ATTEND THE QUEENSLAND POLICE PISTOL CLUB:
It is best to attend the Queensland Police Pistol Club (QPPC) on a Saturday morning (see club calendar for dates) at approximately 0900hrs and speak to either the Club Secretary or one of the other committee members. The club has a number of 9mm GLOCK pistols available for use which will fit into your existing work holster. Any introductory shoot provided by club range officers will be recorded as an attendance toward your application for a Weapons License, this is possible after completing some mandatory Weapons Licensing correspondence, which will require you producing your current Queensland Drivers License. You will also need to bring your Duty Belt, some hearing and eye protection (this can be provided if required) and wear suitable shooting attire (closed in shoes), and you will just need to pay a $30 range fee which includes 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition. If you are still interested in joining the club you will need to commence the Weapons Licensing process to obtaining a Concealable Firearms Licence. The QPPC has both Police and Associate members and there is always someone at the club on a Saturday morning who can assist you. Please be aware that Saturday is the clubs regular match day, and members are usually busying themselves with running, or participating in competition and may not have at lot of time to address your individual needs.
STEP 1 WEAPONS LICENSE
FOR UNLICENSED PERSONS:
• Obtain the form – APPLICATION FOR STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY TO JOIN AN APPROVED PISTOL SHOOTING CLUB (form QP515) from the club or download it from the link below, complete and return the form to your local Police station for approval. If approved, you will receive a document within several weeks.
• Be aware that this Statement remains valid for only 3 months.
FOR LICENSED PERSON:
If you hold a current Queensland Firearms License (Categories A & B) you are not required to submit the form QP515.
STEP 2 WEAPONS LICENSE
APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE QUEENSLAND POLICE PISTOL CLUB:
1. Complete the Club’s Membership Application Form (available for download below)
2. Join SSAA (Currently $90 a year as of 01/01/18) – THIS IS AN IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT OF MEMBERSHIP FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES
3. Provide 2 character reference letters (Example provided for download below). Immediate family members cannot be used to provide a reference. These references are a Weapons Licensing requirement.
4. Attach copies of:
2 x Character References
Statement of Eligibility
Current Drivers License
Current Firearms License (if applicable)
Current SSAA Membership
5. Pay the pro-rata % of the Annual membership fee ($200 annually or $17 per month pro-rata – less is halved for country members & 1st year non-licenced membership)
6. Your application will be reviewed at the next bi-monthly committee meeting. The Secretary will contact you personally with advice of your application.
7. Once membership is accepted there are no additional charges for using the range and all targets are supplied. Patches are available for sale from the club.
STEP 3 WEAPONS LICENSE FIREARMS SAFETY COURSE:
• Undertake the approved Queensland Weapon Safety Course. Course cost for Categories A, B & H is about $100 and will take about a day to complete. Safe Shooter Training provide discount for QPPC members and the courses are held at the QPPC Range.
• Applicants that already possess a Category A or B Firearms License will only need to complete the legislation and Category H components.
• In due course you will receive a Statement of Attainment, which is valid for 12 months and this must be obtained prior to making application for a Concealable Firearms License.
MANDATORY PROBATION PERIOD:
Once membership of the Queensland Police Pistol Club is accepted you will commence the legislated 6 month probation period before you can make application for a Concealable Firearms License. During this time you will:
• Need to purchase ear and eye protection
• Need to attend training sessions and at least 3 handgun competitions which are conducted every Saturday from 0900hrs.
• Need to complete and sign a Form 33 (this form stays at the Club). You must sign every time you come along to shoot.
• Be coached and monitored by a Club trainer during this time and gain a ‘holster proficiency’ qualification.
• Use a Club handgun under the supervision of your trainer. Handguns owned by other club members may be used, if approved.
• Participate in the following matches:
o Australian Police and Services Match (APSM);
o Practical Pistol (PP) similar to IPSC style of shooting and
o Action Match
CONCEALABLE FIREARMS LICENSE:
If at the end of 6 months you have met all the legislated requirements and demonstrated your proficiency, you may apply for your Concealable Firearm License. This will be explained to you at this time. You will also need to acquire and install an approved weapons storage facility (safe) in your residence before you will be able to take possession of a handgun.
CONCEALABLE FIREARMS USAGE:
Your Concealable Firearm License entitles you to own and use a concealable firearm on an approved range ONLY. Under NO circumstances can you use a handgun for any other purpose e.g. hunting out on a property. You must carry your license with you at all times. The Queensland Police Pistol Club understands that most Police Members join in order to practice with and maintain a level of proficiency with a pistol similar to their work GLOCK and for this reason we allow the purchase of a centre fire pistol as a first handgun. This is not possible through a civilian pistol club as they have a mandatory regime of progressing through air and rim fire pistols before allowing the purchase of a centre fire handgun.
RETAINING YOUR CONCEALABLE LICENCE:
For a person to retain a Concealable Firearm Licence (Category H), that person must:
• Be a financial member of an approved Shooting/Pistol Club as defined by the Ranges and Galleries Section of Weapons Licensing, and
• Maintain a participation record of their competition attendances.
The Weapons Act specifies that a licensed person, who owns 1 Concealable Firearm, must have 6 attendances in each financial year period. However, if a person has more than 1 category of concealable firearm, there must be 4 attendances for each category e.g. 3 categories = 12 competition attendances in each financial year.
Each year in July, Category H license holders must complete an Attendance Declaration with copies of the dates of participation. This audit is carefully checked against Club Range Registers. If a person does not meet his/her participation requirements, or fails to submit an Attendance Declaration, they are recorded as NON-COMPLIANT and Weapons Licensing is notified. These persons risk seizure of their firearms and cancellation of their license.
Once you are a member and have completed the QPPC Range Officers Course you can then book and attend the range on any available day of the week except for any Monday morning (up to 12 noon) due to scheduled maintenance of the water processing plant situated in the danger zone behind the QPPC range. Please be aware that only limited RPL is given in this regard as a Police Firearms Instructor as a Range Officer due to the QPPC being a civilian pistol club, which therefore means that you must be conversant with the matches approved by Weapons Licensing Branch that are approved to be shot on the QPPC range.
SSAA-Membership-Form