Boys Anti-tank Rifle

[Douglas Greville]

Rob

Believe it or not, where I live in NSW they are classed as a pistol due to having
the pistol grip.

Never underestimate the stupidity of officialdom.

Thus they are in the same category for licencing.

Regards
Doug

[Lynn Eades]

Doug, it is the changes they make in the dead of night that worries me about your second statement.
Over here, I think the Boyes rifle is just a rifle. (not sure at all) They would be a fortune and nearly never seen for sale. I wouldn't even tease myself with the idea.

[Douglas Greville]

Lynn

They come on the market occasionally here. As you say, never cheap. But the hassle of owning one is not worth it. Having something 5' long that is classed as a pistol and has to be stored in a pistol safe that complies with the law is just sheer lunacy. For starters, the safe has to be specially made, because, surprise surprise you can't buy a 5' long pistol safe.... nor for that matter normally a 5' long rifle safe. Pistols are a special category as they are classed as a "concealable weapon", I have yet to see anyone who can conceal a 5' long anti-tank rifle up their shirt!

Regards
Doug

[Lynn Eades]

Doug, in an ideal world you would petition your local M.P. about it, and he / (she?) would go into bat for you to tidy up a stupid unworkable law.
(on that note, Is it law or policy? because policy is often put forward as law)
The police firearms people should also be embarrassed by the stupidity of the law and support the idea of sensible change.
The politicians should see that good people proud to be Australians would want sensible laws for good Australians to live by and also support change.....

Sorry Doug, my wife must have put something in my coffee.

[Petr Brezina]

Uff, I was a bit worried about you at first, Lynn

[Douglas Greville]

Lynn

You had probably not fully awoken for the day and faced the reality of the being
a "citizen" in a "democratic" society......

I have photos of my dad, riding his WW2 Indian around the South Island in
1946 with a .22 on a sling over his shoulder. He and his mate would stop
at a farm every night, ask permission to shoot rabbits etc for dinner. He said
they always got permission usually with the caution not to shoot towards the
house. Often they would be invited in for dinner.
Not once did anyone ever phone the police or react badly to 2 armed men
on motorcycles riding up to a house.
Amazing how much common sense and civility people used to have.

I often say to my son, we have the least worst political system, not the
best. Looking at the current circus and the ones that have gone before
it in NA, the alternatives don't seem real attractive.

Regards
Doug

[Lynn Eades]

Yes Doug, I remember those days of young men walking down the road with a rifle, for all the public to see. The thing is that the public has changed. We hid our firearms from them and now the public perception is that if a person is seen with a rifle, they must be up to no good.
Many of N.Z's truly good soldiers of last century developed their survival, personal discipline and independence skills from hunting in the rugged wilds of the country most likely with an ex service rifle, before joining up. It was an important part of the character of the "Kiwi" of the day.
Fortunately our firearms laws are not as draconian as yours, .....yet!
It will sadly take only 1 nutbar because politicians are politicians and a politician with integrity is an oxymoron.
I found it sadly amusing to see at W&P in the U.K. a few years ago, that the British have lost their firearms sense. They point them anywhere and at anybody because they are all deactivated.

My first rifle was presented to my father for me, before I was born.

Over here we can own rifles and shot guns on a standard firearms license.
(A license) (this I believe is what would be required to own a Boyes rifle?)

As a member of a pistol club we can own and shoot pistols under stringent rules. ("B" endosement to the license)

By process of qualification, we can obtain a "C" endorsement. This allows us to own pistols and machine guns (but never to fire either) (only the military can fire machine guns in this country)

A "D" endorsement is a license required if you wish to be a firearms dealer.

And lastly an "E" endorsement allows a person to own and fire military style semi automatics.

The above is all controlled by stringent laws, firstly by vetting and covering use, security (differs for each class), storage of ammunition etc, etc. Another aspect is that anyone contravening the law stands little chance of getting their license back, should the police cancel it.
You cannot obtain a license here for self defence, in fact any hint that that is a reason will negate the issuing of a license.