Select to expand quote
IanR said.. No Mark it is not me suggesting five, it NSW MP David Shoebridge.
Maybe not practical for framers or people in rural areas but I think it is for people in high density urban areas
How many sport shooters could justify following More than five disciplines.
Or recreational Hunters needing more than five guns, surely a shotgun, a .22 , a .223 and a .308 would cover all the game a hunter would come across in Australia.
davidshoebridge.org.au/2016/04/10/private-arsenals-grow-as-registered-gun-numbers-soar/ Ok for a recreational who is right into it
Air rifle - urban areas
.22 - bunnies
.223 - longer shots for bunnies, foxes, roos under 200m
.243 to .308 class - goats, pigs, longer distance roo shooting
.338 win mag ish class - camels or very long range hill country shooting where peak to peak is the only option (none of that in WA but your mob do it a bit)
Shotgun (double barrel) - ducks
Shotgun (repeater with short barrel) - bunnies and foxes in close cover or for when you are second shooter spotlighting (shoot the close runners)
There is 7.
I do think that whoever is suggesting a max of 5 at least did use some thought - 5 does cover a LOT or scenarios but what they are neglecting is the current process of having to justify individual firearms.
I am not saying every shooter needs all that but there are plenty do all those forms of shooting and can justify having 5 -8 ish guns. As shown by the fact you have to justify it on your application to get them!!! The Police routinely deny applications for what they feel is too similar to what one already has so I don't think an
extra rule that there is a maximum of 5 is necessary at all.
I also think there is no argument in "the proliferation of firearms needs to be stopped" when gun ownership is at an all time high, and the pro - 1996 bans and anti lobby lobby continuously tell us that gun crime has dropped heaps. You can't have it both ways.