How I Would Change Gun Laws Part 3 – Handguns
I don’t shoot handguns, I never have even fired one. Why? Because it is hard to justify dedicating so much time and money in owning one just for target shooting.
I’d be happy to do all the safety courses and keep refreshing them every couple of years. That’s no problem. The problem is the silly restrictions that have been placed upon people to try and deter them from shooting handguns.
Shooting handguns I imagine is very cost prohibitive, add up range fees, ammo cost & fuel to get to the range and it quickly adds up. You have to be extremely dedicated to the sport to make such a huge commitment.
I don’t think for me to be a safe handgunner that I need to shoot so often and only at the range.
This is how I would change handgun laws:
- Make hunting a “Genuine Reason”. With the appropriate safety training there should be no reason why we can’t have a side arm with us when we are hunting. Handgun hunting is a legitimate sport in the states as well and I see no reason why hunters are any less responsible or safe than target shooters.
- Abolish maximum calibre law – Why why why? There’s no real reason to ban calibres larger than .38, any firearm can be dangerous regardless of size, I don’t think there is a genuine reason for the restriction, it was put in place to look like they are achieving something. I think Dirty Harry’s 44magnum in the movies was one of the reasons for this stupid law. It’s just that they sound more dangerous than a 9mm. That said I’m pretty sure you can buy a 308win in a TC handgun as its under .38cal. (can someone confirm this for me?)
- Minimum 4 shoots a year at a range instead of 6 or 8 a year depending on if you won one or two types of handgun. This law was put in place as another deterrent to stop people from bothering getting their handgun license.
- Abolish the stupid law that you can either buy 2 centrefire handguns only or two air/rimfire handguns in your second six months of holding a license. Why can you not be able to buy 1 centrefire and 1 rimfire handgun in that same time? There is no reason for this – another well thought out law.
- 6 month probation instead of 12. After you do your safety course, you should only be on probation for 6 months. In that time you should be made to complete 1 shoot a month just to get familiar and become safe in using handguns. 12 months is too long. It is just another deterrent and does not make sense.
These sorts of laws were put in place to make it hard for you to become a handgunner. They aren’t about safety they are about killing the sport of handgunning. I think the government is succeeding as it has deterred me from joining the sport, even though I’d love to be able to shoot handguns. Now remember I’m not well versed in the world of handgunning but I feel that the above changes wouldn’t make the sport of handgunning any more dangerous. Perhaps I am wrong on some of these points so tell me if I am but I believe it would lower the barrier to entry to the sport so more people could enjoy it and enjoy it safely.
I would already be a handgunner if I could change these gun laws.
Let me know what you think in the comments section. Am I off the mark? Do you agree? Did I miss out on any other silly hand gun laws? Tell me what you think.
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Category: Keith Drain's Column
Like you Keith, I would like to own a handgun, & like you, as a long time licensed firearm owner & shooter, I have been put off by the hoops I would have to jump through to achieve this.
The conditions imposed are too strict & only serve to penalize genuine enthusiasts.
But at least they stop the crims from getting handguns, don’t they……..
No Cruisey, the crims still have handgu…. oh you were being sarcastic…
You are exactly right mate. It’s too hard. I often wonder if I should just do it just so there’s one more person with a H license.
If only we could get some of the celebs in Aus that shoot to speak out. For instance Kostya Tszyu use to shoot handguns and hunt quite a bit.
Imagine if we could get him to speak out for us..
Don’t let these laws deter you, the only deterent should be that you don’t have a range within a reasonable distance.
I shoot handguns and love it, the laws are a small hurdle in the process of becoming licenced but later are not difficult to manage if you love the sport.
The more people shoot pistol in Australia the more backing the sport has here, it’s what’s needed.
Aggree 100%….when I was a kid and went shooting rabbits (22lr)….my father used to ask me “Do you have back up?”and if I haven’t had 7,62×25 in my pocket that would be end of my shooting day. O.K. different story was and still is in Europe where wolves, big rusian boars, bears live in most of the forests.
Personaly I am not in handgunning but support your aim and agree absolutely. I will never understand why lever action shotgun is SO MUCH different to pump action shotgun. As a B class holder I can have pump action centrefire and lever action centrefire….as A class holder I can have lever action shotgun BUT I CANNOT HAVE pump action shotgun???????? AM I missing something or those buerocrats lost their minds…..pardon me…..pump action shootgun looks teribly scarry…isn’t that right……that’s why…..didn’t Dirty Harry have one pump action shot gun……??????.
You are probably right Mat, I should. I should do it out of sheer defiance
You are spot on mate. Bloody stupid that we cant have pump action shotguns. Well its bloody stupid we cant have semi auto shotguns and rimfires even.
The gun laws in Aus are a joke! I totally agree that handgun target shooters shouldn’t have a restriction on .38 or 9mm, they should be able to get whatever caliber they want, that would make the sport more fun because there would be more of a variety on guns to shoot. And also the magazine capacity has to be under 10, how ridiculous. Thats just one of many stupid laws, like not being able to have pump or semi-auto shotguns. And one of the most stupid laws is how silencers are massively illegal, whats the reasoning behind this? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a choice to shoot a gun and not be deaf be the noise. The gun laws really have to be lifted, they are a joke. And most of it is to blame for the 1996 Port Author Massacre, one mentally messed up person goes and kills 27 people with guns and the whole county has the suffer with these strict as gun laws. If you agree that the gun laws are to strict (and if you dont your messed up) vote for the “Shooters and Fishers Party” they will lighten up gun laws in Australia. Peace
I do agree with most of these posts. I have just obtained my Firearms licence and have a couple of hunting rifles. But I have 1 question. If I obtained a handgun licence by jumping through all of the hoops that the government has set. Could I legally hunt (or take my handgun hunting with me) without breaking the law?
Cheers
In regards to the post above I am situated in queensland, Australia.
Nope i just looked it up. Hunting of any sort is not a Genuine Reason for owning a handgun in Australia… this means you cant take it hunting. but you can take a .308 Rifle rabbit hunting if you want..
Yeah not being able to hunt with a handgun was a big turn off for me. I do t see how a handgun is any different to a rifle and in the hands of a law abiding licenced sporting shooter there is no danger from any type of firearm
I agree its rubbish laws, meanwhile your friendly neighourhood criminal is laughing at the gov, as they are get guns imported and have to abid by any laws. England and australia criminology rearsherhave proven the buy back was a failure, the money was best spent on mental health and law in forcement of drug control. Theyll do anything to win votes. I suggest to sign up to the shooters union and then ask to fight on this issues. In australia you cant even own a airsoft gun or have airsoft skirmises like tge redt of the world, why you say quote no geninue reason quote. We look like fools to the other nation, mind you china allows airsoft and there communist country so what does this make us.