Pre 1996 gun laws

[5Tom]

A friend of mine mentioned the two weapons used in the Port Authur massacre (Colt AR-15 SP1 Carbine in .223 and a L1A1 SLR Battle Rifle in .308) were already illegal to own in Australia.

I was under the impression that the pre-1996 gun laws were relaxed and we were allowed to own semi-auto and Automatic center fire weapons?

[newsteadvic]

A friend of mine mentioned the two weapons used in the Port Authur massacre (Colt AR-15 SP1 Carbine in .223 and a L1A1 SLR Battle Rifle in .308) were already illegal to own in Australia.

I was under the impression that the pre-1996 gun laws were relaxed and we were allowed to own semi-auto and Automatic center fire weapons?

Not automatic?

[FuzzyM]

Definitely not full auto.
I believe Victoria had already restricted centerfire semi auto's.
Other states varied.
Apparently the AR15 used in PA was surrendered to police in Victoria previously, might be hearsay though.

[CustomPC]

From what i remember during that time, Qld and Tasmania were the least restrictive. You could own an AR or semi auto rifle from military origins in those states.

NSW prohibited anything with a pistol grip if i recall correctly, but sporting Semi Autos were allowed. You could own a Ruger Mini 14 but you couldn't put an aftermarket pistol grip stock on one.

The clamp down on gun laws started in the early 90's after the Strathfield Masacre in NSW which was followed by Hoddle St in Vic. That prompted the NSW Labor Premier Barry Unsworth to introduce some tighter laws and Photo ID's in NSW.
Port Arthur wasn''t long after that and thats when John Howard brought in the national laws.

[VICHunter]

Nope, never automatic.

Semi-auto laws where lighter, particularly around rimfire chambered rifles.

[Wes]

Semi-auto laws where lighter, particularly around rimfire chambered rifles.

Something like the Ruger 10/22 must have been handed in by the truckload from people you read.

[Morro]

Apparently the AR15 used in PA was surrendered to police in Victoria previously, might be hearsay though.

100% it was, and never fully chased up in the coroners court or by media for some reason? Lol
False Flag? Narrrr that doesnt happen in Aus

1290 thats your queue

[Bourt]

Pre 1996

Back when the grass was greener

[Jorge in Oz]

Definitely not full auto.
I believe Victoria had already restricted centerfire semi auto's.
Other states varied.
Apparently the AR15 used in PA was surrendered to police in Victoria previously, might be hearsay though.

Not hearsay as the fellow who surrender it advised this fact.

[1290]

Apparently the AR15 used in PA was surrendered to police in Victoria previously, might be hearsay though.

100% it was, and never fully chased up in the coroners court or by media for some reason? Lol
False Flag? Narrrr that doesnt happen in Aus

1290 thats your queue

Well, most people are not receptive to logic thats contrary to the accepted story.

Suffice it to say.....

Don't believe anything you think.

[Seconds]

Something like the Ruger 10/22 must have been handed in by the truckload from people you read.

A lot of semi auto 22 lots in the stealback.

[tarnagulla]

Nope, never automatic.

Semi-auto laws where lighter, particularly around rimfire chambered rifles.

Actually, not quite "never" - full auto, as in machine guns, was only prohibited as late as 1948 in Victoria, AFAIK.

[David Brown]

Something like the Ruger 10/22 must have been handed in by the truckload from people you read.

A lot of semi auto 22 lots in the stealback.

During the "steal back" (thats funny but true) there were apparently about a million Ruger 10/22's in the country. Apparently there was only 660,000 guns handed in overall. I am sure the difference in the numbers is purely overstated gun sales, or typographical

I wonder where they all went I actually would like one, so I might have to move to the USA to own one some day.

[trekin]

From what i remember during that time, Qld and Tasmania were the least restrictive. You could own an AR or semi auto rifle from military origins in those states.

NSW prohibited anything with a pistol grip if i recall correctly, but sporting Semi Autos were allowed. You could own a Ruger Mini 14 but you couldn't put an aftermarket pistol grip stock on one.

The clamp down on gun laws started in the early 90's after the Strathfield Masacre in NSW which was followed by Hoddle St in Vic. That prompted the NSW Labor Premier Barry Unsworth to introduce some tighter laws and Photo ID's in NSW.
Port Arthur wasn''t long after that and thats when John Howard brought in the national laws.

Let's get one thing clear, and bust a myth, there are no "national Laws" in relation to private firearm ownership, there is only the NFA, that is the National Firearms AGREEMENT. That's all it is, an agreement between the States and the Federal Governments to limit private firearm ownership.

[1290]

Well, technically little johnnie didnt bring in the laws.... but effectively he did. did the weasel say? I hate guns.. etc, he wanted guns gone. When the Feds pay the bills... they gets what they wants....

It was the APMC or Australasian Police Ministers Council (=The states) that sat down on the 10th of May, 1996, [thats a whole 11 days after PAM] The agreement was ready to go as it HAD BEEN DRAFTED and AWAITING THE CATALYST....the agreement agreed to and based on Commonwealth requirements, I'll try and locate the Commonwealth Proposal, which may be 'the NFA'...

APMC, 10 May 1996, NFA

[Hercl]

During the "steal back" (thats funny but true) there were apparently about a million Ruger 10/22's in the country.

It's true.

I'm missing the humour though

[dustin]

I can see the restrictions on automatic centrefire stuff. Not everyone will agree and I see the other size too that as a LAFO you shouldn't be punished for someone elses actions.

What's the harm in a little semi auto .22 though

[1290]

That was the 'arithmetic' that wasnt covered by the hearings.... 640,000 handed back, I'd like to say stolen back, but I did chose to line up with the semi... though under considerable duress .....

But the million / millions of semi-auto CENTREFIRE rifles in Aus; M1 Carb, M1, AR, SK, AK and all the other makes and models.... Yet there were less than a million returned of all longarm types that were mainly Pop's shotty or old single shot 22... . I understand it was only Vic that had introduced restrictions rego etc for Centrefires (compliance level?) So therefore there were some records of centrefire semis in Vic, so you would expect the level of surrendered semis would be the highest in Vic, yet the figure for Vic show that semis accounted for a very small percentage of the total for the state..... extrapolate to the other states and work out max 3% of 640k = less than 20,000! as an absolute maximum across the nation. But where are the official figures hey
There are MANY semis still out there tards... and the sky isnt falling.

PS, at the time of the surrender period there was a SURGE in firearm particularly rifle and shotgun imports; total import DOUBLE to just under 90,000 arms from 95/96 to 96/97!! I'd say a few profited very well through the amnesty....

[chacka]

That was the 'arithmetic' that wasnt covered by the hearings.... 640,000 handed back, I'd like to say stolen back, but I did chose to line up with the semi... though under considerable duress .....

So they weren't "stolen".

What's a more appropriate word.... Coerced? Strongarmed? Threatened?

As a law abiding citizens we were given the options of either
1) being forced to surrender our property(compensation or not)
2) become criminals.

In any other circumstance the "buyer" would be the one on the wrong side of the law.

[1290]

Yes, of course you could say stealback, for what I was paid it was theft, but ultimately, I drove there, I handed over the firearm and I took the cheque.... whether or not I was under legislative or legislated duress.

[Tonit]

Yes, of course you could say stealback, for what I was paid it was theft, but ultimately, I drove there, I handed over the firearm and I took the cheque.... whether or not I was under legislative or legislated duress.

How did they work out the value of everything that was handed in at the time?

[1290]

Yes, of course you could say stealback, for what I was paid it was theft, but ultimately, I drove there, I handed over the firearm and I took the cheque.... whether or not I was under legislative or legislated duress.

How did they work out the value of everything that was handed in at the time?

A bunch of dealers CONSPIRED with the gungrabbers and formulated a list of values based on make/model and condition... when you turned up at the location to 'surrender' you firearms, those manning the station looked over the item and decided on the condition then offered a value....

[joojoobeans]

What was a price roughly for a good condition rifle a few years old?

70% of new? 50%?

[1290]

There was a spreadsheet in the public realm that had 'agreed' values per condition for all rifles at the buyback/stealback/forced surrender whatever you want to call it...maybe one of you guys has a copy...If I can locate will post

[joojoobeans]

Thanks