Crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm says Australia's tough gun control laws are not based on data and were an "emotional reaction" to the Port Arthur massacre that left 35 people dead.

Senator Leyonhjelm says the majority of Australians have no experience with guns and therefore do not realise that when used safely, they can be a lot of fun.

The Liberal Democrat senator took Lateline to a Canberra shooting range as the so-called "guns for votes" debate continued in Federal Parliament.

Senator Leyonhjelm is behind the controversial push to relax the ban on the seven-round Adler lever-action shotgun, saying "there is no compelling reason" for the weapon to be illegal.

What's the fuss about? Some Adler shotguns have a magazine capacity of seven rounds, with another round in the barrel

Some Adler shotguns have a magazine capacity of seven rounds, with another round in the barrel The weapon's lever action has been described as relatively fast moving, allowing shots to be fired in quick succession

The weapon's lever action has been described as relatively fast moving, allowing shots to be fired in quick succession Opponents are concerned if it gets into the wrong hands, it could lead to a tragic event like Port Arthur

Opponents are concerned if it gets into the wrong hands, it could lead to a tragic event like Port Arthur Advocates believe it will assist rural shooters with "feral pest destruction"

"Most people don't like guns, they're not familiar with them, they've had no experience with them. What they do know about them is what they've watched on TV, they've watched them in criminal movies. They know they can be dangerous," he said.

"Unless you've been exposed to them, unless we've had the fun of competing in sport with guns and know that they are used incredibly safely and they are a lot of fun and they're not all about killing people then yes, you tend to think there should be fewer of them, they shouldn't be allowed."

In 1996, 12 days after the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, then-prime minister John Howard passed the National Firearms Agreement,, including a gun buyback and restricted ownership of automatic and semi-automatic weapons. There has not been a massacre in Australia since.

But Senator Leyonhjelm says there are no statistics behind the laws.

"The National Firearms Agreement which was introduced by John Howard wasn't introduced on any objective data," he said.

"There was no, 'We're regulating this type of gun because statistically it's been shown that does more good'. There was none of that sort of thing.

"It was just an emotional reaction to a tragedy.

"As soon as we start injecting some data, some figures into it, I think the policy outcomes will change."

The controversial Adler A110 lever-action shotgun. ( Supplied: noia.com.au )

When it comes to the Adler, Senator Leyonhjelm claims there has never been a major crime committed with a lever-action shotgun in Australia.

"It's never been used in any mass shooting, any bank holdups or anything like that. You can't even saw the barrel off," he said.

"Man Monis in the Lindt Cafe siege used a sawn-off shotgun. They can be very dangerous.

"In the illicit firearms Senate inquiry that I sat on, the police said repeatedly that the preferred firearm for criminals is pistols, but they sometimes turn up sawn-off shotguns.

"You can't saw off a lever-action shotgun because you also cut the magazine."

Sadly Senator Leyonhjelm says his lack of hand-eye coordination means he is not much of a shot with guns like the Adler.

"I missed out on hand-eye coordination when it was being handed out," he said.

"I am quite good as a matter of fact at very slow, considered, precision shooting.

"I've won my grade in state championships in a version of pistol shooting like that. I'm pretty handy with long-range rifle shooting."