Kiwi's on the Board???

[gunsonwheels]

I am considering helping my five grandsons build a small scale mortar or cannon while they are here in the 'States for a year starting in July.  Does anyone on the board know what the laws are in NZ for owning and shooting such articles?  Maybe I shouldn't even bring up the subject?  I was thinking of a golfball or poolball or tennisball mortar.

Maybe I should just tell them they have to come back and visit granpa to shoot! 

GOW

[keith44]

I can't speak for NZ, but send it home with them could be considered exporting, and could run afoul of US laws.  Make 'em come to you to shoot, and take the pictures home with them.

[Double D]

Gentlemen,

Please review the rules of this forum at: Read and heed! Board Rules

Please note specifically this section.

We also are not going to have a debate over what the GCA  and NFA says or doesn't say.  There is already to much misinformation on the internet and we are not going to add to it.  Tim and I are not Lawyers and not qualified to give legal advice on the GCA or NFA. Please see your nearest U.S. Attorney for legal advice on the GCA or NFA.

This also applies to the  Laws from  New Zealand.  The correct information for import into NZ must come from responsible authority in NZ.

For correct Export information from the U.S. contact the U.S. State Department Office of Defense Trade Controls.

 

[Double D]

I have come under a bit of criticism for shutting down this post so abruptly. 

Plain and simple, I do not want to see any one get into legal trouble for following legal advice posted here.  We are not lawyers and we do not have lawyers on staff here.  If you need a legal opinion you must ask the Attorney General or equivalent Legal officer in the jurisdiction involved.

This question of a cannon imported into NZ is a good example why we say this.

If you go to this link you will find the NZ Arms Act of 1983.  www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1983/0044/.../096be8ed805d4b79.pdf

Search the term cannon.  You will find that the law appears to make miniature cannons lawful to possess and shoot.   No problem you say.  Problem,  I say,  There is no definition of what a cannon is or when a cannon becomes a miniature cannon. 

Never the less the issue about miniature cannons in NZ, is that you have can possess and shoot them.  But that isn't the end of it.  And this is where it gets sticky.

If we decide from reading that law that it was okay for  GoW to send a golf ball cannon to NZ for his grandkids, he still got problems.

Take a look at this. http://www.police.govt.nz/service/firearms/firearms_manual_2002.pdf.  Search that document for cannons.   There is where you will find a definition of what a cannon is.  Based on that interpretation the golf ball cannon because it is ove 20mm is not a miniature, but is a cannon. Notice there is no legal citation for  the authority to identify the threshold of 20mm.  Further this information applies to an import.  What bearing does this have on possession and shooting?

Also notice only three cannons have been approved for importation as miniature cannon. 

What isn't isn't clear to me is the legal standing of the police document. Is this a regulation or is this a policy manual and what weight in law does it carry.

This vagueness is why we say no legal discussion and why we say you must get you legal advice from the proper Legal source-Minister of Justice, Attorney General, or equivalent authority.  There opinion will be the only one a Judge will accept as positive defense.

There is enough nonsense advice floating around the internet and I do not want our board to be the source of that nonsense.  I don't want some one posting here that they got their cannons seized and had to pay a big fine because of the advice they got here. 

[keith44]

Sorry for stepping out of bounds.  I agree that we are in no position to give legal advice.  Which is why I carefully worded my reply to say that it may / or might run afoul of a law.  I agree with you shutting down the thread.

[Double D]

You weren't out of bounds.

[gunsonwheels]

The daughter said what kieth44 says about shooting with them while here and then send them home with pictures.

Their family has a friend who is a Wellington (the Capital) police Captain and I'll ask him but at this point it's for interest sake only... There is too much (that's WAY too much) room to have it all go really badly if the right (or maybe its wrong - depending on your point of view) bureaucrat got into the fray.  The board's rules and DD are right... let's not even go there...

GOW

PS:  ...and DD... feel free to lock it down again.  I support that.

[Double D]

Don't accept what the police captain say unless he puts it in writing.

[subdjoe]

Don't accept what the police captain say unless he puts it in writing.

And even then, check with an attorney that specializes in this kind of thing.

[gunsonwheels]

I consider the Captain a friend also but it doesn't matter what he says because I'm not going to act on it...  Besides or aside from legalities about owning, shooting or importing it makes no sense when grand-kids are clear half way around the world to do anything but keep the ordnance in Wyoming where there are no legal issues and... I can have one more enticement for luring those grand-kids to come see 'Papa more often.   

[keith44]

I consider the Captain a friend also but it doesn't matter what he says because I'm not going to act on it...  Besides or aside from legalities about owning, shooting or importing it makes no sense when grand-kids are clear half way around the world to do anything but keep the ordnance in Wyoming where there are no legal issues and... I can have one more enticement for luring those grand-kids to come see 'Papa more often.   

good enticement!!