Travelling with a gun

Submitted: Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 16:50
ThreadID: 139868 Views:13199 Replies:11 FollowUps:32
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Just wondering if people travel with a gun....legal of course. We are about to get back into travelling when all this Corona ends, and don't mind shooting the odd bunny for a feed.
Question is, how do you store them. A bit hard to carry a safe.
I have looked on a few government sites for different state and the info seems a bit vague.
Cheers
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 17:03

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 17:03
Bricky,

Yes, it is perplexing. From my understanding of the laws in Victoria, the firearm must be secured in a locked container out of site. However, this is open to interpretation. Have you tried contacting the SSAA, and asking for some guidance from them?

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Follow Up By: Bricky - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 17:08

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 17:08
Had a look on their website and seems each state is different, but no real regs.
What I am reading is make it safe, but no matter how you secure them, if they get stolen you are responsible.
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Follow Up By: Member - John - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 17:25

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 17:25
Bricky, I have my firearm hidden in camper and use a trigger lock and carry ammunition in locked container. Best that can be done. When I first went touring, many years ago now, followed rules at the time and went to first police station after I crossed the border, to report as required, was politely told to bugger off, just keep it hidden........
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Follow Up By: Member - Bigfish - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 19:27

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 19:27
You get told to bugger off because copper is lazy and not doing the job required. If your gun gets stolen and someone hurt or killed...whole world of shit comes down on you and the cop..
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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 18:10

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 18:10
We used to carry a rifle many years ago.
A single shot .22 for bunnies, and they supplemented our diet well in the bush. Then for a while we carried a Lee Enfield Mk 4 .303 (I used to do a lot of snorkelling and spear fishing in remote locations and a .303 fired into the water by Margaret keeping watch from the sand hill for sharks was the best warning devise ever).

More recently I carried a single barrel 12 gauge shot gun which is the most versatile option with a choice of projectiles available. From ducks and bunnies to wild pigs or even a buffalo. But the main reason was to put injured wild life out of their misery. I had a couple of instances of killing sheep and kangaroos with broken legs with a hammer and that was not a good scene.

But now we carry nothing. It is just too hard. It is almost impossible to legally shoot a rabbit now unless you are on private property with the owner's permission. And it especially too hard if you cross borders which we do often. Beside, in the last 3 years of carrying the 12 gauge I never fired a shot, but the license cost about $1,000 for that period, so I have no licence now either.
Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Gramps - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 18:16

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 18:16
$1,000 for 3 years ???? What State were you in? Was the Premier named Ned Kelly ???????????

It's $200 for 5 years in NSW.

Regards
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 07:06

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 07:06
A couple of yrs ago on ABC radio one night they were talking to some old timers about how people use to carry guns a lot and shot animals for food or feral pests when spotted this helped contribute a little to keeping things in balance. But these days as you mentioned your not allowed to shoot a bunny or feral pest anywhere you like this has contributed a little to things getting out of hand every bit helps even if it was just shooting pests around your favourite camping area.
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 11:53

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 11:53
In the 60's, 70's, and even the early 80's, I used to carry a rifle everywhere through the W.A. wheatbelt in the ute - just slipped under the ute seat.
I'd pop off rabbits anywhere, an occasional fox, if it could be nailed - snakes quite often - and definitely, injured animals with no hope of survival.

Then in 1982, my house burnt down, and my rifles and shotgun went with it. I never replaced any of them, and I haven't owned any firearm since 1982.

Nowadays, it's a whole new world, and I'd be charged with something like a dozen firearms and terrorism offences, if it was found that I still carried a rifle under the ute seat - and I'd make the daily news headlines! - for all the wrong reasons!

The numbers of people out and about in the bush today, would mean you'd need to be very careful with a firearm in the bush today.
In the 60's, 70's and even early 80's, there just wasn't the people around in the bush, the potential risk to others was negligible.
You always have to think about the trajectory and unintended damage caused by any bullet fired.

Cheers, Ron.
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 12:01

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 12:01
Until the early 80's when firearms in Qld weren't even licenced it was common to see utes in regional Qld with gun racks on the rear window. I used to carry a single barrel Winchester shotgun behind the seat of the LR. Darned if I know what for.
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 15:38

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 15:38
Shooting snakes Ron? Thanks heavens they're now protected in most cases. You're right about the risk to others in the bush from irresponsible shooters though. In an absolute freak accident some years ago in the mtns near Canberra a fella was killed by an errant bullet fired by someone having target practice on top of a ridge quite a distance away. Victim was in a camping area in the adjacent valley iirc.

As a bushwalker the last thing I want in the bush is an amateur taking potshots at feral animals. Even feral animals deserve to be despatched quickly. That said as Mick says its all about common sense, although these days you need to know each state's laws and make sure you have appropriate permits if you don't want to get into trouble.

Couple of useful pages for Bricky:
SSAA A state by state look at travelling with firearms

SSAA Travelling into and out of WA with firearms
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:44

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:44
"In an absolute freak accident some years ago in the mtns near Canberra a fella was killed by an errant bullet fired by someone having target practice on top of a ridge quite a distance away. Victim was in a camping area in the adjacent valley iirc."

A few years ago when hunting in NSW Nat Parks was a hot topic the wife and I were camped, sitting at a picnic bench and enjoying a fire around dusk in a Nat Park and watching a mob of roos grazing and doing what roos do - a couple of boxing matches, etc. We saw a quad bike in the area but thought nothing of it.

Then shots were fired and we heard the zing of a couple of bullets passing very close. Ducked under the table, yelled out and then when all was quite stood up and waved a torch in the direction of the quaddy. It took off. Cops got lost trying to find us even though we gave the police dispatch centre specific road names, the name of the campground and coordinates, but a report was made anyway to them and to my local MP.

I don't know if our incident precipitated the decision or not, but shortly afterwards (only a few days, maybe a week) the NSW Game Council which was the representative body of hunters and administrator of shooting in NSW NPs had most of its powers curtailed and shooting in NSW NPs was banned.
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Apr 04, 2020 at 19:56

Saturday, Apr 04, 2020 at 19:56
While we were living on a station near Diamantina Lakes, I carried a .308 & a pump action shotgun, in brackets on the rear window of Landcruiser ute. Bought the shotty after dispatching a few feral cats with the rifle, which seemed overkill. The rifle was for crippled livestock, & getting "killers".

Rarely carry a firearm in the vehicle these days, but a .22 or .22 magnum would be the pick, enough to dispatch a downed cow, but unlikely to get you into too much strife.

Bob


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Reply By: Batt's - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 18:52

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 18:52
I'm sure there would be a storage case on the market people use. I don't have gun but travelled with 3 mates yrs ago who had them first they found out what guns were legal in each state/territory around Aus as it might vary. Then they fitted approved storage cases and I don't know the rules but the bolts, bullets were locked in their own seperate approved boxes away from the guns it was a bit of an ordeal to get one out but they were long time shooters and were very safe about how they carried guns.
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Reply By: Member - Scrubby (VIC) - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 20:11

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 20:11
Sorry if this is distressing to some people, it was to me at the time.
About mid-morning one day in August 2017, heading North somewhere along the highway North of Leonora WA , a full grown cow was laying on the side of the road maybe a meter off the bitumen, it had been hit by a vehicle and suffered a broken back/ pelvis but was still alive, it was "pawing" at the ground with its front legs.
All I could do was to ask people in a vehicle on the UHF heading South to contact the Leonora police when they got within radio or phone range.
I have been a shooter for 65 years , how I wished I had a gun with me at that time.

Scrubby.
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Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 18:18

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 18:18
My wife and I had to do that once. We were out on a motorcycle ride.

I filmed it.

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Reply By: Member - DOZER - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 20:22

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 20:22
If you have a boot, and a keyed lock and chain, you are set. Put the chain through the trigger guard and around the boot hinge, lock the padlock then close the boot. Amo in locked glove box and key to the padlock on your key ring and you are set.
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 07:17

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 07:17
Does that work if the back seats can be folded forward from inside the vehicle by pulling or pushing a button on the back of the seat which gives you easy access to the boot.
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Follow Up By: Member - DOZER - Monday, Apr 06, 2020 at 08:44

Monday, Apr 06, 2020 at 08:44
As far as "work" goes, you still cant use the gun without a key to the lock. You cant just pull it out and walk off with it. You cant get a shot off without loading it with bullets locked in another place....its the recommended way to transport a gun to the shooting range or police for safe storage...(haha)
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Reply By: tonysmc - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 23:49

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 23:49
I use to travel with a gun many years ago and found that to use it in another state you needed to have a licence for that particular state. Unlike a car or boat licence which covers you Australia wide, a shooters licence is only valid in the one state it is issued, much like a fishing licence.
As someone said earlier about reporting to first police station, I also found not much interest, but did it each time and found that I could carry a weapon through the state if passing through only and as long as it was kept secure and not used. I find it not worth the trouble these days.
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Follow Up By: Member - Bigfish - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 05:52

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 05:52
Even now you need to change your car licence if your in another state after a certain period of time...
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 20:22

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 20:22
Tonysmc,

These days each state recognises every other state’s shooters licenses.

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Follow Up By: Teraa - Thursday, Apr 09, 2020 at 23:02

Thursday, Apr 09, 2020 at 23:02
Only for certain periods of time depending on type of firearm. They are going to ask where you are going to and why your carrying it. You can’t just shoot anywhere which would be their train of thought so why would you need one. You can’t shoot of a public road or on private properties so where would you be shooting?
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Follow Up By: Bricky - Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 07:04

Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 07:04
Will have to check, but think you can still shoot in Vic state forests. Also private property with permission.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Teraa - Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 09:16

Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 09:16
One rule for,all,states is not to instil fear in others. So if you can imagine out in the bush camped out with your kids and you start hearing gun shots. I don’t see the necessity of anyone traveling around Australia to carry a firearm. Go fishing if you need tucker. It’s kinda scary to hear so many do it and to hear your out in bush I would think to enjoy nature but you shoot snakes ?
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Follow Up By: Bricky - Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 09:32

Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 09:32
Shoot snakes?? Never mentioned snakes, they are protected.
Live on a rural property and the only animals I dispose of are vermin....foxes, rabbits.
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Follow Up By: Teraa - Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 10:17

Friday, Apr 10, 2020 at 10:17
Shooting snakes was earlier on, pests good but that’s you on your place. I just don’t see the need for a firearm take fishing rods.
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Reply By: alex n2 - Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 23:56

Thursday, Apr 02, 2020 at 23:56
How is it?
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Reply By: Mick O - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 08:14

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 08:14
Bricky, the major issue is that each state of Australia may as well be a separate country in respect to their firearms legislation. They are all different and there has been no real effort to harmonise of federate those disparate sets of legislation into a single 'national' or commonwealth regime. Every state also has different registration and licensing regimes.

Having said that all states have 'mutual recognition' provisions that recognise legitimate firearms licences and registrations meaning you can transport firearms through each state (providing they are carried in accordance with that states law - here they are all pretty much the same, locked boxes, ammo separate etc) and you have your licence with you. In addition states will also allow you to use the firearms for the legitimate purpose that the firearm is held and the licence issues - ie; competition, clay shooting, primary production, vermin control, professional or contract shooter etc.

An example of this can be found here - NSW Mutual Recognition

Like anything, and without preaching to the converted, firearms use is all about common sense. If you're in the middle of no-where and you want to bowl over a bunny with a .22, who's going to care or know. If you're prowling a paddock 2 km from town or making a hell of a racket with a .308 in a farming area, well that's a different situation where you could and should reasonably expect to draw attention. Lawful destruction of injured wildlife/stock is a legitimate use is in all states (providing the firearm is registered and the user licensed).

If you're licensed, registered and carrying appropriately, you will have no issues regardless of the state.


Cheers

Mick
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Reply By: Genny - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 11:40

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 11:40
I wouldn't rely too much on the common sense of police officers. The fellow in the linked article was a serving soldier, doing fitness training in uniform with a fake "gun". The article says it was made of pipe. I recall at the time seeing a photo. If my memory is correct it was vaguely gun shaped, crudely welded out of 20mm square tubing, and toted along to approximate the weight of a weapon. No sensible person would mistake it for a real rifle, even at a distance.


Soldier training with fake "gun"

I think there may have been a similar incident with a fellow carrying a star picket driver.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 14:58

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 14:58
A lot of army peeps dreaming of joining the SAS or other elite corps like the Commandos are the culprits. They need to do excessive amounts of training just to make the first qualifying run. Most will continue training during leave periods and off base with something that approximates the weight and balance of a rifle they normally carry.

A few years back a soldier on leave caused mayhem in Melbourne in the early hours of the morning doing exactly the same thing. Running down the Moonee Ponds creek in full cammo and kit carrying a pipe to approximate the rifle. Full moon, creek runs beside freeway, lots of calls from worried citizens = lots of cops descending on said idiot!

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trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
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Follow Up By: Genny - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:18

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:18
I hardly think running with something that is obviously NOT a gun should qualify somebody as an idiot. I would reserve that for the idiots reporting, and the idiots arresting.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:45

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:45
That's just it Genny. Read the content of my follow-up. Given the circumstances it wasn't obvious that it the object wasn't a rifle. Far from it an in fact it looked just like a rifle to those who witnessed it in those early morning hours. It's a bit like your reply. Appears to be a troll to a reasonable person!

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Follow Up By: Ron N - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:59

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 16:59
Very few people can recognise what is "obviously not a gun" at a distance of maybe 200-300 metres.

But a bloke running in full camo, in city streets, with what APPEARS to be a firearm, would classify as a prize clown.

We live in society full of nutters, people on drugs, idiots who have a "snout" on society and people in general - and most people today are very alert to anyone acting suspiciously.

I've confronted a couple of extremely violent people, and only just managed to escape being seriously injured or killed, a couple of times - so I am extremely wary in todays world.

I've been offered an Uzi machine gun for $600, by a bloke I barely knew, whilst strolling on a beach.
It's scary the amount of illegal firearms in our society, despite strict firearms laws.

There are many people out there with heavy drug use backgrounds, bikie thugs (I have one for a workshop neighbour - a downright nasty piece of work, he was getaway driver for Brenden Abbott, the "Postcard" bandit) - so if I saw someone running in camo, with something that resembled a firearm, I'm sure I wouldn't be confronting him, or running up to ask if it's real - I'd call the cops, and let them sort it out.

Cheers, Ron.
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Follow Up By: Genny - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:13

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:13
C'mon Mick. You described it as a piece of pipe to approximate a gun. Reasonably, I took that to mean to approximate the weight and dimensions of a gun.
A piece of pipe does not look like a gun. It looks like a piece of pipe. Now if you'd said it was fitted with a wooden stock etc, I'd understand.

What's next? Crash tackling every second person walking down the footpath with a shopping bag because it might be a bomb?

Not trolling at all.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:38

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:38
Genny, getting a little off track from the Op's original question. The fact that it was a pipe became obvious after the fact that he had been approached by the police. Perhaps I should have been a little bit clearer. I did say that he was running down a creek in the full moon and was seen from a nearby freeway. Obviously in those conditions it could, and was, easily mistaken for a gun hense so many people making reports.
Had they been plumbers or pipe experts, loaded to the hilt on carotene, they may well have recognised it as a pipe form 150 metres in the moonlight. To mere mortals it simply appeared to be a bloke running in military type equipment carrying a gun.

Apologies for the troll comment, I was just taken aback as to why anyone would say that in such circumstances, the persons reporting it and the poor coppers who have to attend the call of a person with potential firearm be 'idiots'?

Cheers

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trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 20:29

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 20:29
Slightly off topic, but a couple of years ago, someone was pulled over when he was reported as having a machine gun mounted on the bonnet of his Jeep. Turned out to be a High Lift Jack. There was an accompanying photo which clearly showed a High Lift Jack mounted across the bonnet.

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Follow Up By: Batt's - Saturday, Apr 04, 2020 at 15:12

Saturday, Apr 04, 2020 at 15:12
Probably pulled over because they were inquisitive as to why the Jeep wasn't on fire.
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Reply By: chris a - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 13:49

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 13:49
Do you think all police offices know all the currant firearms' Laws
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 14:49

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 14:49
Probably more than you I'd reckon Chris. On top of knowing the;
Crimes act,
sex offences act
family violence protection act
Road Safety Act
Road Traffic Regulations
Fisheries Act
Magistrates Court Act
Domestic Animals act
EPA act
Anti discrimination act
Liquor licensing act
Bail act
Emergency Management Act
Evidence Act
Confiscation act
Second Hand Dealers Act
Court Security Act
Criminals Organisations Control Act
Summary Offences Act
Dangerous Goods act
Drugs, Poisons and controlled substances act
etc etc etc,

I reckon the Firearms act awould be a bread and butter stuff. Gun - Person = check it!

Cheers






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Reply By: Bricky - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:06

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:06
Thanks for the replies...some useful information, and I will be checking state laws thoroughly before deciding whether or not it is worth it.
I'm in my early 60s now and have been around guns since I was a teenager, so would like to think I am responsible.
We would be taking a 12g under over....no rifles as I certainly understand the distance a projectile can travel.
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Follow Up By: Member - John - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:19

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:19
Bricky, rather than a 12g have you looked at a .410 coach gun, easier to stow away and easier to handle if needed.
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Follow Up By: Bricky - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:27

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 17:27
Already have the 12g. It is a coach gun, 18" barrels.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - nickb "boab" - Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 20:38

Friday, Apr 03, 2020 at 20:38
Bricky agree with your comments , i have similar 12g easy to stow away .. lock it up & ammo separate .
as mentioned laws are all different & if you know people on the land that give you permission to hunt that is a condition in some states of carrying F.R . you have it for hunting only .. NOT protection ..
Cheers Nick b

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