It all changed in '96, Port Arthur and John Howard.
Ha, yes of course. How did I forget about that? I guess it was because I'd moved from minimal legal requirements in QLD to the most restrictive in the country in WA. WA already had licencing in place at that time and they had a low power/high power categorisation for long arms. I can't remember the definitions around that but 375Win was high power and 38/55 was low power (I had joined a lever action rifle club initially). Low power were available on an "open" licence and low power semi-autos didn't have a magazine capacity restriction. High power required club endorsement or property owner endorsement letter, and semi-autos had limited magazine capacity of 4 or 5 rounds - the BAR was the only rifle that I could think of that fit this category. Modified reduced mag capacity was not allowed. I had a semi-auto CZ 22mag rifle that I eventually had to "hand back" - got a very good price for it though, thank you tax payers. Bought another rifle with the money of course.
