Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Australia Everyday gun use in Australia?

Cultural difference I guess, but JStuart?

Any guys like you ever wander back country for recreation, and find time to save the world from walnuts or hedgeapples using a .22 pistol?

Seems like, from what I've read in your posts, that you make your living in the back country. Do you prefer to find your recreation somewhere else? Or just don't get any recreational thrill from off the job trigger time?

I've had my licenses for 30 years now so I can only provide a short answer for what I have to do for renewals. For long arms it's essentially filling in the forms and paying the fees every 10 years, and maybe getting an updated photo. For handguns, or rather concealable weapons, the renewals are similar but every 5 years, and I have to submit a record of participation every year to our pistol club for when the police may request to check on the activity of members (there are minimum participation requirements to be met). The participation record is a small card that we fill in and get the RO to sign off at each match.

I can use any of my long arms for target shooting or hunting where ever it is legal to do so (rifle ranges, rural private properties with owner's permission, and some NSW state forests with additional permits). I can only use my pistol for target shooting at an approved range.


I'm not able to provide a concise answer for the whole process for new licenses since I don't know the full details myself but can provide some links for the QLD rules:


https://www.police.qld.gov.au/units/weapons-licensing

https://www.police.qld.gov.au/weapon-licensing/applying-new-firearms-licence-queensland

https://www.police.qld.gov.au/weapon-licensing/individual-licence-types


Someone with a better ability to summarise the requirements may be able to provide a better answer.

There used to be additional high power / low power longarm distinctions when I was in Western Australia but I went through the full rigmarole and got to where I wanted to be, and that was a long time ago. When I moved back to Queensland, the recognition and transfer of licenses was relatively easy. Licenses are state controlled.

Oh yeah, I used to have a revolving carbine that was illegal in NSW but okay in QLD.

As mauser9mm said generally the long gun licence application is as follows, and in my opinion quite onorous.

1. Do a govt approved safety course. Get issued a certificate of completion
2. Get a letter of permission from some landowner to shoot on applicable hunting land. Note this is not needed for future shooting or any other place you hunt. its a one off requirement so the cops approving the licence can see you have permission to shoot somewhere at least. Basically its an illogical superfluous requirement just added as a general embiuggerance to people applying and random landowners.
3. Pretty sure you also have to join a local rifle range these days to show proof or have financial membership with SSAA, like a watered down version of the NRA
4. Compile all with a sheaf of paperwork, passport photos and submit to the state police licencing branch
5. Once you have your licence you then have to apply individually for each firearm. This involves an online application, stating a genuine need( another illogical waste of words along the lines of 'target shooting"or "recreational hunting"etc and wait for a permit to be issued. This is then presented to a firearm dealer for processing your sale from them or between you and another gunowner. The permit is sent to state police so they can register the sale to your name.

Handguns
Same as all above except more stringent at No.3, you need to be a member of a handgun club and jump through more hoops. You also have to escalate your ownership from rimfire to centrefire by stages, you cant just buy a 45 colt right off. Also you have to attend several registered shoots per year, for each class of handgun!( rimfire, I think below 9mm and above 9mm). This requirement is another load of crap, basically a deterrant to those who want to own several hanguns as you are having to spend a bunch of weekends at so called "registered range shoots" to maintain the licence. This particular embuggerance was actually cooked up by shooters themselves trying to stay in the good books with the government. One thing our gunlaws taught as is there are no shortages of sheeple on both sides of the debate. A lot of the damage was done by our own side.

As to your earlier comment about suprise LEO's dont carry guns at home here. Possibly as Australia has both 5x less homicide per capita and 5x less incarceration rate than the US. In fact all the 30 x 1st world countries have about 5x less than the US in either statistic. For the record the US was actually tracking the same as the rest of us until 1960's/70's. After that for some reason you guys incarceration rate suddenly jumped 300-400%.

The Canadian licensing system is somewhat similar though a bit less onerous. Once one gets the possession and acquisition License (PAL) it is only necessary to renew every five years. So it's really kind of a tax grab. Handguns are restricted and the Liberals would like to restrict them more. Although it is not really allowed, I know people who often carry in remote areas; without permission. If the area is that remote, they are not likely to see anyone, are they? GD

One thing to add is that the police have a register of firearms that we own. The register is a separate document and they used to issue periodically to the license owner, usually after a purchase was made, or a firearm sold. I think they stopped sending the updated register through - I certainly haven't received a copy for the last few transactions that I've made over the recent years. They do keep a register though. I think it's like an appendix or addendum to the actual license - linked to the license.

We have specific requirements for safe storage of firearms ie safes, and the police will inspect the safe and installation arrangements usually when we've move home. They'll also use the opportunity to check the safe contents against the register - or rather looking for extra or missing items.

Our firearms can be stored at other locations (eg friends house) but they have to be licensed and have a copy of a letter signed by the firearm's owner to say they have permission to be in possession of the firearm. This can happen for example when travelling to other locations for certain events. For example, Big Game Rifle match requires half a dozen rifles each and it's not possible to fit them all into the sedan with 3 or 4 passengers, so the guy with the ute or van or truck may end up carting a couple of dozen rifles or so, and well as storing them at his home leading up to the travel (assuming he also has the appropriate safe storage facilities at his home or point of departure - maybe starting from a club house with the larger storage facilities for example).

Question one...not legally we didn't.

Question two...I get my biggest jollies wandering over the sandhills on mine own two feet shooting rabbits with a 7mm Brno model 21, preferably without a scope...for a couple of reasons...shooting my model 21's at a heap of rabbits is lots of fun...and when a 7mm hits one of the little buggers I don't have to pick him up.

Win!

added, when I shoot deer I end up doing a shit load of unpaid work...and that is not my idea of fun.

self defense is where firepower is needed the most.

LMAO. Wife and I carry every day. Self responsible. We are scared of nothing. We protect ourselves and might protect others if it came down to it.

Of course I get it that most don't like life vests, fire extinguishers and AED either. Just prefer to risk it all.

I suppose the term brainwashed is rough. But really. What would you do illegally if you did and could carry every day? Nothing more.

As to the schools, a number of crimes have been stopped by armed citizens.

Australia has to be a cool place too. A shame its as far down the tubes as it is. I'm afraid we aren't far behind.

We don't have the option of owning guns for self defence, hunting and sporting use only.

I’ve never carried and never had any concerns about it – I feel just fine. You guys ever gone out without carrying?


I have a smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and first aid kit at home, and another set of the latter two in my car. I'm sure many others do the same.


I agree but seems some do carry and act illegally over there.


To add context, there has been 80 or so school shooting in the US so far this year – that’s about 80 or so more than over here. The number and ease of access to firearms to law abiding citizens doesn't seem to be a deterrent.


(You might want to sit down before reading this.)

You have that arse backwards in terms of quality of life. The US is slightly ahead of China (Australia ranking of 6, USA ranking of 20, China ranking of 23, according to US News. Other organizations have lists with similar results):

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/quality-of-life-rankings

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/standard-of-living-by-country

(shown for headings:)


(applicable part of the list once sorted against US news rankings:)


Seems the US may already be in the S-bend.

I kinda think that we are best off not taking any quality of life advice from you guys.

You are probably correct...if you live in a cesspit.

I’m sure most of Australia is like most of the US. Safe and secure. Now if one chooses to live in a cesspool it’s your choice. I’ve lived in Ala ska and Florida and several other places. I have been living the country life back in North Dakota for about 40 years. I do visit other places but keep coming home.
Most of the school shootings you quote are actually drug shootings that just happen 5o take place near a school. NBN mostly. Does not affect most normal folks. Edk

Come on, people. No one is going to respond positively in a discussion when you insult their country. I wouldn’t and I don’t think you would either. Each country has its own quirks to include our own. This is the Australia forum. Why provoke citizens of the US’ best ally in the Southern Hemisphere?

The fine state of Illinois requires a FOID (firearms owners ID) for all firearms and ammo purchases. Thanks Chicago. It's been here since 1968, although there are hopes it will be finally repealed.

Not sure what to make out of the quality of life graph. I have been in small town Alaska for 50 years and like it. I have a good life going on and me and my wife are enjoying our retirement years.

Which country has the most people wanting to move to it and become a citizen, the good old U.S. of America. Our country is taking a hit because we refuse to control our borders and liberals use that as a way to get votes. The cost of illegal immigration will ruin us.

Most of the problems the U.S. faces are a direct result of slavery from our past, "libtard" thinking and a growing majority not wanting to work and wanting to benefit from the money the American tax payer generates. A big part of our country suffers because of the sorry over populated poorly governed cities we have on our east and west coasts, with Chicago, Baltimore ad a few others of note. No matter what any one does it will not be fixed, ever.

In a little while my wife and me are going shopping for grub and whatever. When we leave I will have my pistol with me. One just never knows what life brings your way.

It appears that you live in a more dangerous society.

This right here: ^^^^^^^^^^

NOT judging from this thread, just my life in general.... I think most people who have never been anywhere overseas in the USA think we are the greatest place on the planet, and forget their manners when speaking with people of other nations...

I lived for 3 years in Britain in my youth, when my dad was stationed there in the USAF back in the mid 60s.. I learned to respect other people and their countries, especially when I was a guest in their nation. At the same time, being only a kid ( 11 to 14), I wouldn't stand for anyone pissing on the USA....

But I can say, that being outside the US in just Canada and Mexico, I was embarrassed to be an American overseas, just by the way my fellow countrymen acted to those people within their own countries... We wouldn't put up with that here, so why do we expect them to put up with us looking down on them in their own countries?

And the way things are in the USA nowadays within our borders I don't see where we have much to brag about, to other nations.

I'll put it this simple way, that was SOP when I was growing up.... If you hated someone's guts, but you were a guest in their home, or vice versa.... you left it on the door step. Common Courtesy and Respect has gone out the window in American society in the last couple of decades or more....

When working in Canada, I would have Canadian mellennials act like asses to me, and I'd ask them did I do something to offend them... The normal response was that they just hated Americans....Always there was an older Canadian who would come up and apologize for their mellennials criticizing the USA, and how their generation remembered how the USA stood hand in hand with Canada during WW2. My normal response was that I didn't take offense to it, because even people of younger age, hate and criticize the USA at every opportunity within our own country.

I'll never stand up and piss on Australia, New Zealand, Canucks, British or most Europeans, ( except the French LoL).....

Where I lived in England, was not far from Cambridge.. and a lot of families in our neighborhood were from the Commonwealth Nations.. and I was friends with many of those kids in our neighborhood... I formed ideas about them in my youth, that was always very positive... and in my entire life none of those were every disproved.

What I love about the French they make Americans look better because NO ONE is more pompous and self centered and think they are the greatest nation on earth, like the French do....

you want to talk about Tolerance? I live on the border of California.....with I 5 a mile from the house....

well said and I even raised a post about this on the European forum. Despite Australia having fairly similar culture to the US and a lot better gunlaws and freedoms than much of Europe , Australian forums always seem to come under much harder attack by random US posters. I also pointed out on the other thread, European, Asian and even South American sub-forums almost never get attacked at all in 20 years of the internet!

Look at the threads and posts here by rickt300, shootem, bustem, rifleguy etc and similar lightweights. Its like a meeting for 2 digit IQ anonymous, every week we get a new one appear..

Its why Aus/NZ forums are almost dead across US sites these days.

10 years ago Aus subforums were pumping- despite our lesser gun freedoms, we have hunting freedoms most countries can only dream of. Game in plague proportions, no seasons, no bag limits, no calibre restrictions, small game through to thickskinned and you can shoot 1000 head of game a year if you want. Conversations of such hunting, volume culling and Australian opinions on bullet performance ( since we can shoot as much in a year as other countries in a lifetime) were once commonplace. Now we barely poke our heads in to our own forums to see if anyone is talking hunting or just the usual abuse.

One could write a book on the differences between Australia and the US as nations. It is wide apart culturally as countries, especially in business, but the people have more similarities than differences.

Americans that have never traveled are generally poor listeners, aided by the inability to ask relevant questions so I, like most Aussies, get pretty tired to the same off regurgitated "You gave up your guns" BS.

I never met or knew a single person in Oz that owned an AR and I don't recall seeing many or any at the public ranges I frequented 2-3 dozen times a year for over 25 years there. Let me qualify that statement..........

Most have seen the picture on the Net of the "purchased" firearms being piled up for crushing during the buy back. The fat guy in the pic overseeing it was my father in law. The company doing the crushing was Metal Recycler's in Chipping Norton in Sydney. You will note from that pic that there are "NO" AR's in that pic, not a single one.

My FIL told me that even though the buy back included all semi auto's and pump's, there wasn't a quality gun in the lot. They were all pilfered long before arrival and all Aussies know that Browning's were a hot item in Oz. None, Zip. Maybe they weren't sold off, who knows?

Handguns, were never common and were removed from common access after WW1 (I recall 1926) but the point is, the handgun culture never existed there nor a market for them. Also, there is no "Bill of Rights" the equal of what the US has in place.

Now here is the big one. There is a sleeze element in the US that is absent in Australia. Sure, there is a scum element like anywhere else, but it is few in populous and low in profile compared to in particular, the US as a %.

Most Australians not only have never been robbed, assaulted, had a car stolen, a house broken into or even know anyone else who has. In the US it is at levels that are so high and so frequent it doesn't make it as newsworthy. The level of sleeze though existing everywhere, is much higher in the US which is why Americans feel a need to carry and claim the right to as justification. I do too.

I used to take American visitors down the Rocks under the Harbour Bridge at night in Sydney. Never had a single one who wasn't fearful just looking into the dark. Made hilarious entertainment and a point of fun over a drink later on. Sure you can get mugged, but you'd have to go out of your way to very specific streets decades known, for bad behaviour and therefore easily avoided and excluded from your life.

One of the biggest differences between the 2 countries is that America developed its travel routes. Many towns are 7 or 8 miles apart as that's is where the stage coach stops were. I used to live near one in the Rockies, an old log cabin pub where there was still an employment poster on the wall asking for mail riders, preferably orphaned and over 17 years of age. That's America and its foundation. The country is the same size as Australia so this landscape assisted crime in that people could commit acts and move on so easily and "Scott free". Americans have evolved watching their backs in their own country. Aussies, not so much.

Australia is a far more arid nation by comparison, so expansion was restricted by constant drought, poor soil and no people to toil over the land. Hence properties are in acres per animals and not animals per acre as in the US.

The one value an Australian has that and American may never have is the vote.

American voting is voluntary so only a relatively small percentage of population decides who rules. That is why the process can be controlled and manipulated.
By comparison, Australian voting is compulsory, in person, on paper, and counted in front of opposition observers. The other value is that Aussies generally disrespect politicians almost as a culture, to the point of sacking them whenever the "Hip pocket nerve" is affected. It is political suicide to piss off a voter in Oz. In the US, they always miraculously find a van full of incomplete or pre-printed votes from several cemetery residents to get across the line.

SUMMARY
1. American's do not know anything about Australian Gun Laws or their history.
2. Aussie's have a history of blowing their stack if pushed too hard and that time appears to be coming.

The United States was born in rebellion. And yeah, many revel in outlaw culture.

We rail about liberals wanting to restrict 2A liberties. 120 years ago it was the conservative interest groups pushing to outlaw handguns in settled areas.
I have vivid memories back to around 1963 or so. And had family from Arkansas to Tennessee, Colorado, Michigan, and Texas. There were a couple of handguns in the family, but no one carried one from day to day.