Getting Started in Sports Shooting

in Australia

Sports Shooting in Australia is often a bit of a mystery for someone without any link to this sport. Champ's David B takes us through the basics of how to get into the sport and attaining a Firearms License.

I always had a healthy interest and respect for firearms as a teenager but never had a parental connection or social link to shooting. I really wanted to take it up but found it hard to get in on this sport or find relevant advice on shooting.

This article should clear things up for people who are interested in the sport and get you motivated to join the thousands of Australians who enjoy, compete and responsibly use firearms in this country.

Shooting - How to Get In On It

There are local and national firearms clubs, none more helpful and prolific than the Sporting Shooters Association Australia (SSAA) with whom I am a current member and plan to be for life. The SSAA has its own "How To Guide" for becoming a shooter - it is worth checking it out and getting the facts from them. This nation-wide club is probably the best way of getting into shooting in Australia.

The sport has recently recognised that it needs a future and has heavily invested time and effort in working with, and supporting, young people interested in shooting. Women are also heavily represented in shooting in Australia, so no-one should be shy in getting involved in shooting if it is something they have an interest in.

Step 1: Get Out to A Firearms Club

If you are interested in getting your firearms license, learning to target shoot or undertake legitemate hunting, you are best placed to call your local SSAA State Office or other local legitemate firearms club. To find an SSAA branch near you, click on the following link to the SSAA's State Offices.

It never hurts to phone ahead and make sure the club is aware you will be attending their range and in need of assistance and advice. I certainly found going out and having a look with a SSAA rep to show you around is great.

Other tips:

- Bring some ear plugs, ear muffs or electronic ear protection as the range can get really loud. It just makes your first visit that bit more comfortable.

- Ensure you are prepared for the conditions. Some ranges are exposed land and others are very well set up, covered installations. Appropriate clothes for the temperature and season and hat and sunglasses are a must.

- I always bring out some water and something to eat - if you are out for a while, some ranges are a distance from suburbia or shops.

Step 2: Safety First

So, you've been out to the range and firearms and shooting are for you. Learning about Australia's FIrearms Laws and firearms safety are the next steps. If you aren't interested in these things, you should probably stick to computer games - safety and abiding by the law are key in the great privelage it is to own and use firearms.

Firearms Safety Courses:

SSAA State Offices and local firearms clubs are your best contacts in undertaking a firearms safety course. Some clubs hold them for free and some will charge a reasonable fee. Securiy firms and some gun shops also offer firearms safety courses for a fee. Courses should provide the basics of safety, principles for safely handling firearms, the discharge of firearms and appropriate use. The course I attended at the Canberra Rifle Club was well run, open for discussion and questions. This course has a test at the end where I was able to demonstrate my understanding and retention of the key principles of owning, maintaining and safe use of a firearm.

Step 3: Legitemate Purposes for Having a Firearms License

Having a good reason to use firearms is one of the most important factors in having a firearms license considered. For farmers, graziers, studs and breeders, having a firearm to manage their land and business is a very compelling reason. A land owner who needs help clearing pest species, competitive shooting, being an active member of a game council, a Defence Force Serviceman or Servicewoman or a member of a hunting club are all plausible reasons as well.

Step 4: Applying for a Firearms License

Now you have passed your firearms safety test and have a legitemate reason(s) to obtain a firearms license, you are in a position to apply to your state or territory Firearms Registrar.

Each state and territory in Australia has its own rules to observe and work within. Here are the links to some of the Australian State and Federal Police websites - firearms laws (courtesy of the SSAA). Do your homework and know the rules before you get into the game.

In short, if you are a law-abiding person without a criminal record and you are able bodied and sound of mind, it is likely that you will be granted a firearms license. There are no guarantees, however and it is completely up to the State Firearms Registrar or other suitable authority if they grant or deny a firearms license application.

Please also remember that firearms are a privelage in Australia. If you do not keep your nose clean and you are on charges, have a Restraining Order or other charges or allegations, your firearms license may be taken away. Play it straight-edge and behave within the laws of the land and shooting is a great sport, recreation and community to get involved in.

The Wide World of Sport Shooting

For those of us who have been granted a firearms license, there are a range of opportunities to enjoy with a diverse list of disciplines you can pursue. There are so many disciplines, with the variety offering most shooters a niche to get into and enjoy. I hope I have given you some insights and tools to get into sports shooting! Happy hunting, stay on target and all that.

- David B, Editor, Champ Magazine

It is important to get some basic gear to begin to participate in shooting at your local club. This is a medium to long range rifle for target shooting. The rifle is "sporterised" which means a single-shot, bolt-action rifle that has to be reloaded manually and externally for each shot (no internal or external magazine). This old Omark 44 rifle was the best $50 I ever spent - accurate, reliable and solid. It is a .308 / 7.62mm rifle which is, in my opinion, the most reliable, available and versatile round on the market. The scope is a Mark Precision Optics 8x - 32x SWAT. This is relatively inexpensive at under $500 for the whole kit, including bag, and fore-end Caldwell shooting rest.

Some people prefer to have a multi-purpose rifle for target shooting and hunting. The rifle above is a versatile combination that will see the shooter and his/her kit better aligned to hunting, while still lending itself to range shooting to around 300m. New, it would cost around $1500, secondhand a similar rig in excellent condition would cost over $800. A Tikka T3 Varmint and Leupold 3x-9x scope, this rifle also sports a Harris bipod and a Butler Creek strap. While a much more expensive combination than the first rifle configuration in this article, it is far better suited to hunting and being a good, all round rifle. With a 3 round magazine and short-action bolt, this rifle is legal, accurate and agile out in the field. A really winning combination.

Another important piece of gear depicted, above, is a Camel Back water bladder. Water and a good, steady intake while out in the field is so important to hunters. It is more important than the firearm, in fact, as it is what keeps us alive and what we humans are most reliant on other than air.

Dressed for success. While you will hear all the hype about camouflage and expensive high-definition prints/patterns, beginners can get away with some basic, reliable gear. Neutral tones of browns and greens, solid hiking boots that are quiet and shooting gloves make the gear, depicted above, a good starters kit that most people would have access to or be able to complete for around $100. The only thing wrong with this picture is the exposed blue thermals (later tucked-in while hunting) - deer aparently see blue as bright. No blue for you on the hunt!