Thread: Gun Culture In New Zealand

Here in Alaska, USA we have a HUGE gun culture I am starting this thread so I can get a better understanding about NZ gun culture and gun regulations. Feel free to post anything on this topic my Kiwi friends!

We are not allowed firearms for self defence purposes. Hunting target shooting plinking and collecting is what we've got. Pistols are a lot more regulated than long arms fully automatic way more regulated and not supposed to be fired and semi auto high capacity magazines allowed but more regulated than long arms. Hope this helps. Welcome to the forum.


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You could say Nz Firearms Culture is based around hunting with target shooting also being very very popular.

I would say people own guns just for the hell of it ( Even if they never make it out )

hunting and shooting is still ticking along . . . not the glory days of the past where ever small town had a rifle range it but ticking along.

Deer Stalkers Assoc ( Hunters ) and NRA ( Target Shooters ) are barely hanging on in my area . .. nearly all of the old guys are gone now, i count myself lucky to have known some of them.

The future is uncertain for the sport i think . . . some in the media and police are definitely anti-gun, how that will pan out with knee jerk reaction politicians is hard to say.

NZ allows the ownership of any firearm (shotguns, rifles, pistols, machine guns, artillery) subject to having the appropriate license endorsement. Only the 'A' license (shotguns and rifles) is available as of right, the other endorsements are subject to more stringent conditions of security and bona fide intent. These endorsements are; 'B' - pistol club member, 'C' - collector (covers pistols and MG's), 'D' - dealer's license (subject to its own set of regulations), 'E' - military style semi-autos, 'F' - license to carry all types for business purposes (not self-defence). No licence is required for air guns over the age of 18, and genuine antiques are exempt from any license. Firearms licenses may be issued at 16 years of age. Pistols on a 'B' license can only be used on a recognised range, pistols and MG's on a 'C' license may not be fired (other than with blanks at a recognised theatrical event), Military style semi-autos on an 'E' license may be used for any legitimate purpose (target, hunting, pest control). There is no self-defence carry or hunting permitted with pistols. In short, not as open as Alaska but still quite reasonable in comparison with the rest of the World. Roughly 6% of the population have firearms licenses, with an estimated 1.5 million firearms for a population of 4.5 million people.

@Alaskaman 2016

Check this out
Firearms licence - standard license | New Zealand Police

I was raised in a Hunting Family and have never known or lived in a home without a firearm or several firearms.

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by gundoc

Roughly 6% of the population have firearms licenses, with an estimated 1.5 million firearms for a population of 4.5 million people.

Damn you @gundoc, you just prompted me to do the maths. That makes 5.5 firearms/license holder on average.

I know, I can split the number in the safe between me and @TimeRider. And we can ignore the ones in someone elses safe.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Damn you @gundoc, you just prompted me to do the maths. That makes 5.5 firearms/license holder on average.

I know, I can split the number in the safe between me and @TimeRider. And we can ignore the ones in someone elses safe.

I must be bipolar GM. According to those statistics I am at least a couple of average firearms license holders.

...It reminds me of a good quote I heard from someone I bought some ammo from...

"If you know how many guns you have in your safe, you don't have enough" !

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Damn you @gundoc, you just prompted me to do the maths. That makes 5.5 firearms/license holder on average.

I know, I can split the number in the safe between me and @TimeRider. And we can ignore the ones in someone elses safe.

With those stats I had better go out and buy a few more then


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Originally Posted by southernredneck

With those stats I had better go out and buy a few more then


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Yep

That's only fair.

And if Mum asks who said you could buy more firearms tell her @gadgetman said you could.

Cheers
Pete

I think the problem is that I started with two. In the close, intimate and very private confines of the safe they just seemed to breed.

5.5 ehhh, sounds low going on the safes I have seen into!

5.5 is in the "A" cat safe that "we" buy for the first license, then come the "hidden" safe that the "wife/partner" don't know yet...

Great thread with great answers, great fun!

Mac

Well I'm doing my bit to keep the average up.