Sports Shooting

[biomechanic]

Originally Posted by Jeld-Wen Falcon

I went for my first shoot at the local gun club on Thursday night, had an absolute blast!

No pun intended right? ;)

Originally Posted by Jeld-Wen Falcon

Learning to shoot was great, the people were great will definately make this a regular thing.

Anyone else here into sports shooting? And what kind of scores are you shooting?

My dad has been shooting for nearly 20 years at Hornsby Rifle Range in Sydney. I used to mark the targets (standing in the sun for 4 hours with bullets flying overhead seemed a small price to pay for $25 in those days). I only shot a few times.

Once with a Mosin-Nagant - which we were subsequently banned from using because it shot a 6 foot flame out the barrell and set the grass on fire.

Another time I used an SKS semi-automatic (this was before Port Arthur) and managed to get 50/50 (commonly referred to as a 'possible') from 500 metres, with 4 bull-eye 5s.

Plus a couple of other times using various 7.62's and .22s.

[nugget378]

Originally Posted by TURBOTAXI

We have a great gun club at mendooran, I have a collection of about 13 vastly different firearms (from muzzle loader to really fast .22's) For a challeng I take a mossberg maverick (bolt action 12g goose gun with double choke and rifle sights) up to the club for a shoot - you learn to work a bolt pretty quick!

Are you from Mendooran Turbotaxi?do you know any of the Broughton's,they have a place there,I have some acres in Coolah..

[merlin]

Originally Posted by loxxr6

What sort of costs are you looking at to get into sports shooting ?

How much is the licence, the club membership etc ? Can you hire pistols at the clubs once you have your licence etc ?

I'd like to know this to - I used to have a minors license way back and would like to get into it again. Who do you contact first?

[loxxr6]

Originally Posted by merlin

I'd like to know this to - I used to have a minors license way back and would like to get into it again. Who do you contact first?

NSW Firearms Registry 1300 362 562.

As for the cost involved, I'd like to know.

[HLC]

Originally Posted by loxxr6

What sort of costs are you looking at to get into sports shooting ?

How much is the licence, the club membership etc ? Can you hire pistols at the clubs once you have your licence etc ?

Originally Posted by merlin

I'd like to know this to - I used to have a minors license way back and would like to get into it again. Who do you contact first?

ok, if you guys have a chance this thursday night, or friday (12-3:30pm only- close at 4:P), come down to the "Shooting Academy" at Auburn. www.shootingacademy.com

and the guys there can explain everything to you.

basically to get a pistol licence, you need to become a member of a pistol club. i am a member of the Parramatta Pistol Club who shoot thursday nights at the shooting academy. (membership is worth different amounts depending where you go) after that you do some paperwork/a test ($77 i think- not sure, but i do know its $77 for the rifle test though), provided it comes back clear, you get a 3month probation to shoot and basically learn etc. then you send some more stuff off to the registry (i believe, im a little sketchy, been over 5 years :P) and they approve you, send out a notice, you go down the RTA, pay $200 and get your firearms licence for 5 years.

now in the first 6 months, you cannot buy a gun. but most clubs have guns which you can hire.

now im a bit rough on some of the steps/costs. but that is basically it. the guys at the club/range, or anyother range in sydney could tell you that.

or ring the registry, and follow the prompts and they'll tell you there.

NSW Firearms Registry 1300 362 562.

[SiKoRa_eL_97]

When im 18 i wanna get my license will be a nice past time i rekon

[Gimmers55]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Does anyone know if any such centres exist near Canberra? I'm keen to shoot off a big gun. Too much GTA possibly lol!

There's a range and club out on Majura Road near the Federal Hwy

[normxb]

Originally Posted by SiKoRa_eL_97

When im 18 i wanna get my license will be a nice past time i rekon

Yep SiKoRa , It's a great past time , Clubs teach you respect and safety for Firearms in a controlled aspect . The good thing is you can look at it in two ways ,
1/ Just work on your own score & have a good time. (don't worry if someone is a better shot)
2/ If you're serious you can go into Comps . A mate of mine was "right into it" years ago , and won quite a few championships , but he had some pretty good "Expensive gear" because he owned a Gun Shop (good promo for his business).

Bit like when I was Car racing years ago at club level , I just went out for the fun & enjoyment & usually came around the middle of the pack , a mate was always out to win .. end of the day he was "Stressed out" & I'd go home relaxed just cos I had a good time.

Just trying to remember , I think each rifle/shotgun cost me $10 each to get inspected by a Gunsmith at the time ? but that was quite a few years ago..

Also Make sure you have a very secure Gun Cabinet , don't go cheap there. The Police here say I've got one of the most secure ones in town " 5 Padlocks to remove rifles & a Deadlock on the ammo/bolt section".

[HLC]

Originally Posted by SiKoRa_eL_97

When im 18 i wanna get my license will be a nice past time i rekon

you can get a "minor's permit" so long as you are over 12. so, now.

[HLC]

Originally Posted by normxb

Also Make sure you have a very secure Gun Cabinet , don't go cheap there. The Police here say I've got one of the most secure ones in town " 5 Padlocks to remove rifles & a Deadlock on the ammo/bolt section".

there are police regs these days. for hand guns you need a "category H" safe. which is mimimum 6mm steel for the door. plus 4 dynabolts in the floor/wall. guns/ammo/mags all locked up in separate safes/cabinets. yeah its ridiculous.

[TURBOTAXI]

Originally Posted by nugget378

Are you from Mendooran Turbotaxi?do you know any of the Broughton's,they have a place there,I have some acres in Coolah..

Yeah, I moved here about 2.5 years ago from Sydney.

Best move ever!!! I will get back to you on the "Broughton" name

http://home.kooee.com.au/jfmartin/index.htm

This site is pretty good, I know Fran, I bought a house from her a while back.

[nugget378]

Its cool,just a work mate of mine,his family owns a property there.
Was just thinking maybe you know him,he works in Sydney but is up there a bit..
I still havent had the time to go up for a visit though..

[loxxr6]

Originally Posted by HLC

ok, if you guys have a chance this thursday night, or friday (12-3:30pm only- close at 4:P), come down to the "Shooting Academy" at Auburn. www.shootingacademy.com

and the guys there can explain everything to you.

basically to get a pistol licence, you need to become a member of a pistol club. i am a member of the Parramatta Pistol Club who shoot thursday nights at the shooting academy. (membership is worth different amounts depending where you go) after that you do some paperwork/a test ($77 i think- not sure, but i do know its $77 for the rifle test though), provided it comes back clear, you get a 3month probation to shoot and basically learn etc. then you send some more stuff off to the registry (i believe, im a little sketchy, been over 5 years :P) and they approve you, send out a notice, you go down the RTA, pay $200 and get your firearms licence for 5 years.

now in the first 6 months, you cannot buy a gun. but most clubs have guns which you can hire.

now im a bit rough on some of the steps/costs. but that is basically it. the guys at the club/range, or anyother range in sydney could tell you that.

or ring the registry, and follow the prompts and they'll tell you there.

NSW Firearms Registry 1300 362 562.

Cool. I'm at Parra and Auburn is pretty close by too.

I might make a few calls tomorrow and see how it all pans out.

[colossus]

sorry - please delete

[HLC]

Originally Posted by loxxr6

Cool. I'm at Parra and Auburn is pretty close by too.

I might make a few calls tomorrow and see how it all pans out.

no worries. i only mentioned thursday night (cause ill be shooting) and friday, cause ill be working (cleaning) haha

[blownvn]

Originally Posted by nugget378

Are you from Mendooran Turbotaxi?do you know any of the Broughton's,they have a place there,I have some acres in Coolah..

I grew up around Coolah (actually a little place called Uarbry between Cassilis and Dunedoo) and went to Coolah Central School from year 5 to year 12.

Used to do alot of shooting when I was younger but handed everything in back in '96 during the buyback scheme. Only recently I've decided to get involved again and joined a pistol club in the interests of shooting IPSC.

Ozfords - I'm surprised that you think the gun laws make your job any safer, the criminals didn't hand in their guns, only the law abiding citizens did. Statistics have shown that there has been no decrease in gun crime since the 1996 gun reform.
The recent pistol buyback scheme was even sillier; the government used $180,000,000 of tax payers money to buy back guns that were all registered and perfectly legal until they introduced the .38 caliber and 10 round limits. Most of that money payed for new guns that were bought to replace the confiscated guns so the number of handguns didn't really decrease at all. One guy I heard about got so much money from the pistol buyback that he bought a brand new Harley.

[Ozfords]

Originally Posted by blownvn

Ozfords - I'm surprised that you think the gun laws make your job any safer, the criminals didn't hand in their guns, only the law abiding citizens did. Statistics have shown that there has been no decrease in gun crime since the 1996 gun reform.
The recent pistol buyback scheme was even sillier; the government used $180,000,000 of tax payers money to buy back guns that were all registered and perfectly legal until they introduced the .38 caliber and 10 round limits. Most of that money payed for new guns that were bought to replace the confiscated guns so the number of handguns didn't really decrease at all. One guy I heard about got so much money from the pistol buyback that he bought a brand new Harley.

I never really said the firearm laws were all that great for myself and my colleagues.

I knew a neighbour who gave me the whole story regarding the (relativley) new laws and a mates father who gave me a similar spiel.

Honest citizens suffer alot, they follow the law everyday and yet are surrounded by those who don't.

The point I want to make is why there is a need for those who don't live on a farm with livestock to have their complete firearm and ammunition at home. No matter how much it is protected in safes and reinforced cabinets, they are making themselves a target for organised crime and they cannot load up and take their firearm for a couple of shots in the backyard.

The reforms are all about reducing the amount of high power firearms in the community. Say for example the feds or customs stop a delivery of illegal firearms, this turns their interest to firearms holders in the form of home invasions or elaborate means to freeing firearms at homes. For someone to have their prized firearm stolen can be traumatic to them and a added headache for local law enforcement.

[loxxr6]

Originally Posted by HLC

no worries. i only mentioned thursday night (cause ill be shooting) and friday, cause ill be working (cleaning) haha

What's the Parra Pistol Club m'ship set you back ?

[nugget378]

Originally Posted by blownvn

I grew up around Coolah (actually a little place called Uarbry between Cassilis and Dunedoo) and went to Coolah Central School from year 5 to year 12.

Im on Neilrex Rd, just out past the airport...

[gamera]

yer i do a bit of vermin control whenever i can. cant wait to go after some pigs though

[blownvn]

Originally Posted by nugget378

Im on Neilrex Rd, just out past the airport...

Yeah I know Neilrex Road.

Remember when that C-130 got bogged at the Airport? That was pretty funny at the time, it took them a couple weeks to get it out from memory.

Originally Posted by Ozfords

The point I want to make is why there is a need for those who don't live on a farm with livestock to have their complete firearm and ammunition at home. No matter how much it is protected in safes and reinforced cabinets, they are making themselves a target for organised crime and they cannot load up and take their firearm for a couple of shots in the backyard.

So you think we should hand over firearms to the Government for safekeeping? One repository per town? That doesn't sound like a very good idea... talk about a target for criminals.

Originally Posted by Ozfords

The reforms are all about reducing the amount of high power firearms in the community. Say for example the feds or customs stop a delivery of illegal firearms, this turns their interest to firearms holders in the form of home invasions or elaborate means to freeing firearms at homes. For someone to have their prized firearm stolen can be traumatic to them and a added headache for local law enforcement.

Isn't the safe supposed to delay criminals long enough for Police to show up and stop the bad guys?
In my area I severely doubt I'm setting myself up for a home invasion. I looked up the registered firearms list (the one that shows how many firearms are register in each postcode) and I certainly wont be alone in my area. Between Wagga and Albury I think we've got the highest concentraion of privately owned firearms in Australia.

In some ways I like the American way of dealing with the problem of crime. Concealed carry permits for honest law abiding citizens exist in 44 American states (some American states are more limited than others) and the right to defend your person and property (pretty much universal across America).

In Australia the only thing you can do is build yourself a fortress (if your council will allow that), Dial 000 and hole up until the cavalry arrives.

[normxb]

Even though I live in town , I go shooting on relo's/friends farms 35k's west , 42k's NW , 28k's N , 32k's NE , 14k's E , 33k's S , so it's hard to leave my Fire Arms on any of the farms I go to . All depends who's having Fox/Rabbit problems at the time . Could mean a 150k round trip to go shooting for an hour or so.

But if you saw my 3 car shed ? ? ? can't even fit my Racecar in there , would take them a half hour to find the cabinet then get through 5 H/D padlocks & a Deadlock : (I'm a couple of hours north of Wagga)

[HLC]

Originally Posted by loxxr6

What's the Parra Pistol Club m'ship set you back ?

this yeah just gone, it was $295 per year. may be a little more this year to make up for lack of members. plus there is $70 to register with the SSAA- covers insurance and a whole heap of other stuff. but you can only shoot on thursday night, without paying additional range fees to the shooting academy. their club is around $415 per year but you can shoot any day til 4 o clock (i think) and thursday nights. plus the 70 for SSAA.

[nugget378]

Originally Posted by blownvn

Yeah I know Neilrex Road.

Remember when that C-130 got bogged at the Airport? That was pretty funny at the time, it took them a couple weeks to get it out from memory.

No mate Ive only been there 3 years..
Not full time yet, building a house on the place atm.
Hope to be living there permenantly within the next 5 years..

Originally Posted by blownvn

for Police Isn't the safe supposed to delay criminals long enough to show up and stop the bad guys?
In my area I severely doubt I'm setting myself up for a home invasion. I looked up the registered firearms list (the one that shows how many firearms are register in each postcode) and I certainly wont be alone in my area. Between Wagga and Albury I think we've got the highest concentraion of privately owned firearms in Australia.

In some ways I like the American way of dealing with the problem of crime. Concealed carry permits for honest law abiding citizens exist in 44 American states (some American states are more limited than others) and the right to defend your person and property (pretty much universal across America).

In Australia the only thing you can do is build yourself a fortress (if your council will allow that), Dial 000 and hole up until the cavalry arrives.

Tell it like it is,I sure as hell would prefer the right to defend myself,and the tools to do it,rather than wait for help that may,or may not come in time...

[blownvn]

No mate Ive only been there 3 years..
Not full time yet, building a house on the place atm.
Hope to be living there permenantly within the next 5 years..

Good, I was hoping you weren't someone I went to school with... most of them were assholes.

Tell it like it is,I sure as hell would prefer the right to defend myself,and the tools to do it,rather than wait for help that may,or may not come in time...

There's an interesting book from the US called "Dial 911 and Die" which explains in the US that there is no legal requirement for Police to turn up if you Dial 911 and cite plenty of cases to prove it. I wonder what the situation is here in Australia?


Anyway I wasn't trying to turn this into a anti-gun control thread but I guess it's inevitable with restrictive and ridiculous laws.
I shoot purely for fun and only on targets these days. My days of hunting are far behind me but I don't begrudge those that do their right to do so. After all with no hunters the feral animal problem in Australia would spiral out of control. Obviously the NSW State Government could see this happening and that's why they now allow hunting in NSW State Forests (with a permit).

[loxxr6]

Originally Posted by HLC

this yeah just gone, it was $295 per year. may be a little more this year to make up for lack of members. plus there is $70 to register with the SSAA- covers insurance and a whole heap of other stuff. but you can only shoot on thursday night, without paying additional range fees to the shooting academy. their club is around $415 per year but you can shoot any day til 4 o clock (i think) and thursday nights. plus the 70 for SSAA.

Thanks. The guys got back to me with a joining fee of $350 a year. I'm pretty interested but my wallet will have to recover first.

Is it busy on the thursday ?

[HLC]

Originally Posted by loxxr6

Thanks. The guys got back to me with a joining fee of $350 a year. I'm pretty interested but my wallet will have to recover first.

Is it busy on the thursday ?

well thursday night is the night that the 2 biggest clubs (i believe) shoot. ive not long been home. knackered.

mate, there is an open day coming up on the 21st of october a saturday. where you can just come down and try out for a small cost. no joining obligations or anything.

the FTF club of NSW might be coming down early morning as well, so that could be cool. when i get more info, ill send a PM, or you to me if you need any info.

[Psycho Chicken]

Originally Posted by blownvn

In some ways I like the American way of dealing with the problem of crime. Concealed carry permits for honest law abiding citizens exist in 44 American states (some American states are more limited than others) and the right to defend your person and property (pretty much universal across America).

Concealed carry sucks, open carry, now that's the good stuff. I wanna live in Arizona.

[Casper]

I grew up around guns, owned my first shotgun and .22 at the age of 15 and was a competitive air rifle target shooter for many years (twice silver medalist in the Vic championships in my class and had an ex Olympian as a coach) so to me guns were a very normal part of my life. (Don't kid yourself, competitive air rifles will shoot a slug through your head and out the other side at 15 meters.. they are VERY high powered.)

I did choose, however, to hand in my guns and let my license expire once I planned on becoming a Dad. In today's society guns and kids are not a comfortable mix (in my opinion only) and I decided not to pursue that interest anymore. Besides, cars cost enough as it is.