Buying Stuff Overseas via Internet:

New Zealand is a great country to live and work in - but as shooters we have to accept (or do you?) that we are a minority group in a small market in a remote group of islands closer to Antarctica than Australia.


Reading Gun Magazines and visiting on-line sites reveals lots of juicy desirable items freely available in USA at prices that would make a Kiwis teeth water - but usually when you enquire - you find that most US Dealers are not willing to supply or export goods to overseas markets .. too hard and not worth the trouble.


NZ Post 'YouShop' is one possible answer to this - as it is a Forward Address Service that gives you mailing address's in USA, United Kingdom, and in China that you can use as a local delivery address for hard to find goodies.




- Now don't for one moment hope that this service is going to let you by-pass import regulations and fiddle any naughty stuff through - as NZ Post run this service in full co-operation with our Border Protection Services (as it should be). I am sure that all NZ shooters are aware of the current regulations regarding importing firearms parts and the need to first obtain a Police Permit To Import.

First - Get Your 'Police Permit To Procure'.

I set up my YouShop account and I.D. on 24 September and as a starter test I ordered a pair of shoes from Amazon that they would not ship to me here in NZ - and then used my new US mailing I.D. and mailing address in Portland Oregon (The NZ Post Forwarding Warehouse).


- Two days later I got an e-mail from NZ Post informing that they had my shoes - and asking that I detail the price paid and state where I wanted them to deliver to. They then informed me that I needed to pay them NZ$36.25 for delivery to my home. Not bad. - I got another e-mail a day later to say that the package was on its way.


Currently NZ Customs are not charging the 15% Goods & Service Tax on imports valued at less than $400 - although the present very poor exchange rate with the US Dollar has increased costs by something like that much compared with last year.


Marty K

Note Added: NZ Post 'YouShop' specifically refuse to carry firearms and firearms parts. - How they may justify refusing to carry perfectly lawful and non-dangerous goods is beyond me.
Marty K.

New Gun TAX - They Got Capone:

Seattle City Council (West Coast USA) unanimously passed a new anti-gun move on Monday to impose a Tax amounting to $25 extra tax on each gun sold and 5 cents extra per round of ammunition.

This measure is claimed to "offset the financial cost of gun violence".

The new laws also make it mandatory to report any lost or stolen gun.

- Hmm - They got Capone for breaches of tax law remember.

The NRA has announced legal action against them.

Marty K

Passenger Train Attack:

This recent attack by an armed "extremist killer" was foiled by quick acting passengers.

The train from Amsterdam to Paris was travelling through Belgium when the heavily armed killer started his attack on passengers.

- It seems that first a Frenchman had a go and then when shots were heard by others - some more decided not to be victims. - Three (or four?) US Servicemen are variously reported as disarming and restraining the heavily armed terrorist - along with help from an older British businessman.

Well done to all who bravely acted to stop a major attack on innocent travelers .

I'm hoping that this signals a new attitude of self-defense and a move away from law-enforcement advice that we should all "not resist in case we make it worse - and risk assault charges!" - and that now all law-abiding folk may consider having a mind-set to uphold the law as best they can.

Marty K.

NZDF Select "Preferred Tenderer":

The NZ Ministry of Defence has announced that Lewis Machine & Tool (USA) have been chosen as "preferred Tenderer" to supply replacement individual weapons for NZDF.

LMT CQB160DGB

It is not known which exact model of the above AR type rifle will be selected - but this announcement contrasts somewhat with the Australian decision to buy AuSteyr EF88 'Bullpup' rifles.

It may be a concern that NZ forces will be deployed with very different weapons systems to that proposed by their usual joint operational running mates.

EF 88 - Australias Choice.

-  Perhaps this announced selection may be subject to "amendment" in due course?

- I do not wish to comment on NZ Armed Forces well considered decisions coming from Wellington but ...

The TFB post where I saw this announcement mentions intended use of 77 grain .556" projectiles but contains no mention of what optical sights system will be used by NZDF.

Marty K.

Gun Fatalities per 100K by Country:

Just a small attempt to put things in perspective - bearing in mind that America is often held-up as the gun-death disgrace of the world" (More people are killed in road accidents there)

Gun Fatalities per 100 Thousand head of Population:

Honduras              64.8
Venezuela             50.9
Jamaica                 39.74
South Africa         21.51
USA                     10.64
Argentina             10.5
Canada                 2.22
Norway                1.78
New Zealand       1.45
Australia               0.86
Netherlands           0.46
United Kingdom    0.26

- These figures are taken from Wikipedia who have a bigger/ better list.

I know that the minute anyone dares to quote figures - lots of objectors will say that they are out-of-date or that they don't mean what you think etc. etc. - so I'm not about to infer anything.

I was interested to see that NZs figure was much higher than Australia, & Netherlands & UK.

-I am wondering why - but I do know - from years of being concerned with "Health & Safety" in the workplace - many of my workmates had a very careless attitude and complained about "P.C. Freaks" (meaning me!).

Marty K.

Glock 40 MOS 10mm:

Well, I'm posting this picture of the new 'long-slide' because (1) it's a great look .. and (2) I really rate the 10mm cartridge.

GLOCK 40  10MM Gen 4

Hey Santa, can I have two please - one with and one without?

10 mm Auto   Caution - May be Hot

- I asked Greg Ellefritz of Active Response Training some time ago if he had any shooting statistics for the 10mm from his law enforcement research. He answered negative - but that he had a mate who swore that the Glock 10mm was the best thing handy for stopping Afghan terrorists in vehicles at a road block!

- You probably do need biggish hands or long fingers to be comfortable with the grips (15+1 capacity).

Glock 20 & Glock 29 in 10 mm with Heavy Hard Cast Bullets

Marty K.

P.S. I've just noted in passing - that two new outfits are advertising AR15 platforms that accept Glock magazines.

'Quarter Circle' show this lower receiver:

and

Angstradt Arms; Manufacturing complete systems in various calibers

.45", 9mm, .40" etc., 10mm too?

- If I find anything more about them I'll post about it .. Hmm, now if you could get the 9mm "Glock lower" and mate it to a NZ approved 'A-Cat' pump-action 9mm upper with a red-dot sight - that could work OK for Three Gun matches ...

M.K.
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870

N.Z. Shopkeeper wants to Dye Thieves:

The town of Huntly - a coal town some 90k south of Auckland  - is moving forward in its fight against crime and perpetrators.

- Church Minister and food shop owner Julie Jones wants shopkeepers to arm themselves with water-guns filled with paint or dye to identify the thieves,- and an air-horn to sound the alarm before dialing 111 for the emergency services.

She says "It's more an action of love." 

- I'd guess that she has been seeking a well meaning and 'christian' action.

A spokes-person for the neighborhood police was understanding and sympathetic - but did ask ".. What if he was six foot tall with a tattoo on his neck?"

Personally, I feel that the colored water could well really annoy a large-built robber - especially if it was kept handy (and cold) in one of her shop refrigerators.

Note: When the UK tightened its gun laws in 1997 - effectively banning private handguns - homicide rates doubled over the next eight years.

Marty K.