Firearm importers prepare for court battle with police over over semi-automatic rifles

A stoush over semi-automatic rifles may head to court after claims of a police clampdown.

Police have refused import applications for AR15 semi-automatic rifles and parts in recent weeks, leaving retailers frustrated and the firearms community concerned.

Gun City owner David Tipple confirmed he was preparing for court action. He is one of many claiming an unannounced shift in police policy, which police have denied.

"The thing that we need is consistency and clarity, and the court case will provide both of those," Tipple said.

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Central to the dispute is the classification of the AR15 semi-automatic rifle.

The lightweight rifle is available for purchase with a standard rifle licence provided it has a magazine capacity no greater than seven bullets, and no free-standing pistol grip.

An AR15 with a free-standing pistol grip, or a larger magazine, is deemed a military style semi-automatic rifle (MSSA) and requires the more rigorously inspected "E-Cat" firearm licence.

Tipple's lawyer, Nicholas Taylor, said police refused the importation of AR15 rifles able to be purchased with a standard licence, arguing the rifles  were "born as MSSAs".

Dealers elsewhere had received a similar notification from police, he said.

"You have a rifle that's coming from overseas, which doesn't actually have any of the features that define it as an MSSA, and the police have just decided not to apply the definition of that firearm – that is under the Arms Act – to it."

Firearm retailer Ken Rountree, owner of NZAR15, is also contemplating court action after having an import application denied.

"We submitted our permits as per what we'd done in the past ... we'll know more in the next few days exactly what game the police are playing."

Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) chairman Paul Clark said the distinction between standard rifles and MSSAs was a "murky area" where frustrations were coming to a head.

He expected there would be others pondering court action, and it had been suggested COLFO seek a judicial review.

But COLFO was confident police would address the issue after a meeting of the Firearm Community Advisory Forum on Thursday.

Police declined to comment, and a spokeswoman referred to an earlier statement that denied any reclassification of rifles and parts.

"This classification and its interpretation by police has not changed, despite what has been circulated through social media," the statement said.

"The Arms Act has always required an importer to obtain a permit to bring in 'parts' of firearms to New Zealand and a special reason is required to import MSSA parts ... where it is possible that the part could be either for a [standard rifle] or an [MSSA] police is required to seek further clarification about the intended use of the part."

Police Minister Stuart Nash said there was no change in policy, but a more consistent approach.

"When I first became minister the most common complaint from firearms owners was the inconsistent application of the law depending on what part of the country you lived in," he said in a statement.

"Police have worked hard to improve this and what we are now seeing is a more centralised and consistent application of the law."