The introduce yourself thread (combined)

[Oldbloke]

The reason the states are all different is because the Australian Constitution lists the responsibilities that the federal government has. Everything else is the responsibility of the states and firearms do not get a mention. But printing $ and defence get a mention,, for example. OHS does not get a mention either. So each state and territory has total responsibility for OHS, education, hospitals.

When they wrote the constitution they experts tried to anticipate as best they could but obviously screwed up in a couple of areas.!!!!

Australia also invited NZ to become part of the Commonwealth of Australia but the kiwis were pretty stupid and went off in a tangent!! Bait Bait LOL

[Festus Magnus]

Thanks for all the further responses fellas!

Gwion: Thanks for the Sako endorsement! I'm edging closer and closer towards it (even though I won't be able to purchase a firearm for another 2 months!). A completely stupid question from a beginner's perspective: you recommend the Quad Hunter, is there any reason for me not to go for the Quad Varmint? While I'm always disinclined to buy into marketing, Sako does advertise the Varmint as being suitable for benchrest/small game hunting (which fits my purposes perfectly).

Also just a small update: paid for membership with the Sydney SSAA, will be paying for SISC membership on Saturday, also sitting the Firearm Safety Qualification Course on Friday!

[Title_II]

Australia also invited NZ to become part of the Commonwealth of Australia but the kiwis were pretty stupid and went off in a tangent!! Bait Bait LOL

And now their people still have guns

[Gwion]

A completely stupid question from a beginner's perspective: you recommend the Quad Hunter, is there any reason for me not to go for the Quad Varmint?

Mate, to be honest, I only recommend the Sako Quad because I'm still dreaming of one myself. Never heard a Quad owner complain. My last 22lr would have been a Quad but the don't come left handed.
Re: hunter v varmint. Purely a carry weight thing for bunny busting. As I also recommended get a Lilja drop in heavy barrel (Quads are switch barrel rifles), I figured you didn't need two heavy barrels. One for hunting and the Lilja for you bench rest. One or two people here use the Lilja barrels for target work on Quads and swear by them.
All that said, a 'Heavy barrel' on a 22 is still usually pretty light in the greater scheme of things, so I'm sure the varmint would be fine for a bunny buster as well. Also, I was trying to save you a couple of hundred bucks towards th Lilja barrel!

[MalleeFarmer]

And now their people still have guns

yep they were smart not to join!
Funny how their crime rates are lower than ours.

[heron]

For my budget, I've allotted around $2,000 for the rifle alone. I forewent any Christmas pressies! I've had a look at rifles in this approximate price range: Sako Quad Range or Varmint, and the Annie 1416 HB or 64 MPR. I certainly wouldn't mind going cheaper and if a Ruger 77/22, CZ 455 or Savage MKII is a better choice for a beginner, I'll be happy to go with that.

At my stage however, is the lack of know-how and all the subtleties that go along with benchrest shooting (and shooting in general!), so I don't have much of a critical eye when it comes to making a better informed buying decision.

If it's for benchrest and you can afford better, do not go cheaper. You'll just end up wanting more accuracy than the cheaper option can provide and swapping to your first choice and wasting money in the change over.

You'd be crazy to get a Ruger over an Anschutz if you can afford one.

An Annie will be capable of more accuracy than you are to start, but your skills will evolve and you'll grow into it.

If you go a cheaper option you'll outgrow it, skill wise.

[Festus Magnus]

Just a small update!

Did the firearms safety course, passed with no problems at all.

I'm not sure whether it was the instructor himself or the manner in which the third-party company developed the program, but it sure was awful.

Awful in the sense that it just consists of 3-4 hours of the instructor reading off slides, with little demonstration using an actual firearm. The only firearm brought in was a bolt-action rifle, and if the course was going to cover lever-action, pump-action, etc. one would think it also appropriate to at least bring one of each along (unloaded of course!) as a practical demonstration of safe handling.

Stranger even was that two of the blokes in the course hadn't ever shot before, and so when it came time to the brief practical test at the course's end, it was their first time actually handling a rifle.

Nonetheless, all ready to go with the paperwork, once it actually arrives: had to resubmit a request through the ridiculous online application system for the appropriate paperwork. Why doesn't the NSW Firearms Registry just allow you to download a pdf of the relevant paperwork, rather than require you to request pre-printed forms through their awful online system? There's nothing even special about the forms they provide: no fancy paper, no barcoding/tags to link you with a particular online request. You can't even pop down to your local police station to request the forms.

[juststarting]

You get to shoot rifles during the longarms safety course?

[Festus Magnus]

You get to shoot rifles during the longarms safety course?

Oh no, I was a little unclear about that: they brought in one rifle (a CZ 452), but loaded it with dummy cartridges for the purposes of the practical test. We were just in the conference room, each taking turns pointing the rifle at a window, in the imaginary scenario that we were in the field, so the instructor could assess us on various safe handling procedures.

I think only five minutes was given to explaining bolt-action rifles, while another hour was given to a very dry explanation of other actions and ammo types, the sorta general knowledge that anyone with a modicum of good sense could gain from a quick perusal of the internet.

The NSW booklet accompanying the course said that we meant to be shown what to do in the situation of an extraction malfunction with a live cartridge still remaining in the chamber. However, the instructor just said something along the lines of 'stick up your hand and call over a range supervisor.' Wouldn't work so well in the field I'm afraid!

Overall, it was a pretty disappointing experience. I thought it'd be a lot more practical and practice-oriented, rather than just a long litany of legal sins which one mustn't commit lest the police come knocking down your door. I think it's due more to NSW gov't regulations governing how the test must be run, rather than any inability on the part of the instructor/shooting range. One of the more bizarre regulations we saw on the presentation slides is that the instructor cannot load dummy ammo in plain view of the class.

[juststarting]

Sounds like a typical safety course. It's not there to teach you about guns, it's there to teach you how not to accidentally shoot someone. There are so many variables that I tend to agree that instructor. Haven't used a gun - go to the range first... Common sense really.

[Wobble]

It's not there to teach you about guns, it's there to teach you how not to accidentally shoot someone.

I usually find that's good to know

[Title_II]

In my experience, if I shoot you, I meant it about 95 % of the time Those are pretty good odds you wre asking for it..

[Arth]

Welcome mates.

See you out there.

[Harts]

Well if the guy is running down your hallway at night swinging a hammer at you then fair call.

[BadboyMelvin]

Hey everyone,
I'm new to the forum so thought I'd say hi.
My name's Russ I enjoy firearms, hunting and shooting!
I'm looking forward to getting to know you guys better in the coming months and learning/ sharing info with you all.

Cheers!

[sandgroperbill]

gday, Russ, you've come to the right place. Plenty of the guys here that are very experienced and knowledgeable in the various areas of firearms and reloading, as well as a bit of joking and mucking around.

Hope you enjoy yourself

[edit] spelling mistakes

PS, your posts will be a little delayed at first as the moderators have to approve your first few posts when you're new, so don't panic if your replies don't show up immediately

[Gwion]

G'day BBMelvin

[No1Mk3]

G'day Russ,
Glad to see another Mexican here!

[Baldrick314]

Welcome the forum mate

[Oldbloke]

G'day. Welcome, even better your from Victoria. Lol.

[Oldbloke]

G'day. Welcome, even better your from Victoria. Lol.

[sandgroperbill]

G'day. Welcome, even better your from Victoria. Lol.

Don't worry. We won't hold it against you.

[MalleeFarmer]

welcome to the forum fellow Mexican. not a bad crowd the blokes on here..

[Title_II]

Gday, mate! Crikey! Or something

[BadboyMelvin]

Thanks for all the welcomes guys!

[Norton]

Welcome mate, have fun.

[Blackened]

Welcome to the site, Russ.

[Member-Deleted]

Hey everyone,
I'm new to the forum so thought I'd say hi.
My name's Russ I enjoy firearms, hunting and shooting!
I'm looking forward to getting to know you guys better in the coming months and learning/ sharing info with you all.

Cheers!

G'day Russ and everyone else on here.
Like you Russ, I am a newby, 2nd post, I put this brief intro up with the first one, but I thought I would post it here as well.
Just a quick introduction. I am a farmer and earthmoving contractor, hunter for over 5 decades, started from when I could walk (with dad), also into, big game (buffalo etc, in the NT) and pigging with dogs, sporting clays and pistol.
I joined this forum as I am a hunter and shooter, but also because I was hoping to find a shooting forum where the discussion was held in a civil and polite manner, judging by what I have seen so far this looks like the right pace.
I am big on shooters sticking together and working to fight the anti's rather than each other.

[Title_II]

Member-Deleted, you sound like my kind of people! Good to have you around.

[Member-Deleted]

Thanks for the compliment, I am just an ordinary bushie, working my but off to fight to see no more onerous conditions are placed on LFO's, and hopefully we will be able to claw back some of those already lost.
Cheers mate.