FIREARMS ACT 2015 - SECT 5

FIREARMS ACT 2015 - SECT 5

5—Categories and types of firearms

        (1)         Firearms are divided into the following categories for the purposes of this Act:

            (a)         "category A firearms" consisting of the following:

                  (i)         air guns;

                  (ii)         paint-ball firearms;

                  (iii)         rim fire rifles (not being self-loading rifles);

                  (iv)         shotguns (not being self-loading, pump action or lever action shotguns);

                  (v)         break action combination shotguns and rim fire rifles;

            (b)         "category B firearms" consisting of the following:

                  (i)         muzzle loading firearms (not being handguns);

                  (ii)         revolving chamber rifles;

                  (iii)         centre fire rifles (not being self-loading centre fire rifles);

                  (iv)         multiple barrel centre fire rifles that are not designed to hold additional rounds in a magazine;

                  (v)         break action combination shotguns and rifles (not being break action combination shotguns and rim fire rifles);

            (va)         lever action shotguns having a magazine capacity of 5 rounds or less;

                  (vi)         all other firearms (not being prescribed firearms, handguns, self-loading firearms, pump action shotguns or lever action shotguns having a magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds) that are not category A firearms;

            (c)         "category C firearms" consisting of the following:

                  (i)         self-loading rim fire rifles having a magazine capacity of 10 rounds or less;

                  (ii)         self-loading shotguns having a magazine capacity of 5 rounds or less;

                  (iii)         pump action shotguns having a magazine capacity of 5 rounds or less;

            (d)         "category D firearms" consisting of the following:

                  (i)         self-loading rim fire rifles having a magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds;

                  (ii)         self-loading centre fire rifles;

                  (iii)         self-loading shotguns having a magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds;

                  (iv)         pump action shotguns having a magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds;

                  (v)         lever action shotguns having a magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds;

            (e)         "category H firearms" consisting of handguns (not being prescribed firearms);

            (f)         "prescribed firearms" consisting of the following:

                  (i)         automatic firearms;

                  (ii)         mortars, bazookas, rocket propelled grenades and similar military firearms designed to fire explosive projectiles;

                  (iii)         firearms designed to fire projectiles containing tear gas or any other lachrymatory substance or any nauseating substance or poison (but not firearms designed to tranquillise, immobilise or administer vaccines or other medicines to animals);

                  (iv)         firearms designed to have the appearance of other objects;

                  (v)         firearms of a kind declared by the regulations to be prescribed firearms.

        (2)         In this Act—

"air gun" means a firearm (other than a handgun) designed to fire shot, bullets or other projectiles by means of compressed air or other compressed gas and not by means of burning propellant;

"antique firearm" means a firearm that—

            (a)         was manufactured before 1900; and

            (b)         is kept solely for curiosity, display, ornamental or investment purposes; and

            (c)         is not used to fire projectiles; and

            (d)         —

                  (i)         in the case of a firearm other than a category H firearm—

                        (A)         is designed to fire breech loading cartridges and is a firearm the ammunition for which is not ordinarily available for purchase by retail in Australia; or

                        (B)         is not designed to fire breech loading cartridges; or

                  (ii)         in the case of a category H firearm—is a handgun designed or altered to fire by means of a flintlock, matchlock, wheel-lock or other system used prior to the use of percussion caps as a means of ignition;

"automatic firearm" means a firearm that is designed to fire a round when the trigger is brought to the firing position and to continue to fire 1 or more rounds automatically while the trigger is held in that position;

"handgun" means a firearm with a barrel length of less than 400 millimetres that is designed or adapted for aiming and firing from the hand and is reasonably capable of being carried concealed about the person;

"paint-ball firearm" means an air gun designed to fire paint-balls;

"pump action shotgun" means a shotgun that is reloaded manually by moving the forward hand grip which is part of the loading mechanism of the gun backwards and then forwards;

"self-loading firearm" means a firearm that is designed to fire a round when the trigger is brought to the firing position and to continue to fire 1 or more rounds by releasing the trigger and returning it to the firing position to fire each additional round, but does not include a shotgun that is a category A or B firearm that is not designed to hold additional rounds in a magazine.

        (3)         For the purposes of this Act, a reference to a firearm of a particular category or kind includes—

            (a)         a reference to a receiver of a firearm of that particular category or kind; and

            (b)         a reference to a device that would, if in working order, or if assembled and in working order, be a firearm of that category or kind.

        (4)         The regulations may amend the categories of firearms or definitions prescribed by this section, including by adding a new category or definition.