Firearms

[KeithB]

I am terrified of firearms of all kinds, probably because I have had no experience with them. But I find myself wondering how many Swaggers feel the need to carry some kind of firearm when they go traveling. If so, what type and for what reason? I am not against firearms or anything like that. Just curious.
Cheers
Keith

[laf]

sounds like you want an arge bargee, if they frighten you dont mention them , why not talk about the weather or camping then you can brush your hairs back down and get a warm fussy feeling       

[weeds]

i voted no and cannot see any reason to carry one when touring our great country........although i am a gunsmith by trade which was my employment many years ago

i don't particularly likes guns either and cannot shoot for nicks

over the XMAS a mate of mine has a clay target launcher which he is brinigng out to where we are camping for a day of fun shooting clays

no need for argee bargee though.......each to their own 

[scarps]

Don't currently carry any firearms, but grew up in a country community, been shooting heaps of times. Now have 2 sons and made sure they got the opportunity to fire a shotgun so that it wasn't a mystery.
They now both have a big respect for the destructive nature of firearms when used inappropriately. Local gun clubs used to have trial days. Not sure if still they case, but can recommend.  Better to know than die wondering.

Still have a few mates who hunt, and therefore carry arms when camping.

[Azz]

I have only carried a firearm a few times while camping, hunting purposes. On a regular basis for a few months, then the first time I didn't carry one a Wallaby slammed into the side of my truck and got its legs under the rear wheel.
Broken leg, I sadly had to end its life with an axe. Was the one time I really wished i had a fire arm wit me 

I let me shooters licence go a few years back, couldn't be bothered with the paperwork. I am going to get it again, the rabbit population is steadily building around here and I wouldn't mind a few for the pot.

Guns are about education, you learn right, there shouldn't be a problem.

[FNQBunyip]

Option 5 should read : Combination of options 2,3,4 ...

A combination of 1,2,3 is a contradiction in itself ...

Cheers

[John T (NSW)]

I've been shooting clay targets for more years than I care to recall and when we travel, sometimes I carry the shotgun (all locked away in the 4x4) and enough shotguns shells to compete in a two day event - probably 300 shells. Never had the need or idea of getting the gun out of the 4x4 unless at a gun club. Don't know if I'd carry the same if we were away for months at a time. Gents in blue may want to ask "why?" My 2c worth

[KeithB]

FNQ Bunyip,
You're right, I screwed up. Now I can't figure our how to fix it. Have asked the Big Jules. for help
Keith

[GGV8Cruza]

FNQ Bunyip,
You're right, I screwed up. Now I can't figure our how to fix it. Have asked the Big Jules. for help
Keith

All fixed

GG

[Tim - Stratford]

I'll go option 6 & 7.

Option 6 - carry firearm to go plinking/vermin destruction as a favour for landowner for allowing us to camp on his land.

Option 7 - carry firearm when working and camping 

 

[doc evil]

I went the 5th option.........

I do quite a fair amount of remote travel and carry a firearm (.223) for several reasons,

1.
The law in WA (and other states I believe) state that if you hit an animal, you as the driver MUST contact the wildlife rescue mob. Now, if you're half way up the tanami or GCR or even half way to Broome, the wildlife rescue mob won't come out to you. They (or more than likely get you to) notify the police, who will attend and dispatch said animal. Now, being that some places can be hundreds of km from the nearest town that has a police station, the plods won't bother to attend or will take a day to get to you.
You then have only a couple of options,

Drive the injured critter to the nearest town that has a vet or wildlife rescue place (even if it's hundreds of km in the opposite direction).
Leave the critter to die a horrible death.
Try and bludgeon or use a knife to put it out of misery.
Dispatch it humanely and quickly with a rifle.

I'll go with the 4th option.

2.
As a survival rifle. if all goes pear shaped and help is days away, I can atleast shoot some tucker (if I run out).

3.
Yearling wild goat in the camp oven.....................mmmmmmmmmmmm..........yum...............

4.
Despatching feral animals where allowed (to shoot).

The rifle lives in a locked gun cabinet built into my truck and the ammo and bolt is stored seperately.

[lino6]

I don't carry one for a couple of reasons, but I would like to. Only for the 1 reason, for taking care of injured animals. I couldn't imagine anything worse than having to put something down with an axe or hammer. So far I haven't had to and hope I never have to, but I would prefer a firearm than something else.

[Patr80l]

Last year on the Touareg forum the Americans had those of us living in the ROW as they quaintly call it ('rest of the world") chuckling in bemusement.   There was a serious discussion on how to carry your concealed hand gun.   Some had built special mechanisms in their centre consoles that would cause the gun to rise up when they lifted the lid!   Just in case of

[Mace]

Yeah, American gun culture is certainly different! Carrying a gun is seen as a right, not as an earnt privelage as it was in my family. You had to be seen as being responsible to carry as far as my dad was concerned. I earnt the right to use one at age 14.

From this age I have always worked on the assumption that if I get it out something is going to die, which meant you had to carefully consider the end result. Living on a farm meant there was always a reason for use. It's very hard to euthanise a favourite cow or horse I can tell you.

I  only carry now when hunting game, and just got into the practice of not carrying whilst camping with the family. If I were travelling in remote areas for months I would think about making provisions to carry, but just for emergency situations.

[treads]

I'm terrified of them too! So concerned that one will claw it's way out of the safe, meet up with some of that pesky, trouble-making ammo and go off shooting innocent people....

[Tractor88]

^^^^^^

    

[Kangaron]

Now who on earth would answer this truthfully, on a friggin forum FCS. 

[Dingo0163]

Most of my camping trips was for hunting. The firearm was locked away with a trigger lock on it. The bolt and ammo was locked away in a separate tool box. If you felt like a beer the firearms were made safe and locked away before the first beer was opened and that's where they stayed for the rest of the day. If it was a family camp the firearms stayed locked up at home. IMHO a knife is more dangerous than a firearm , because there is no way to unload a sharp knife so they stay locked up every trip.

[chookduck]

Last time I carried a firearm, two actually, was in Baghdad.  But that was for 'work'.  I see traveling around our great country in a CT as play so I have no need.  But each to their own in a responsible way.

[GanG]

Camping and hunting go hand in hand for me, I may or may not carry one depending on destination and legality of hunting in that area.

I have never felt the need to carry for self defense, nor found myself in a situation that would warrant it. The unfortunate reality as I understand the law is that if you were to use your legally owned firearm for self defense you *may* wind up running foul of the law yourself as there is no lawful reccognition of self defense as a reason for private gun ownership, and licenses are issued expressly for primary production, target shooting or hunting, so using it to back down or intimidate a would be assailant is a dicey proposition if you wish to continue to enjoy the sport.

I would be interested to hear what Treads and Tim's view of this scenario is....acknowledging it aint always clear cut and there are several shades of grey in those types of situations.

[02-SR5]

Pistol shooter myself.

Currently awaiting my Cat H and PTA to come through on a Gen 3 Glock 17.

The hoops and legislation I have to jump through is BS.

I have to be a member of a pistol club for at least 6 months. Yea, fair enough.

Then their is a minimum 28 day cooling off period before they will even look at your licence. Christ, I just spent 6 months cooling off. It can take up to 3-6 months to process.

Imagine if it took 3-6 months to process your forklift, HR, drivers or motorbike license, after you have completed the formal period of 100 hours of driving as an example.

Shooters are fkd over for no reason.

[Homer_Jay]

To the OP - What makes you 'terrified' of firearms?

Just curious of your train of thought.

You would have a 1000000 times more chance of being killed by a car when traveling or a snake or a dodgy meat pie or a plane falling out of the sky and landing on your car. Do these thing terrify you also?

[Patr80l]

To the OP - What makes you 'terrified' of firearms?

Just curious of your train of thought.

You would have a 1000000 times more chance of being killed by a car when traveling or a snake or a dodgy meat pie or a plane falling out of the sky and landing on your car. Do these thing terrify you also?

In this country anyway…. and that may be something to do with most people's aversion to firearms.

[Patr80l]

Camping and hunting go hand in hand for me, I may or may not carry one depending on destination and legality of hunting in that area.

I have never felt the need to carry for self defense, nor found myself in a situation that would warrant it. The unfortunate reality as I understand the law is that if you were to use your legally owned firearm for self defense you *may* wind up running foul of the law yourself as there is no lawful reccognition of self defense as a reason for private gun ownership, and licenses are issued expressly for primary production, target shooting or hunting, so using it to back down or intimidate a would be assailant is a dicey proposition if you wish to continue to enjoy the sport.

I would be interested to hear what Treads and Tim's view of this scenario is....acknowledging it aint always clear cut and there are several shades of grey in those types of situations.

"Self defence" may not justify buying a firearm in the eyes of the authorities but I think you are able to defend yourself with a degree of force one level above the level of the threat.   If someone is throwing rocks or using their fists then shooting them is a bit over the top but would be justified if they were using a bladed weapon.

[Bill]

"Self defence" may not justify buying a firearm in the eyes of the authorities but I think you are able to defend yourself with a degree of force one level above the level of the threat.   If someone is throwing rocks or using their fists then shooting them is a bit over the top but would be justified if they were using a bladed weapon.

Fair call.
But if someone knows you have a firearm, that simple knowledge could be enough to make someone think twice about throwing rocks or using fists.
And on the other hand  rocks can kill as well as fists can be used to beat people to death so I guess the severity would have to be taken into consideration.
I owned guns my whole life before moving here. And other than when I was in the armed forces I never felt I needed to carry a gun  for self protection.
Bill