My son actually go me back into firearms. He was USMC and said I should buy an AR. He was very skeptical of the price I paid for my first one, until he saw it. He had a 'big name' AR15 and I had one assembled by an Army Ranger. Mine was nearly 40% less than his, and he said it was twice the rifle. Go Figure! lol Nicer internals, better assembly on all factory parts and the final build was also superior. Kind of opened his eyes. Mine too.
I appreciate you, your writing and viewpoints. You'd make a great Yank, IMO. You can teach us to NOT Take for Granted our 2A rights. If I had the same obstacle you have... Well, I'm just glad I don't!
It sounds like you've got a nice AR built! We used to have them here until a crazy asshole shot 34 people at Port Arthur in Tasmania. (Martin Bryant.) That's when things changed as far as our gun laws go. It's just how it is and we have to make the best of the situation we have.
There's a lot of misconception (here and overseas) about what our laws are and what we can and cannot do but realistically the biggest thing is the restriction on semi/full auto rifles and shotguns to the mainstream gun owner. They exist of course, but are regulated. (Farmers can have them, bu they are locked for use to that particular property).
We can have semi handguns (mag-limit 10) though and I have many. we can even have 50 -cal rifles but they are limited to single shot. Some dedicated sniper-weapons are also regulated as are certain range finders like the Vectronix units. (I could never afford one anyway.)
We make do with the laws we have and still manage to have a lot of fun.
I reckon if I was in the States I'd have me the right pick up, the right firearms and the right friends...Lol. I'd pile on the Aussie accent though, give you yanks a laugh or two. Start spreading the Aussie slang up there with all my Yank cobbers.
Cobbers = Friend, companion (usually referring to males).