Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
New Zealand. 2008 ‘Interpretation.’ Arms Act 1983 No. 44; Section 2 (Reprint 2008). Wellington: Parliamentary Counsel Office. 1 October
Relevant contents
Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:
airgun includes —
(a) any air rifle; and
(b) any air pistol; and
(c) any weapon from which, by the use of gas or compressed air (and not by force of explosive), any shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile can be discharged
firearm —
(a) means anything from which any shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile can be discharged by force of explosive; and
(b) includes —
(i) anything that has been adapted so that it can be used to discharge a shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile by force of explosive; and
(ii) anything which is not for the time being capable of discharging any shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile but which, by its completion or the replacement of any component part or parts or the correction or repair of any defect or defects, would be a firearm within the meaning of paragraph (a) or subparagraph (i); and
(iii) anything (being a firearm within the meaning of paragraph (a) or subparagraph (i)) which is for the time being dismantled or partially dismantled; and
(iv) any specially dangerous airgun firearms licence means a firearms licence issued under section 24
imitation firearm means anything that has the appearance of being a firearm capable of discharging any shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile, whether or not it is capable of discharging any shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile
military style semi-automatic firearm means —
(a) a firearm which, after being loaded, fires, ejects, andchambers a cartridge with each pull of the trigger; but
(b) does not include—
(i) a pistol; or
(ii) a semi-automatic firearm that, with its magazine (if any), is maintained at all times in a sporting configuration
part —
(a) in relation to a pistol, restricted weapon, or military style semi-automatic firearm, includes any thing, such as a butt, stock, magazine, silencer, or sight, which, while not essential for the discharge by a pistol, restricted weapon, or military style semi-automatic firearm of any shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile, is designed or intended to be an integral part of a pistol, restricted weapon, or military style semi-automatic firearm; and
(b) in relation to any other firearm, means the action for that firearm pistol means any firearm that is designed or adapted to be held and fired with 1 hand; and includes any firearm that is less than 762 millimetres in length public place has the meaning given to it by section 2 of the Summary Offences Act 1981
restricted weapon means any weapon, whether a firearm or not, declared by the Governor-General, by Order in Council made under section 4, to be a restricted weapon
sporting configuration, in relation to a semi-automatic firearm, means being without any of the following features:
(a) a folding or telescopic butt:
(b) a magazine that is capable of holding, or that, by its appearance, indicates that it is capable of holding, —
(i) in the case of a magazine designed to hold .22 inch rimfire cartridges, more than 15 cartridges; or
(ii) in any other case, more than 7 cartridges:
(c) bayonet lugs:
(d) a military pattern free-standing pistol grip:
(e) a flash suppressor