Firearms [BUT NO GUN SALES HERE] [POST STATE WHEN ASKING Q's]

[skeletorlolwut]

Originally Posted by SgtCaboose

That's like saying cars are tools, not toys.

I want to purchase a weapon becasue my 'local' range is over an hours drive away. And I am not driving an hour for something I could do in my own residence.

Besides, shooting clubs cost shitloads. I have been to many, here and overseas, and they all overcharge heavily compared to owning/operating a weapon yourself.

Before I get "BUT THEY HAVE TO LICENCE AND SAFTETY AND OMFGZZZZZZ" stfu, it costs way more than is reasonable, I am sure they aren't making a huge profit, but it still costs too much.


As for licensing, I could easily say it is for 'vermin'. I have a few rats around in the winter and I am on over 30 acres. Thanks for the info

Even if it's over an hour away, driving there maybe once a month wouldn't be a bad idea to get your permit. If I were you, I would try to apply for the vermin control, and if you get denied, apply at the club.

[Rass]

Originally Posted by SgtCaboose

Besides, shooting clubs cost shitloads. I have been to many, here and overseas, and they all overcharge heavily compared to owning/operating a weapon yourself.

My local range hires out rifles and shotguns. they are all in crap condition and have real maintenance issues. I hate my local range

Originally Posted by SgtCaboose

As for licensing, I could easily say it is for 'vermin'. I have a few rats around in the winter and I am on over 30 acres. Thanks for the info

If you can prove it, you could end up getting a semi-automatic rifle like a 10/22, they are heaps of fun and cheap to feed.

[T1tan]

Originally Posted by SgtCaboose

So whats the current deal with firearms in Australia?

Are they still Satan's reincarante?

What is involved in the (legal) purchasing of weapons, I am aware you require a license.

I actually have the forms, but I stopped on the 'use' section, becuase my use would be shooting crap on my property (trees etc.) and I figure that's illegal.

vermin control & sports shooting.

sign up with the SSAA.

done.

In NSW, if you're a club shooter, you need to attend X meets a year - which is a pita.

[SgtCaboose]

Originally Posted by Merudo

reading this thread

Parents, no issue there.

I guess I will have a further look into it. I plan to move interstate soon-ish anyway so I might end up near a shooting range.

[Merudo]

Originally Posted by Rass

My local range hires out rifles and shotguns. they are all in crap condition and have real maintenance issues. I hate my local range

Do you mean the one near the gateway m'way?

Since being in QLD I've wanted to get my licence up here and I was looking around to find a local range. I was thinking of going to the one out at Belmont there, and checking it out.

[Rass]

Originally Posted by Merudo

Do you mean the one near the gateway m'way?

Since being in QLD I've wanted to get my licence up here and I was looking around to find a local range. I was thinking of going to the one out at Belmont there, and checking it out.

The Belmont shooting complex is made up of several rifle, pistol and archery clubs. I go to either the Sporting Shooters Brisbane range at Belmont or the Qld Military rifle club. The SSAA Brisbane range is *very* conservative and the range masters get cranky very easily. http://www.ssaabris.org.au/

QMRC isn't open all that often and don't tend to cater to casual shooters.

Originally Posted by skeletorlolwut

Also when you finally get your permit to acquire, you need to get a gun safe. You have to bolt the safe to the wall so you might want to check on that if you are renting. You gotta get a cop to inspect it as well, so you're not gonna get away with not having a safe.

In QLD, you don't need a gun safe, depending on the category. You also are liable for random spot checks, but noone inspects it - you just need to sign something that says "yes, I have proper storage, promise!".

Cat A and B firearms can be held in a sturdy box made of wood or metal which is bolted to the frame or floor of the house if it's under 75kgs. It must have a sturdy lock as well.

So you can get a metal cabinet and bolt it down and you're apples. You could get a sturdy pine box, whack a lock on it and bolt it to the floor and you'll be right as well.

Me? I have a hardcore safe bolted to the slab of my unit. I like my firearms and I don't want them stolen or confiscated.

Pistols do require a bit of extra attention though.

[Merudo]

Reading some of these websites worries me a little, do any of these ranges offer their services to a casual shooter on say, any saturday or sunday? Or do you have to be a member (I don't mind becoming a member of a club, that's not a problem).

The way they talk about how certain things are only on say "the first monday of the month" etc etc, are they just talking about certain events or is it still possible for you to go down to the range with your category A or B weapon, pay for entry, go to the applicable range and away you go?

Or is it only when they have events on that you can go down and shoot?

[Rass]

Originally Posted by Merudo

Reading some of these websites worries me a little, do any of these ranges offer their services to a casual shooter on say, any saturday or sunday? Or do you have to be a member (I don't mind becoming a member of a club, that's not a problem).

The way they talk about how certain things are only on say "the first monday of the month" etc etc, are they just talking about certain events or is it still possible for you to go down to the range with your category A or B weapon, pay for entry, go to the applicable range and away you go?

Or is it only when they have events on that you can go down and shoot?

The SSAA Belmont range, you can pretty much just turn up whenever and hire a firearm and do some target practice. Only rarely when they have a serious competition do they close the range to the public. Members of the public are welcome to hire a firearm and shoot, as long as they fill out a form which pretty much states they are eligable to get a license if they wanted to.

give them a call on 07 3398 1749 to find out the hours (I don't know them, I generally turn up on saturday or sunday morning and stay until I get bored).

[3Toed]

Originally Posted by Rass

The SSAA Belmont range, you can pretty much just turn up whenever and hire a firearm and do some target practice. Only rarely when they have a serious competition do they close the range to the public. Members of the public are welcome to hire a firearm and shoot, as long as they fill out a form which pretty much states they are eligable to get a license if they wanted to.

give them a call on 07 3398 1749 to find out the hours (I don't know them, I generally turn up on saturday or sunday morning and stay until I get bored).

I wish there was a place like that in Sydney. Any Sydney shooters know of any such place?

[Merudo]

Originally Posted by Rass

The SSAA Belmont range, you can pretty much just turn up whenever and hire a firearm and do some target practice. Only rarely when they have a serious competition do they close the range to the public. Members of the public are welcome to hire a firearm and shoot, as long as they fill out a form which pretty much states they are eligable to get a license if they wanted to.

give them a call on 07 3398 1749 to find out the hours (I don't know them, I generally turn up on saturday or sunday morning and stay until I get bored).

Interesting, thanks!

That's good, sounds like that's the way to go, a bunch of us can go down to the range and hire a firearm to give it a shot, and then really think about whether it is something investing time and money in, also we can talk to some people down there and get more info as well.

Thanks very much!

[Rass]

Originally Posted by 3Toed

I wish there was a place like that in Sydney. Any Sydney shooters know of any such place?

there's a few ranges in Sydney

http://www.ssaansw.org.au/Library/ss...y%20ranges.pdf

Give one of them a buzz and see if they are happy to have a member of the public along. Generally as long as you are polite and sensible you won't have any hassles.

[TehCamel]

Originally Posted by SgtCaboose

That's like saying cars are tools, not toys.

I want to purchase a weapon becasue my 'local' range is over an hours drive away. And I am not driving an hour for something I could do in my own residence.

am i the only one who had an image of the texan oil magnate from the simpsons sittin around on his couch goin "yeeehaw" and shootin the roof and walls ?

[bsmitty1987]

When i got my licence i just put down that i was using it for club use, recreational hunting use and primary producer use. From what i can remember there was a subform for each use to fill out.

Club use join SSAA, membership isn't that dear and you get a pretty good mag every month, recreational hunting use i don't think there was any conditions. Just need whoever's land you're hunting on's permission. Primary producer i just needed my old man's signature to say i could use it for pest control on his property.

I don't usually like going to the range, i find ranges a bit too competitive to me, even on a non competitive day. I just enjoy drawing a couple of circles on an old carton and taking a few coke cans down the back of dad's farm and having a bit of a shot.

[-KoMoD0-]

Vermin control

Just say foxes and wild cats kill your livestock and hey presto 1x cat B license Although if you want to simply shoot things there are cheaper and no so legal alternatives

[GooSE]

Originally Posted by Rass

there's a few ranges in Sydney

http://www.ssaansw.org.au/Library/ss...y%20ranges.pdf

Give one of them a buzz and see if they are happy to have a member of the public along. Generally as long as you are polite and sensible you won't have any hassles.

The law in NSW for a long time was that unlicenced people could only shoot on designated "open days", which weren't held very often. I remember some amendment to the law fairly recently regarding this, but I can't remember exactly what changed.

In any case, I'd probably give the SSAA range at St. Marys a buzz and see what they say.