Thread: New range laws and shooting on unregistered ranges

The regulation is designed to catch club ranges. Sighting-in on a mates property is just the same as hunting on that property. So long as you are entitled to be there and observe all safety protocols then you are good to go.

Originally Posted by gundoc

The regulation is designed to catch club ranges. Sighting-in on a mates property is just the same as hunting on that property. So long as you are entitled to be there and observe all safety protocols then you are good to go.

This is the answer I was hoping to see, I have access to a farm to sight in my rifle but not allowed to hunt there yet. Although last time I was there I helped draft a mob of about 150 ewes and lambs so hopefully he thinks I'm a good c~^t now.

Originally Posted by gundoc

The regulation is designed to catch club ranges. Sighting-in on a mates property is just the same as hunting on that property. So long as you are entitled to be there and observe all safety protocols then you are good to go.

The Act is quite specific and all encompassing:
Shooting activities—
(a) means activities that are carried out using a firearm or an airgun for the purpose of shooting at inanimate targets (whether fixed or moving); but
(b) excludes—
(i) paintball shooting; and
(ii) airsoft shooting

The Regulations should hopefully be out for public comment in the next few weeks.

It looks as though the Police will choose not to require range certification for an "ad hoc sighting in range". The new draft Police Range Manual that slightly expands on this definition should come out for public comment with the Regulations. I really hope the Police put their interpretation in the Regulations because just because the Police choose not to require certification doesn't mean it isn't against the Act.

I am one of the Shooting Range Inspectors trained and recognised by the Police (note that the majority of us are not Police, but involved with shooting disciplines).
We do the inspection, and write the report for the club or individual, which they forward to the Police.
We try to be as pragmatic and practical as possible - we are not here to shut ranges!!!

As Gillie has said, wait for the Information and consultation process.

Note the interpretation under the Act is:
shooting range—
(a) means a facility (whether indoor or outdoor), or a designated area of land, used by a shooting club or members of the public for the primary purpose of carrying out shooting activities; and
(b) includes any defence area (as that term is defined in section 2(1) of the Defence Act 1990) used by a shooting club.

BB