"To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the
Legislative Assembly of New South Wales in Parliament assembled".
PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
Parliament House
6 Macquarie Street,
Sydney, NSW 2000.
The Petition of Keith H. Burgess.
President of the New England Colonial Living History Group.
Brings to the attention of the House the matter of
firearms licensing in relation to muzzle-loading pistols (percussion locks
excluded).
At this present time, working replica (replicas of
original 17th and 18th century antique muzzle-loading pistols) muzzle-loading
pistols of the lock types matchlock, wheellock, tinderlock, doglock, snaphance, and
flintlock
can only be owned by a person possessing a category H gun licence, and these
pistols can only be legally fired on a registered gun range. Antique
muzzle-loading pistols of the same type may be owned, but not used/fired
without the owner possessing an H class licence. This requirement excludes the
use of these antiques & antique replicas for Living History and Historical
Re-enactment purposes. It also excludes the use of these antique replicas for
use as a back-up safety for muzzle-loader hunters hunting on private property
who are hunting with single shot muzzle-loading rifles or smoothbores.
Historical Re-enactment groups and Living History
organisations have re-enactment rules which preclude the use of live ammunition
and preclude the use of a ramrod during any and all re-enactment displays. There
is also a permit requirement; this permit is for historical re-enactment organisations
wishing to conduct an historical re-enactment event involving the possession
and use of firearms by participants. Clause
61 - Firearms Regulation 2006.
Replicas of muzzle-loading pistols of the lock types
mentioned are single shot (though some flintlocks can have two barrels), slow
to load and require a good deal of knowledge and training to ensure the
workability of this type of gun. Ignition even when used by a competent person
can not be guaranteed. Therefore these muzzle-loading guns are not suitable for
criminal use.
We fully understand the purpose of the H class licence
requirements, but these primitive muzzle-loading pistols are not the same as
modern breech-loaders, revolvers or semi-automatics. If a criminal wishes to
use a concealable gun to commit a crime, they can simply cut down a modern
breech-loading rifle or shotgun.
At present anyone can purchase an antique muzzle-loading
pistol without the need to apply for a permit to purchase, a licence or
registration. However, they cannot be legally fired/used unless the owner posesses
an H class licence. These replica muzzle-loading pistols are no different from
the antiques, their workings, capabilities & disabilities are exactly the
same.
The undersigned petitioners therefore ask the Legislative
Assembly to change the licensing requirement for these replica antique & antique
muzzle-loading pistols (percussion locks excluded) from the present category H
class licence to the category B class licence. Alternately we respectfully
request that these muzzle-loading pistols be placed on a new less restrictive
class of firearms licence , allowing these guns to be used with no more
restrictions than are presently placed on muzzle-loading long arms.
Sincerely,
Keith H. Burgess.
Petition Here: https://www.change.org/p/to-the-honourable-the-speaker-and-members-of-the-legislative-assembly-of-new-south-wales-in-parliam-muzzle-loading-pistols-to-be-placed-on-a-less-restrictive-licence
