Thread: Safe transportation - legal requirements?

Hi all, can anyone please confirm for me the legal requirements and best practice for transporting firearms in a vehicle to the range or hunting? I understand guns must not be loaded, bolt removed where possible and secured and out of sight but is there a requirement for anything else like a safe/lock box or trigger lock? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Excluding pistols and other restricted weapons, there is little that I am aware of apart from if a magazine is loaded, it is considered to be in the firearm and thus making the firearm loaded. Regardless if it is nowhere near the firearm. As for pistols and restricted weapons, section 36

https://tinyurl.com/y6p2j3qw

of the ACt

https://tinyurl.com/y49v8k27

Otherwise just generalities, being out of sight and under immediate supervision at all times.
A group of duck hunters were hammered a while ago because they left their shotguns in the car whilst they were in the pub..

A difficult one that as the pub owner probably wouldn't want the shotguns inside and it ain't legal in many areas to drink in the carpark......

Thank you Kiwi Sapper - nice outfit, first Boer War? I don't have the red tunic but I do second boer war re-enactment!

Speaking of A cat firearms, like a bolt action rifle:

Bolt not required to be removed from gun in transport.

Full magazine not in gun = unloaded gun.

Full stripper clip by gun = unloaded gun.

Cartridges in a magazine which is inserted into a gun = loaded gun.

Cartridge in chamber of gun = loaded gun.

No legal requirement to have gun covered up, but wise to do so, don't need to explain why this week.

Thanks Cordite. The car/pub point above is tricky, I've known many hunters enjoying a good lunch after a hunt and the guns have to be stored somewhere. What is the ruling on this? Must guns always be accompanied 100% of the time even if secured in vehicle and hidden?

Originally Posted by Cordite

Speaking of A cat firearms, like a bolt action rifle:
Bolt not required to be removed from gun in transport.

You sure? For some reason I thought it did....

My belief was loaded mag in car is considered a loaded firearm thats what mrs learnt last weekend at firearms licence practical as well

Loaded Mag in a car is a no-no. No real mention of a bolt tho.

53 Careless use of firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon

(2)
Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to a fine not exceeding $4,000 or to both who, being a person who has in his charge or under his control a firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon loaded with a shot, bullet, cartridge, missile, or projectile, whether in its breech, barrel, chamber, or magazine, leaves that firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon in any place in such circumstances as to endanger the life of any person without taking reasonable precautions to avoid such danger.

Surely this must mean a magazine attached to a weapon and therefore constituting a loaded weapon - ready to fire? A loaded magazine locked in an ammo can is likely safer than ammo in a card box in an ammo tin?

Originally Posted by yosamitesam

Surely this must mean a magazine attached to a weapon and therefore constituting a loaded weapon - ready to fire? A loaded magazine locked in an ammo can is likely safer than ammo in a card box in an ammo tin?

Logic says yes but the law says no... This I do know

Originally Posted by yosamitesam

Surely this must mean a magazine attached to a weapon and therefore constituting a loaded weapon - ready to fire? A loaded magazine locked in an ammo can is likely safer than ammo in a card box in an ammo tin?

If a detachable magazine is removed from the gun, the gun is not loaded (unless there's one in the chamber).

It would be hard to show how a loaded magazine by itself could 'endanger the life of any person' while locked locked in a box.

A loaded gun left behind the kitchen door where kids could play with it, certainly would be careless.

Unloaded, and magazines must not be loaded, even if separated from the firearm. That is a Transport Act requirement. There are no other specific rules.

Thank Gundoc Seems more than reasonable. Is there any more clarity on the exact rules about being away from firearms, like going into a petrol station to pay?

Thanks for putting that right, all magazines empty, in or out of gun. In the transport act it is then.

"Firearms (guns)

You must not carry a firearm in your vehicle unless you hold a firearm licence. You must never carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle. (This also means you must not carry ammunition in the chamber or attached magazine of the gun.)"

https://nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadc...sible-driving/