Yes I do, because you’re the one who started carrying on about “Tyranny” and voting in what is essentially a fringe political party with no mainstream support, then saying “you’d be surprised” when told you couldn’t just take a Cat D to the range for a bit of playtime even if you could get one and basing this on the claim a mate of yours thought yhad seen someone at a SSAA range with an FN SCAR. Basically, it seemed pretty clear you weren’t going to take “This isn’t practical” as an answer at first.
If, after being told that even if you could get the licence, you’d only be allowed one type of gun and could only use it on the properties you’d gotten a letter for, you’d said “OK, sounds like waste of time, that sucks, thanks”, we’d all have agreed and that’d be the end of it.
In the interests of providing a learning moment: “So how can I get a Cat D?” is a pretty regular question keen shooters who’ve been around for a bit get asked a lot, and the people asking often seem to have trouble taking “You can’t” as an answer; they’re convinced there’s some special loophole they can discover when there isn’t, or if there is, it involves having huge amounts of money available to start a major business.
A lot of the info I’ve got isn’t so much “insider” as it is “wider shooting community knowledge” (eg I know about the NSW Cat D PTA restrictions and DVA/Pension Card issues because I see shooting community people posting about it on social media elsewhere) and a lot of it can also be deduced through common sense too.
I mean, have you ever stopped to ask yourself “How come I don’t know any shooters personally with a Cat D licence? How come none of the major shooting organisations have ‘How to get a Cat D licence’ pages on their websites? How come no-one knows how to do this?” That alone should suggest it’s probably not practical - absence of information can itself be a form of information, if that makes sense.
Part of being a shooter in Australia is getting used to disappointment. Our laws suck and don’t make a lot of sense, and often the answer to “Why is this the law?” is simply “because”. Case in point: Pump-action shotguns are effectively banned, but pump-action rifles are fine. Why? No-one really knows. Quite a lot of our laws seem to be based on what people see in movies - which is why suppressors are effectively banned.
Yes - even without questioning why others don’t have it. Deep down I know pretty much gonna be really hard, even if I’am just reading the law as-is regarding the 3 agreements. But I guess it’s the conflicting things I got told recently put me on the path of wanting to seek more insights, more detailed arguments, rather than “my fren is doing it so it’s Ok”.
If you genuinely want to do pest control then it’s worth the muck around, but if you’re just using pest control to get a cat c or d firearm and you don’t have your own big property to use it on it isn’t worth the headache as the restrictions on using the firearm once you get it is VERY strict and restrictive, even the storage for cat d is a pita. Plus you’ll have to provide financials that they’ll cross check with the ATO to make sure you’re a working pest control business, they not as stupid as we’d like them to be when it comes to stuff like this, and don’t think for a minute you’ll be taking it to the range or even out hunting. If they catch you using it outside the strict guidelines you’ll lose all your gun licences/guns and be brought up on firearms charges.
Almost everyone has that “how do i get around the rules” thought, you’re not the first and you won’t be the last. Just cop it in the ass like the rest of us and have fun with what we’ve got.
Sorry to be a downer but that’s the reality of it.
That’s Ok. Tks for the comments.
I was looking forward to perhaps getting into this in the future, i.e., after retiring from full time work …etc … something like that but by the look of it, I’d say it’s even way too hard even if being 100% committed into this as a job! Knew it was going to be hard, but was confused after having spoken to a number of shooters - didn’t matter what their thoughts are (doable/not doable) none was able to provide more justifications/how-to. But now finally the arguments have come full circle. cheers.
The FN Scar seen at St Mary’s belongs to a good mate of mine, he’s also got an Supressed AR15 and SKS for his pest control business. He does contact shooting of Deer for a couple of the local councils amongst other jobs. Getting and maintaining a Cat D license is a massive effort, you need the contracts, you need the storage and you need to bend over and be prepared for a fisting. The rules have recently changed on what firearms are deemed appropriate for Cat D licenses, ill reach out to my mate and see if he can point me to the proper legislation.
Fark me, I have not read a more negative filled thread since the last time I visited a certain forum that we don’t talk about.
If every shooter believed that "it can’t be done " or "it won’t happen " or "forget it you are wasting your time " then no one would have firearms.
Now WA is supposed to have the most farked up laws in the country BUT we can still get firearms that we are told we will never have. Things like 338 Lap and 50BMG are on the VPF list as being banned however there are a few people that own them.
How did they get them? By doing the research, following the procedures and even jumping through the hoops that WAPOL put in place. No it is not easy but it is also not impossible.
Now over here you can do pest control for profit as a side business/hobby, all you need is an ABN ( which is easy to get) and away you go… Yes I have and occasionally still do pest control for profit, shooting camels, donkeys etc. Now I have no need or desire to own a cat C or D but if I did I can go through the same process as those that do.
@kaitchung the best example that I can give you is @Brett , now I am sure if he took the "no you can’t " or “its too hard” he would not be doing the things that he does or be owning a very nice collection of toys that he has.
Don’t be discouraged by the "negative " comments and if a cat C or D is what you want then do the research, go into the firearms licensing branch and ask them, maybe find a pest control business etc and pick their brains for how to achieve your dreams.
I am trying to keep an open mind in this matter. I have already been speaking to a range of people and getting effing confused in the process … and now getting more insights in the forum.
Next step? Am thinking of speaking to the people who are offering those professional pest shooting courses … and see if it’s course is worth it and if they know a thing or two about licensing, setting it up as business …etc, maybe they don’t know any better or maybe the course sux in reality … but it never hurts to ask.
It can’t hurt to try!
Do the course, register the business and have a crack.
You don’t need an AR to enjoy your work, even though they are fun.
Maybe Just buy a farm!
You might be left waiting for a very long time We all know it’s going to be a huge effort from the get go, for me … it’s more likely when I cease working full time…which is still quite sometimes.
Lol yep, and just to be clear i wasn’t having a go at you mate, if you actually want a pest control business go for it for sure and if that’s the case then yes the headaches are worth it and @1fatman will be there with his pompoms cheering you on all the way. But if you just want to play with cat Ds you’re better off flying over the ditch a few times a year to scratch that itch, hell you can even supress them and have a bunch of fun.
A mate of mine does it several times a year…well pre covid anyway.
All good mate. Many many many many years in the future, far far away from any capital cities … if you see an grumpy old Asian dude in the field with a FN-SCAR … that would be me
You could move to Qld and buy some gel blasters, or you could join the army reserve and shoot F88 & F89, some 9mm and if your lucky Chuck’s some grenades and shoot 66mm / 84mmC.G.
Get some tax back in the form 5.56 and frag. Feeding a cat D would get expensive quick!
