Thread: Good News - 22 Tube mags can be modified again

Ok a little good news for a change, we (Licensed Gunsmiths) are now allowed to modify 22 tube mags again, which is great news for those people out there who got caught out. Basically you have to arrange it via the compliance team at the Safety Authority, but it can be done rather than having to hand the gun in.

I was one of the Gunsmiths who did the mods originally and have modified hundreds of guns to comply so get in touch if you need help, though note I am based in the Whangarei area.

See below for greater detail, if you want to read it.

Cheers

Darren



Te Tari Pūreke responds to .22 prohibited magazine issue

Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority has made a policy change allowing high-capacity non-detachable prohibited magazines affecting rimfire 0.22 calibre rifles (lever, bolt or pump action) to be modified.

This means licence holders have a new pathway for making these firearms legally complaint so they can be retained by the licence holder.

What is the issue being addressed?

As most firearms dealers know, in April 2019, in the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch terror attacks, changes were made to reduce the number of semi-automatic firearms and large capacity magazines in our communities.
Large capacity magazines had been exploited in Christchurch mosques attacks and had also been identified as a common feature of many mass casualty shootings in other countries.

These changes meant 0.22 calibre firearms (lever, bolt, and pump actions) with non-detachable tubular magazines of a capacity of more than 10 rounds became ‘prohibited’ firearms at this time. These 0.22 calibre firearms wouldn’t be prohibited but for the capacity of the tubular magazine.
Recently, Te Tari Pūreke has noted a number of licence holders trying to register their now prohibited 0.22 calibre firearms – those with large tubular magazines.

What is changing?

To assist these licence holders with 0.22 calibre firearms with large tubular magazines become legally compliant, Te Tari Pūreke has included a new modification pathway.

Modifications can include removing the magazine inner tube; removing the magazine completely; or modifying the magazine tube to accept only 10 rounds or less.
Licence holders must first register the firearm. They will then be contacted by Te Tari Pūreke Compliance Team and solutions will be discussed. The licence holder choosing to modify will then need to arrange for their firearm to be modified by a gunsmith.

Licence holders who have previously modified their 0.22 rifle prior to this policy change will also be able to have these modifications considered. The licence holder will need to get a declaration from a qualified gunsmith that the previous work modifying the tubular magazine is now compliant and permanent.
Is modification the only option?

Licence holders have some other choices, along with the new modification option. They can also:
• Surrender the firearm to the Police or a dealer for destruction.
• Seek an Heirloom/Memento endorsement and permit (having met the criteria)
• Seek a Collectors endorsement and permit (having met the criteria).

Registering their firearm is the only pathway for modification.
Who can modify the magazine? Originally the owner could do this OR a gunsmith and the modifications were paid for as part of the buyback options. Now the modification MUST be done by a gunsmith/ dealer with “repairing and modifying” as part of their dealer activity and a certificate issued.
Remembers, its only an issue if you register the item as having a magazine capacity exceeding ten rounds, thankfully there is now a pathway forward.
Again, this is a reminder to ensure you maintain compliance, it is a positive that TTP has undertaken to assist and guide people through this as they genuinely engage with the register and find themselves unintentionally in possession of what constitutes a prohibited magazine.

An "interesting" use of our often mangled language.
Note the words "policy change".
Not a change to the Arms Act or the Arms Regulations, but "policy change".
Whose policy?
The Act and Regulations are the law, not some opinion from the blue gang hierarchy.

Good sense debated adroitly prevails!

It looks like a bona fide step in the right direction, acknowledging a reality of the situation.

Not sure how it expects to play out for anyone that has previously done the mod prior to the policy change though. As in that case, the firearm would be regd as having 10 rounds capacity and things would end there.

I suppose you could call it a catch .22

But you could restrict the Tubular Mags to 10. The Legislation said "It must take the use of tools/machinery to remove/put back to original condition". What did everyone do with their Lever Action Winchesters etc. Reduced them to 10 shot capacity. Same as Shotguns, reduced the capacity. On Inspection if it only takes 10 or whatever that's it. It complies.

I believe you are correct BSA... If it can only hold less than ten ....now...and is registered as such.nothing to see here,carry on.

Common sense but why be a pack of wankers over how it's done? It shouldn't matter who does it if it complies with the rules.
It would be like myself acquiring one that needs modification. There is a very good chance with my skill level I could do it myself.
It was just stupid to say it was OK to do then it wasn't.
A bit like acquiring an unregistered firearm and then registering it. That's what they want. Yiu make things difficult and they never get registered which makes a mockery of it.
Still good news, rant over lol

....A bit like acquiring an unregistered firearm and then registering it...

Exactly, if they are going to make a song & dance about "Where" it was obtained it will simply not get Registered noting of course it cannot be a stolen item obviously.

Originally Posted by BSA

But you could restrict the Tubular Mags to 10. The Legislation said "It must take the use of tools/machinery to remove/put back to original condition". What did everyone do with their Lever Action Winchesters etc. Reduced them to 10 shot capacity. Same as Shotguns, reduced the capacity. On Inspection if it only takes 10 or whatever that's it. It complies.

That’s what I was trying to say, that there will be people out there, who correctly modified their rifle prior to the register going live. Who will at their time, register their rifle as having a 10 round capacity and by rights and possibly in practice, things end there. But the policy release suggests otherwise despite not having a mechanism to achieve what is being suggested.

mine are all compliant - only hold tens rounds now - and I did them all myself. Theres no paperwork but they are compliant with the Law .

So does that mean there are non compliant firearms out there? No way

Originally Posted by fawkes

mine are all compliant - only hold tens rounds now - and I did them all myself. Theres no paperwork but they are compliant with the Law .

Pretty sure when registering you will get multiple choices of same firearm ,the only difference being magazine capacity....one would think logic would red flag any over ten rounds ,to inform owner it's now illegal as it is..I do know folks who did not realise it was.

Originally Posted by blip

So does that mean there are non compliant firearms out there? No way

Yes, I'm confused. It is good news, but haven't all those guns been crushed? Sorry to be a party pooper.

Was under the impression u can register unregistered firearms until 2028 whence 'all' firearms are deemed registered and any unregistered firearms after that time there'll be questions asked.....

Originally Posted by blip

So does that mean there are non compliant firearms out there? No way

If we want to be pedantic, the wording actually says "legally complaint"... someone should make a complaint about the incorrect spelling of compliant.

From the website:
"This means licence holders may have a new pathway for making these firearms legally complaint so they can be retained by the licence holder."