1977, and now how things have changed

[Roverlord off road spares]

In 1977 this reporter walks in the Melbourne CBD carrying a rifle, no one is concerned. how times have changed in the years.
Please don't make this political

https://www.facebook.com/abcnews.au/videos/10157789312624988/

[ramblingboy42]

yeah, it's wrapped up in cloth, disguises the fact it's a rifle.

[POD]

I remember the news item. For some reason that was current at the time, the reporter wanted to test people's reactions to a firearm being carried but as it was illegal for him to actually carry a rifle like that, he used a rifle stock and a piece of pipe with a cloth wrapped around it so it appeared to be an actual rifle. The film crew filmed him wandering around Melbourne CBD at lunchtime. Nobody gave a toss.

[Stuck]

Sounds about right. Around the same mate and I got chatted in Broken Hill for carrying uncovered firearms on our pushbikes. We wrapped them in old blankets and towels from then on.

[AK83]

I remember about '77, my dad used to pop my 8yo brother seated in the spare wheel of the SeriesIIa, and I'd sit up on the roof rack holding a .22 as he drove through open scrub looking for vermin!

[bblaze]

As a 15 year old, Me and my mates would often be riding bikes around town or down country roads with either a rifle or a 12 gauge going to our favoured shooting spot or to the local sports shop. Often seen the cops and we were never chatted over it. Used to do things like put the rifle bolt in the pocket or break the 12 gauge. Just seemed so very normal at the time. That would have been 75/76. At about that time I was working part time and owned a couple of rifles and a couple of shotties and reloaded our own gun ammo. Seemed such a carefree life
cheers
blaze

[trog]

3]As a 15 year old, Me and my mates would often be riding bikes around town or down country roads with either a rifle or a 12[/COLOR] gauge going to our favoured shooting spot or to the local sports shop. Often seen the cops and we were never chatted over it. Used to do things like put the rifle bolt in the pocket or break the 12 gauge. Just seemed so very normal at the time. That would have been 75/76. At about that time I was working part time and owned a couple of rifles and a couple of shotties and reloaded our own gun ammo. Seemed such a carefree life
cheers
blaze

So you are likely to be the cause of all the animosity towards cyclists these days ! No wonder the govt hit us with the one metre rule and helmets and the riding bretheren "patching " up in lycra !
In those days myself and a few mates all wanted to be The Ramones , or any one the the hundreds of punk bands popping up all over the world.

[rick130]

I'll have to double check, but I'm pretty sure my mate used to take his rifle on the train to Cadets at around the same time ?

[rangieman]

In the early 80`s a mate and my self went away shooting on our Motor Bikes with a rifle and a Shot gun strapped to our backs [bigwhistle].

We did get pulled over by the fuzz and all they were concerned about was that i was a licensed shooter nothing else[thumbsupbig]

[trout1105]

Australia was a VERY different place 40 years ago and I can't honestly say that it has changed for the better.

[mick88]

Back in the seventies and eighties our local "SSW" Supermarket sold firearms and ammo.
As kids we were always out the bush shooting, trapping, ferreting, etc.
As someone else said, life was pretty carefree in those days.
Sadly though, there were quiet a few lives lost due to shooting/spotlighting mishaps with firearms.
I can recall several over the years here having grown up in a country region.
Nowadays if there is a firearm death or injury it's due to aggression/violence.



Cheers, Mick.

[Chops]

All good back then probably right up to the mid 80's,,, what I did notice in that clip was the parked up XA GT [thumbsupbig]

It was nothing back then when we had rifles just laying in plain sight on the back seat of the car, ammo on the dashboard, parked up in the main street of Mornington, windows down, keys in the ignition,, still the same when I moved up to Albury at 21,, even left the wallet on the dash or front seat. No-one would touch anything,, although in Albury I did get told "one shouldn't leave money in plain view young man" by an old couple. [bigwhistle]

I miss those days,, everyone was a lot more honest, respectful and trustful. [bigsad]

[Roverlord off road spares]

Australia was a VERY different place 40 years ago and I can't honestly say that it has changed for the better.
We only have ourselves to blame as we all let it happen.

[Hall]

I was too young to shoot, but my two older brother used to spotlight rabbits on Eildon dam wall and shoot them. I used to set snares with my brother. That would have been through the 1970`s
Cheers Hall

[scarry]

I remember in the 70's going into the bank with my father.
He had just picked up a double barrelled Vostok 12 gauge from the gun shop.

It was wrapped up in plain brown paper,in two separate pieces,he had the barrel and i had the stock.

Just imagine if you were caught doing that today....

The local Tojo dealer told me if they find any ammo in a vehicle that is in for service or repairs,they have to contact the police.[bigsad]

The Indy that services the D4 has never said anything,even though there is sometimes the odd live round in the door pockets,or wherever.

[scarry]

]Back in the seventies and eighties our local "SSW" Supermarket[/COLOR] sold firearms and ammo.
As kids we were always out the bush shooting, trapping, ferreting, etc.
As someone else said, life was pretty carefree in those days.
Sadly though, there were quiet a few lives lost due to shooting/spotlighting mishaps with firearms.
I can recall several over the years here having grown up in a country region.
Nowadays if there is a firearm death or injury it's due to aggression/violence.



Cheers, Mick.

Even A mart Sports used to sell air rifles and also .22 rifles.
I think any larger calibre, a gun shop was the go.

We used to 'borrow' the old mans .22/.410 and head off into the scrub after school.No one was really worried.
I remember we took the 12 gauge once,it nearly knocked us over,and we had sore shoulders for a while.
Only used the .22/.410 after that.

[loanrangie]

Even A mart Sports used to sell air rifles and also .22 rifles.
I think any larger calibre, a gun shop was the go.

We used to 'borrow' the old mans .22/.410 and head off into the scrub after school.No one was really worried.
I remember we took the 12 gauge once,it nearly knocked us over,and we had sore shoulders for a while.
Only used the .22/.410 after that.

Our local Rebel sport sold guns, i went in and bought a 22 magnum with scope, 100 rounds of ammo all using my dads paper license [bighmmm].

[Tins]

Australia was a VERY different place 40 years ago and I can't honestly say that it has changed for the better.

Indeed. Try walking through Melbourne with what that reporter was carrying these days. Or, on second thoughts, don't. I enjoy your posts, and would probably miss them. Or not. Seems that life in Victoria's prisons isn't really that bad, if Julian Knight can spend his time online getting Law degrees and making a nuisance of himself.

[rar110]

Even A mart Sports used to sell air rifles and also .22 rifles.
I think any larger calibre, a gun shop was the go.

We used to 'borrow' the old mans .22/.410 and head off into the scrub after school.No one was really worried.
I remember we took the 12 gauge once,it nearly knocked us over,and we had sore shoulders for a while.
Only used the .22/.410 after that.

AMart used to sell M1 Carbines, SKSs, Ruger mini14, lever 3030s, John Wayne specials etc etc.

[rar110]

People migrated to cities, became unfamiliar with guns, and how they are used, saw repeated media reports on mad gunman in Australia and overseas causing multiple casualties since that report. It’s no surprise anyone who has a license and a few guns is viewed by many as a bit odd. Someone with a long history with guns and has collected a dozen or more is regards as having a cache of weapons and definitely sus. There is a serious general public misconception of weapons licence holders.

However i think licensing is a good part solution to reducing unnecessary firearm possession.

[trout1105]

We only have ourselves to blame as we all let it happen.

Many of us have been overwhelmed by actions of the doo gooders, the minority groups and the politically correct brigade over the last few decades and all we have been able to do is look on in dismay as the values, honesty and mutual trust that was evident in the seventies has been slowly eroded away over the years.

[Tins]

Many of us have been overwhelmed by actions of the doo gooders, the minority groups and the politically correct brigade over the last few decades and all we have been able to do is look on in dismay as the values, honesty and mutual trust that was evident in the seventies has been slowly eroded away over the years.

And, once the bureaucrats catch on and take something away, it's bloody hard to get it back.

[Gordie]

Apathy has been our biggest enemy...we vote in the hand-wringer brigade, they listen to the minority and we let them act upon it. Over the past few decades I have noted for instance, if Euro farmers didn't like a govt move, they would drive tractors onto motorways, dump cattle poo on steps of parliament, demonstrate etc. Here we are more likely to go "awww they can't do that, someone should do something"...and then "awww they did that, oh well we have to live with it now".

[trout1105]

Apathy has been our biggest enemy...we vote in the hand-wringer brigade, they listen to the minority and we let them act upon it. Over the past few decades I have noted for instance, if Euro farmers didn't like a govt move, they would drive tractors onto motorways, dump cattle poo on steps of parliament, demonstrate etc. Here we are more likely to go "awww they can't do that, someone should do something"...and then "awww they did that, oh well we have to live with it now".

Without getting "Political" is nigh on impossible to respond to this.
YES apathy IS a big problem as is the Rampant political correctness and the severe lack of Moral Fibre the vast majority of our elected officials to do the job they were elected for instead of feathering their nests and furthering their political career.
There are so many things that have changed the face of Australian society over the past few decades that were introduced without the approval of the Majority I have NO idea where to start.
The Only thing we have been able to do is to vote out a government that has introduced these various legislations BUT that hasn't solved anything at all because by that time it is too late the damage has already been done.

[Gordie]

An example of how things are taken away and change...recently a teenage girl was swept off a breakwater in Adelaide to her death. It was very unfortunate and sad that she died. But now they are banning swimming within 40m of, walking on, fishing from, said breakwater. What next, all rock fishing on any coast to be banned? C'mon.

[Gordie]

I was too young to shoot, but my two older brother used to spotlight rabbits on Eildon dam wall and shoot them. I used to set snares with my brother. That would have been through the 1970`s
Cheers HallI used to roll back the canvas on my ex army landy and we would go spotlighting on a public rd through a bush area at night, just imagine the response these days to a couple of lads hanging out of a landy with firearms on a road!

[austastar]

Hi,
No more knocking over the odd rabbit at night in the main Hobart cemetery any more. So unreasonable!

Cheers

[Hall]

Not just apathy, but also minority of hooligans giving responsible shooters a bad name. My parents had house at Eildon. Dad and my two older brothers would ask local farmers for permission to shoot on there farms. But then the farmers stopped all shooting due to shooters shooting with out permission and would shoot stock, farm equipment as well. This is what the anti gun lobby got hold of. Maybe it was only a part of the reason guns became unpopular but it was a factor.
Cheers Hall