Legality of Shooting at Ranges

[Tomek]

I just had my safety course.. and failed over one question out of the 40. Besides that BS, I found out something really strange. Apparently, when applying for the license, you choose hunting (pests/game) and/or shooting club. I was told that if I apply just for hunting, I am not allowed to go to shooting clubs for sighting the rifle or just practice?

This makes no sense to me. Was the instructor mistaken? I can go and shoot a rifle at a range even without a license by using their guns. But if I have my own rifle with the reason behind my license being pest hunting, it's suddenly illegal?

[<<Genesis93>>]

No incorrect.
Any a/b longarm licence permits shooting at approved range...

Sport endorsement required to shoot on unapproved range on private property...

[Chronos]

On a hunting license you may shoot at a range for sighting in or practice but you may not take part in a target competition. That's in nsw anyway

Chronos

[Apollo]

You might find that you can practise, sight in and enter a Club Target Competition. Most likely up to the Club Rules.

BUT you might find you are not entitled to any awards.

General rules seem to be that without Target endorsed on your licence you cannot participate in a National Registered Target Competition and or State Competition. The word there seems to be Registered Match. It's a touchy point and a lot of the times there are lots of entries so numbers may be restricted and hence you are denied entry without Target on your licence.

It's really up to the organising Club. There is nothing illegal about anything if you are allowed to shoot BUT it's under the story that you are Sighting In All Day.

You have a Firearms Licence so you can legally shoot at a target range but you don't qualify for the conditions of entry to a competition shoot.

The next point is that it may even be up to who is in control of the match that day if you are allowed to shoot. City range may be a lot more strict than one out in the country.

The next point is that IF you are not a member of that Club Range, ie SSAA and/or NRAA Range you might be denied any entry if they are having a competition shoot as best I know usually the range is closed to public shooting on those days.

To answer the topic question I don't believe anywhere in Australia do you need anything more than a Firearms Licence to shoot at a Range.

[AusTac]

You'll find theres so much red tape bulls**t he said she said in the shooting sport, you have to be a member of this that and the other and before you know it your paying hundreds each year to have the privilege of putting up with predominantly bossy old geizers in some boys club on a power trip, that said theres still a few Ro's in Vic who actually still enjoy their job and will actually try and help instead of making your life difficult.

You can shoot at a approved range ( not many ) with any reason but as the fellas have said you'll cop a ear full if your not a pro f class benchrest single shot iron sight sharpshooter

I'm going to try cobaw, but if thats a bust i'm " sighting " in the bush for the next 75 year or until the tracks are padlocked at least

[Mr.Seacucumber]

Eh I have hunting on min e and the local gun club signed me up without a second thought.

[Tomek]

And to think this guy failed me over 1 harmless bureaucratic question despite not knowing the rules himself. He said to me and the whole class that I'd have to sight and practice in the forest or a private property, not at a shooting range. Thanks guys. It didn't make any senses to me.

[No1Mk3]

G'day Tomek,
As the others said, you can sight in, and practice marksmanship, on any approved range. When you fill out your Genuine Reason always put Hunting/Target Shooting, as when you apply for a PTA you must state Genuine Reason and if you put "Hunting" on a Target Shooting only endorsed licence they are entitled to refuse, ditto Hunting only licence. By the way, I don't agree that any question in the test is harmless or bureaucratic, you need to know the Law, Firearms, your obligations, everything. Study and do it again. Pass. Then consider getting a Cat 1 Collectors Licence and a Handgun Licence, as I would hate to think the Gumbiment don't believe we like shooting, and also just to stick it up 'em! Cheers.

[adam]

If you put in both Hunting and Target Shooting on a reason for obtaining a license, won't you need to give evidence for both, and not only one?

ie:

Hunting = Letter from land owner, etc saying that you have permission to shoot on their property. (Which can be from govt departments as well).

Target Shooting = Copy of current club membership, etc...

Thus if on your license you apply for both - I'm assuming that you'd need to give evidence for both? Can someone confirm?

[<<Genesis93>>]

Why complicate the matter for the fella?? He didnt ask about NSW...

I've only shot at SSAA ranges in vic, and they sight a firearm licence (as well as membership card...)

As I've said ANY A/B licence LEGALLY allows shooting on an APPROVED range,
Note also ANY A/B licence LEGALLY allows hunting pests on crown land, (where permitted),

SPORT/TARGET licence required for UNapproved range on private property,

Its in the schedule to the Act. Probably pasted in several previous threads.......

[Tomek]

If you put in both Hunting and Target Shooting on a reason for obtaining a license, won't you need to give evidence for both, and not only one?

ie:

Hunting = Letter from land owner, etc saying that you have permission to shoot on their property. (Which can be from govt departments as well).

Target Shooting = Copy of current club membership, etc...

Thus if on your license you apply for both - I'm assuming that you'd need to give evidence for both? Can someone confirm?

Yes, he said you need to provide evidence for both if you apply for both.

[Tomek]

By the way, I don't agree that any question in the test is harmless or bureaucratic, you need to know the Law, Firearms, your obligations, everything. Study and do it again. Pass.

That's a nice sentiment but it's not fair to fail someone because they only get 39/40 right. The worst my mistake could have led to is to ask a local police station if i need permission to buy a rifle, in addition to getting the acquisition permit which I knew. But being clarified about that (only need the permit) should be enough. Now I need to wait a month and drive all the way there again just to circle one answer differently. The only reason they are so strict is because no one cares about shooters. If driving tests or anything had such a high bar to pass, it would cause an outrage, even here in Oz.

[AusTac]

I know my " safety course " in vic was a complete joke so i feel for you mate, i've learnt alot from the good people on this forum

[adam]

You can pass a pilot's license test and be flying aircraft with just a 70% pass rate... Yet a 97.5% pass rate is still a failure with firearm licenses...?

[<<Genesis93>>]

cause hunters are evil criminals, who are about to unleash death, at any second on suburbia... due to their arse-anals....
While pilots are cool.

[Heckler303]

cause hunters are evil criminals, who are about to unleash death, at any second on suburbia... due to their arse-anals....
While pilots are cool.

Yes yes, because a 22lr can cause more damage than your average Cessna 150.

[AusTac]

Better ban all commercial aircraft

[<<Genesis93>>]

corrrrrect.

everyone knows a well placed 22 round can take down a cessna, like everyone knows a 50BMG will take down a commercial air liner at 3km altitude moving at 400kmhr...... hence theyre tightly regulated.

[No1Mk3]

G'day Tomek,
It's got nothing to do with fair, many cops simply want you to stop and not get a licence, so they are going to make it hard for you. When my nephew did his before Xmas, the cop walked in the room and said; "You are all going to fail because I don't like guns" and sure enough the whole room failed. He had to go back late January and do it again. All complaints fell on deaf ears as, no, they don't care. It's why I only half jokingly said get a Cat 1 Collectors and a Handgun, just to stick it to them. Cheers

[VICHunter]

f*** that is infuriating

[Kai]

Wish I knew about this before I put just hunting, I would have put target as well.
Not that I belong to any rifle club, but it would be nice to have just in case.
Always found clubs to be full of know it alls anyway, speaking from experience from other hunting related clubs I've been in, did meet some good people tho, but yeah seen too many ego trippers ruin it for some.
Guess I'll just keep sighting in/practice in the bush.