Concealed carry in NZ

[ehintz]

Question: anybody know the story on concealed carry in NZ? I've seen all the bits about how to obtain a firearms license, but the coppers webpage didn't say anything at all about concealed (I'm guessing maybe, therefore, it's just assumed under a standard license? Particularly given I've very rarely seen guns down here, which would tend to indicate

Comments

[tatjna]

The way I understand it, there is no permit for concealed carry in NZ. Even the cops aren't allowed to do it, and average citizens definitely aren't.

Let me know if you find out any different.

[tatjna]

More info here.

Essentially, you're not allowed to carry a loaded weapon anywhere, ever, without a legitimate purpose such as hunting. Firearms licences only cover rifles and shotguns and these must be unloaded when being transported either on foot or in a vehicle. Pistols are a special endorsement and even then it is either only for target shooting (permitted only on a shooting range), or only for collection, museum or theatrical purposes, and these may not be fired.

NZ is pretty staunch about people not carrying deadly weapons around on their person. You can get done pretty hard for knives as well. The reason you rarely see guns is that they really aren't a Thing here. NZ just doesn't seem to have that mentality as a nation.

[ext_678599]

Everything Wendy said, with a followup:

You basically can't get licenses for concealable weapons (handguns, small SMGs etc) in NZ. Pistols are restricted to ranges, collectible items must be non-functional etc.

I believe it's also rather illegal to modify weapons to conceal them, e.g. sawn-off shotguns.

The only time you'll often see guns in NZ is rurally, carried by hunters. They are typically "broken" over the arm, if a shotgun, or will have the bolt partially removed, if a rifle.

They are never carried loaded, and there is an elaborate rural etiquette on how to handle guns around others.

[ehintz]

Right, this is where I got caught up. My assumption was that you could get them, and therefore the reason I wasn't seeing them was because they were hidden. The idea that they were nigh on impossible to get at all just didn't enter into my mind (it's very un-American :) ).