The Hershel House & Woodbury School Foundation is holding a raffle this winter, and the prize is a full rifle-building experience at Woodbury School. We donated a $1,400 gift certificate toward it, and every ticket helps keep the school open and its classes running.
What the winner receives
- A $1,400 Kibler's Longrifles gift certificate, good toward the winner's choice of a kit and available options
- Tuition for the Woodbury Kibler Kit Workshop with Gary Ludwig, May 17 to 22, 2027
- Five nights of lodging during the class
The Foundation puts the total value at $3,000. Tickets are $10 each.
- Last day to buy: December 16, 2026
- Drawing: December 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Hershel's homeplace
Get raffle tickets at Woodbury School
Kentucky Charitable Gaming license #0002960
About the workshop
The winner will spend six days at Hershel's homestead in Woodbury, Kentucky, building one of our rifle or fowler kits from start to finish. The workshop runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and is limited to 10 students. It covers kit construction, wood and metal finishing, hand tool use, and lock assembly.
Gary Ludwig has been building muzzleloaders since 2013 and has trained under Hershel and John House, Jim Kibler, Ken Gahagan, and Ian Pratt.
Why the raffle matters
Hershel House was a gunbuilder and a teacher. He wanted his home to stay a place where people could come together and learn traditional skills by hand, and the Foundation was started to carry that on.
Keeping an old place open takes more than classes. The Foundation pays the utility bills, property payments, repairs, maintenance, and insurance, and it cares for historic buildings and collections while still offering classes and scholarships. The raffle helps cover those costs. In the Foundation's words, every ticket "helps us maintain this special place and continue the work Hershel cared so deeply about."
Recent classes at Woodbury
In the 2024 and 2025 tomahawk classes, students heated and shaped steel at the coal forge, then fitted and finished their handles. Each went home with a tomahawk they made themselves.
From October 28 through November 1, Daniel Casey taught a Bear Pistol Seminar. Over five days, students fitted barrels, inletted locks, shaped wood, and assembled a traditional flintlock pistol.
A Barn Gun from the Foundation's president
Foundation President Rick Brown recently finished his own Quick Ship Barn Gun kit. Here is what he had to say about it:
"It's a great example of what can be accomplished with a quality kit, patience, and a willingness to learn. It's clear Jim and his crew spent an incredible amount of time thinking his kits through - a beginner taking their time will successfully build a weapon they'll be proud to own and hopefully use in the woods. A real gateway to building longrifles."
The raffle winner gets the same chance: to build and finish a Kibler rifle at Woodbury, with instruction and lodging included.
How to help
Buy a few tickets, or pass this along to a friend who would want to know about it. If you have already bought tickets, thank you.
Get raffle tickets at Woodbury School
You can also support the Foundation directly on our site. For upcoming Woodbury classes, see our Community & Classes page or visit woodbury-school.com.
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