Victorian gun newbie

[jett]

Hi, after 101 web sites, countless empty stubbies and last of all searching threads here, I have a few simple questions I hope you can help with.

I live in Melbourne and I want to hunt on crown land and practice at ranges with a rifle and handgun. I am trying to understand the costs and steps to make this happen. So far...

I have filled out the form to do the firearms safety course ( I have no criminal record ) at the police station, my questions are :

What are the following steps and rough time frames
Will I be able to keep both weapons at home in an approved gun safe
and.... saved the best till last, I will be moving back to Queensland in one year, what's the go with that?

Thank you in advance, I did a lot of searching before I came here to ask these questions.

[mausermate]

Hi Jett, welcome to the forum. Pretty new myself.

I'd trot down to your local range, introduce yourself, join a club and the SSAA.

You'll be bang'n holes in things in no time!

[handofcod]

Licencing for Cat A & B rifles is a piece of piss. Just need proof of genuine reason like game licence, or club membership. Then present your completion of safety course slip along with the Cat B licence forms. Then it's over to the licencing services people to process your licence and a four week wait to pick up your first Permit to Acquire necessary for every firearm purchase. The gunstore will take care of the paperwork for the PTA and will only hand over the rifle once it is approved.

Make sure you've got your storage sitch sorted BEFORE you pick up your first rifle.

Handguns, whole different kettle of fish. Six months on a probationary licence before you can own a handgun and most handgun clubs will have their own process before they grant you club membership. Probably between 9 and 12 months from turning up to your first club meet to gaining your full Cat H licence.

I'm sure I've made some omissions somewhere so corrections welcome.

[jett]

wow thanks guys

[MeccaOz]

Both the posts made to answer you seem about right mate. Handguns are the hardest to get, longarms try to get the least amount of restrictions that you can. I'm not entirely sure of the Victorian process or restrictions on licenses imposed. Like Mausermate said, pop down to your closest SSAA range and get pointed in the right direction.

[VICHunter]

I live in Melbourne and I want to hunt on crown land and practice at ranges with a rifle and handgun. I am trying to understand the costs and steps to make this happen. So far...

This is off the top of my head but should be close enough.

You can hunt on crown land and shoot your rifle at the range.

You can only shoot handguns at the range.

You're shooting license is about $250 for 5 years.

If you want to hunt pests (rabbits, foxes etc.) on crown land you should get a 'Registration of Interest in hunting pest animals on Crown Land' from Department of Sustainability and Environment. This costs about $14 and can be used as supporting evidence for your license application for the reason of 'hunting'. This is a once off, no yearly fee.

If you want to hunt deer you need a game license. I think this is about $130 for 3 years? Double check that one, I forget at the moment...

Then the cost of your guns, ammo and safe.

I have filled out the form to do the firearms safety course ( I have no criminal record ) at the police station, my questions are :

What are the following steps and rough time frames
Will I be able to keep both weapons at home in an approved gun safe
and.... saved the best till last, I will be moving back to Queensland in one year, what's the go with that?

Your safety course will usually be 3-4 weeks after you drop the form in. You'll get a letter in the mail telling you the time etc. I think.

Yes, you can keep your rifle and pistols at home with the right safe.

You will need to transfer your license to Queensland Weapons Licensing and get a QLD license. I have never done this but I believe they just transfer your license from one state to the other. You don't have to go through the application process again for QLD.

[lole]

One thing to keep in mind too is that each state has different laws surrounding firearms.

Some are worse than others... WA for example is a lot stricter in just about everything compared to VIC and QLD. e.g. spent brass there has to be stored the same as live ammo which is not the case for VIC.

I think VIC and QLD have the same storage laws, but it wouldn't hurt to double check.

[tarnagulla]

Each State indeed has different laws surrounding firearms...Most of the suggestions above are (or may be) correct, EXCEPT that the "Registration of Interest in Hunting Pest Animals on Crown Land" is NOT a "once-off" - if that is your only evidence of the need/eligibility for a Shooters Licence for hunting, the possession of such a document forms a condition of your licence, and it MUST be renewed annually.

In Victoria, another (and better) condition for the issue of a longarm licence (class A or B) is simply "Membership of an approved hunting club". Even if you get permission from a landholder you will have to specify the area of the land, pests to be found there, etc.

If you are an approved club member however, you can use that membership for a class A and B licence without having to specify where or what you intend to hunt.

This is one advantage of joining SSAA. If you live in Victoria, you will automatically be a member of SSAA (Vic) Inc., which happens to be an approved hunting club!

If or when you move to Queensland, your SSAA membership transfers with you. I am not an expert on the rules there, but I am sure you will have less difficulty in changing to a Qld licence if you are already a member of SSAA Qld?

I write as a former Victorian Longarms Instructor...

[VICHunter]

Most of the suggestions above are (or may be) correct, EXCEPT that the "Registration of Interest in Hunting Pest Animals on Crown Land" is NOT a "once-off" - if that is your only evidence of the need/eligibility for a Shooters Licence for hunting, the possession of such a document forms a condition of your licence, and it MUST be renewed annually.

If I have that incorrect my apologies, Jett.

I don't recall there being any mentioned of a duration or expiration when I got mine however? I'll double check of course.

In either case, if you're hunting you'll end up with a game license (which I have) which I'm sure must serve the same purpose as far as maintaining your license goes. Right, Tarnagulla?

Then there is also always SSAA membership (which I also have) like you said.