Farmers and sport shooters are urged to thank their MPs for stopping this unauthorised, attempted disarmament following the lead of Marxist Western Australia Labor 12 months ago. Next they will try taking your .308 standard military calibre and who know what else?
From Shooters Union and CN Townsville Bureau
Hunters, graziers, farmers and stockmen can breathe a sigh of relief about losing their large calibre, centrefire rifles after KAP Member for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto received a reply from the Queensland Police Minister Dan Purdie saying the LNP had no plans to take these firearms from shooters.
Shooters received letters from the Firearms Branch telling them they could not own a large calibre rifle unless they had a good reason when lodging a permit to acquire, sparking a flurry of complaints to parliamentary members. See letter below:
From Shooters Union
We have credible information that the Queensland Police Service Weapons Licensing Branch (WLB) is planning to enact a ban on “large calibre” rifles, despite not having any legislative basis for doing so.
Members have reported for some time receiving “Please explain” letters whenever they lodged a Permit To Acquire for rifles in the .338 Lapua Magnum calibre, with WLB citing concern the cartridge was “too large” for range use and excessive for hunting use on the sort of game encountered in QLD.
Worse, this attitude has now spread to other previously acceptable calibres including .300 Winchester Magnum and the venerable (and incredibly versatile) .375 Holland & Holland Magnum cartridge.
Applicants for these calibres have been asked for proof of their long-range (1km+) shooting experience and abilities, despite the .375 H&H not having the range for that and not being used for those purposes anyway and .300 Winchester Magnum not being considered a “large calibre” by most shooting professionals.
There is absolutely nothing in the Weapons Act or Regulations restricting or banning any rifle calibre except .50BMG.
As far as Shooters Union is concerned, all centrefire rifle calibres except .50BMG are acceptable for any recreational or occupational shooting use and it should not be up for debate or interpretation by civil servants with limited firearm knowledge.
Also please remember: These “First and final notices” from WLB are not an official rejection – they are a request for more information. Members who have provided enough information have generally (but not always) had their PTAs processed – but we have heard through our trusted sources WLB are planning to put a stop to this.
We’ve been given unsatisfactory responses by WLB when we’ve raised this issue and are now taking it straight to the Police Minister – and we need your help.
We believe they are literally making up laws, and it needs to stop.
Even if you don’t own, or plan to get, a “large calibre” rifle – THIS AFFECTS YOU. Today it’s .338LM or .300WM, and eventually they’ll start asking if you really need a .308 for that hunting trip.
Graziers, stockmen and hunters across the north use these larger calibres for humane and safe culling of feral bulls, wild camels and large boars to effectively dispatch with one shot, often at a distance taking the danger out of wild animal destruction.
