Thread: Certification of a private range

Many on here know that several years ago I hung up some targets in a disused part of my property so that my daughter could practice her lever action skills for CAS. In the beginning it looked like this:

The range then became a labour of love for me and I built a covered in shed for her to shoot from and after much blood sweat and tears it looked like this:

That was up until the end of August when a major weather event caused the hillside to come sliding into the range. I am now almost finished clearing out the slip and completing a major retaining wall project having made the range a little wider in the process. I will post updated photos when the job is done.

So now to the purpose of this thread. Even though this is very much a private use range, with the recent legislative changes I am inclined to have it Police certified but I can’t for the life of me find anything useful on the Police website by way of an application form so am a bit befuddled as to the process.

Does anyone on here know:
1. The clauses in the legislation that are relative to range certification?
2. Whether there is a Police form relative to application for certification and if so what the form number is?
3. In the absence of a Police form, what process I should follow?

Any assistance given would be greatly appreciated.

@Beaker, it just occurred to me that you have done this for a public range down the other island. Can you cast any wisdom my way?

And what a bloody nice range it is too. The power of Waikato is obvious for all to see!
I must come do another preliminary range inspection some time mate!

Originally Posted by 40mm

And what a bloody nice range it is too. The power of Waikato is obvious for all to see!
I must come do another preliminary range inspection some time mate!

You would be welcome mate. Give it a couple more weeks and I will be finished I reckon.

We did one a couple of years back and used Mike spray from mountain saftey.

I would recommend contacting pistol NZ.

It took about a year, but I managed to get the first ever "natural typography" pistol range through certification about 15 years ago, on private land. We had 4 ranges including a 500m long jungle alley, with no requirement for structures.
At the time, PNZ was the only recognised certifiers.

Originally Posted by hotbarrels

I would recommend contacting pistol NZ.

It took about a year, but I managed to get the first ever "natural typography" pistol range through certification about 15 years ago, on private land. We had 4 ranges including a 500m long jungle alley, with no requirement for structures.
At the time, PNZ was the only recognised certifiers.

Dont know if its still operating but the Kaikoura PC would have been certed maybe 30 yrs ago, all with natural typography no man made structures.
Marlb PC would have passed as well, due to the angle of the back drop but we built sturctures and drainage anyway. That was early 90's as well.

Before doing anything official assess it yourself. Using Google Earth measure distances to the nearest dwellings 30 degrees either side of the range centre line. Look at the backstop and see what topography may assist ie a hill or in a gully. Consider 35 degrees elevation as the max muzzle elevation and can anything get away and what's to stop it down range.
With reactive targets are they mounted so as to deflect bullet fragments down.
Common sense says you've done this already and if you decide to or are compelled to register then having data in hand must surely be a plus.

@Rushy, I'll be able to help you, or at least put you into contact with the right person in your area - been involved in workshops with the police re certification training for a while now.

The whole process is still a bit up in the air.

Will call you tonight, heading out the door shortly.

Originally Posted by ebf

@Rushy, I'll be able to help you, or at least put you into contact with the right person in your area - been involved in workshops with the police re certification training for a while now.

The whole process is still a bit up in the air.

Will call you tonight, heading out the door shortly.

Thanks

So some of your comments have got me thinking ahead so I have done some measuring on google maps. This is the down range view over the roof of the shed I built.

The nearest dwelling directly down range is 835 metres away on the other side of the hill which at the peak directly down range is at least 80 metres vertical elevation higher than the shed roof. The nearest dwelling inside 30 degrees to the right of down range is 558 metres away on the other side of the hill with the ridge line over 100 metres vertical elevation higher than the roof of the shed. The nearest dwelling inside of 30 degrees to the left of down range is one kilometre away on the other side of the hill with the ridge line over 100 metres vertical elevation higher than the roof of the shed.

The most common calibres used on the range would be .22LR and 12g. As my daughter is now in the Army, 38 special (which is what she uses in her lever action) is seldom used down there now.

Hey @Rushy, yes I did do it a few years ago (designed and did most of the paper work for cert).
I think most of my knowledge would be out of date now.
Prob the big issue with the range will be the fence(looking to butt's, on the right side) and the height above the cone of fire at the butt's.

I'll give you a call this week for a chat.....

I'd not do anything untill 2023 if required.

If they go with what the Military uses check out JSP 403 (version 12) I think they are up to but remembering yours is a private range and from what can be gathered Police are nowhere near ready to implement a lot of what has been signalled/legislated.

Originally Posted by Walker

I'd not do anything untill 2023 if required.

Good plan. Sleeping dogs will be left to lay and hornets nest will remain unpoked.