Legal AR-15 in Australia?

[Norton]

Why can't you shoot handguns on private property in the first place?

If I was writing our firearms laws you would be able to.

As you know we need a 'genuine reason' to own our firearms in Australia.

Currently the only one for owning/shooting a pistol is target shooting which must be done at an approved range. Practice target shooting on private property is not currently allowed.

I dunno what happened with Steve so I won't speculate.

My point was just that if you film yourself doing something wrong and publish it on the net, don't be surprised if there are ramifications from it. Especially if you're as well known and vocal as Steve. I'm sure there would be plenty of anti's watching his videos who would be happy to dob him in for anything they could.

[Norton]

Wouldn't mind a low capacity sidearm for hunting either.

I've said before I think that's a valid reason. Something to dispatch downed game.

The government disagrees with me though.

[Manimal]

If that's what happened with Steve, I would have thought he'd have known better.

I dunno if that's what happened but anyone can make an honest mistake I guess.

Perhaps this happened, and on film?

[JC102]

If I was writing our firearms laws you would be able to.

As you know we need a 'genuine reason' to own our firearms in Australia.

Currently the only one for owning/shooting a pistol is target shooting which must be done at an approved range. Practice target shooting on private property is not currently allowed.

Thanks for that.

Was that the case pre '96?

[JC102]

I dunno if that's what happened but anyone can make an honest mistake I guess.

Perhaps this happened, and on film?

I'm guessing his videos did him in.

He had one video where him and his son were shooting a Magnum. Another where his friend fired a pump shotgun into a moving ute etc. And one more where he was hunting with a semi-auto and accidentally pointed it at the cameraman.

The antis must have had a field day.

Apologies if I'm wrong, but he must have known shooting handguns on private property wasn't allowed, so it wasn't too smart to be filming it and putting it on his YouTube. Having his friend shoot at the ute probably didn't do him any favours either.

[Norton]

Was that the case pre '96?

I believe so, yeah.

Pistols have always been stricter than rifles.

[Manimal]

Apologies if I'm wrong, but he must have known shooting handguns on private property wasn't allowed, so it wasn't too smart to be filming it and putting it on his YouTube. Having his friend shoot at the ute probably didn't do him any favours either.

Who knows.

Guess we'll see if he resurfaces sooner, or a few years when he could get his license back? (if he did in fact lose it)

[Bauer]

do replicas of AKs and AR-15s and the likes fall under a collector's license or still category D?

[brisb]

Replicas are treated the same as their original AFAIK.

There is also the "similar in appearance or function" to military weapons bit. An AK would obviously fall under that.

Same category and storage requirements as the real thing.

[WesleySnipes]

Related to Steve Lee, this just up explaining everything...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yKsVWfHNvY

[Manimal]

"a bit of a run in with the firearms registry"

Sounds like a suspended/lost license to me?

[WesleySnipes]

"a bit of a run in with the firearms registry"

Sounds like a suspended/lost license to me?

Yeah, from memory he explains it a bit more towards the end of the video. The issue was in regards to his M14 and the related video.

Our firearms registry is ridiculous...

[feedr]

Hmm. In that latest video Steve says he got in trouble due to his M14 video.

Watching that again he says in it something along the lines of...

On a cat D license he can't have anything used by the military etc. (which we knew was the situation). He goes on to say though that he has a few military firearms on his license already which the registry had overlooked.

Maybe that was the issue? Knowingly holding firearms that where prohibited? In that situation I think you're obliged to surrender them to a dealer ASAP aren't you?

[Manimal]

Our firearms registry is ridiculous...

Maybe keep that comment to yourself considering the circumstances

[WesleySnipes]

Maybe keep that comment to yourself considering the circumstances

If expressing your opinion and your right to freedom of speech can get you in trouble then this country is further down the road to dictatorship than I originally thought.

[Baronvonrort]

Watching that again he says in it something along the lines of...

On a cat D license he can't have anything used by the military etc. (which we knew was the situation). He goes on to say though that he has a few military firearms on his license already which the registry had overlooked.

If you are certified for aerial culling (NSW and NT) the rules say you can use a L1A1 SLR, the NSW FAAST course even states you should have a spare rifle which means you are allowed 2x L1A1 SLR, if you lose your aerial culling certification then you must get rid of these weapons.

The NSW Faast course even states you can buy the L1A1 from our military surplus stock.

You need a Cat D licence before you can do the Faast aerial culling course in NSW.

What about a Lee Enfield 303, they are ex military,if you are not allowed anything used by the military why is a ex military 303 allowed?

The NSW and NT aerial culling courses both say it is more humane to use a semi auto 308w for aerial culling.

[Baronvonrort]

Page 11 aerial culling course NT-

"The shooting technique that will be used for this program is endorsed by the Australian government (Dept of environment and heritage) as the most humane method for reducing the numbers of pest animals.

This technique involves shooting the animals using the double tap method,which requires that 2 shots be fired at the heart and lungs in rapid succession.This results in a quick death,with minimal stress and suffering."

If the most humane method as stated by the government is to fire 2 shots in rapid succession to the heart and lungs is the government endorsing a semi auto as the preferred weapon for shooting pests,does this mean our laws force us to use a method the government considers to be less humane,are our gun laws contributing to animal cruelty for amateur hunters?

Page 15 tells you what firearms are required for aerial culling, they all look ex military to me!

http://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/b ... sequence=1

[LocalForce]

If it was only a single shot action, took 30 minutes to reload but still has a modern military appearance, you guessed it, your not having it. Our product line up will continue to be dictated to responsible owners by individuals who don't know a butt from a barrel, not to mention our overly paranoid senior police ranks.

[DJCoopes]

Most of the firearms registries even get funny about bolt actions that take AR mags or guns chambered in 5.56 NATO not 223.

aren't .223 and 5.56 Magazines interchangeable?

[Gaznazdiak]

aren't .223 and 5.56 Magazines interchangeable?

The external differences between the two are so small that they are indistinguishable to the eye, so yes.

I believe it's the higher pressure in 5.56 that is the main difference.

[zhuk]

Not really. There is a couple of straight pull based on ARs, but most states and territories have not allowed them due to the military appearance clause in our legislation. There was also one based off a HK too. Most of the firearms registries even get funny about bolt actions that take AR mags or guns chambered in 5.56 NATO not 223. If you get your collectors licence or dealers licence or set up a pro shooting company, you can get real ones.

Yep, unlike the UK which bases legislation on method of action, not appearance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUIFFSbckLU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJm8UXzSGSo

[wanneroo]

aren't .223 and 5.56 Magazines interchangeable?

The external differences between the two are so small that they are indistinguishable to the eye, so yes.

I believe it's the higher pressure in 5.56 that is the main difference.

AR magazines are exactly the same for both .223 and 5.56. They can stamp whatever they want on them but the dimensional differences of the magazine and follower are the same. The same magazines can also contain such cartridges as 300 Blackout, 458 SOCOM, 50 Beowulf and probably some others.

[zhuk]

This could be just the rumour mill but it's what I read on the net some time ago...

Apparently he lost his license? The story was that in one of his videos he had his Cat C out and left the room during the video (left the rifle unattended) so gone done for improper storage or something along those lines?

As I said could be wrong, if so apologies to Steve. That's just what I read...

I hope that's not the case.

I noticed another video of him shooting handguns with his son on private property was also deleted. Unless I'm mistaken, no state or territory allows you to shoot a pistol on private property.

Anyway, I hope he makes an update video soon.

I know two people (one in VIC, one in NSW) who have been given extraordinary dispensation to shoot handguns on their properties. Both are near the top of their disciplines internationally and also had a *lot* of $ to construct sufficient backstops, with the required extensive template being approved.

But those are the only two exceedingly rare (and possibly only) cases which I know of.

[Sergeant Hartman]

^^^^rotfl.... i am waiting for someone else to comment.

That just sounds like an oxymoron.

It's a pump action bolt rifle that looks like a tactical rifle.... as i believe the ar15 trademark is only for semi or full auto rifles

[pignmud]

Surely an AR doesn't look and more "scary" then a fully decked out 7615 with pistol grip etc.. Anyone on the street would probably classify both as a machine gun haha

I bet channels 9 would call a 7615 an assault rifle or machine gun. Even some of those HR single shots look pretty scary too especially when you hang a torch on the barrel

haha I know old post but yes 7615 is now classed as an assault rifle in WA