High capacity mags have slipped through under the radar into CAT D. I am sure it was only six months ago and you could still buy 30 rnd but limited to 10 PMAGs even the 25 round 22LR mags are all gone from import into Australia 15 seems to be the max.
The reg and rules seem to be being tightened by stealth all around us. I am not sure what position those people with the higher capacity magazines are in as of now.
High capacity mags over 10 rounds for Cat B and over 15 for Cat A, in Victoria were always unobtanium for shooting, as far as I recall anyway. I think IPSC competitors can still get them with paperwork, but unsure about farmer Jo. Definitely not on recreational licence.
I thought there has always been a ban of high capacity mags for recreational shooters at a federal customs level?
Not exactly something new. Does anyone make the mags in country?
I thought I had seen them freely for sale at places like Cleavers some with limiters in and some without to suit different State regs. Now the adds say in Bond Store and available only with AG permit.
Cleavers is in Queensland yeah? I remember hearing that QLD didn’t have limits for Cat A.
Maybe they sold out all their backlog stock, and can’t import more?
Are we talking about importing magazines into Australia or owning them in certain states?
I think both.
I think both, it is a flow on effect. The way it looks like it is being done to me is that Border force are No longer letting them into the country.
Yes they were not legal in every state but there were work arounds such as limiters. Well now I am finding that even those with limiters are drying up and those that still have them are now enforcing the Cat D and Ag permits. I think that may have been a bit lax in the past.
I checked our rules over here and IPSC can only have 10 round. Not sure about over your way but I think it would be the same.
I heard people saying they use them with permits here, for IPSC. Not verified, but not sure why they would make that up.
All anyone really needs is a single shot 30-06 anyway…
I was told (rightly or wrongly) by the firearms unit here in NT that while there is no problem owning a 30 round mag and hunting with a 30 round mag on my Cat B license, there was no way that I would be able to submit a B709 and expect federal Customs to allow the 30 round magazine into Australia (even if it was legal for use in the NT) if it didn’t have an Attorney’s General permit to go along with it.
I still see plenty of high capacity mags for sale online.
I was just looking at some comparisons of Hexmag Vs Pmag and the guy mentioned that the Pmag was really inexpensive $12 Holy crap they go for $199 in Aus from what I can see.
@JizzFlinger if you see some online that are really available and for sale please give some links. I am sure there is more than just me that might want to get some while they are still available.
There’s no magazine limits for Category A in Queensland, and for Category B it’s 10 rounds for pump or lever-action rifles with a detachable magazine and 15 rounds for bolt rifles. If the magazine is permanently part of the gun (like a lever-action tube magazine) my understanding is there’s no limit, but anyone wanting to test that theory should talk to WLB directly for the correct info.
The legislation says it’s possible to get an endorsement for a higher capacity magazine for a Category B rifle, but I’ve never heard of anyone being granted one.
As others have noted, the issue is at Federal level with our old friend, the Customs (Prohibited Imports) regulations.
In Victoria I think the general rule follows the same limits. However I think there is an exemption for Primary Production License holders. But the owner of a GS today said he thought I was wrong and there was a limit in some other part of the act or Reg that specified a limit.
You have to read those rules back to front and become an armchair Lawyer to really know where you stand.Even then if you were allowed but there is no way to buy them then you are still up the creek.
Cheeky fu*kers, they pretty much get to make whatever law they like
I was told recently that due to some legislation changes if they’re made here you can still get them but nothing will be getting through customs anymore.
They were supposed to be letting “pre dated” orders through, but this doesn’t seem to be the case as i know of a “pre dated” order that came through recently with the empty packaging only, the actual mags were removed and kept by customs.
Mags seem to be the new targeted item at the moment.
Not sure who this would effect. IMO would be a rare situation to need more that 10 round mag. I always thought that was the limit in Vic any way.
Its the way changes are made that worries me.
Ill just duck now.
Yup I agree that it’s the quiet chipping away of our rights and freedoms that is the real problem.
No need to duck, @Oldbloke common train of thought for a lot of people in your demographic. It’s just that you don’t know. A lot of people who don’t know, think they know, because they have no use for one. So inherently they express this 'I don’t have use for one, so no need for others ’ opinion, which make the problem worse. If someone doesn’t know, they should ask, rather than assume their’s is the only use case.
Effects a lot of people. For example, every single competitive shooter in Australia. They must train with 10 round magazines, while international shooters train with almost double that capacity. This translates to poor scores through slower timing, wrong muscle memory and ultimately struggling to win due to predetermined arbitrary handicap.
The intent is to minimise the impact of a bad guy, but a bad guys can simply buy a mag legally - which you can do… You’re not allowed to use it, but this is why they are bad guys, ye? Or tape two together or have them on a rig - like @bentaz - chips away at the rights, for no reason.
For example, I don’t see why LRD should allow you to keep your long range very high powered 30-06 rifle with multiple round magazine. I have no use for it when shooting rabbits and foxes, so I don’t agree with your genuine reason to own one, since this is 100% of shooting that you do. After the first shot, animals would scatter, you really don’t need multiple rounds. And the gun is way too powerful for that anyway - ask any hunter. And since you mostly only shoot rabbits and foxes, you should hand it in and replace with something like a shotgun… See how that works? Slowly, little by little, it should be all or nothing to all shooters.
Just because someone doesn’t know, doesn’t mean there is no purpose, best to just ask, rather than make a sweeping statement that are used against us.