NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Questions about New South Wales gun and ammunition laws. NSW Firearms Act 1996.

NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by Yipikaye » 21 May 2017, 9:00 am

Hi All,

Does anyone know if it's possible to call the NSW police and get the safe inspection before owning any guns?

The reason I ask is I have my safe bolted by the regulation bolts x4 into a wooden floor and ceiling rafters. I also have another 2x bolts (above regulation) into a vertical structure (technically not a wall but stronger and the safe is flush with it.

I would rather check because I could move it and bolt it to the main wall studs on our plaster wall but it's actually less secure.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by Apollo » 21 May 2017, 9:38 am

Not sure these days but years ago when I got my A,B & C License and before I purchased any Firearms I rang my local Licensing Sergeant (Blayney, NSW) and asked if I could get my Safes inspected to make sure they complied correctly. My concern was if I had enough securing points for the Cat C storage. Turned out twice as many as required so we were both happy.

No problems, he arranged to drop in one Sunday on his way to work in Bathurst.

Might be different in cities and/or different commands. Ring and speak with the local Licensing Sergeant and ask politely. See what happens.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2017, 10:02 am

Wouldn't hurt to ring and ask.
But if you don't actually own any firearms yet, they might think it's a waste of resources to inspect it.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by bigfellascott » 22 May 2017, 10:50 am

I'm sure if it can't move and has plenty of bolts in it they will be happy enough with it all, I usually put my safe in the corner and use around 6 big arse bolts to bolt it to the concrete, then 3 or 4 bolts on each side to anchor it too the walls - they were very happy with it as it didn't move at all.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by brett1868 » 22 May 2017, 11:13 am

Call your local Police Station and ask for the firearms licensing officer, organise a suitable time for him / her to come over and do an inspection. Once done, ask them to txt / email you the "COPS" Event number, record then number and put it in your files with the rego papers of firearms owned. This is how I did it when I applied for an ammunition purchase and sell permit. The officer turned out to be a keen shooter, spent 10 mins on the inspection and the next 2 hours talking about shooting and hunting. Ask questions about what they think of your security setup and if they have any advice.
As there's no requirement to have your storage inspected prior to storing firearms they may very well decline to perform an inspection. You'll get added to the schedule of inspections at some later date which is a random number between 4 weeks and never :) Personally I would like to see a proactive approach to securing firearms in NSW in that you need the "COPS" event number for the inspection listed on you application for a PTA so there's proof that you have the required storage for the category of firearm applied for.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by WatchyShooter » 22 May 2017, 2:10 pm

I really like that idea, would remove the onus on the LAFO to ensure the safes up to standard and getting caught out on the first inspection when currently there's few options other then getting a good officer, would look really good for us LAFO wanting to have safes inspected before to ensure security and compliance before any issues arise from storage.

It's actually something that's been playing on my mind being a new shooter, the devastation of just securing your firearms license, PTA & paying for the firearms only to get caught out on something that's not black and white, you could follow all the rules in the NFA and still have an officer pick something out that's wrong and boom your done.

I actually felt it would be weird asking the local to inspect the safe before hand but I guess it would do that your just concerned about being a LAFO and making sure your complying
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by Yipikaye » 22 May 2017, 7:52 pm

I called the local police station. The firearms officer was not on duty but they will call next time they are on duty.

I'll keep you in the loop for what happens next.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by Newshooter » 24 Jul 2017, 1:38 pm

What ended up happening?
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by Yipikaye » 24 Jul 2017, 1:52 pm

I called twice and left my details both times. Nobody returned my calls so I've figured if they're too busy to return my call they're too busy to book a visit.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by WatchyShooter » 24 Jul 2017, 6:53 pm

Yipikaye wrote:I called twice and left my details both times. Nobody returned my calls so I've figured if they're too busy to return my call they're too busy to book a visit.


Email is the only way you should contact you FAR, then any response you have records of.
If you email them and still get no response then in future if they pull “this isn’t adequate” you’ll have something to show that you tried before being in breach to ensure you were ok but “they didn’t have time or reply”
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by bladeracer » 24 Jul 2017, 7:40 pm

WatchyShooter wrote:Email is the only way you should contact you FAR, then any response you have records of.
If you email them and still get no response then in future if they pull “this isn’t adequate” you’ll have something to show that you tried before being in breach to ensure you were ok but “they didn’t have time or reply”


I agree, but Victoria have shown they prefer to call in response to an email so there is no record of their advice...
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by WatchyShooter » 24 Jul 2017, 8:30 pm

bladeracer wrote:
WatchyShooter wrote:Email is the only way you should contact you FAR, then any response you have records of.
If you email them and still get no response then in future if they pull “this isn’t adequate” you’ll have something to show that you tried before being in breach to ensure you were ok but “they didn’t have time or reply”


I agree, but Victoria have shown they prefer to call in response to an email so there is no record of their advice...


In SA I told them in writing that all correspondence is to be via email or mail and they have complied, if you request it and they don’t honor it it’s just another nail for when we go to shut the coffin.

Not providing written responses leads to LAFO having to circulate what they know as “right” when by almost all laws it’s up to the officers “discression”.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by WatchyShooter » 24 Jul 2017, 8:31 pm

For example, all acts and regulations that have safes require a min thickness in mm, there’s no or little info on how it’s measured of what the allowance for manafacturing tollerences is, things like that need to be documented
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by bladeracer » 24 Jul 2017, 8:51 pm

WatchyShooter wrote:In SA I told them in writing that all correspondence is to be via email or mail and they have complied, if you request it and they don’t honor it it’s just another nail for when we go to shut the coffin.

Not providing written responses leads to LAFO having to circulate what they know as “right” when by almost all laws it’s up to the officers “discression”.



Yep, I requested it in writing again after they rang - no response at all.
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by WatchyShooter » 24 Jul 2017, 8:54 pm

bladeracer wrote:
WatchyShooter wrote:In SA I told them in writing that all correspondence is to be via email or mail and they have complied, if you request it and they don’t honor it it’s just another nail for when we go to shut the coffin.

Not providing written responses leads to LAFO having to circulate what they know as “right” when by almost all laws it’s up to the officers “discression”.



Yep, I requested it in writing again after they rang - no response at all.


Yeah that just gets filed with your other receipts and firearms related docs you keep and move on, it’s better to have that then not have sent something to begin, I’m a persistent one though so they email or mail everything now, dealing with wanting to import something it’s REALLLY good to have everything documented :thumbsup:
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Re: NSW safe firearms inspection before owning a gun

Post by Seik » 26 Jul 2017, 9:54 am

bladeracer wrote:Yep, I requested it in writing again after they rang - no response at all.


Just keep up an email chain with them, send a polite follow up along every week.

Someone will get annoyed enough to respond so you'll go away :lol:
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