Finally got through my 28 day wait for my 22 hornet license today, so i went in with the appropriate paperwork, permissions and references etc, did my safety test (100%). Handed in the statuatory declaration for storing the rifle in a cabinet that satisfies legal reuirements etc AND stated that the cabinet has already my fathers 22 magnum in it. To me there seemed no issues but was told that i couldnt obtain my new ruger today as they still wanted to check the safe. So my long weekend plans of breaking in the barrel and getting it sighted in sweet as, have totally gone out the window.

Its a weird spot to be in, you want to get the police to understand that the safe has already complied with the standards but you dont want to get over assertive about it. Going to call them tomorrow to see when its going to happen.

Getting a license application through has taken so much effort, i didnt believe it would be such an issue in a country town...

Heres hoping tomorrows phone call gets things moving again... again.

Anyone else had troubles getting permits in Aust?

Well you're further down the track than me mate - I wish I was where you are with all that hoop jumping nonsense. I'm just at the membership with the SSAA-NSW branch - about to send my payment through and I can definately sympathise with you. What was the safety course like, can you tell me anything about it?

Its all paperwork and really not much you can do, but play the game. If you get their backs up you will only get grief.
When I wnet recently to get my 223 added I was asked how long it was since I had, had my safe inspected. Stunned me. It had never been inspected as I told the constable. When I got my safe they took our word that we had one. He then told me it could take a couple of weeks to get it checked. I suggested that as they come out to patrol the highway in the evening. perhaps calling in to check the safe and a cuppa on a wet evening might be in order. Got done that evening. But I also have a pretty good relationship the local boys even though the station is 70km away. So perhaps you can make a suggestion as to how it can all work out for the best for all concerned. I definitely wouldn't start throwing my weight around. Tried that in my younger days and never got much of an advantage.
Goodluck.

Cheers mate. A few guys that work for me are good mates with the local police as they play rugby together so i might see if someone can pop by. I definitely dont want to stir things up. Im pretty proud of my clean record and want to keep it that way.

Tiki, In WA at the moment you dont have to do a course. But in my experience you will only be able to get a low power license. For high power ie above 22 hornet, they require a geniune need test to be done which they check up on. It involves going onto a property and checking your prevalence of vermin and that they are actually doing damage. Most farmers can get one ok, but for people recreationally hunting its getting harder and harder. The safety test i did was a multi choice basic firearm safety quiz. Had to get three certain questions correct and achieve 85% overall. I do believe its in planning for recreational shooters to become members of a club/association. I do have one nearby so i might join up to improve my shooting and shoot when im unable to get out chasing critters.

My heart goes out to you Ozzies - makes me realize what a great system we have here for the shooting sports.

Hopefully, we'll never have to go down the same path.

Ken- you guys have it good for sure.

To make it better my application still hasnt been sent off. The inspection happens tomorrow then they will send it off. I guess its another week and a half or so....

Fully paid for ruger 77/22 hornet, harris bipod, nikko stirling 3-9x42 scope, case, full cleaning instruments and 100 rounds sitting in the shop and i cant take it home.

Trigger finger so itchy its not funny but what can you do....

I guess we all live in the world of the politically correct. We live under constant attack on our Right to bear arms, but so far we have fended them off. That's why the NRA won't give in on any front. Give them a foot and they take a mile. Holds very true for the anti-gun crowd. Big cities have the most voters, and they vote in ways that rarely benefits those who live outside the city. Best of luck with getting your permits. grayghost

Brad, not sure if this applies with getting your first licence but my understanding is that a hornet can be approved by the OIC of the station you are putting your application in at. Certainly that way for additions only high power that has to go to regional office for approval. May be more checks for initial licence, might be worth asking about.
Goodluck.
Oh and take your bank manager its over about a $150 for your licence.
Cheers.

hey gus,
im not quite sure i understand the way it is in WA. im a vic shooter and the licensing/registration system in WA all seems completely foreign and a complete joke.
is there a set way of doing things or is the complete licensing/registration structure at the mercy of the police? registry unit, with the police officers as field officers and enforcers?
what are the different reasons for acquiring a license available? ive got mine under hunting but will soon be joining a club and thinking of adding target shooting to the license too. all i had to do for my license was get a primary producer friend to write a letter of recommendation to say they would give me permission to hunt on their land. the actually check the land for vermin? any game animals to hunt? what is this safe inspection crap? it is law, since when do they have to come around before you can get a firearm to inspect? i have owned firearms for over 4 years here in victoria and never had a safe inspection. if i did i would comply, but if i didnt i would expect that my firearms would be removed from my possession till i could prove i had the encessary measures. ive heard of them being done but so sporadically its ridiculous. do the WA police take all this on their own bat? apart from a few minor (and ridiculous) laws i thought the firearm laws were the same nation wide. if this is so how can you own a 22 hornet which is in the same category in NSW and vic as a 223 or 375 H&H, e.g. a centrefire? what is your category system? e.g. cat A is rimfires and shotguns, cat B is centrefires and muzzle loaders, cat C semi's/pumps shotties and rimfires etc. i really cant comprehend the bureaucratic red tape over there it seems so completely foreign, demeaning, and prehistoric.
a bit of understanding as to how you guys have it over there would be really appreciated because to me it sounds like your really being given a working over both time and sanity wise but also financially.
hit me back, and blokes in any other states who are allowed to go hunting, to you i wish you happy hunting but to those in WA good luck with the paperwork!
:mad: lockie :mad:

Haha yeah its 160. Add on 1300 odd for the gun and gear.

Lockie

Mate our procedure for a low power rifle is apply, wait 28 days, go back and tell them you wish to proceed with the application. I had to get 2 property owners to write letters saying i was allowed to shoot on their properties as well as this i got 2 character references, and signed a statuatory declaration that i would store the gun and ammo separate in a locked steel safe that met WA law. Next they told me they wont be sending the application to perth until the safe is checked deemed worthy of holding firearms. I have no idea about how long it will take once the safe is approved until when i can get the gun. I will be looking into having the sargeant approve this so i can get the gun home. The safe inspection happens wednesday as its as soon as it can be done and i have a police friend doing it. 3 deaths in a country town in a week doesnt help that, and one was a shooting suicide...

My mate just got his license and he did the same but was allowed to get his gun before the safe was inspected. The police came out a week after as he lives on a farm out of town. He actually got his grandfathers 22lr plus an air rifle.

I might actually try the firearms branch of the WA police to query on if i can have the officer in charge approve the license. I see no reason why it wont be approved.

Im just looking forward to the long weekend and not letting it get to me.

Cheers

Lockie,
The concept of national gun laws is just that because in each state the laws are administered by the state police with their own interpretation and modifications. As imposed by the police dept and state parliments.
The same thing is apparent in the vehicle licencing which we went through big changes over here a few yearsback supposedly to bring all states into line. But it hasn't quite eventuatated like that with motorcycles in some states rated by hp and in others by cubic capacity. This is why we can by a high performance 250cc bike here as a learner but not a lower performing larger capacity bike.
We also have a defacto drink driving limit of .05 however this is only an infringement and loss of licence doesn't occurr in WA until .08
As far as gun laws go we too have the A B C etc categories but then we still have our old system of what is determined high and low power in centrefire rifles. Low power can be added to a licence by the local station with a minimum of fuss depending on the OIC of the policestation. High power has to be a pproved by the local OIC then he sends the paperwork off the the regional office where itis basically rubber stamped. I think it may be just keep an eye on the system so that a local station can't be open to too much corruption.
Not really any game animals over here just vermin.

With the national gun laws or driving laws non of it will be truly national unless it is administered and controlled by the federal police. Which I'm not sure is a good idea and would open up a can of worms as far as enforcement goes
Nothing can be truly national unless you give all the power to Canberra. Do you really want that??????????
Cheers.

Diddo kdub and kudos to you Aussies keeping the chin up despite the hardships.

It seems we're going the way of the brits as far as guns go. It wont be long and only the aristocracy and the crims will have guns, and when the heathen hordes invade we can defend the front lines with broom sticks and pitch forks. Sorry wrong again, pitchforks would be deemed to be illigal if used as a defensive weapon :D

Bob

God save us from narrow minded , thick headed politicians.

We still have healthy immigration quotas for all you downunders! (If you go to Mexico first, you can easily walk across the southern border and not have to worry about all the paperwork. You'll be nationalized with the rest of the border crossers in a short while if the dimmocrats have their way in Congress!)

That last little tidbit tossed in as bait for our resident liberal - ain't mentioning names, but he resides in the Great North! :D

We're not quite as bad off over here. I've made it my personal duty to extend my colection each time little jonny makes it harder or wants to take one off me. He only made me give him one so far and I replaced it with another 4 that year. I was depresed and neaded something to chear me up.
I just play by the rules. It takes time and costs a bit of money but you get there eventualy.

This is going to be my own modus op Aussiecollector ... I'm going through this slow process as we speak ... *yawn* - but SMLE's and Martinis here I come!

Yawn alright....

I had to spend the weekend fishing instead of shooting. How awful- two days solid fishing and one fish and terrible sunburn.

Can i use these facotr to lodge a complain with the PR section of the police? :p

Never mind all will be better as soon as i get the ruger in my hands.

Which Ruger mate ... ?

Which Ruger mate ... ?

77/22 hornet. 3-9x42 nikko stirling scope and harris bipod.

The highest power that i can get on the "low power" license...

Cheers

Brad

77/22 hornet. 3-9x42 nikko stirling scope and harris bipod.

The highest power that i can get on the "low power" license...

Cheers

Brad

Not sure if its the highest power. I have heard reports that 30/30 and 444 are now listed on low power. This is unconfirmed. But I may just be testing the 30/30 case soon.444 used to low power years ago but when a cop let the firearms branch know what he was getting the444 cranked up to it got lifted. I would like to see the current list of low and high power categories. It used to be very strange .22k hornet was low power .218 bee was high power go figure that. the same was with .38spec being low power and .357 being high power. Back when the first Rossi 1892 copies came in over here they were chambered .357mag but stamped .38spec it wasn't long before .357mag was dropped to low power as it became to hard to regulate.
It would be really nice if things just went on the category rating of A B C without our sub categories.
What is the case in the eastern states now as regards additional firearms. Do you have to apply and go through the works for eack addition like us where we licence each individual firearm or can you buy freely after getting a shooters licence still?
Cheers.

You folks even have restrictions on scopes????

Gahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:

You folks even have restrictions on scopes????

Gahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:

No thats about the only thing we don't have restrictions on.
As far as I'm aware pump action rifles are banned but levers are ok. Go figure that one.
I think the original cut off between high and low power was actually based on max velocities, not so much power.

I think that part of the new tack is to price licences out of reach $160 for a new licence. Close to $50 for each addition and getting close to $50 a year for renewal. Local sargeant commented that alot of wives will buck up over the costs and might start to slow down new buyers.

Cheers.

Pump action rifles are legal over this side mate,dont know about WA.No restrictions on scopes either buddy.

Far as i know, you can probly strap a radar system to a rifle and its ok. Scopes arent an issue. You should see some of the scopes the pro kangaroo shooters have down this way.

Pump actions are illegal in WA, levers arent. Some primary producers have been allowed to keep their semi automatic 22 rimfires but everything else is a no go. I think the idea behind it was to limit how fast you could fire shots out. I would think automatics, semi automatics, pump actions and lever actions would be alot quicker than bolt actions. Whats the bet levers will soon be on the red list?

Safe inspection tomorrow! Finally! Im going to ask the constable if he thinks i will be able to get the permit approved by the OIC or if it is going to have to go to head office. If a colleague of mine had his low power license approved before the safe was inspected, im sure it should be ok. Maybe, just maybe this friday i can pick the rifle up.

OK, misinterpeted what you folks were discussing.

"Whew!" When it comes to dictating what power/type of scope you can use, might as well quit the game entirely.

Another strange thing is that silencers, or moderators, are illegal in the US without a Class II license, but perfectly OK un the UK. Figure that one out.

OK, misinterpeted what you folks were discussing.

"Whew!" When it comes to dictating what power/type of scope you can use, might as well quit the game entirely.

Another strange thing is that silencers, or moderators, are illegal in the US without a Class II license, but perfectly OK un the UK. Figure that one out.
Its legal to own one here but if you get caught using one you would be strung up by your balls.I dont think a pump is that much quicker than a bolt,i can cycle my smle very quick.

.I dont think a pump is that much quicker than a bolt,i can cycle my smle very quick.

Primary producers can still have pump shotguns over here. But I'd agree wharf that pumps aren't all that much faster and I'd put my double 12ga up against a pump in a race to the bottom of a box of cartridges. Once the mag on the pump is empty Ithink my double ejector wouldcatch up quick and get to the bottom of box first.
Goodluck Brad.
Cheers.

Primary producers can still have pump shotguns over here. But I'd agree wharf that pumps aren't all that much faster and I'd put my double 12ga up against a pump in a race to the bottom of a box of cartridges. Once the mag on the pump is empty Ithink my double ejector wouldcatch up quick and get to the bottom of box first.
Goodluck Brad.
Cheers.


I agree mate,all the hype about how bad and dangerous pumpaction shotguns are is a load of crap.Its more to do with the amount of screen time pumps get in movies killing people.I get cranky everytime i think about my old pump gun being cut up by the govt.I will say one thing though,ive got a mate who could shoot more acurate and as quick as an auto shotgun with a pump,and with his speedloaders he would eat a double with ejectors.But its all gone now mate.

Haha on the topic of shotguns we USED to use a bolt action mossberg. two in the mag, one in the spout. Great for a couple of quick shots. Now since the bolt came flying out one evening after taking a shot, we dont use it. A pump would be nice but gee they are hard to get.

Safe finally got inspected this evening. Friday is looking good for picking up the ruger. Will keep things posted.

yatesy

hi guys,
just bin catchin up on the goings on in this thread. i find it hard to comprehend that a police officer has any power at all when it comes to whether someone will be getting a firearm license or permit to acquire etc or not. the rules are in concrete (or are they?) and black and white how can an opinion make things more difficult or slow down the process? shouldnt it be a straight checklist involving ticking off of items and when its all done hand out the license or permit to aquire.
categories of firearm still have me a little perplexed over in WA.
heres our licensing categories for here in vic. im not sure how the other states are but this is how it is written. this is also how i understand it to be achievable to obtain certain types of categories.
categories:

CAT A: airguns (inc. paintball markers), rimfire rifles (other than semi), shotties (other than semi/pump).

CAT B: muzzle loaders, centrefires (other than auto/semi-auto)

CAT C: semi-auto rimfire (no more than 10 rounds), semi/pump shottie (no more than 5 rounds), tranquiliser gun

CAT D: semi auto rimfire (more than 10 rounds), semi/pump shottie (more than 5 rounds), semi auto rifle

CAT E: machine guns, tear gas, rocket propelled grenades etc.

CAT H: handguns

Cat A & B longarms license is easy enough to obtain and i believe can come under a number of banners including hunting (can be primary producer letter of recomendation for pest control, or letter from public land organisers like department of sustainability and environment to hunt game species on crown/public land), target shooting (memebr of a club), heirlooms, collector etc.
after a reason has been established a statutory declaration and proof of ID, firearm safety course and you're there. license under your belt.
when it comes to applying for license cat A no worries fill out paperwork and another stat dec and your set wait for it to come in mail and pay something like 12 bucks.
cat B however you need a primary producer i think to say its ok for you to shoot on property again. if its target shooting i think your covered and need to show you wanna shoot in centreifre/muzzleloading events.
cat C basically only allowed for primary producers. i heard of a 70+ year old guy who could no longer tame his 12g side by side when duck hunting due to severe shoulder arthritus and he applied for a cat C to get a semi shottie but he was declined. i have a few freinds who live on the land with semi 22s and one with a semi shottie. seems easy enough for priamry producers.
cat D not really sure, i think its pro shooters for pest destruction from helicopters etc with semi centrefires. no idea how they get it.
cat E dont even think about!:D
cat H you must really like handguns and be willing to shoot at clubs however many times a year and not at any other location but range. some dangerous game hunting guides have licenses too? also security guards and cops of course.

just a quick note. i understand it to be completely up to the firearm registry (e.g. a body who's sole responsibility is to look after who owns what, where it is stored, who should recieve a license etc) to control all licesning etc.
no such thing as a police officer being face to face with someone wanting to apply for a firearm. instead all done away from the individual hence with no bias assuming you meet all criteria. if the registry doesnt believe that the person licensed in the particular category may not have a firearm within that category (ive never heard it happen) then they will decline the permit to acquire. but firstly prob never grant them a license in that category to begin with. e.g. im a hunter i think it would be ahrd to justify to the registry i need an AR15 to go fox hunting and hence need a cat D license. fair enough. (would be fun tho):p

im just at a loss as to how someones mate can get a firearm assigned to his possession without a safe inspection and yet you NEED to have a safe inspection. where is the commonality, what is written? shouldnt it be followed by the cops who's only job down here is to inspect every once in a while?
im sick of feeling a bit paranoid bout it all. i just wanna go for a quick shoot of a few cans or spend time in da bush going for a bit of a hunt, or picking off a few bunnies after work.
please if im off the mark at all on anything please let me know. as i said its just from what ive heard or maybe experienced, maybe misinterpreted but please speak up id be happy to be put in the know.;)
bit long winded i know, sorry.:o
cheers guys,
lockie

oh and btw,
the debate about pump vs side by side shotties in terms of who could get to the bottom of a box of shells quicker.
doesnt matter what your shooting really the reload time per shell (from cartridge box to magazine/barrel) is the same per shell for pump, semi, and double and hence the box of cartridges will always finish at the same time.
the danger (read percieved danger) is the higher level of firearpower stored in possession of person by having unaffected access to 5 rounds as opposed to 2. you can see the fact behind that. i have absolutely no doubt that you could finish a box of ammo same time with a double as someone could with a semi/pump.
im about to get my first shottie in the next few months or so for foxes and rabbits and maybe even ge in on some duck action. really wish i could get a semi tho :mad:
happy hunting boys,
lockie

oh and btw,
the debate about pump vs side by side shotties in terms of who could get to the bottom of a box of shells quicker.
doesnt matter what your shooting really the reload time per shell (from cartridge box to magazine/barrel) is the same per shell for pump, semi, and double and hence the box of cartridges will always finish at the same time.
the danger (read percieved danger) is the higher level of firearpower stored in possession of person by having unaffected access to 5 rounds as opposed to 2. you can see the fact behind that. i have absolutely no doubt that you could finish a box of ammo same time with a double as someone could with a semi/pump.
im about to get my first shottie in the next few months or so for foxes and rabbits and maybe even ge in on some duck action. really wish i could get a semi tho :mad:
happy hunting boys,
lockie


Good for you man,i used to have a bentley 6 shot pump,and a 8 shot pump,was vey good fun to use,with the introduction or the norinco 5 shot lever we have been given some repreive.I am very keen to get hold of one.I think I might wait until there are no more issuies with reliability.

[QUOTE=lockielegend]oh and btw,
the debate about pump vs side by side shotties in terms of who could get to the bottom of a box of shells quicker.
doesnt matter what your shooting really the reload time per shell (from cartridge box to magazine/barrel) is the same per shell for pump, semi, and double and hence the box of cartridges will always finish at the same time.


I don't think so.
Once you have fired off the mag full in a pump. It basically becomes a single shot or fill the mag again. Also you have to cycle the action for every shot.
Double ejector you only have to reload every two shots, ejects both cases at the same time and the action of dropping two shells into an open breach is quicker than feeding a mag or loading singly into a pump. Over the past 30 years I've had semi autos, pumps, single shot and double shotguns and I still say that a double ejector will get to bottom of the box faster.
I do agree that the percieved extra danger is the initial fire power of a pump or s/auto

As for our licencing over this side it has always been handled by the local police station to where you live. So not just any station but it has to be the one local to where you live. It seems to me that while we have national gun laws in name. We still seem to havedifferent interpretations put on by each state. Over here licencing is handled by the police and controled by the police firearms branch.
Basically it comes down to the local OIC in the first instance.
There is an appeals process and you can keep going up the legal ladder of appeals or as far as your wallet will allow.
As I've said before the only way we can have truly national gun laws and the same administration is if it is all controlled federally. Not by state authorities, be that federal police or some other federal regulator. Do it with firearms licences then do it with drivers licences, then motor vehicles, etc on until there is no need for state govts at all.
Do we want federalism?
Coming from a large state with relatively low population, which equals low representation in a federal govt.
Its a little too scary for me.
I'd rather jump through hoops for the local police than for Canberra.
Cheers.

No PTA for each and every firearm. Except some antique pistols which must be registered on a colectors licence but no PTA required. So far I haven't heard of many people having problems owning a few guns except pistols they limit a bit and long arms when you get more than about 30 they might want you to put some on a colectors licence. PTA requiers a reason other than for cat A, but if you use a bit of imaganation they usualy accept it.

hey fellas,
wharf i envy ya mate. i really wish i hadve been able to own either a pump or semi while we still could. saw a video on youtube the other day with a newish beretta on there. its called the beretta xtrema 2 and my golly its just beyond my wildest imagination that someday back in the past we too, like our american buddies, were lucky enough to be allowed to use such a broad range of sporting arms. btw im thinking of getting an oldish O/U beretta or a brand new lanber.

iwat
yeah i guess bout the double vs pump. pretty close tho i reckon. i guess it doesnt really matters seeings i wont be able to play with a pump shottie anytime soon. i sorta woulda thought that the time taken to play with the opening lever and open the breach the some 35 degrees or so would pretty much cancel/equal the 1/4 second it takes to pump a new shell in and also feed a shell into mag. it's be pretty close for the time taken to reach the bottom of the box for sure. but then again ive only SEEN them get used on the internet (and used pump rifles), never used a pump shottie. i envy you mate :p :D id have a smile ear to ear if i got to go and have a session on stationary cans with a pump/semi.

aussiecollector
thanks for the info. no permit to acquire for each firearm? is that the way it is everywhere or just queensland? i thought ya always had to have a PTA. maybe i misread in my haste.

cheers fellas.
lockie

Gday lockie,Make your way over to NZ for a holiday.They still have their semi/autos and pumps.When we can no longer own firearms here i hate to say it but im going to become a kiwi hahah

Hmmmmm..................

Now - that's interesting!

Always thought Australia and New Zeland sorta went hand in hand with the gun restriction laws.

Great to know one government doesn't necessarily follow the other's lead.

yeah when uni finishes and i cn actually earn some coin might save up and go for a fly fishing/hunting holiday to the land of the long white cloud.
beautiful place bin there with the fam before when i was a wee tacker and loved everything about it (apart from the crazy, tongue spraining names! he he justa joshin' kiwis!)
catchya.
lockie

I have been going through this performance over the last few days just to add a rifle to my licence. A major part of the problem as I see it is that the police are not familiar with their own rules.

One thing that works in my favour in WA is the "low power" defined calibres. My interest is largely lever guns and all the traditional chamberings up to 45-70 are classified as low power.

I have been going through this performance over the last few days just to add a rifle to my licence. A major part of the problem as I see it is that the police are not familiar with their own rules.

One thing that works in my favour in WA is the "low power" defined calibres. My interest is largely lever guns and all the traditional chamberings up to 45-70 are classified as low power.

I think that a big part of the problem is that like a lot of rules they are open to interpretation and that can be a stumbling block. Its a bit like the umpires in footy interpreting the rules differently.
The only way to solve this is to have hard and fast rules or no rules. Both of which are not practicle.
So its just a case of smile nicely and jump through all the right hoops. You get there in the end.
Cheers.