Thread: Moved from Australia to NZ.

Hi all. I'm a long term shooter from Australia that's moved over here for work. Ive recently got my A license, and want to get back into shooting.

Only problem is I don't know anyone who has land I can shoot on, as I find the ranges in Auckland restricted and also have even more stringent (and inconsistent) rules, ie no tracer rounds, certain in/out times, different range safety and handling.

Seems private places to shoot are like well guarded secrets. How does one go about finding places to shoot that allow for longer distances and various ammunition?

Thanks. LT.

In the exact same way that you'd go about it in Australia.
Make some acquaintances who either own land, or whom have access to land.
Get involved with your local firearms and rural community and doors will likely open for you.
The clubs and ranges you're being dismissive of would be an obvious place to meet the right people, there are also plenty of organised shoots and matches, both formal and informal in the North Island. Information about upcoming shoots is often posted on this forum.

@langitaan
My understanding is that in Aussie that private places to shoot are also well guarded secrets... And understandingly so as I don't think I would be so keen to have some random person off the internet turn up and start shooting on my farm - particularly tracers. The problem is people don't know you...

Feel free to drive around and politely ask farm owners / managers if they would let you shoot on their farms?
The other option is turn up to some organised shooting events, meet some people, demonstrate you aren't an idiot, and hopefully that'll lead you to some introductions.

What restriction on the ranges up there don't you like? What stringent rules do you not agree with? Was there range safety and firearm handling rules you didn't agree with? What various ammunition were you keen to shoot?

Hello lanitaan
Are you in Dunedin?

Hi, and thanks for all the responses, let me first try and quantify some of my comments as they seem to be misconstrued, I was being lazy and typing my original query on my phone and should have fully explained myself, and theres nothing worse than being a JAFAucklander and JAFAustralian. I'm the worst of both worlds.

I'm merely trying to understand the inherent differences, as Im a license holder in both countries. As a lot of you would know getting a license in Australia is extremely difficult, and semi autos are essentially banned except for dealers and professional pest destroyers. Also different types of firearms are allowed in the different states. Pump action shotguns are ok on a A cat license in NSW but banned in VIC, but lever action is banned in NSW and ok in VIC. Pump action rifles are ok in both states. It's all very strange.

But a set of rules and operation for all ranges is standard and not range dependant in AUS, so not a bad thing, just something you have to remember at each different range here in NZ. Also the access to ranges can be dependant on times and also weather, again something I haven't encountered before. Also the ranges seem to be limited and restricted in distance, this makes sense there isn't a 1km range close to the city, but I had access to a 600m range only 40mins from Melbourne. Also there has been government initiatives in AUS that encourage licensed shooters to sign up to help farmers with pest control, so the dialogue between farmers and shooters is more open and information is shared rather than kept secret. Also there are ranges here that only allow limited access to the range at certain times, again something I have not encountered before, every range i have visited in AUS allows you to arrive and leave during cease fire, and thats normally every half hour.

So you can see there are some differences in the shooting fraternity between AUS and NZ, not bad things, just different. And seeing I'm an older shooter, I am pointing these out and also giving feedback and constructive criticism as I see that for the vast majority common sense is applied because we know that having the right to shoot is something we want to protect and not abuse. So I'm not being dismissive as these aren't rules that I should have to abide by. In fact I'm extremely happy that I'm allowed to have semi automatic firearms, which is something I thought I'd never see in my lifetime after the ban in 1996 in Australia.

I hope this goes some way to explain why I'm asking these questions.

To be fair, the answers are not any different than you could expect. Ranges vary... so we cannot answer only the people at each range can, find somewhere that works for you. Private property access is solely dependant on your ability to generate it...

The point is that with more freedoms comes more variation... can't have both...

Weird ,
the important part is
Are you in Dunedin on Saturday and will you support the All blacks or your old country
Everything else is irrelevant until Sunday.

Welcome,

I am also an Australian expat.

Originally Posted by langitaan

I'm merely trying to understand the inherent differences, as Im a license holder in both countries. As a lot of you would know getting a license in Australia is extremely difficult, and semi autos are essentially banned except for dealers and professional pest destroyers. Also different types of firearms are allowed in the different states. Pump action shotguns are ok on a A cat license in NSW but banned in VIC, but lever action is banned in NSW and ok in VIC. Pump action rifles are ok in both states. It's all very strange.

I found getting a licence in NT significantly easier than NZ.

Pump action shotguns (magazine of 5 or less) are Cat C in both NSW and VIC.
Lever Action is not banned in NSW (it has recently been moved to Cat B)

The National Firearms Agreement put it place consistent laws around Australia.

Originally Posted by langitaan

But a set of rules and operation for all ranges is standard and not range dependant in AUS, so not a bad thing, just something you have to remember at each different range here in NZ. Also the access to ranges can be dependant on times and also weather, again something I haven't encountered before. Also the ranges seem to be limited and restricted in distance, this makes sense there isn't a 1km range close to the city, but I had access to a 600m range only 40mins from Melbourne.

Look at Clevedon Rifle Club, they have ranges out to 1000m or Auckland Shooting Club they are looking at having some long rang facilities in the future.

Originally Posted by langitaan

Also there has been government initiatives in AUS that encourage licensed shooters to sign up to help farmers with pest control, so the dialogue between farmers and shooters is more open and information is shared rather than kept secret.

Almost every single National Park in New Zealand allows you to hunt during most, if not all of the year. You won't find that in AUS.

Hunting: Things to do

Originally Posted by langitaan

Also there are ranges here that only allow limited access to the range at certain times, again something I have not encountered before, every range i have visited in AUS allows you to arrive and leave during cease fire, and thats normally every half hour.

Sounds like you are talking about NZ Deer Stalkers on the North Shore. It has restrictions due to the access to the range. Most other ranges have no restrictions on arriving or leaving during the course of fire.

@Koshogi thanks for the information.

Yes the categories have changed, I looked up the firearm category distinctions and pump is the same for shotguns but not pump rifles. Thanks for the correction.

Also the 2017 NFA is understood the be a guide rather than a national set of rules, the SSAA made it clear in the reports it was still state specific.

"...the Minister proclaimed that the NFA is not binding on the states or territories. It is an in-principle agreement and if aspects of the NFA are unworkable or unsuitable for a jurisdiction, they have the power to deviate from the document. This was repeated time and time again throughout the meeting and it shines a light on the stark reality of firearms laws in this country: there is no such thing as national firearms laws and the NFA itself carries no weight whatsoever. It is simply a guide." Taken from SSAA website.

And yes like the speed limits in the NT I'm sure the firearms license applications are probably easier than every other state. But for the vast majority of Australia its harder to get a license and also has more rules in place about PTAs, than here in NZ. Sorry for the generalisation.

I hold a licence in both Vic and NZ. I found Vic very similar to here in regards to licencing, in fact the safety course guy told me it is modelled off the NZ system in Vic. As for access, much easier here then there - most Aussie spots are pretty jealously guarded. Get out and ask, all you can do.

We were looking at moving to Perth/WA. After a bit of research, I quickly decided to sell the guns and give up if we made the move. Nowhere to hunt. Be interested to hear if anyone has a different take on it.

Yep WA is probably the worst of the lot. Or it was 7 years ago at least

They've got some odd rules about military looking rifles in WA. Plus for the most part the outback is scrub and dust. SA, QLD have more sensible gun laws and better places for hunting. NSW and VIC have decent deer hunting only a few hours from the major cities. TAS is the real wilderness and most like NZ but unsure of the gun laws and hunting capabilities.

Another Ex-pat Aussie. I have found the rules over here far more consistent and far less confusing than back in Australia.

In SA I needed a range because there was sweet FA to hunt. My goat properties dried up when the cockies worked out they could get more for a Goat in the Middle East then they could a Sheep. And Foxes and Cats got boring after awhile.

Over here is paradise, the place doesn't look like cardboard and ready to burst into flames 4 months of the year, there is no wriggle sticks to dodge, you don't have to carry 12 litres of water on your back for an overnighter, and there is huge areas of public accessible hunting areas.

Like the other guys have said you need to probably ask around to find a less "formal" place to shoot.... but you are far more likely to find like minded people to help you out over here than back in Australia.

welcolme to the forum I'm ex aus as well