Watch
Step through the slides. The trainer's words are under each one.
Carry, transport and store
Shotgun, lesson 4 of 8: what the law and good sense require
This is lesson 4: carry, transport and store. What the law and good sense require. We carry on with Johan and his instructor, Anel, at Ridgeview.
Carrying a shotgun in public
Section 84 of the Act sets the rule for carrying any firearm other than a handgun in a public place. It must be in a holder designed, made or adapted for carrying it, such as a gun slip or case. It must be completely covered. And you must be able to exercise effective control over it at all times. A shotgun over your shoulder in the parking area of the range, uncovered, breaks that rule.
Transporting it in a vehicle
- Unloaded, in its slip or case
- Out of sight
- Never left unattended unless in a lock-away safe bolted to the vehicle
- Cartridges carried separately
To transport a shotgun, unload it and put it in its slip or case, out of sight. Carry cartridges separately. Don't leave it in an unattended vehicle; if you must, it has to be in a lock-away safe fixed to the vehicle body, as regulation 86 describes. Johan drives home from the club with his over-and-under broken down in a hard case in the boot, and his cartridges in a separate bag.
When it isn't on you, it's in the safe
- 1Not under your controlNot on you or in your hands
- 2Into the safeA SABS 953 safe or strongroom
- 3With the cartridgesAmmunition locked away too
- 4Only you open itOr it opens only with you there
At home the rule is regulation 86. Whenever your shotgun is not under your direct personal and physical control, it and its cartridges must be locked in a safe or strongroom that meets SABS 953. The safe is bolted down, and only you can open it, or it can only be opened with you there. Shotguns other than a section 13 self-defence shotgun are stored unloaded.
Safe habits
- Bolt the safe to the wall or floor
- Keep the keys or code to yourself
- Store it unloaded unless it's your section 13 self-defence shotgun
- Moving house? Tell the DFO, who checks the safe
A few safe habits. Bolt the safe to a wall or floor as the standard requires. Keep the keys or code to yourself; losing a firearm because the keys were lying around is an offence. Store it unloaded unless it is your section 13 self-defence shotgun. And if you move house, notify the DFO, who will check that the safe at the new address complies.
What it costs to get this wrong
| Offence | Maximum prison |
|---|---|
| Carrying in public uncovered or without a proper holder | 2 years |
| Not locking it away, or losing it through carelessness | 5 years |
| Storing or transporting it not as prescribed | 15 years |
| Not reporting a loss or theft within 24 hours | 10 years |
These are the maximums in Schedule 4 of the Act. Carrying in public without a proper holder, or uncovered: up to two years. Failing to lock it away, or losing it through carelessness: up to five years, and a conviction can lead to being declared unfit to possess a firearm. Storing or transporting it other than as prescribed: up to fifteen years. And if it is lost or stolen, report it within 24 hours, or face up to ten years.
At the club, and at home
- At the club
- Gun open and empty between stands
- In its slip in the car park
- Cartridges in your bag, one gauge only
- At home
- In the safe, unloaded
- Cartridges in the safe too
- Keys or code with you
Put together, Johan's week looks like this. At the club, his gun is open and empty between stands, in its slip in the car park, and his bag holds only 12-gauge cartridges. At home, it goes straight into the safe, unloaded, with the cartridges, and the key stays with him.
Your turn
Before lesson 5
- Do the exercise: Lawful or not?
- Answer four quick questions on this lesson
- Check where your safe will go and how it will be bolted down
Before you move on, do the exercise, Lawful or not?, and answer four quick questions on this lesson. Then, in your own time: check where your safe will go and how it will be bolted down. Next: when the law allows a shotgun to be used against a person.
Do: Lawful or not?
Johan's week with his shotgun. Decide whether each situation is lawful or not.
Check
Four quick questions. The reason shows as soon as you answer.
Apply
Where this shows up in your own life.
Check where your safe will go and how it will be bolted down
Ridgeview Firearms Academy and its people are fictional. This is study material written from the Firearms Control Act and the SAQA unit standards. It isn't an accredited course or legal advice; your accredited training provider runs the official tests.