Australia Full Auto

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Australia Full Auto

Post by Title_II » 25 Jun 2015, 9:57 am

I always have a problem getting to the bottom of this, even when I get it straight from the horse's mouth. I knew a guy online from Canada that owned full auto but whenever I asked questions about it he gave me brief answers that were not very good answers. It took me a long time to get to the bottom of it and figure it out.

Australia is worse. Not for ownership of full auto (I am not sure), but for getting info about it. Again, I know someone online in Australia who definitely legally owns full auto as a civilian. And he showed me advertisements of full auto for sale in AU as well. I asked about this here before and got "no way mate" or something similar. I do not believe this is correct, even if it might be from a practical standpoint for a lot of Aussies or in a lot of areas.

Can someone explain what it takes for ordinary civilians to own full auto in Australia? There seems to be some sort of combination of grandfathered machineguns and a license to own them on top of it. Anyway, please clarify for me if you can. Thank you so much.
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by FuzzyM » 25 Jun 2015, 12:24 pm

Museum perhaps?
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by valkyrie » 25 Jun 2015, 1:11 pm

Potentially those working in the film or entertainment industry could own full autos but I beleive that they have to be modified to only feed/fire blanks. Other than that I can think of no way for someone outside the police or military to own a full auto. Heck semi auto centerfires are hard enough to get. I beleive that It states in the firearms act that theatrical armourers can apply for exemptions in certain cases under strict conditions
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by adam » 25 Jun 2015, 3:12 pm

There may be ways to get exemptions. It's like having RPG's or mortars included as a class on civilian licenses. It's an option - how to get it is totally another matter...

I'd expect that the ways to get exemptions would include as a minimum:

a) Very Unique Circumstances with Good reasons

b) Having good contacts, plenty of cash, or both,

c) Probably a personal exemption and approval from the police commissioner, or similar

Plus - anyone that has managed to get these would be extremely tight lipped about it because if information got out 'how', then people could try and find loopholes, and the gun grabbers would get media attention focused on the individuals in question in an effort to get them removed.

You mention yourself:

Again, I know someone online in Australia who definitely legally owns full auto as a civilian.


If they're not going to tell you, and you know them - it's for a reason. The chances of finding out on a public online forum are less than PETA funding an ad for 'Eat Australian Lamb'. ;)
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by handofcod » 25 Jun 2015, 6:36 pm

Very high level private security personnel? eg Gina Rinehart's body guard?

Ex-SAS now doing private security abroad might be able to get authority from AG. My partner knows someone doing this but don't know if his gear is owned personally.
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by Title_II » 26 Jun 2015, 11:08 am

So it requires authority from an AG? Does AG mean Attorney General?

I would assume there is a proscriptive process with standards or a review. Semi auto center fire was brought up, so presumably the process is known.

Thanks, mates! :)
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by bear foot bowhunter » 26 Jun 2015, 7:37 pm

what about collectors licence , think this is about the only way to get them in aus
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by AusC » 29 Jun 2015, 3:11 pm

Varies state to state no doubt, but here it is for Victoria.

Vic Pol website...

A Category E licences is held for:

  • Official, commercial or prescribed purposes.

You need a Category E Licence to possess a:

  • Machine gun
  • Tear gas gun or projector
  • Shot gun or rifle less than 75cm long (measured parallel to the firearm's barrel)
  • Mortars
  • Bazookas
  • Rocket-propelled grenades
  • Larger military firearm designed to fire an explosive or projectile
  • A firearm that has been re-classified as a category E firearm by the Chief Commissioner


Cat C,D,E application form...

5. Official / Commercial / Prescribed purpose or for a purpose authorised by an Act or regulations. (Category C, D or E)

Provide sufficient information and documentation to support the genuine, official, commercial or prescribed need relating to your application:
(If you are applying for more than ONE Category E Longarm, you must demonstrate a compelling reason why more than one such longarm
is required.)


VIC firearms act....

Reasons for applying for a longarm licence, category E
(1) The Chief Commissioner must not issue a longarm licence for category E longarms unless—

(a) the applicant can demonstrate that the licence is required for an official, commercial or prescribed purpose or for a purpose authorised by an Act or regulations; and

(b) if the application is in respect of more than one category E longarm, the applicant can demonstrate a compelling reason for more than one such longarm to be possessed, carried or used under the licence.

(2) For the purposes of demonstrating that the licence is required for a purpose specified in subsection (1)(a), the applicant must produce evidence that the licence is required for that purpose.


Now... I've had trouble finding a hard and fast list of what an acceptable purpose is. From what I can remember though you have to be "in service to the crown" which translates to being law enforcement in a suitable role.

e.g. Specialist Response Group which is is the Australian Federal Police's version of 'SWAT' would be one. Beat cop wouldn't obviously.

In theory I think one could be given for hunters under government contract for a cull, but way more likely I expect is they would license you for a semi-auto centre fire only. Not full-automatic.

Outside of at least a close affiliation with the government, if not direct employment in a law enforcement body, I don't think there is any way for a civie to get one.
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by Baronvonrort » 29 Jun 2015, 4:07 pm

AusC wrote:Varies state to state no doubt, but here it is for Victoria.

In theory I think one could be given for hunters under government contract for a cull, but way more likely I expect is they would license you for a semi-auto centre fire only. Not full-automatic.
.


Nice find.

Government contract aerial cullers are allowed 2x L1A1 semi auto, I have seen nothing for government aerial culling that permits full auto in NSW or NT only semi auto permitted.
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Re: Australia Full Auto

Post by SendIt » 30 Jun 2015, 12:17 pm

Title_II wrote:Australia is worse. Not for ownership of full auto (I am not sure), but for getting info about it. Again, I know someone online in Australia who definitely legally owns full auto as a civilian. And he showed me advertisements of full auto for sale in AU as well. I asked about this here before and got "no way mate" or something similar. I do not believe this is correct, even if it might be from a practical standpoint for a lot of Aussies or in a lot of areas.

Can someone explain what it takes for ordinary civilians to own full auto in Australia? There seems to be some sort of combination of grandfathered machineguns and a license to own them on top of it. Anyway, please clarify for me if you can. Thank you so much.


You definitely can not have an automatic firearm here while in the position of "a civilian".

That is to say, as an individual I can apply for bolt action (Category B) license/permit here with the "genuine reason" (as it's called here) of recreational hunting or target shooting.

This is quoted from the NSW Firearms Registry on self-loading firearms. "These firearms are prohibited except for official purposes."

As "a civilian" there is no "genuine reason" or official purpose available to us for having an automatic firearm.


Regarding your Aussie friend who supposedly owns one. Has he mentioned he works at/own a firearms dealer or is he a gunsmith, anything along those lines? He must.

If he does in fact have one my guess is that his business has an Armourer’s Licence or similar. The business actually holds the license for automatic firearms and he in his capacity as a staff member can handle/use them as required for work. He himself as "a civilian" does not hold the license and can not use one for civilian purposes of recreational hunting or target shooting. He would be limited to using them for prescribed purposes of the license of the business.

e.g. A person here could have a license for a bolt action (category B) issues for recreational hunting or target shooting.

They could also have a category C or D license (self loading centre fire and rimfire with a certain magazine capacity) issued for primary production and/or pest control or as a firearms dealer.

With both licenses they can not take their cat C or D firearm out to hunt recreationally or to target shoot socially. It can only be used for primary production, pest control or held as a dealer to be sold to an appropriate person/body.
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