We may be getting off topic here..... but it's some members might want to know the following:
Yes Jim, and the confused people were the Police!'
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Shooters suddenly found that they would become criminals because of the re-interpretation of what was an MSSA unless they bought an "E" endorsement AND upgraded their security safes.'
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Local shooters opposed the proposed changes in the High Court and in due course the Judge ruled in their favour.
Basically, it's up to the NZ Courts to decide how to interpret the Laws of the Land, not the local Commissioner of Police!'
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Here's an extract of the letter from the Police to the firearms owners who had complied with their instructions:
"A High Court judgment from March this year found that the Police interpretation of "military pattern free-standing pistol grip" was inconsistent with the Arms Act 1983.
The judgment held that:
· a pistol grip that is integrated with the stock is not "free-standing"; and
· "military pattern" means conforms with military specifications.
In order to mitigate any confusion that may have arisen due to the High Court judgment I would like to make the following points.
1. Police are once again treating dragunov-style stocks as integrated, and therefore not containing a "free standing" pistol grip. A semi-automatic rifle with a dragunov-style stock and no other MSSA features is therefore an A Category firearm.
2. The 2009 Police communication is still correct in that a non-integrated addition that connects a pistol grip to the stock or butt in an attempt to make it no longer free standing (such as adding a metal or plastic rod) will not stop the grip from being "free standing". Any semi-automatic with that feature will be an MSSA.
3. People who have already been issued an E endorsement as a result of the July 2009 communication may choose to retain an endorsement for an MSSA, or may choose to surrender the endorsement and (where necessary) return their MSSA to sporting configuration.
4. Where a person has applied (solely as a result of the Police July 2009 interpretation of "military pattern free-standing pistol grip") for an E endorsement prior to the 1 March 2010 High Court judgment and has the proper security in place, Arms Officers are being told that the endorsement may be issued and permit to procure issued for the semi automatic they wish to possess as an MSSA.
5. Those people who consider that they have been financially disadvantaged in having to purchase a higher level of security than they now need as a result of the July 2009 communication can write to the Manager Licensing and Vetting, PO Box 3017, Wellington. Any consideration for compensation would require the surrendering of the E endorsement, a return of the semi-automatic to sporting configuration or disposal of the firearm, provision of receipts for security, and surrender of the security to Police. "(end of extract)
It wasted thousands of taxpayers money (about NZ$600,000) to publish the new rules - and now that the Court has said the interpretations were not legal, many people have asked for and have been given compensation. For example an MSSA steel rifle safe has to be of much thicker steel than a standard rifle safe. And the cost of the endorsement was up to NZ$200 per person.
I'm afraid it left some people embarrassed politically.....and a new Federation of Shooters came into being! The National Shooters Association of New Zealand (which is one of several I belong to). For more info check them out at:
http://www.nsanz.org.nz/I guess it may explain why I find it so hard to understand why the Politicians in the UK and Australia got away with the laws changes they have.'
' Maybe it's a numbers game?
According to the Press we have only 4 million people in New Zealand and over 225,000 registered gun owners and 1.5 million guns.
Re my SLR: I got suckered-in by a local Gun Shop and sold it as part of a trade-in! I was naiive!
But once bitten - twice shy! Older and wiser am I! The carbines are hard to find, but the SLR's are still available, though pretty pricey.
http://www.guncity.co.nz/xurl/function/prodlist/filterflags/0/pointer/0/searchtext/6C316131/grpid/0/content.htmlBut if you want one a bit cheaper I can try to find out for you if one of my mates has one for sale. He's an importer-exporter, and not a dear as GC. PM if you wish.
Re NZ Armourers; you are quite right. They have no such restrictions!'
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Re Aussie Gun Laws: Laws can be changed. Unjust laws MUST be changed by those willing to demand & work for it. But have you ever heard of Politicians or Bureaucrats wanting to give away their control on anything???? So a review might be a good thing to ask for in the UK & Australia - particularly with the recent changes of governments! It might just be timely to get the pendulum swinging back the other way??
Thanks for your interest Jim!
Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:44 am
...so now some questions regarding some of your guns...
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