Thread: Length of a rifle with welded on suppressor?

I've got a .22 that I want to cut down and thread for a silencer/suppressor.
I know the law in regard to a firearm that is less than 762 millimetres [30 inches] in length (classed as a pistol).

However what if I cut my barrel down to 5"/13cm (rifle length 24"/610mm), and then weld my stainless steel suppressor that is 6"/15cm long onto it (making an overall rifle length of 30"/762mm).....

.....legal? (suppressor baffles come out from front of silencer for cleaning).

logical.
Dont know about legal.

Ask Nicholas Taylor. (specialist firearms lawyer)

I think there was a case of the length being taken to the end of the rifling regardless of a fixed suppressor. I can't find any info on that though.

Section 2 of the Arms Act only talks about the 762mm length, nothing about where that is measured from.

Originally Posted by 40mm

logical.
Dont know about legal.

Ask Nicholas Taylor. (specialist firearms lawyer)

I'll wait to see if anyone on this forum knows. If not I'll phone the local arms officer tomorrow (has finished from work today).

I'm not phoning a lawyer....he might charge me for the info

Even if he charged you for the info might work cheaper than the court case if you get wrong . Plus his will be the correct info sometime the AO's dont have all the correct info .

Dont cut the bastard too short or the end of the suppressor will be poking you in the back of the ear when shes slung - most disconcerting

contact Mark Trail then.....last I heard he was using a 10" barrel on .308 so he will know the legalities of it ....

It is measured to the muzzle. not suppressor.

https://www.colfo.org.nz/news/9-colf...ue-1-2017.html

ANY firearm which is less than 762mm will be classified as a pistol. The length of any firearm is measured without any “attachments” (whether or not “permanently” attached (e.g. welding, pinned)), such as flash-hiders, silencers, muzzle brakes, barrel extensions or magazine extensions. In the case of rifled firearms (such as rifles and Pistols), barrel length will be determined by measuring the length of the barrel rifling.”

Now i tried to find this in the legislation but i cant find it.

Bit ironic. 10/22 remove barrel action from stock for cleaning and its sub 762mm and you now have a pistol.
700mm long rifle and have a pinned (that you need tools to remove) or welded on suppressor making it 800mm in length its now a pistol. Both situations rely on tools to break down shorter than legal length. But one is classified as a pistol.
Both rely on "fit and proper" people to only use it in its intended configuration.

if you asked 100 people they would say that the rifle is 800mm long. But by legislation its 700mm.
Well my car is 3.2m long but if you don't count the bumpers its 3.0m long.

Originally Posted by Nugget connaisseur

It is measured to the muzzle. not suppressor.
ANY firearm which is less than 762mm will be classified as a pistol. The length of any firearm is measured without any “attachments” (whether or not “permanently” attached (e.g. welding, pinned)), such as flash-hiders, silencers, muzzle brakes, barrel extensions or magazine extensions. In the case of rifled firearms (such as rifles and Pistols), barrel length will be determined by measuring the length of the barrel rifling.”.

Well there's the answer. And Colfo.org.nz must have got that info from the legislation....even if we can't find said legislation.

Thanks for that @Nugget connaisseur ... for a moment there I was thinking I had a really compact and silent bunny buster in the making.

762mm IS short....add on what???another 100mm and its still short....I once owned a .12ga that was 785mm....ridiculously short,and LOUD..... mate had stuck barrel into rabbit hole and split barrel.... it was almost dangerous to carry as could swing in one hand and point at feet...no point in slinging it,was below ears.
seriously put tape measure on rifle as it is and see just where the 762mm will be...chances are,right on end of forestock....

I had another look, i swear it was defined in the legislation before on how they measure it.
But looking at arms act 1983, Arms regulations 1992, 2020 its not there

https://kiwigunblog.wordpress.com/20...inimum-length/

Mike loader says they revised that "policy" and include the muzzle attachment. *EDIT as long as attachment requires tool to remove it.

I looked into this a while ago as was going to build a short sub rifle with a pinned supressor. I was going to just do it and argue my 2 points above and that police policy is not law if anything ever happened but ended up getting into long range shooting instead.

COLFO got that directive from the Police in 2017. Its not in the legislation, it was Police 'policy'.

However, there have been two amendments to the Arms Act 1983 since then.
So err on the side of caution taking anything from that 2017 COLFO webpage as relevant now.
Don't call your AO either, as the view of an individual AO won't be a defense in court.

Originally Posted by dogmatix

COLFO got that directive from the Police in 2017. Its not in the legislation, it was Police 'policy'.

However, there have been two amendments to the Arms Act 1983 since then.
So err on the side of caution taking anything from that 2017 COLFO webpage as relevant now.
Don't call your AO either, as the view of an individual AO won't be a defense in court.

Well if it's just policy and not law then I will contact lawyer Nicholas Taylor tomorrow and report back on what he says.

I have a contract for rabbit control around campgrounds and the short + silent rifle is the best way to go (as long as it doesn't end up in court if I can help it)

Edited my first post for clarity.

The only thing i can find is this:

Section 2 (1) under Pistol.
pistol means a firearm (other than a prohibited firearm or restricted weapon) that is designed or adapted to be held and fired with 1 hand, and includes any firearm (other than a prohibited firearm or restricted weapon) that is less than 762 millimetres in length

https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/.../DLM72627.html

A friend sent his Ruger 44mag bolt action to Gunworks and they cut the barrel to 9 inches and put an over barrel suppressor on it. You would hope they know the regulations!. He was somewhat miffed when he got it back as Gunworks had not told him they were shortening the barrel, now stuffed for full house loads.