WARNING: THIS COULD EASILY HAPPEN IN OTHER STATES
IN A SAD INDICTMENT ON GUN LAWS IN WA, WAToday is reporting that some guns are being forfeited ahead of this Friday’s deadline.
It’s a poison policy aimed at firearm woners that could easily spread to other states if we let this go unchallenged
FRIDAY 30 JUNE: Papalia's D-Day
THE PAPER reports that 248, or “three-quarters of Western Australia’s “very high-powered” firearms” have already been surrendered.
The article later reports that some of those were sold interstate or re-chambered or re-barrelled to other calibres.
The concept of ‘very high-powered’ firearms has been around in WA for a few years and always subject to arbitrary policies: now they are being banned.
The article says there are 70 “weapons” (we call them firearms) yet to be handed over. This does not include any firearms in the hands of criminals: they are being allowed to keep those.
Friday also marks when nineteen calibres of ammunition will also be outlawed – but not for criminals. Papalia has not introduced any measures aimed at them.
The article quotes WA Police Minister Paul Papalia as saying very high-powered weapons had no place in his state.
If you think this can’t happen in other states, then all you need is another Papalia, and you’ll be in the same boat.
A bit more about the calibre bans
The attacks on calibres (see the list to the right) came about because SSAA WA had been funding an expensive WA Supreme Court case on what Papalia called ‘high cal rifles’, which looked like it was going to go their way.
The then Premier, Mark McGowan, and Papalia moved to head this off by arranging the now infamous “50 cal Press conference” where the police purchased a 50cal rifle to show how “scary and dangerous they were.” This is a story the NSC exposed as a reckless and dangerous stunt to back their argument.
The Police Minister was also caught out lying about the ability of these calibres to penetrate WA Police tacticle armoured vehicles.
None of the firearms that are subject to the ban have ever been recording in being involved in any crime ever in WA.
In fact no criminal is going to be stupid enough to lug around a 30kg 416 Barrett (which Papalia calls a sniper rifle), which is simply a supurb long range rifle for long range matches shot throughout Australia.
Don't just sit there and stare at the screen
Attacks like this underscore why it’s important to get behind the NSC.
We need to mobilise as many shooters as possible to stand up against this sort of treatment.
Prohibited cartridges
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- .340 Weatherby Magnum
- .28 Nosler
- .330 Dakota
- .338 Lapua
- .300 Lapua Magnum
- .338-404 Jeffery
- .338 Norma Magnum
- .338-378 Weatherby Magnum
- .338 Edge
- .30-378 Weatherby Magnum
- .300 Norma Magnum
- .375 A-Square
- .375 Gibbs
- .460 Steyr
- .375 CheyTac
- .416 Barrett
- .408 CheyTac
- .50 BMG
We know this comes too late in WA, however we are looking at changing the jobs of a few politicians in that state at their next state election. That’s where you come in. You need to not only jump in behind the NSC but make sure other shooters know what they can do, by visiting their local MP and making sure they vote the right way.
This is a very long term fight. It might take a couple – or maybe a few – election cycles before we get to where we need to be, but we are determined to get there.
So basically after all the fighting, all the donations, all the effort – we’re getting nowhere? Instead of it being a quick kick in the guts, it’s a long, slow drawn out process where the system always wins. What a mess!
Our legislative system is not fit for purpose. Our constitution prohibits the formation of militias and leaves the people of Oz with little recourse against despotic government. One shouldn’t be surprised though, the 1901 Australian Constitution is a British Act of Parliament- the same institution that fought against and lost the US War of Independence! What next, outlawing centreline calibres for all recreational shooters? Don’t think that it could never happen. The government won’t stop unless they think the public is willing to use their firearms in response to tyranny
Many years ago the Labour party held a meeting in Alice springs and removing firearms from the general public was discussed. It was understood that this could not be done in one stage, it had to be done in stages over a period of time.
Their ultimate aim was to “Disarm the general public so they could be controlled in time of crises ”
Wonder what control they have in mind?
your talking about large cal firearms, these firearms are not ideally practical firearms for hunting because we don’t have extremely large game ( we aren’t hunting elephants) but in my opinion a 30-06 is more than capable. As for the 50bmg it is a military firearm and it is definitely not a firearm for civilian needs. the ban on the 50cal is justified it should never of been cleared for use by civilians in the first place and needs to be banned nationwide. ( if you want to play with a big boy rifle go and join the army if you don’t like that well that’s just tough get over it)
but as for the other cals most of smaller cals I think the government is just grabbing at straws and have just put them in to make it look good. they would have been better just to ban the imports of armour piecing rounds.
That’s a fudd comment if I ever I read one. I don’t have a 50BMG & don’t intend on getting one, but we’re either licensed & responsible or we’re not. When was the last hold-up or terrorist act done using a 50BMG or a 338 Lapua? It’s just more dumb bureaucracy
Civilians do not need those lage cal 50BMG and 338 Lapua. What suddenly we are going to be invaded by killer Elephant’s.
I am sorry T Menz but you are either ill-informed or being vexatious. As far as I am aware all the WA licensed .50cal’s were club supported firearms. Thus, they were for club sponsored events only, and hunting is not a club supported activity (to the best of my knowledge). So having them for club competition is a legitimate reason. This calibre is use in many Long-Range Shooting events, so to say it is a “military” firearm is a bit of a stretch. Are you saying that all “military” firearms/calibres should be banned? There goes my 9mm.
As to some of the other calibres I know a few professional shooters, here in Kalgoorlie WA, that used them for humane pest control of our large animals.
If we take your reasoning, then there should be no firearms allowed unless they are use for hunting? This would mean no handguns and many others.
I have been shooting since I was 9 years old, both target and hunting, both club, national and international, both civilian and military (21 years army). I know what firearms/calibres I would prefer if you wanted to commit criminal activity (as a responsible firearms owner I would never be involved in) and .50cal would be very low on my list, too expensive, too heavy, and too big.
T Menz I disagree. Armies need large bodies of civilians familiar with their calibres to recruit in time of war. Currently, of that list, those are .50 and .338 Lapua (Russia bought a bunch of .338 Lapuas from Britain’s Accuracy International before invading Ukraine). As for 30-06, have you heard of .308?
if we are ever recruited in time of war mate I can tell you this they are not going to put a 50BMG in a civilians hands so there is no need to have or be allowed to own them. and yes I have heard of the .308 and the .303. If you want to get technical David M 30-06 has slightly more power then the .308.
Every army at war wants recruits already competent in the calibre they will use. Including .50. That’s exactly what someone with a history of using the calibre will be given. In WWI the Australian army spent hardly any time training on firearm use, but trained on tactics. Most effort was on support/technical units, as we had a society of expert riflemen, who owned .303 rifles of exactly the same type the army used. That’s why they were so effective after the Turkish line was broken in the Battle of Beersheba.
The Russians noticed and started the AK12 project, finished in 2016. It’s their battle rifle and has a semi-automatic civilian edition that can’t be made fully automatic, even with a backyard machine shop, comes in the same calibre and has interchangeable parts. If you obtain a Hunting licence, as it’s called there, you’re encouraged to buy one, even if it’s not suitable for what you’re hunting – it’s an Australian playbook.
The .308 is more practical and, depending on the firearm, longer range, than the .30-06. That’s why it was taken up so widely and the .30-06 is redundant, along with the .303. Things I expect most firearms owners know (if they’re old enough to remember there was a .30-06 – it always was rare in Australia. Why do you mention it?).
Why would anyone buy a 30-06 if .308, 6.5 Creedmore, rifles in .40 and rifles able to take 135gn 9mm pistol ammunition are available?
From your comments here, disingenuous comes to mind. Either that or take a look at cpexposed.co.uk if you’ve been subjected to those methods by someone abusing your trust.
Whatever the fact is the Government’s made their decision and it doesn’t matter how much noise people make it won’t change their minds, and the more we crow on about it the more leeway they get and those bloody anti-gun lobbyists get to say we don’t need firearms. then we lose every firearm and I don’t know about you but I prefer to keep the firearms I have then lose every one of them. because the way it looks to me that’s the way we are heading to being disarmed permanently.
Naturally, The W.A Government will compensate the owners of these so called dangerous high calibre firearms, and pay the owners the full commercial value of these?
I myself was considering purchasing a Sako – M10, chambered in 338 Lupua Magnim. Which was going to cost me (Including the correct scope) in access of $26,000
I certainly would not just openly hand over any firearm of that value without first discussing financial recompence, and I am sure, that any Court of Appeal in Australia, would agree that my request for payment of this would not be unreasonable..
Particularly considering, These firearms were purchased in good faith and Legaly! Then (The Police, who represent the Government) shifted the gold post for no other reason than to satisfy thier wants and demands, well that’s all very fine, But Not at my expense!
Do keep this in mind.
In addition to my last comments, and most importantly.
Iff your Legaly aquired firearms are confiscated by the Police (for a variety of reasons, including licence cancellation), You, the bonifidie purchaser for value, are still the Legal owner of these firearms.. The Police cannot sell, destroy, or damage these in any way shape or form, and they have a duty of care to maintain your property in the same condition as it was received.
It is solely at your discretion what you Legaly decide to do with them and all proceeds come directly to you, the owner.
It seems like you have to live in a free country for a licenced shooter to own those calibre’s. Labours in charge and very much a left wing communist controlling regime. Anything but a free country.
Australia is a example to other countries on how to run a totally captured consumer society where everyone is in debt or on the dole we have no access to weapons or legal use of them and we pay the highest taxes in the world.
Our government is totalitarian in nature and with the new laws Albo is trying to pass on the 6/8/23 we will have a state run internet where everything is censored. Why would they allow us firearms when they control everything else, we have become China.