the vendor's interest. He's putting up a fancy new gun as a prize, it'd be best if he got his money's worth for the advertising no?

By no means should the contest be changed at this point, that would only be bad. just something to be thought about if any similar venture is to be undertaken in the future.

I've seen plenty of these guns failing through youtube videos and on other forums, and just as all things, once a person has a preconceived notion that is something that's hard to shake. so these aren't the people you should really be targeting at this point in the game. you'll be hard pressed to find someone who bought something then thought it was shi* go out and buy it again to give it a second chance. The goal of advertising at this point should be to target people who don't have any such first hand experience. I'm not saying that changing the minds of those previous buyers is unnecessary, but regardless of how the contest is done, those people already know about the gun. if they're interested in giving it a second try they will participate regardless. Thus the most beneficial approach would be to make such a contest more accessible so that you can change minds AND actually gain some additional interest outside of the people who already know about it. Lets assume one particular individual has no access to it and doesnt want to bother with the roadshow, chances are he's going to give up on entry and thats that. however if the contest was accessible to practically everyone, that person won't just enter the contest, he'll enter and tell other people he knows who might not even be interested in the contest or the gun to enter with them.

explaining this would be easier in person, i could draw you a diagram

btw the Roadshow IS a fantastic idea, that will actually change some minds by demonstrating the changes. the contest itself however won't change many if any minds, you know since a photo contest doesn't give any particular indication of function. in the end it comes down to making more people know about it, and the more people that know about it the more people will naturally want it. For all intents and purposes all our shooting activities will be for "sport" or "hobby" in this country, so improved function won't pull many people from the fence, other than people who were worried about breakage but those people should mostly be addressed via the roadshow already, under such circumstances generating hype and interest will pull those who were on the fence for other reasons.

[Bg2xbq]

oh yeah, I am in.

[Wromgway]

AtMan, Swift Current is close enough to Regina, I bet we could work something out...

- Wrongway

[vkyle91x]

So I've had 6 people offer me money to use my UTS 15 and I couldn't figure out why..... now I know lol