Using air rifle in backyard?

[tom604]

your not in the suburbs are you

[Mark TAC]

I cannot find anything in the Western Australian firearms act. As far as I can tell you can use any firearm in your own back yard in WA residential or not. Not sure about South Australia.

Righto,

Fire your centrefire off in the back yard and see if the Police don't come calling

They will no doubt
but it is not a Firearms Act offence.

Noise issues, yes.

But you are allowed to discharge a firearm on your property, being 1/4ac or 1 million acres. No difference.

Projectile leaves the yard - then we are in trouble

[ebr love]

I don't believe that is illegal to shoot in your back yard in SA.

A few weeks ago a bloke a few houses up from me let one rip from his 12 gauge at a snake..... nothing came from it.... both my neighbour and myself have taken many rabbits in our own back yards.

If your neighbours have a problem with it then you will have trouble, it would pay to speak with them first.

It's important to note the difference between it being allowed and not being caught though. ( "caught" is the wrong word, too harsh, not impying any wrong doing here by anyone, just for the sake of conversation... You get it... )

If no one is around and/or no one cares and the police never hear of it then there will obviously won't be a problem. If all the neighbours are happy and no one makes a complaint, happy days. If you're on a rural property this is likely to be the case.

If you live in suburbia though in and are popping off your centre fire in your 40 square metre back yard you're going to have problems I'm sure.

I haven't scoured the WA Firearms Act, but even if it's not specifically prohibited in the Act, how many times do you think the Police will come out and have the conversation with you about how, strictly speaking, you're allowed to fire your rifle in a 40m backyard surrounded by neighbours, before acting to take your firearms away.

Don't forget they don't need to get you on something in the firearms act specifically. Any criminal conviction of an indictable offence is grounds to remove your license from you - firearms specific or not.

e.g. one of the charges Lorgar outlined from the Crimes Act.

Not having a go at anyone, just saying in the context of shooting in your residential backyard, it's foolish to even entertain the idea. IMHO.

[pajamatime]

I would say no in any residential area....go find a rural area at least better yet go get permission from a rural land owner to do so (usually for pest control reasons)

[Elek]

in the context of shooting in your residential backyard, it's foolish to even entertain the idea. IMHO.

Exactly.

Your neighbours would be calling the cops in a heartbeat and they'd be all over you.

[on_one_wheel]

I'm yet to see any legislation quoted...... im going to ask tne local cop when I see him next.

[von_klitzing]

I would be very careful here. The answer is obvious, it's simply a matter of how you personally interpret the legislation.

I doubt it states specifically that you may not fire an air rifle in your backyard, however, I can guarantee there are paragraphs in the legislation that cover this topic in a general manner. eg. legislation.sa.gov.au refer to Firearms Regulations - check out "purposes for which firearms may be used"

I'm sure there are many more areas that cover it as well, but that's up to the license holder to read and understand.

The OP should not simply be asking this question in a forum, but should be actively seeking out the answer by studying the laws and regulations that apply to your own area. If you don't have time or capacity for that, you probably shouldn't be holding a firearms license.

If you were to shoot an air rifle in your back yard, and someone reported it, the police will not discriminate when they come knocking at your door, and it will certainly be a big blow to the shooting community as a whole after everything shooters before us have done to keep firearms ownership within reach of enthusiasts.

The media will make sure of that.

[marksmanVIC]

interesting answers...In a residential area I doubt that you will be able to use any type of rifle and i don't think it would be worth the risk. That being said I don't think there is a problem with it either (Air rifles). When I was younger, and I'm only in my mid-20's now, our neighbors kids had air rifles and they used to shoot targets in their backyard and yes it was in the suburbs. They were not loud rifles and were seen more as a kids toy then a firearm. Times change I guess.

[benny]

I did my TAFE firearms coarse yesterday to get my license (finally!!!) and in the part about firearms and the la I asked them and their response was it is not techincally illegal UNLESS someone feels threatened, scared, annoyed etc. and reports you then it becomes a a summary offences act which would see you charged and you would be fined, posibly jail time and loss of fire arms license.

Another interesting fact is that it counts for ANYWHERE i.e. on a farm and some feels threatened same problem! and you get charged

So I suppose it comes down to what your neighbours are like, but at the end of the day NOT worth it to me!

[Elek]

The answer is obvious, it's simply a matter of how you personally interpret the legislation.

I doubt it states specifically that you may not fire an air rifle in your backyard, however, I can guarantee there are paragraphs in the legislation that cover this topic in a general manner. eg. legislation.sa.gov.au refer to Firearms Regulations - check out "purposes for which firearms may be used"

I'm sure there are many more areas that cover it as well, but that's up to the license holder to read and understand.

Exactly.

Personally I can't understand why people say "it's not expressly forbidden in the firearms act" and think that's open season to do whatever you want.

As has already be said above, I seriously doubt anyone actually believes they can sit in their back yard all day long shooting their .308 into the dirt and not have it taken off them.

Talk talk talk. Anyone confident enough to test this? I think not.

[Elek]

So I suppose it comes down to what your neighbours are like

Which in suburbia none of them are going to put up with that.

[ebr love]

On this topic from today's news:

80-year-old charged with shooting birds

AN 80-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly shooting birds off power lines in a western Sydney street.

Police went to Links Avenue in Cabramatta after locals reported hearing gunshots about 10am on Monday.

Officers found two dead currawongs and a third bird with a gunshot wound.

It was taken to a vet.

An 80-year-old man who was driving nearby was spoken to by police.

They later arrested him at his Links Avenue home, where they seized two rifles, ammunition and the man's firearms licence.

He will face Liverpool Local Court at a later date on firearms and animal cruelty charges.

Source.

[chilliman]

Was it an air rifle? The media report is deliberately ambiguous to suggest it could have been any firearm but if he was in suburbia, shooting out of his car then most likely it was an AR.

Then again, at his age he might not be playing with a full deck...

[ebr love]

You know what I know. I haven't read any more on it than what's in the short article there.

It does say the 3rd bird was "wounded" though.

Anyone see a bird surviving a rimfire/centrefire shot?

My money would be on an air rifle too.

[gazza]

I would.

[ebr love]

You would what?

Survive getting shot off a powerline with an air rifle?

[kurl]

Don't try this at home kids...

[WildHunter]

Subject I've often wondered. It really is interpretation. Now I reckon in Victoria you can get away it. You have to simply lay down the facts and show how you interpreted the law.

- It is legal to dry fire your firearm as you are not discharging it.
- It would be legal to dry fire an air rifle for the exact same reason.
- On the advice of the above it would essentially be legal to clean your air rifle using those patches you cover in oil and shoot through the barrel, as you are not discharging an ammunition.
- Air rifle pellets are not considered ammunition under Victorian law, and you do not require a licence to purchase them. To reiterate. Pellets are not ammunition.
- Thus if you were to get caught firing an air rifle in your back yard, it is my interpretation of the law that there was no discharging of any ammunition (under Victorian law) through the air rifle.

I reckon you could get away with it.

If anyone wants to try this, and get back to me with the outcome that would be great

[bladeracer]

Subject I've often wondered. It really is interpretation. Now I reckon in Victoria you can get away it. You have to simply lay down the facts and show how you interpreted the law.

- It is legal to dry fire your firearm as you are not discharging it.
- It would be legal to dry fire an air rifle for the exact same reason.
- On the advice of the above it would essentially be legal to clean your air rifle using those patches you cover in oil and shoot through the barrel, as you are not discharging an ammunition.
- Air rifle pellets are not considered ammunition under Victorian law, and you do not require a licence to purchase them. To reiterate. Pellets are not ammunition.
- Thus if you were to get caught firing an air rifle in your back yard, it is my interpretation of the law that there was no discharging of any ammunition (under Victorian law) through the air rifle.

I reckon you could get away with it.

If anyone wants to try this, and get back to me with the outcome that would be great

Personally, I don't think it's worth even the remote risk to my licence just to be able to shoot an air rifle
What about big-bore air rifles like .30, .45 or .50 caliber - the bullets are still not classed as ammunition and firing them wouldn't be considered discharging a firearm?
Sounds unlikely to me.

[Gwion]

In the Tas Act, the law about "shooting in your back yard" is worded as discharging a firearm within 200m of any dwelling unless you have permission from the occupant of the dwelling/s.

Well, a air rifle is a firearm and cocking/charging it, putting any pellet in it and pulling the trigger is discharging it. So, you can go for your life in the back yard with your slug gun, as long as your backyard is not within 200m of the nearest dwelling or you have permission to do so from the inhabitant every dwelling within that distance and as long as the projectile does not leave the boundaries of your property.

[Heckler303]

So, you can go for your life in the back yard with your slug gun

I'll get right on that

[Gwion]

Hey, why not? I use a 7-08 in my back yard!

[bladeracer]

Hey, why not? I use a 7-08 in my back yard!

Me too

[Heckler303]

Hey, why not? I use a 7-08 in my back yard!

Me too

Try a full .303 and test the will of your good neighbours

[bladeracer]

Hey, why not? I use a 7-08 in my back yard!

Me too

Try a full .303 and test the will of your good neighbours

I'm shooting .303 and 8x57mm as well

[Bruiser64]

It’s funny how the world has changed. My first rifle was a air rifle my dad got me for my 14th birthday back in the late 70’s in Canberra. I shot thousands of rounds in my suburban back yard and pecisely no one cared less. In fact I bought mst of my air rifle pellets at the local newsagents. I even remember buying a more powerful air rifle from a friend at school and bringing it home on the bus. Try any of these things today and you will be front page news in short order. Mind you, back then Kmart in the Belconnen mall sold firearms and ammo and no gave a toss.

[dpskipper]

I myself have shot my air rifle in the backyard just sighting it in or plinking tin cans. I don't want to expressly state it as it is against the law and site rules, but if you live in a good area with nice laid back neighbours, if they are happy with you shooting an air rifle in the backyard, you'll be right.

My neighbours am aware of my firearms and my occasional plinking in the backyard with the .177 and I have had zero complaints at all, yet alone police knocking.

[Growler]

All the dirty filthy starlings and feral flying rats around my front yard I wish i could use a sluggy to put a little dent in the numbers.

[pedro4977]

Although not legal in a semi rural area of se qld where I used to live on a couple of acres with neighbors that couldn't care less, I was still not prepared to lose my licence. Now, in the People's Republic of Canberra, I'm scared to even touch the keys to my gun safe!
f***ed up ain't it!

[Angel]

Although not legal in a semi rural area of se qld where I used to live on a couple of acres with neighbors that couldn't care less, I was still not prepared to lose my licence. Now, in the People's Republic of Canberra, I'm scared to even touch the keys to my gun safe!
f***ed up ain't it!

It 'aint getting any better in QLD. Comrade Palachuck wants to limit the amount of ammo you can buy as well as limiting it to calibers you actually own...