The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO) has alerted owners to the 24 June 2025 deadline after which all purchases of ammunition will trigger a requirement to register all modern firearms with the Registry.

The organisation says a high level of scepticism and resentment toward the registry will lead to some firearm owners legitimately stockpiling ammunition to avoid buying after the deadline.

The ammunition deadline is the final stage in events which require owners to register firearms with the Government Registry. Other events include applying for a licence, buying a firearm, changing address or reporting theft. It is possible for firearms to remain unregistered after the ammunition deadline, if none of the “activating circumstances” occur.

COLFO spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack says it is likely that some owners will buy ammunition before 24 June to stockpile and avoid registration.

“Stockpiling is legal, so it will probably happen. It’s another example of how and why registries have failed around the world – as this one will.

“The main reason they fail is non-compliance, particularly by 100% of criminals. The only registered firearms are legitimate ones, and they are involved in less than 10% of firearm incidents,” Devereux-Mack says.

Devereux-Mack says there’s a high level of cynicism among licence holders toward the registry.

“Despite wild guarantees from previous Ministers and the chronically confused Chris Cahill, the registry has not led to less gun crime.”

COLFO's 2025 Trust and Confidence survey showed 85% of firearm owners do not trust Police to keep their registry data secure.

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