Anyone caught the bus/train with their rifle?

[sooey]

G'day,

I'll be without a car for a week or two shortly am wondering about public transport with a rifle.

If I remember right we're allowed to do this. Has to be secure in a bag, ammo locked up, blah blah blah.

God you must get some looks though

Anyone taken the bus or whatever with their kit? Anyone try to stop you not knowing you were allowed to or freak out?

[on_one_wheel]

Never done it myself but I would fully expect to have the buss / train stopped and stormed by the star force, get pinned to the ground cuffed and dragged to a holding cell for questioning in this day and age if any one of the gun fearing people on that buss / train suspected that I was carrying a firearm.
If I had to do it I would get a hard case for the journey.

[Hatter]

+1 for a non-descript hard case if public transport was a must. No way I'd take it in a rifle bag.

Regardless of the laws an your rights to travel on public transporting with your firearms, others will surely not know them and think you're some whack job.

Sucks, but I'd sure you'd get some resistance if not a call to the boys when people saw that they recognized to be a rifle bag.

[Guliver]

It is illegal in Victoria : http://ptv.vic.gov.au/getting-around/lu ... allowance/

Dangerous goods

Items likely to injure or endanger other persons are not permitted to be carried on public transport passenger vehicles in Victoria.

Examples of such items prohibited from carriage on passenger vehicles include:

Flammable liquids and gases (petrol, kerosene, LPG, propane)
Firearms
Explosives
Corrosive or acidic chemicals

[Seconds]

Well there you go.

I thought it was legal in all states too.

Never had reason to do it myself though. Expect some uncomfortable fellow travelers where legal though I'm sure.

[lole]

Wouldn't be fussed about getting a plane where there is a procedure in place.

Even if it's legal if your state, would never get a bus etc. without having a completely unidentifiable case.

Maybe mafia style, carry it in a guitar case or something

[pajamatime]

Wouldn't be fussed about getting a plane where there is a procedure in place.

Even if it's legal if your state, would never get a bus etc. without having a completely unidentifiable case.

Maybe mafia style, carry it in a guitar case or something

actually i was thinking something along those lines as well...make it look like a instrument, even put instrument stickers of some type on it to fit the cause lol
what instrument is long ? saxophone?a guitar? make sure it has a locking device lol

[Warrigul]

+1 for a non-descript hard case if public transport was a must. No way I'd take it in a rifle bag.

Regardless of the laws an your rights to travel on public transporting with your firearms, others will surely not know them and think you're some whack job.

Sucks, but I'd sure you'd get some resistance if not a call to the boys when people saw that they recognized to be a rifle bag.

I have bought three firearms in Victoria from an antique dealer, each time I travelled from Tulla to Southern cross then into the burbs and back by train. The first time was with a Kolpin gun boot, the second and third times with a non descript six foot wooden case, never had an issue but was asked by a ticket inspector what was in the wooden box, I replied "I am going to pick up an antique firearm to take back to Tasmania" and she kept going (after checking my ticket).

Never had any issues with Virgin either.

This is no guarantee that it is allowed however, I just didn't have any issues.

[Skadoo]

Not really as issue for Virgin (or any airline) as it's something they have systems in place for I suppose.

It's not like you're carrying it *on* the plane. It's always stowed below and you check it through special baggage or whatever the section is called.

Smart on the wooden box for the train though IMO.

[Warrigul]

Not really as issue for Virgin (or any airline) as it's something they have systems in place for I suppose.

It's not like you're carrying it *on* the plane. It's always stowed below and you check it through special baggage or whatever the section is called.

Smart on the wooden box for the train though IMO.

Virgin have always been fantastic to deal with, I cannot recommend them highly enough. Never any taint or issue with being a gun owner just top service.

[SendIt]

Guns must be shipped between distributors and importers and stuff all the time too. It's probably a pretty regular thing for the baggage handlers.

[Oldbloke]

I used to do it all the time in the 80s. including a 5 or 10 rounds. However not wise now for all of the reasons previously stated. I understand guitar cases are very popular. What they don't know can't hurt them.

[Blackened]

It is illegal in Victoria : http://ptv.vic.gov.au/getting-around/lu ... allowance/
Dangerous goods
Items likely to injure or endanger other persons are not permitted to be carried on public transport passenger vehicles in Victoria.
Examples of such items prohibited from carriage on passenger vehicles include:
Firearms

I think "illegal" may be too stronger word for it.

As a point of interest, this is from the firearms safety booklet which you can download from the VIC Police website, it says:

Other forms of transportation (bus, train, aircraft)

On some shooting trips you will need to carry your firearm by public transport. Similar/in addition to the above-listed precautions relevant to transport by car, always ensure you take precautions when travelling by other forms of transportation such as bus, train or aircraft.

Recent events have demonstrated that transportation of firearms via ‘public transport’ has the potential to arouse fear and alarm amongst other passengers, despite the fact that this was unintended.

Remember to make suitable arrangements when planning your trip, including discussing transport requirements with your travel agent or the carrier.

Note the mention of bus and train specifically.

I didn't have the time to read through the VIC firearms act to confirm, but I suspect this may be a case of the left hand (public transport vic) not knowing what the right (VIC Police) is doing.

Coming back to the Public Transport Vic info "Items likely to injure or endanger other persons are not permitted", how likely is a rifle in a locked case, bolt out, ammo locked in separate case etc. "likely to injure or endanger" another person. I would say not likely at all.

Something for VIC shooters who're interested in traveling to check anyway. Check with the Police themselves or licensing division and obviously employ all common sense in transporting them whatever the outcome.

[Guliver]

It certainly wouldn't be the first time documents from different government sources left you scratching your head

[handofcod]

If it's legal in your area and you just don't want to attract unwanted attention I'd get a plain hard case and put some Gibson and Marshall stickers all over it. Everyone will think it's an electric guitar.

[VICHunter]

Probably get jumped on then for having it concealed or something stupid

Mafia style like above

[Lorgar]

Big sticker across the front saying 'There is not a rifle in this "guitar" case'.