Thread: Ar lower

AR uppers and lowers are considered by the NZ Police as the action of a firearm. As such they require a NZ Firearms License to purchase and are the only AR part which requires an import permit (for A cat firearms).

Lowers can and have been endorsed as E category.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Koshogi

AR uppers and lowers are considered by the NZ Police as the action of a firearm. As such they require a NZ Firearms License to purchase and are the only AR part which requires an import permit (for A cat firearms).

Lowers can and have been endorsed as E category.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Koshogi

With all due respect I can not see how anyone can classify any firearms part as requiring and "E Endorsement" as it does not fit the definition of a Firearm as described in the Arms Code and therefore cannot be classified as such.

Can you provide any official source for this information?

Just for clarification there is no such thing as A cat or E cat.

There are Endorsements to a NZ Firearms Licence as described in the "Firearms Types" section

These are:
Fire Arms Licence "Commonly known as A", "B" Pistols, "C" Pistols or Restricted Firearms held in Collections, "D" Dealers Licence, "E" Military Style Semi Automatics (MSSA), "F" Arms Dealers and their Agents or Employees.

The Arms Code is silent on the classification of Firearm parts.

The only mention of Firearm Parts relates to the exportation of said parts from NZ as follows:

Exporting firearms, parts and ammunition from New Zealand

An export permit is required before firearms, components, accessories, ammunition and other weapons may be taken out of New Zealand. These controls apply regardless of the state, completeness or working condition of the items.

Permits are issued free of charge by the International Security and Disarmament Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Certain exemptions exist for antique items, temporary exports for hunting trips or sporting competitions, visitors to New Zealand and exports for the purposes of repair and return. Please note that these exemptions do not apply to Pacific Island destinations.

Further information and application forms are available from the Business Gateway (Strategic Goods) on the Ministry’s website New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or by contacting the Ministry directly on: 04 439 8227 (phone) or exportcontrols@mfat.govt.nz (email).

Cheers
Pete

The Arms Code isn't the important part. The Act and Regulation are the only legislative instruments.

While the Police can't actually make this determation, they do use this reference on the NZ Police website.

"Form POL67B*- Application to import firearms airguns, restricted airguns and firearm parts. A permit is not required for parts of a sporting rifle or shotgun other than the complete upper action (upper and/or lower receiver for AR/AK types)."

http://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/p...rms?nondesktop

I'm aware of the A Cat, not A cat debate. The terminology is still a useful way of differentiating between the different classes.

An Endorsement is listed against a specific firearm, which requires a serial number. On an AR, this is on the lower, which enables the lower to be "endorsed".

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Koshogi

Thanks for this information and link, clears that up nicely.

Still confused as to how an AR lower can be determined if its E endorsed or not when this cannot be determined that it will fit the description of an MSSA until its final assembly.
The mere act of changing out a magazine could be the only difference in this determination.

Will need to check the Act and Regulations for Export of firearm parts.

Cheers
Pete

P38 Basically YOU register the lower as e-cat. The AR15 either arrives in NZ and is registered on arrival as e-cat or an a-cat lower is made e-cat here. Simple as that. Until it is registered as e-cat you cannot legally put a free standing pistol grip, collapsing but stock, use mags of greater than 7 rounds in it etc..

Originally Posted by P38

Still confused as to how an AR lower can be determined if its E endorsed or not when this cannot be determined that it will fit the description of an MSSA until its final assembly.
The mere act of changing out a magazine could be the only difference in this determination.

An endorsed firearm does not need to have all or any of the features that make it a MSSA. You merely have permission/authority to have it with those features, and it does not need to remain in that configuration at all times.

So an endorsed AR which is in "A cat" configuration (thumbhole stock and no other MSSA features) can have a 30rd magazine fitted, which turns it into a MSSA and then once removed, it is no longer a MSSA.

I'm sure several Arms Officers would disagree with that, but that's what's the courts have ruled. Despite what some Police believe they don't interpret the law, the courts do.

Confusing?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk