Can you 'target shoot' at home?

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Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by jennageit » 20 Jul 2014, 12:10 pm

Hi guys,

As you probably all know, I live in Victoria.

Our property (rented) is a small farmlet, zoned rural. We don't have any houses near us as such, however there is one across the road about 50 metres down.

I was wanting to set up an auto reset target to do some practice shooting. It wont be a permanent fixture, but it'll be set up in a safe environment, with a large dirt bank and wall behind my target. It wont be visible from the road, and the only time I wouldn't use it would be if my dairy farmer neighbour had his cattle in the paddock behind it.

I'd be shooting away from my neighbour, and away from the road. I'd also only be using an air rifle, or at most, my Marlin XT 22lr (should I buy that particular rifle).

Am I legally allowed to do this?

Can anyone point me in the direction of finding the laws surrounding shooting on a private property?

I don't want to get all set up and start shooting, only to have the cops on my doorstep telling me I've broken the law and lose my licence and guns, and maybe worse.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jenna
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Baronvonrort » 20 Jul 2014, 12:15 pm

I am fairly sure if you are zoned Rural it is ok, the laws vary from state to state, best for someone from Vic to clarify this.

You cannot shoot across a road.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by tom604 » 20 Jul 2014, 12:32 pm

you should be fine, zoned rural you can use a firearm for pest control and of course sighting in. if the cops come around just say sighting in not plinking, im not sure but i think that shooting for fun is not allowed, ie: not allowed to have a range as such but you are allowed to sight in. so if it takes you a lot of rounds to sight in and you have to sight in a lot thats okay ;) how far would the longest shot at a fox be on your property? after you kill a few they wont come too close, a 22 may not be enough gun
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by jennageit » 20 Jul 2014, 12:43 pm

Longest shot I would ever attempt would be about 80 metres. I'd rather not go that far if possible, but I know they wont come in close for very long. If I learn how to use a fox whistle, that might be a different story.

At present they will come within about 10 feet of you, as long as you are down wind. They'll just sit and watch you, then go for a drink at the water trough, then mosey their way back through the fence or to the den under the willow tree.

What i'll be doing as far as the target goes is 'sighting in'. I've not held a firearm in over 20 years, and wasn't a particularly good shot then. I don't plan on aiming at any foxes until I get my grouping right, consistently, and then i'll look at the foxes. If I buy the air rifle, i'll start with that. Once I'm comfortable with that, i'll take the 22 out.

My property is only about 200 metres long, and at most about70 metres wide, so I wont be using anything that is super long range. Like I said, no more than 80 metre shots for me, unless I go to the gun club. I'm hoping to get to every meet they have. I really like the idea of having experienced guys around me for this. I don't want to go out on my own, pick up bad mistakes and then have to try and un-learn them! lol
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by AusC » 20 Jul 2014, 9:36 pm

Hi Jenna,

If it's a suitable property you can of course shooting on it. Hunting, pest control etc. And you can sight in on your property.

You can't have a "range" though and strictly speaking you can't do "target shooting".

If you stuck a removable target out and were doing a few shots to get sighted in that's fine. If I remember right though you can't have anything 'fixed' that would make it a range.

You wouldn't set up a target bench, permanent targets etc. as that goes above what you're allowed to do. I'd need to find the right info in the firearms act... Might be there, I can't remember where I read it.

Hunting, sighting in with a resetting target and a bit of plinking would be right though.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by bigfellascott » 20 Jul 2014, 9:44 pm

You're only testing your outfit to make sure you going to do the job humanely aren't you (I'm nodding my head up and down) :D
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by MeccaOz » 21 Jul 2014, 6:56 am

bigfellascott wrote:You're only testing your outfit to make sure you going to do the job humanely aren't you (I'm nodding my head up and down) :D

:lol: :lol:
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by jennageit » 21 Jul 2014, 9:55 am

Definitely. Just testing it. Making sure it fires.

Actually, I'll be trying to make sure I can get my grouping right and consistent. I'm not aiming at anything live until I am confident I do a one-shot kill, and quickly.

There will be nothing permanent set up. Just a simple reset target that I'll use, and put away when I'm done. The sandbags that we're going to put in place were going to be there anyway, so unless it's a problem with them being full of little holes (until I get my aim right), it should be all good.

The other reason for packing everything up is that I don't want my stuff getting nicked. Too many little light fingers in this area for my liking!
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Apollo » 21 Jul 2014, 11:56 am

"jennageit" as with all Forums you will get answers from all over different States rather than those that directly affect you and your own State of Victoria.

Yes, you are allowed to Target Shoot on a Private Property in Victoria, not so in some other States.

Victorian Firearms Regulation Section 22 can be found here....

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CE8QFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.austlii.edu.au%2Fau%2Flegis%2Fvic%2Fconsol_reg%2Ffr2008211%2Fs22.html&ei=fWHMU-bHCdKn8AXXjIDwCw&usg=AFQjCNFDF5cngQ0kdzBbSKQ1BVGlHjwu6Q&bvm=bv.71198958,d.dGc

More from the SSAA...

http://www.ssaa.org.au/research/1998/1998-07_new-proposed-victorian-regulations-private-land.html

http://www.ssaa.org.au/research/1998/1998-11-05_new-victorian-regulations-shooting-private-property.html

Have a good read, the SSAA info is a bit old but the Act is dated 2012.

I think you will find your answer and all it took was a few minutes with "Google" .....

Better to get official answers than advice from a Forum.

One of the biggest issues for everyone in all states is Noise Polution so if you have as you say a neighbour that is close then I would discuss that with neighbours to make sure they are happy and don't lodge complaints about excess noise, just like a Dog barking all night keeping them awake. Different law but can bring unrequired attention to your activity.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by 1290 » 21 Jul 2014, 4:06 pm

In vic there is no specific minimum size for a property on which you can 'hunt'.....zoning has zero to do with it and therefore neither does your local socialist outpost, sorry, Council....

hunting is more so a discretionary consideration with a good starting point the regulations relating to TARGET SHOOTING which is a lot different obviously to hunting.

The current provision being the Firearm Regulations 2008, section 22 (as mentioned above) with the following text;

22 Conduct of sport or target shooting activity on private property
(1) For the purposes of items 1(5A), 2(2)(c) and 4(2A) of Schedule 2 to the Act, the following
provisions apply to the carrying out or conducting of an activity—
(a) if—
(i) more than 5 persons take part in the activity; and
(ii) the activity is carried on continuously for more than 3 hours— a member of the police force, at the police station which is open and which is reasonably believed to be nearest to the activity, must have been notified before the activity takes place, that the activity is to take place;
(b) a person taking part in the activity must not discharge a rifle in the course of the activity
unless it is discharged at a target which has in place, within 20 metres behind it, a backstop which is capable of stopping any projectile which passes through or beyond the target;
(c) a person taking part in the activity must not discharge a firearm in the course of the
activity within—
(i) 250 metres of a dwelling, being a dwelling which is not on the land on which the activity takes place, unless permission has been granted by the occupier of the land on which the dwelling is situated; or
(ii) 100 metres of a public road;
(d) a person taking part in the activity, when discharging a firearm in the course of the activity, must be stationary;
(e) the activity must not take place between the hours of sunset and sunrise;
(f) the activity must not be advertised or formally organised or formally scheduled;
(g) a person taking part in the activity must not give or receive direct or indirect financial benefit to or from any other person as payment for taking part in the activity;
(h) a person taking part in the activity must not consume or be under the influence of intoxicating liquor during the course of the activity or be under the influence of a drug during the course of the activity.
(2) A notification under subregulation (1)(a) must include—
(a) the name, address and contact telephone number of the person making the notification; and
(b) the land on which the activity is to take place; and
(c) the day on which the activity is to take place; and
(d) the nature of the activity.


soooooooo basically; if you're more than 250m from the nearest house, more than 100m from a road, backstop in place, GO FOR IT!
If you've got the posse around, and you'll be going all day.... a courtesy note to the local po-lice will keep you out of trouble. Give them some notice say a couple of days before, if you can, to give them plenty of time to 'decide' whether or not they have an issue with your lawful activity....

'just seeing if it works' would fall under the target shooting banner; if you're 50m from a house, I wouldnt chance it.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by danishaussie » 22 Jul 2014, 9:30 am

Does anyone know the rules in QLD ?
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Bourt » 23 Jul 2014, 2:11 pm

As I understand it the two genuine reasons and allowances in QLD are "recreational shooting" and "target shooting".

Target shooting requires membership at an approved club, and you're to shoot at approved clubs.

Recreational shooting is your hunting on rural land (with permission of course).

As with Vic you can hunt, sight in etc. on the property but you can't set up anything that they'd interpret as an 'unapproved range'.

Can't see anyone interpreting a stick up paper target and fine tuning your sighting with some target shooting as an 'unapproved range'.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by FuzzyM » 05 Aug 2014, 11:56 am

You are only allowed to shoot targets on private property if you have a target licence. As a member of a target club.

However you are allowed to sight in a rifle on private property.

Just went through the licence process in Victoria myself.

It is frustrating as I also want to get my eye in on my 30 acre family farm, rather than go to Springvale with my .22.

I bought a Savage MkII, I was looking at the Marlin, but the savage feels better in my hands.

Note the minimum property size for hunting on private property to be your genuine reason on your license is 5 acres.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Westy » 05 Aug 2014, 3:21 pm

danishaussie wrote:Does anyone know the rules in QLD ?

You cannot discharge a firearm on a property that is less than 40Acres plus 1 square foot???? Sucks I know but thems the rules here in Queensland and that includes a Air rifle good thing we got 42 acres!!!! :P :D :P
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by FuzzyM » 05 Aug 2014, 3:29 pm

You are allowed to use an air rifle in a suburban backyard in the UK apparently :(
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by nickbarker » 05 Aug 2014, 5:05 pm

FuzzyM wrote:You are allowed to use an air rifle in a suburban backyard in the UK apparently :(


Indeed you can, i spent my childhood shooting in our garden in suburban London....still have a pot shot at the pigeons when im back visiting family :)
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by sha » 06 Aug 2014, 3:20 pm

It's huge over there too, right?

So many videos on youtube of bird hunting with air rifles from UK guys.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by nickbarker » 07 Aug 2014, 4:25 pm

ha ha its massive....pellets flying everywhere 24/7....nah i have no idea if its big or not but as kids we all had air rifles....no license needed for air pistols, rifles or CO2 powered firearms (semi automatic too!), just got our older siblings (you had to be over 16) to go score you some nasty cheap Chinese made thing for 50 pounds and away we went.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Norton » 08 Aug 2014, 11:24 am

nickbarker wrote:go score you some nasty cheap Chinese made thing for 50 pounds and away we went.


Ah the good old days.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by yookehoo » 25 Jun 2017, 8:42 pm

FuzzyM wrote:You are only allowed to shoot targets on private property if you have a target licence. As a member of a target club.

However you are allowed to sight in a rifle on private property.

Just went through the licence process in Victoria myself.

It is frustrating as I also want to get my eye in on my 30 acre family farm, rather than go to Springvale with my .22.

I bought a Savage MkII, I was looking at the Marlin, but the savage feels better in my hands.

Note the minimum property size for hunting on private property to be your genuine reason on your license is 5 acres.

so if i want do target shooing ,i need to join a target club and get that licence?
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Lorgar » 26 Jun 2017, 11:52 am

yookehoo wrote:so if i want do target shooing ,i need to join a target club and get that licence?


Target shooting has to be done at a range.

You are allowed to sight in on private property, e.g. check your zero before commencing a hunt to ensure accuracy/human kills.

But you're not allowed to 'operate a range'. What exactly this constitutes is a big of a grey area, there isn't a fixed limit on how many rounds you can shoot before it becomes a range. Annoying but that's what it is.

As far as ranges go, I don't know where you are in Victoria but e.g. there is the 50m .22lr range in Springvale.

Or the 500m range at Little River where you can shoot (almost) anything.

Google SSAA ranges or shooting ranges in your area.

You don't need a club membership to shoot at the SSAA ranges, you just need to be licensed, or under the direct supervision of a licensed person. It's just pay per visit, but if you're a member it's cheaper. So depends on how much you go if it's worth it.

I don't go to the range much these days so haven't got a membership. I have 'hunting' as my genuine reason on my license which allows me to do that, and attend ranges with no membership.

You could do the same if that suits your circumstances.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by <<Genesis93>> » 26 Jun 2017, 1:42 pm

Lorgar..... shuddup .... go and have a coffee break mate :drinks:

so if i want do target shooing ,i need to join a target club and get that licence?


Exactly right.
I'm sure the extract from the regs is in here somewhere...
But Yes, it doesnt really make sense, but TARGET shooting (no such thing as sighting as far as the law goes) on Private property is OK, provided you dont advertise and dont charge $...and comply with back stop and other conditions including a TARGET shooting endorsement...
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by <<Genesis93>> » 26 Jun 2017, 1:43 pm

PS awesome revival 3yrs.... record perhaps...
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by sungazer » 26 Jun 2017, 2:26 pm

The way i read the act is if you have less than 5 people and are more than 250 meters from a dwelling/house then you can set up targets and shoot for up to 3 hours straight.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by bladeracer » 26 Jun 2017, 5:36 pm

sungazer wrote:The way i read the act is if you have less than 5 people and are more than 250 meters from a dwelling/house then you can set up targets and shoot for up to 3 hours straight.


That's my interpretation and I emailed Firearms - they agreed with me...on the phone...but have ignored two requests for it in writing.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Bourt » 27 Jun 2017, 10:55 am

sha wrote:So many videos on youtube of bird hunting with air rifles from UK guys.


I think a big part of that is there licensing and laws.

Crazy strict firearms laws and limits.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by <<Genesis93>> » 27 Jun 2017, 4:57 pm

sungazer wrote:The way i read the act is if you have less than 5 people and are more than 250 meters from a dwelling/house then you can set up targets and shoot for up to 3 hours straight.


As I recall, the 5+ relates to the 'notice to police' requirement, else there is NO limit on how many can be involved :thumbsup: :drinks:
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Ben78 » 27 Jun 2017, 7:55 pm

I phoned the NSW FAR on this a couple of years back, and you are allowed to 'practice' on private property, or at an approved range, without having target category on your licence. I am a member of local range and have shot thousands of rounds there, only have Rec Hunting on my licence.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by bladeracer » 28 Jun 2017, 12:18 am

Ben78 wrote:I phoned the NSW FAR on this a couple of years back, and you are allowed to 'practice' on private property, or at an approved range, without having target category on your licence. I am a member of local range and have shot thousands of rounds there, only have Rec Hunting on my licence.


Victoria Firearms told me the same thing a few months back, but wouldn't email me it in writing.
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Re: Can you 'target shoot' at home?

Post by Dunxy » 28 Jun 2017, 3:32 pm

Gday all, new to firearms and just found this site today and stumbled upon this thread (because Its relevant to me) and i feel i have to add a couple of things!

Lorgar wrote:
yookehoo wrote:so if i want do target shooing ,i need to join a target club and get that licence?


Target shooting has to be done at a range.



I cant find anything in the firearms act that says target shooting must be done at a range, rather i find info saying you CAN target shoot on private property as long as the property is suitable.

Firearms ACT 1996 wrote:(5A) If one of the reasons for the licence is sport or
target shooting, the holder must not engage in
sport or target shooting except—
(a) at an approved shooting range; or
(b) on land owned by the holder, where the
activity is being carried out in accordance
with the regulations; or
(c) on land not owned by the holder, where the
owner of the land has given permission for
the carrying out of the activity and where the
activity is being conducted in accordance
with the regulations.
]


So as part C clearly states, if you hold a target licence you CAN target shoot on (suitable) private property as long as you have land owners permission or as part B describes if you own said land.

On topic but not relating to quoted post:
I also find NOTHING mentioning anything about people holding licences for hunting not being allowed to shoot targets on private property?

Also, I couldn't find any rule about this "5 person 3 hour" stuff ive seen mentioned?

If any Victorians know of the rules outlining these other 2 previously mentioned claims, please point me to page in the act, because I word searched the whole document and found nawt relating to them.I will be target shooting on a mates farm and want to ensure i am following all laws.

Regardless of what regular members of the po-po say, the firearms act is the law, anybody after proper advice should contact local DFO rather than just asking a general officer (or worse, relying on internet forums!) who may not actually know the law!.Or you can just read the ACT as i have done.

Not ragging on anybody, im just trying to make sure i obey the rules and to clear up some obvious mis conceptions that could possibly turn of new people considering the sport, maybe these rules apply in other states (im Victorian so im researching laws apply to me, not other states, sorry guys!) or years gone by, the paragraph i quoted about target shooting on private property is DIRECTLY FROM THE FIREARMS ACT 1996 page 294 so is absolutely accurate, not word of mouth or something some bloke said.

As a person who has recently completed the safety course and testing i was very underwhelmed by the scope of information provided by instructors,unless you know what questions to ask and actively ask them, there's so much information they don't cover AND that the handbook doesn't cover, the only way to find it is ready the 300 od page act or contacting local DFO (mine grumbled at me for asking a couple questions and pretty well told me to read the ACT! Your results may vary!), which is stupid IMHO. Its exactly the same in the fishing community, so i guess i shouldn't be surprised!
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