Storage during road trip.

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

Storage during road trip.

Post by Kurnal » 30 May 2021, 7:05 am

Hi all

Just some advice. I am heading to Regional NSW to collect a new rifle. I will be staying at a few friends places on the way back and playing golf for a few days on the way back to Sydney. Houses have no gun safes I won't have any ammunition with me.

Not really practical to try and arrange storage in a gun shop or police as I will be travelling early morning.

My plans are:

- Lock the rifle in hard case.
- Remove bolt and store in locked separate lockbox / car glovebox locked.
- Trigger lock on rifle.
- When not travelling, take the hard case into the house and secure via locked cable to something permanent (plumbing or similar). Leave bolt locked in car.
- If I have to leave the gun in the car for any length of time (ie round of golf) cover the case and secure via locked cable to the child seat anchor point and take the bolt with me.

The rules seem a bit open to interpretation, but I think that's about all I can do ?

Any other suggestions?

Then straight to the range next week to sight in and play :)
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Ligthgow LA102 .223 Optika5 3-15 x 44
Tikka T3x Lite Stainless .308 Leupold Vx3i 4.5-14 x 40
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Re: Storage during road trip.

Post by straightshooter » 30 May 2021, 10:46 am

Kurnal
Irrespective of any interpretation of the rules if the rifle is lost or stolen, irrespective of how, then you WILL be charged.
Don't fetishize about storing the bolt separately being any form of defence or mitigation, the registered serial number is on the rifle and that is what counts.
Reconsider the the sequential timing of your trip such that you are able to go directly from dealer to place of approved storage.
Otherwise if you do as you propose at least be conscious of the risks even though the likely hood of something going wrong is low.
"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."
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Re: Storage during road trip.

Post by Kurnal » 30 May 2021, 11:26 am

OK, thanks. Might need to do some re-planning. In peoples experience, are local country town gun shops generally willing to store firearms for you ?
CZ 455 .22LR Vixen 4-16 x 44
Ligthgow LA102 .223 Optika5 3-15 x 44
Tikka T3x Lite Stainless .308 Leupold Vx3i 4.5-14 x 40
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Re: Storage during road trip.

Post by duncan61 » 30 May 2021, 1:33 pm

I am with straight shooter on this.The steps you intend to take are reasonable but if something goes wrong it is on you.Yes every police station has a firearms safe and you should be complimented for doing the right thing.Police are people too so it could go either way.I have been convicted twice for not securing firearms and am on my last warning.Bolts and bullets do not matter if someone else gets the rifle they can do a hold up and trust me at the time not many would notice there is no bolt.You are now an accessory to the crime.In WA you can have a loaded rifle on the seat next to you just do not get out and leave it lying around.When a few of us used to go hunting on a property I had access to we bolted a gunsafe in the trailer so at the roadhouse we could all go in and eat and drink without someone else having to stay at the car.I have been stopped by police late at night near Carnarvon with my .222 on the dash fully loaded and no problem.Probably not a good idea in Perth CBD,I have been woken by police in a truck stop between Carnarvon and Waroora with my .222 on the bipod fully loaded next to my swag.I had the paperwork for Waroora with me so again no problem.Dogs are an issue up north and a pack will go you at night so having a bang stick is reasonable.If I had gone in to the bush to have a pee and they turned up I could be charged with not secure but I would of slung the rifle anyway and had it with me.You always see the feral cat when your rifle is 10 feet away.I hope this helps.Take no chances if you are not in possesion and it is not in a approved gunsafe you will be charged and there is no defence.Buy a cheapass safe and put it in the boot at least you can then argue it was in a safe.You can never have enough gunsafes I now have 3
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Re: Storage during road trip.

Post by linkoln » 30 May 2021, 2:48 pm

Kurnal wrote:Not really practical to try and arrange storage in a gun shop or police as I will be travelling early morning.

10 years in jail for allowing your guns to be stolen is a lot less practical.
The law says you need to do everything possible to prevent your guns from being stolen and think about it when the judge asks did you do that and your reply is "I put some blankets over them" are you willing to risk your liberty to that excuse?
The laws are vague and left up to interpretation but that won't be in your favour.
Firearms offences are serious and will affect your life forever I don't want you to have to go through that.
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Re: Storage during road trip.

Post by duncan61 » 30 May 2021, 3:24 pm

+1.
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Re: Storage during road trip.

Post by animalpest » 30 May 2021, 8:45 pm

In WA, it is an offence to be in possession of a loaded firearm in a public place. The penalty increases after dark.

Driving down a road or being at a truckstop at night with a loaded gun on your seat or next to you is asking to get arrested, charged, go to jail and lose your firearms forever.

And safety wise, that's just stupid.
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Re: Storage during road trip.

Post by Kurnal » 31 May 2021, 6:54 am

Thanks all. I’ll change my plans based on all this and get the rifle straight home. Appreciate the advice.
CZ 455 .22LR Vixen 4-16 x 44
Ligthgow LA102 .223 Optika5 3-15 x 44
Tikka T3x Lite Stainless .308 Leupold Vx3i 4.5-14 x 40
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