Gun group challenges new police policy

A 'Check Your Stock' campaign by police is riling licensed firearm owners, who say police hierarchy are "wrongfully" trying to do the job of a High Court judge.

A new group called the National Shooters Association has complained to the Independent Police Complaints Authority since the $60,000 campaign was launched by the New Zealand Police.

Gun owners have been told that if they own a semi-automatic firearm with a `military pattern, free-standing pistol grip', it is now considered a Military-Style Semi-Automatic firearm.

Where licence holders previously needed an A endorsement to hold the weapons, under the new interpretation they will now need the harder-to-get E endorsement.

If licence holders can't get that endorsement, they must sell or dispose the MSSA to a person who has the endorsement and a permit to procure, surrender the weapon to police or convert it so it is in "sporting configuration" in which the gun does not have a free-standing pistol grip.

In a letter to the IPCA, the shooters' association said the new police interpretation about the pistol grip was being challenged in the High Court.

"The judicial review is in progress and police are aware that their decision may be over-ruled by the court.

"The High Court has already set out in a judgment that the decision of police has no legal standing," the NSA said.

"Regardless of that, police are proceeding to spend $60,000 of taxpayers' money on advertising their decision."

The group also alleges police were "deliberately publishing misleading advertising", which falsely gives a sense of being legally binding and sanctioned by the Government.

Timaru firearm law consultant David Wood was not impressed by the police campaign.

"This is a pointless bureaucratic knee-jerk reaction to blame the good guys."

Mr Wood said the campaign focused on the wrong issue.

"I would like to see all the resources that they're pouring into this bureaucratic nonsense redirected into maintaining the present law," he said, citing the Napier siege earlier this year, when Jan Molenaar had a cache of weapons and a lapsed firearms licence.

Mr Wood said MSSA firearms were a lot more comfortable for people to use. A stock with a thumb hole or the pistol grip meant the user did not have to position their thumb over the stock. It could rest in a more natural position.

"It doesn't make it any more dangerous."

Mr Wood said there was no warning from police about the move to reclassify the firearms and there had been no consultation.

To get an E endorsement was a lot of work, he added. "You don't get one by going [to the police station] and paying money across the counter.

"It's a storm in a teacup to a lot of people, but it has a lot of unforseen consequences."

Timaru police were not able to comment on the topic and referred The Herald to police national headquarters. Attempts to contact the officers involved were unsuccessful.

- © Fairfax NZ News