Handgun storage WA

Questions about Western Australian gun and ammunition laws. W.A. Firearms Act 1973.

Re: Handgun storage WA

Post by holden4th » 03 Dec 2017, 6:37 pm

1886 wrote:
holden4th wrote:Sounds like WA is a good place to have firearms compared to the Eastern states? Think again. In Qld I can buy a gun safe that covers A, B And H as you can in WA. The difference is the storage of munitions. In QLD I can place my primers, brass and gunpowder in a simple container that is 'secure' provided it's not in my gun safe. You can't do that in WA. It needs to be put in some sort of lockable container.

The major issue for WA firearms owners is transport. If you're driving to the range and back then it's no problem. If you want to sell your firearm after you find a customer then you now have to use a WAPOL approved courier if the buyer is not close to you. The cost is exorbitant.

Wow are you for real. You forgot to mention after you put these munition items in a secure container you then have to lock them in a room, drawer, cupboard etc with different key combinations in a separate area than your firearms. WTF is that wank or don't you follow your laws.

You must store the SAA in a secured area in a separate area from firearms (with different locks and different keys or combinations), unless you’re authorised to do so under the Weapons Act 1990. A secured area might include a drawer, cabinet, cupboard, room or other enclosure that’s locked when no one is around.

I'd much rather have my situation where all these items including my guns are in my gun and reloading "room" with simple easy access to all and which I'm also sitting in now as it also contains my pc :D . I can also freely go in or out as it doesn't have to be locked as these items are all in individual safes, boxes etc in the SAME room.

And what is this further QLD reloading BS.

Note: A shooter who reloads their own SAA for their own use is a manufacturer. Reloaded SAA doesn’t need to be packed into original packaging (as above). The packaging or containers for SAA need only be similar to the original packaging supplied at retail. The SAA should be:

encased in packaging that’s clearly marked on the outside surface with the calibre, characteristics of the loaded SAA and maximum quantity of SAA.


So you have to then clearly mark and describe all of your reloaded ammo on the outside of each container. Man that is ridiculous.

The major issue for WA firearms owners is transport.

Mate, that has to be the most ill informed comment yet. Compared to WA, Qld has the the most restrictive transport laws on the planet. I don't even know where to start and it would take too long to describe them. But here's a small sample.

When you transport any firearm to a club or hunting etc you have to remove the bolt and put it in a separate container and if unable to remove it, fit a freaking trigger lock. Followed with a maze of locked metal container usage scenario's and resultant requirements which probably also relate to transporting your required ammo.

Whilst common sense would normally prevail, QLD also has to spell it out in case you don't have any and advise if you stop for petrol, burger or a quick slash, you cannot leave an unlocked vehicle with a firearm present unless someone else who has a firearms licence is present. Give me a break. You have to always take a mate with a licence just in case you forget to lock your freaking car.

Now compared to WA's transport laws our Act just stipulates that we just take reasonable precautions . Fairly simple and relies on common sense so you be the judge of whose got the best transport laws.

In addition, a quote from WA Commissioner of Police to recent Law Reform Commission's review relating to transport of firearms;
"When firearms are in transit, for instance conveyed in a car boot or back seat, the owner being present would be sufficient security. If a vehicle is left unattended for a short period (e.g. parked outside a shop to purchase goods), WA Police would expect the firearm to be removed from common view, the bolt and/or magazine separated from the firearm and the vehicle to be locked."

Note, "would expect" and no freaking trigger locks or boxes and if you don't lock it you don't need to have dragged a freaking licenced mate along to be present. So in reality whilst driving it could even be laying against the passenger seat but common sense would mean we would at least cover it and also lock up if going for a slash.

If you want to sell your firearm after you find a customer then you now have to use a WAPOL approved courier if the buyer is not close to you. The cost is exorbitant.

So what is the cost ? This is Police policy only and it initially only related to carriers of Police firearms, ie to remote police stations. It stemmed for a carrier crashing on a country road and 3 Glocks were missing when it was finally retrieved and unloaded :D . It's still being debated.

But either way what's the go, do you sell a gun every week so this would be a major problem versus yours and our general firearms transport requirements.

Surely you would just take it to your nearest dealer who then ships it to the buyers dealer and the buyer picks up these costs so what's the problem. I can legally ship any firearm myself direct to a buyers dealer in another State but I bet you can't. Confused the hell out of a NSW dealer who panicked when I shipped him two revolvers direct that I sold on Used Guns.

But at the end of the day no State has what could be classed by us shooters as perfect legislation as they all have differences and various restrictions of their own with good and bad points.


Yes, I am for real. The majority of my shooting has been done in WA. First, I'll address storage in QLD. I do not need to store my primers, powder, etc in a locked container. It just has to be out of sight and not within reach of children, etc. I have checked this with both my dealer and QPOL.

If I'm transporting my gear to my club, provided the ammo and the gun are separate, all they have to be is out of sight and a vehicle is classed as a locked container. In WA I can carry everything in my gun bag and have done so. Wish I could do so here in Qld but it's a minor inconvenience.

If you'd like to check (it's on Youtube), WAPOL have decided that there are only 11 couriers/transporters who may now transport firearms in the state, even if it's from dealer to dealer (which it doesn't have to be in WA). As they now have a monopoly they charge huge prices to ship within WA. Any dealer will tell you this. I've just got a revolver over from WA. The only way to get around the approved courier issue was to break the revolver down. What happened was the cylinder was removed from the gun and technically it was classed as gun parts. $70 was a hell of a lot cheaper than the $350 quoted by one of WAPOLs 'approved' couriers. Who approved them and why?

Finally, down to the wording of the laws from both states. Using words or phrases such as "would expect", "might include", leave a lot to the imagination and carry very little legal weight.

The last issue about transportation. If you want to come over here to Qld to shoot and hold valid licences for your guns in WA then that is not a problem. The reverse is not so simple. Despite being the holder of a QLD category H licence, to get my gun into WA would require me to apply for a 'temporary' permit. If I want to buy ammo in WA, I need a temporary permit.

It's worth noting that holding a category "H" licence means that I can shoot any handgun at any range in QLD (and NSW, Victoria, SA). In WA the owner of the gun has to be with me on the range for me to shoot it. WA doesn't actually licence the shooter, it licences the gun. If you have 7 guns then you have seven licences. I can own 7 guns in QLD without any major paperwork as they are all attached to my category of licence. I can take a mates gun down to the range and shoot it without him being there.

I enjoy shooting and the IPSC/ICORE community in WA.I'll be there in April for two weeks and will go and shoot at OGSA. Will I be bringing my own gun, no way because that's in the too hard basket.
holden4th
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