Thread: Is the A2 muzzle device a flash hider or muzzle brake?

Originally Posted by peril 787b

By whoever the arms officer was that I spoke to (can't recall the name). I was already aware that it's a flash hider, but was thinking about sneaking one in and playing dumb if I was caught with it. Decided that wasn't a good idea.

Interesting. Because there isn't a definition in the Act for anyone to concretely make that call. Police can make interpretations, but without a clear definition, this will need to be challenged/debated in court, and case law could guide the administration of the law from there onward. For example, in states in the US where "flash suppressors" are illegal (i.e. MA, CA, NY), state law defines what a flash suppressor is and isn't, and case law has set the legal precedent. However, in these states there have been an enormous number of lawsuits and legal challenges to these definitions, as they are simply nonsensical. If you browse muzzle devices that a few well known sellers in NZ are selling, "compensators" with flash mitigating qualities, that are not exclusively "flash suppressors" are being sold everywhere, and appear "legal" in the eyes of the Police. This applies to suppressors as well. It appears that currently all muzzle devices are technically legal until proven otherwise in case law, or until a definition is spelled out under the Act. To me the law simply isn't clear/specific enough. Someone here may disagree with this opinion. Not providing legal advice, just an opinion.

It appears this isn't problematic at the moment, and hope it never becomes so. Any muzzle device, flash hider or not, doesn't make any firearm more or less dangerous, and as other have said attempting to classify firearms based on technical features is a nightmare. I was under the impression before starting this thread that there was a clear definition and precedent, but this isn't the case.

Getting down to the real issue... let's get rid of the stupid E classification, as NZ First are proposing. It's common sense stuff.