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Two Winchesters, two Colts, the M1 Garand and a Remington in fray to be crowned Idaho's state gun
Idaho voters are choosing a symbolic state gun in an advisory midterm ballot, with six historic firearm models competing for the honor.
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Beyond the candidates, the state of Idaho is making a quiet choice in the US midterms tied directly to the state's pride.
Voters in the state are choosing a gun as Idaho's state gun, to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. In the contest are six vintage guns: two Winchesters, two Colts, the M1 Garand rifle and a 1962 Remington model.
It is an advisory vote, and the results are not binding on the state. The choice of a state gun- which would make Idaho the 11th US state to do so, when formalized - came on the ballot after Idaho's House Majority Leader, Republican Jason Monks, proposed it in March this year.
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"We've got a lot of state items, state birds, and... I think we... were talking about a state pie flavor.... but we don't have a state gun," he told lawmakers, per AFP. "A lot of states do have state guns, and Idaho should have a state gun."
Monks had argued at the Idaho legislature then that the advisory question on the ballot about deciding on a state gun would help increase voter turnout.
Six models in fray to become Idaho's state gun
Of the six models that are on the ballot to become Idaho's state gun, three were first introduced in the 1800s.
The Winchester Model 1894 (.30-30) sits at the top of the ballot. Designed by John Browning, it is considered one of the most popular hunting rifles ever in the US. It is also the first commercial repeating rifle that used smokeless powder.
Next on the ballot is the Winchester Model 1873 (.44-40). The ballot also carries the rifle's popular tag: "Gun that Won the West," indicating its role in the Western expansion.
Next is the legendary Colt Single Action Army revolver (0.45) from 1873, called popularly the "Peacemaker" for widespread use by US law enforcement over the years.
There is another Colt in the fray: the Colt M1911 (.45) pistol. First introduced in 1911, this 5-inch revolver served as the standard-issue firearm for the US Army till 1985.
Then there is the Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle (.30-06). First introduced in 1962, this rifle became a huge commercial success with over 5 million units sold.
Finally, there is the M1 Garand rifle (.30-06). Introduced in the interwar period, this rifle became the standard-issue rifle for the US Army between 1936 and 1937, encompassing World War II and the Korean War years.
