Just had my safe inspected by the NT police. Went down very well. The bloke was a shooter himself and after finding out what I do for a living tried to talk me into joining the
force

Going goose hunting tomorrow as well so stay tuned for a report. However the way I shoot flying stuff it may not be a good report

yeah, he just wanted---------wait for it------------"The force to be with you "
Malcolm

Why does the gov't inspect your safe on your property?

They're too heavy to take in to the cop shop.

Steve.
We have to have our firearms in an approved safe.If its under 250kg (I think thats the weight) it has to be bolted to the floor/wall. Over and it can be free standing.

You should see the safe (gun vault) we built to comply with getting a dealer's licence (which hope to have in next couple of weeks).

The sheet steel weighed just over a ton, then there was all the reinforcing, the 2 x2 inch frame!

Our DFO (District firearms Officer) has only seen pics I emailed him and when I was talking to him on the phone, he said he thought we may have gone a bit over the top.

will be interesting to see what his views are when he visits this week.

Its an interesting experience trying to set up accounts with importers.


I guess if you were a well established shop it would be far different.

So a several tonne shipping container, set in concrete in the ground would probably comply with a dealers licence requirements?

I know that at my local indoor range they have one of those massive old Chubb safes, it must wiegh a ton atleast. They still had to dyna bolt it down. Seriously, after using plastic explosives to get into where it`s located you`d need a mobile crane to budge it.
I also know, that a LOT of people had never complied with the complusory safe requirement. At my local shop, you can`t move for floor stock of safes, ever since the random checks started the safes have been selling like hotcakes.
I`ve got 2 safes, like an idiot I bought a 4 gun Buffalo River safe and it was just too small, I have a Big Iron safe twice its size sitting beside it. I stuck shelves in the Buffalo River and store ammmo, powder and misc. crap in now.
Quite a few people have had safes, but when the walloper grabs it to give it a firm shake ( as they do ) it isnt bolted down! Apparently it doesnt go over well either.

The shipping container is OK with our DFO. It was just where to locate one and satisfy the shire.

So what's the deal with the random inspections. Do you get a phone call that the boys in blue are coming around on x date at x time or do they just lob in unannounced for maximum embarasment/irritation effect?

Just when the latest study showed that all your newest firearms laws didn't do any thing for the murder rate.

Just to goes to show you that its all about pople control and not crime control.

First time, a Melbourne cop turned up at 11 pm after we were all in bed and the lights off. The security lights went on, the dogs barked and here he was at the front door.

One visit since. was told well in advance. But I shoot with our local police and regard them as friends. socialize generally. Its only a small town.

I guess its different in bigger places.

Up here you get inspected very quickly. When I arrived in Katherine and changed my licence over the police were around that day. They rocked it back and forward to see if it was bolted down. This time I rang firearms to check if I had changed my address over and it turned out I forgot to when I moved up..oops! It only took three days for them to come around. All in all I've never had any problems with the firarms guys up here.

quote:

Originally posted by Avatar:
or do they just lob in unannounced for maximum embarasment/irritation effect?

I believe in N.S.W. everyone was to be inspected. The Police were expected to arrange an appointment to suit the shooter.
If they turned up otherwise we were (supposed) to be legally able to refuse the inspection.

They turned up at my place because I had an unlisted number. My wife yelled out "the police are here". I yelled back "tell 'em I've gone to Canada".
Next thing I know she'd brought him in.

Still, he was nice enough so I agreed to get up off the lounge. Bugger me if he didn't find my latest rifle was unregisted. Slipped through the cracks, as he put it.
Anyway I was allowed to keep it until it was sorted out.

" Too heavy to take to the cop shop " I know someone who moved to NYC from nearby Long Island [????] and he decided to comply strickly to the law .He told the sargent that he would bring ALL his guns to the precinct to be inspected as the law required .The sargent panicked " No , no, no "....The home inspection idea does not go over very well here !!

After my first effort with a $15 hammer drill ( the masonry bit cost more ) and spending hours in the built in `robe in my room cuase I kept striking reo, I was keen to have the law come and look!

My second attempt ( yes I have two safes in my wardrobe, I don`t go out much so I don`t require too much clothes space :P ) Went alot smoother after some timely advice. When you drill the holes, drill so far, then stick a decent sized punch in the hole and flog it with a ball pein hammer. Drill and repeat and you`ll do them in no time flat.

I attached 2 peices of 5 by 1 across the back of the robe, and bolted both safes to this, as well as 4 dyna bolts in the bottom of each safe, they had to pass MY shake the bejesus out it test, I`m not trying merely to comply, I really want to make it hard for my guns to fall into the wrong hands.

You have to ask - do the criminals store their firearms in this level of secure storage ?? I think not ...

Here in NZ the requirement for storage for an "A" Class licence - rifles and shotguns but not military semi-autos or restricted types - is a locked cupboard. Can be wooden or stell although just a hasp and staple with padlock on the door is sufficient . As you move up to pistols and restricted gun storage the security steps up as well .

For a steel safe 6mm is the minimum thickness , doors have to have concealed hinges , locks must be a minimum of 6 lever moticed deadlocks and there has to be two of them , preferably not keyed-alike . Also has to be attached to the wall and floor in such a manner that you cant unbolt them from the outside..

We really only get an inspection at the time of application , or change of address , but can be inspected at any time without a formal appointment needed .