by Editor

WA shooters are set for a culture shock if lower gun values and a dead firearms industry eventuate. That’s why they MUST stand up to be counted now.

Reports of dropping gun values

FEARS are mounting that the rewrite of WA’s gun laws will see shooters lose thousands of dollars overnight – and could kill WA’s firearm trade.

Sources say that shooters are offloading guns in anticipation of new gun limits on their way under new laws being drafted by WA’s Police Minister, Paul Papalia.

New limits on the number of property letters than can be issued are also expected to result in more guns being sold.

The changes

Shooters in WA who may not have caught up with the news, need to know that the new rewrite of the state’s gun laws is aimed at reducing the number of guns held by shooters. Shooters like you.

They include limits of the number of guns – ten for primary producers and competition shooters, and five for the rest.

They also include limits on the number of ‘property letters’ than landowners can limit. This means letters are more likely to go to family members and friends than other shooters.

Here’s the podcast we put out on the proposed gun laws a few days ago:

Values cut in half

We’ve had examples given to us of shooters who are now only able to get half of what their guns are worth.

We are talking about prices where shooters have lost $10,000 – $12,000 even before the new laws come into place.

One shooter we know will need to sell at least ten rifles and shotguns to comply with his new limit of five guns.

Other shooters are trying to offload their guns to buyers in eastern states. However a lack of enough demand and opportunism is seeing some buyers offering 10% of what the guns are worth.

Also remember that the new laws will also limit the number of property letters that can be issued.

Dealers risk having nothing left to protect

While some dealers might see an opportunity to pick up guns for cheap, it will also be obvious to them that they’ll have a tough time selling that stock.

In fact it’s hard to see how the gun trade in WA will be able to continue in its current form, unless it decides to fight back.

Historically it hasn’t. That seems to be for fear of reprisal from the registry. That’s why it needs a knowledgable and independent voice to act on its behalf that can’t be targetted, such as Politics Reloaded.

Le’ts state the obvious: if dealers don’t fight back real soon, there will be nothing left to protect.

WAPol is doing its own sums – to rip you off on values

We’ve now heard that WAPol is contacting shooters to, in their words “update their records”.

Shooters tell us this is to ensure WAPol has more accurate information to make sure the government can give them the least amount of compensation they need to.

REMEMBER that the compensation is not based on the value of your guns, but what you originally paid for it. That’s regardless of whether that was five, twenty or fifty years ago.

One shooter we know says his Sportco Model 66D he bought in 1968 is now worth at least $400. However the compensation rule will mean he will only get the $50 he paid for it back in 1968.

Which do you prefer? To fight back or cop more of the same?

As we keep saying, shooters need to stand up to stop this rot.

It’s happening in WA and could be just a matter of time before it spreads to other states.

Change for the better IS Possible, but only if we make it happen.

How to fight back

Don’t just sit there and lose thousands of dollars and the sport you love.

Chip in a few dollars by becoming a subscriber to Politics Reloaded. It’s $30 a year, which just half a slab of beer.

You’ll not only be supporting our work to raise awareness of our problems among shooters, but support direct political action to CHANGE the way politicians treat us. This includes lobbying, helping shooters with How-To-Vote advice, and supporting the right candidates.

Don’t just “leave it to the next guy”. Make a stand. Otherwise you could regret losing what you love because you thought the problem would somehow disappear. It won’t.

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