Shooters in bid to bring back the ‘bunny gun’

[Mr.Seacucumber]

I'm just not sure how you would get it pushed through parliament. Seeing how semi's are technically not banned, but restricted. The provisions to own one are already there. The pollies will simply hide behind that. Perhaps an easing of elegibility for cat C. Trying to convince the greens it's a good idea would be as useful as trying to convince them nuclear power is a good idea. I wish I knew the solution. Kudos to people who continue the fight. All I can think of is to be like the tide and softly ebb away at the prejudice and bring people around to our way of thinking. Rational discussion and facts. Can't help believe it's wishful thinking though.

It's not a stretch of the imagination to see self loading .22 hunting rifles being reclassified to cat A or cat B. Pump rifles are cat B while pump shotguns are cat C so there is already a precident to having the same type of action in two different catagories.

To succeed there needs to be a lot of noise from shooters. It may even cost money to push through but as a collective voice reclassification is possible.

I agree we just need owners to band together to get it done, and for people to start moving forward. If every gun owner wrote into thier local PM I'm sure that it would make a difference. 750,000 in a country of only 22,000,000 is a lot of votes to be had and a lot of seats to be lost.

[Supaduke]

I'm just not sure how you would get it pushed through parliament. Seeing how semi's are technically not banned, but restricted. The provisions to own one are already there. The pollies will simply hide behind that. Perhaps an easing of elegibility for cat C. Trying to convince the greens it's a good idea would be as useful as trying to convince them nuclear power is a good idea. I wish I knew the solution. Kudos to people who continue the fight. All I can think of is to be like the tide and softly ebb away at the prejudice and bring people around to our way of thinking. Rational discussion and facts. Can't help believe it's wishful thinking though.

It's not a stretch of the imagination to see self loading .22 hunting rifles being reclassified to cat A or cat B. Pump rifles are cat B while pump shotguns are cat C so there is already a precident to having the same type of action in two different catagories.

To succeed there needs to be a lot of noise from shooters. It may even cost money to push through but as a collective voice reclassification is possible.

I have been shooting since I could hold a rifle, over 35 years. In that time I have encountered A LOT of anti gun sentiment. Mostly through ignorance. Most shooters I know are average people, unassuming. Any formal sort of protest rally would quickly descend into a farce as the left wing rent a crowd would counter it and it would probably turn violent just adding to our problems. Shooting sports suffer from a major PR problem. We don't have enough political power to really effect change. I honestly admire and respect everyone's efforts to change things but I can't help thinking we are preaching to the converted here. For every shooter there are 5 people that are completely apathetic to our plight and 5 people opposed to guns outright. Those opposed to us will never be convinced otherwise and the rest just don't care. I just try to do my bit to introduce new shooters to the sport, dispel myths and support the industry. I would support any real attempt to change things I just really don't know how we would do it.

[Supaduke]

My own posts annoy me sometimes , but I stand by what I say. We need an image consultant lol

[adam]

. Any formal sort of protest rally would quickly descend into a farce as the left wing rent a crowd would counter it and it would probably turn violent just adding to our problems.

Nah... the lefties are all about freedom of speech. Human rights. The right to protest.

They'd never contradict themselves or think that there should be different rules that apply to them vs anyone else. And as for human rights - they're all about caring for people. They'd never incite violence.

[happyhunter]

. Any formal sort of protest rally would quickly descend into a farce as the left wing rent a crowd would counter it and it would probably turn violent just adding to our problems.

Nah... the lefties are all about freedom of speech. Human rights. The right to protest.

They'd never contradict themselves or think that there should be different rules that apply to them vs anyone else. And as for human rights - they're all about caring for people. They'd never incite violence.

Hitting the streets wouldn't work anyway. You don't want or need the general public to notice because street protests are seen as a negative thing these days.

A coordinated campaign at political candidates in marginal seats would be more likely to gain some political support. I couldn't guess what percentage of voters in my electorate are gun owners or if it would be enough to tip the result in an election but I would assume if the numbers were enough to tip the result the political candidates would sell their arse for votes.

The hard part would be knowing who the gun owners are (and how do you overcome the security issues around that?) in order to contact them and then getting the gun owners to make the effort. It would have to happen nationally. The logistics would be a real challenge but not impossible *if* the money, information and motivation were available.

[Gwion]

Meemoriees...... All alone in the mooooonlight. (Sniffle)

Sorry, mate: but that made me laugh!

What is it with everybody wanting a 10/22... weren't (aren't) there any better semi-auto rim-fires than that? A mate has one under cat-C. Maybe he and his rifle aren't a good example but i don't think a great deal of it after seeing it in action on a few runs on the back of the ute.

[happyhunter]

The 10/22 is a nice little rifle. Accurate and reliable. That's all.

[Supaduke]

The 10/22 is one of those rifles that ruger just got 'right' . The classic stocked one has been around for decades basically unchanged. It's a modern day classic and the bench mark for any semi auto .22 . I would buy another one in a heartbeat if I could.

[Gwion]

To each their own. I don't think I'd buy one.

[Title_II]

I have 10/22. It stays in the back of the safe because I have .22 upper for the M16. It's a great little rifle but I probably haven't shot it in 15 years. Just can't bring myself to get rid of it.

[anthillinside]

I'd like to see some sense return to firearm laws,well ALL laws really.
Talk, Media, Public perception, is all window dressing,
Positive is better than negative but still does very little (I was going to say nothing) to change the laws,
The POWER in in the POLITICS thats where we need to focus.
You don't need to be a majority, you just need the right person in a position of power at the right time.
Or the wrong person if you look at it from the other side,
eg: Witlam-Medicare, Howard-gun laws, Gillard-carbon tax.
The people in power are the only people than can actully make the change.
You don't "have: to be the leader but it helps, just a few like minded people holding the balance of power in the Senate makes anything possible.
The Greens got their way inte early 00 with how many? 4-5 from memory but they had a good mouth piece Bob Brown , now gone.
Palmer? 3? but got a hell of a lot of his own way (amazing)
Politics is personal and everyone does their own thing, but the S&F party, now expanding into Shooters Fishers and Farmers hopefully expands our influence and support.
There is real power in the Senate, Thats why the big 2 want to control it,
Thats why we have an election soon with pushed through changes to senate voting rules.
If we were real smart we would FILL the senate with NON-Lib/Lab senators, then only bills that would have wide public support would pass.
Yes there would be some nutters there but there would be a lot less chance of being rail roaded byone partys back room power brokers.

[Oldbloke]

" There is real power in the Senate, Thats why the big 2 want to control it,
Thats why we have an election soon with pushed through changes to senate voting rules.
If we were real smart we would FILL the senate with NON-Lib/Lab senators, then only bills that would have wide public support would pass.
Yes there would be some nutters there but there would be a lot less chance of being rail roaded byone partys back room power brokers."

Spot on mate. I SAY VOTE INDEPENDANT.