Issue link: http://ssaansw.uberflip.com/i/796659
10 Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. Know your firearm laws Ignorance is no excuse, and making decisions or taking actions based on incorrect information can be very costly to a shooter. Many people get their information from friends or others involved in the sport, with a variety of answers given depending upon the knowledge of the person asked. Unfortunately, not all information given or received is correct. Some is out of date and some just pure fiction. You often hear the following from shooters – "a mate told me ……" or "I heard……. at the range". They will often say "but it's the law" – is it the law or is it fiction? Where did the information that the mate or the bloke at the range is happy to pass on to others originally come from? If they didn't get it from a reliable source, then the person taking advice from them is taking a mighty big risk. Then there are those who say "but I've always done things this way". These shooters often have a fair idea of what they should or shouldn't do but appear quite content to take shortcuts or risks. Anyone falling into this category really needs to examine old and accepted practices and change behaviour where necessary. It is up to all of us, not just some of us to comply with current legislation. Consider the consequences of ignorance, reliance on incorrect information or just stubborn noncompliance - risk of loss of licence and firearms, risk of fines and/or court and solicitor costs and the risk of imprisonment. It costs nothing to remain aware and up to date on firearms legislation and our responsibilities. It's not hard to do it right. How do I keep up to date with legislation and my responsibilities? The best source of firearms legislation information is the NSW Firearms Registry. The Registry can be contacted by telephone or email, or you can visit the website and check out the fact sheets or read through the Firearms Act 1996 and Firearms Regulations 2006: • Website http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/services/ firearms • Telephone: 1300 362 562 Another source of information is SSAA NSW: • Email: admin@nsw.ssaa.org.au • Telephone: 02 8889 0400 Or, speak to your local Branch or club Secretary. When speaking, or corresponding with anyone other than the Firearms Registry always ask if the information supplied relating to your query is current and ask for its source. Don't just accept information blindly. Remember it is the responsibility of all licenced firearms owners to know and understand their State's firearm laws. It is the responsibility of all licenced firearm owners to know and understand their state's firearm laws.