Thread: Firearms in NZ in the 1850s

The early whalers and seal traders established a large market in NZ supplying the Maoris with flintlock muskets and shotguns in exchange for the harvesting rights for each season. Some Chiefs demanded specific types of firearms to arm their warriors, and high quality guns for their personal use. This practice continued well into the percussion era. Gun dealers offered all the popular models of Colt, Adams, Tranter, etc. percussion revolvers, as well as civilian 'volunteer' versions of the Enfield and Whitworth rifles in the late 1850's and 1860's. There was a very large market for muzzle-loading shotguns of both single and double-barrel styles, generally of English manufacture. In the '70's and '80's the market was becoming dominated by cartridge revolvers, rifles, and shotguns from all over the World. The latter part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th saw all the prominent US (Colt, Winchester, S&W, Remington, Marlin, etc) and English (Webley and Scott, Midland, Tranter, etc) manufacturers with established agencies with the products available in gun shops throughout the country. There were no arms laws or regulations of any consequence until 1921, prior to that date anyone could buy a pistol, rifle, or shotgun without difficulty. In addition to the established brands many dealers bought job-lots of surplus firearms overseas for resale here. The settlers who came to NZ in the 1840 to 1910 period almost invariably brought a wide assortment of personal firearms with them, especially the gold miners who came from the US and Australia. Shooting was the first organized sport in NZ and was very popular. In addition to the Colonial Ammunition Company in Auckland that was established in 1881, there was also a powder mill in Otago that operated for some years. From a gun collector's point of view, NZ has at least one of everything to try and find!