NZ CUSTOMS & "Gun Parts" (SP101) related Import Permits:

I wrote earlier about a fellow rural Pistol Club member and his importation of a small bore  target pistol - his order included four x5 round magazines but when the parcel landed at Auckland - two of the magazines were impounded and refused entry due to incorrect paperwork ('Pardini ISSF'.. 14 April 2014).

- Since then I - and at least one other licensed / endorsed target pistol shooter - have come-up against similar problems. Basically I have ordered from - 'Brownells' USA  - an after-market 'Hogue Monogrip' and a "Spring-kit" (two tiny coil springs to tune the trigger action) for my Ruger SP101 .22"rim-fire revolver that is on its way across the sea and overdue to land.

Hogue Monogrip

While nobody denies that I am fully legally entitled to possess these items - they were "held" by Customs at the border - and the Police (National Headquarters Wellington) declined issue of a 'Permit to Import' as required by Customs to release them.. - This is despite the local Police Firearms Officer (Christchurch District Headquarters) recommending/ supporting that such 'Permit to Import' be granted - and that everyone I know (including the arms officers) maintaining that such "after-market" items as the rubber grips do not require an import permit !

I maintain that the 'spring-kit' should also not require an import permit on the same basis as the rubber grips ( that they are not original manufacturer parts and are not essential to the operation of a firearm). To erroneously claim that any item is "essential" to the function of a firearm and is therefore grounds to refuse entry is crap.

 - How about a piece of wood that could be used as a pistol-grip,- or a sack of Nylon 6/6 granules that can be used to mould a high capacity magazine, - or a length of spring steel wire that can be coiled into a hammer-spring, or a screw that might be used to fit a firing-pin to an action ? - How about if a manufacturer made some small coil-springs and sold them as "being similar to but lighter pressure than those that might look like those used by XXXX Corp?

- So - following several conversations, visits to District Headquarters, written applications, (Declined) and subsequent telephone discussions with both Customs and Police - and inter-departmental police exchanges - Auckland Customs released my Hogue Monogrips but held my two small springs - but have instead couriered to me nine pages of print including 'Notice of Seizure of goods under Customs and Excise Act 1996' , fact sheets and a form ' APPLICATION FOR REVIEW OF SEIZURE' -  that I am given twenty days to complete and submit.

I will definitely be completing said "APPLICATION' - but must observe that all this is the result of National Police Headquarters refusing to issue a Permit to Import that they require to be issued - and if I have to re-order this spring-kit ex-USA they will then grant me such permit - because it is their 'policy' - at the request of  Customs  (to not retrospectively grant permits). - Customs who are acting in response to Police requirements that such a Permit be issued to allow importing!!

- Can you see a circular argument here? - I'll keep you up-dated on my progress as it develops

Life is Good,

Marty K