Thread: MSSA Overall Length Update

Some information has come to hand regarding how MSSA firearms are measured to achieve 762mm.

Previous police policy was to measure MSSA's fitted with a folding or collapsible stock, with the stock open to it's fullest extent.

It appears that Police HQ have reversed this policy and they will now be measuring it from its shortest fireable extent. So for example if you own an AK with an under folding stock, it will be measured stock closed, which will put it well under 762mm. There are many MSSA's that will be effected by this change of policy.

Now as a disclaimer, to the best of my knowledge, this change in policy has not been officially gazzetted, though apparently arms officers have been made aware. This is second hand information I have learned through members of our service rifle club. So if anything take it as a warning that police may consider what you have, to be a pistol at the moment.

Can B cat holders have rifles <762mm?

I think the previous interpretation (measured extended) stems from the fact that a firearm cannot be classified as both a rifle AND a pistol, depending on what configuration it is in. It is either a rifle at all times, or a pistol at all times. Looks like that has gone out the window.

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Originally Posted by clavulanate

Can B cat holders have rifles <762mm?

Technically yes I guess, practically no as police and pistol nz don't want it.

if it goes down the less than 762 is a pistol ,i was under the impression that it has to be on the "approved " pistol list ... take the AK for example , it isnt on the list now ... so i guess if this comes into law , a fixed stock will have to be put on , or a friggin long barrel

Lets just wait and see official comms. As it is, many are getting fired up over this on social media.

The Arms Officers sometimes make their own interpretation of what the rules are. Wait for the legislation to say what it is.
I say this because some AO say the Garand can be an A cat rifle with the 5 round clips, and bayonet boss removed, and others say that it can only be an E cat regardless.

Another case of big on policy, light on legislation?

This "policy" as they call it is getting friggin ridiculous. Why can't HQ be open & transparent about what is actually going on.

Who came up with 762mm overall length? Why not 760mm or 764? Sound like a pin the tail on donkey joke was played when they made this rule. In the US a pistol is "designed to be fired with one hand", even though most handgun shooting is prudently done with two hands.

We all know what is a handgun and what is a longgun. Legislature (not an unelected police comittee) should focus on classification of SMGs like 9mm shorty AR's, krinkov AK's, etc.

The problem is police giving us the run around. Gun owners are normal law abiding citizens who value rule of law, yet get treated like bad children who are up to no good.

I think firearm licensing should be handed over to a new, independent licensing agency using info from the police database. NZPD is obviously too compromised by internal politics and United Nations gun grabbing agenda to be in the democratic interest of New Zealand.

Will be interesting to see what the proliferation of freedom under trump will do to NZ gun politics. I can only hope we elect people who are as gun-friendly next election.

That's my rant done thanks for listening.

Originally Posted by tararua

Who came up with 762mm overall length? Why not 760mm or 764?

760mm = 29.92inch
762mm = 30inch
764mm = 30.08inch

Ok 30 inches is a fair rounding.

Trump as POTUS will do nothing more, nothing less for NZ firearms ownership, it really is irrelevant to us here.

I guess we will just have to wait and see what comes of it. If you think about it, lots of bolt action rifles can be removed from their stock and still discharged, whilst below 762mm. It may not be terribly practical, but then neither is shooting an MSSA with the stock folded. The net result is my rifle I took hunting last weekend is now a pistol supposedly.

I'm doing a bulk Brownells order of spare trigger guard pins for A Cat receivers we 'could' use to pin our currently adjustable AR stocks as well. Let me know If you want one.
Installation instructions abound on YouTube.