Handing over your property at collection events

If you own what are now Prohibited Firearms, Magazines or Parts, you need to hand them in at some point before the end of the amnesty on 20 December.

The collection events run by police are currently the method of handing in your firearms but will not be the only one.

Many licensed owners say the collection events are an unpleasant experience – due to the heavy presence of armed police, intense participant management, and interrogation of some firearm owners (such as those handing in parts and magazines).

It is our recommendation that if you are determined to hand back your firearm at a Police collection event, you;

• take only your firearm/s, nothing else, as attached accessories such as scopes do not add value to the firearm buyback. Hand in accessories separately.
• take in evidence of purchase.
• mentally prepare yourself for rigorous scrutiny, and if you believe treatment is unfair, take notes and names of police officers involved.

Below are some pointers to help;

Assessing if your firearms are banned

1. Check through your firearms and accessories. Make a list of everything that is now prohibited, recording details of make, model, serial number and calibre.  Use the Police advice for guidance. https://www.police.govt.nz/advice/firearms-and-safety/changes-firearms-law-prohibited-firearms
2. Now decide whether you wish to apply for a P or C endorsement to retain any of the items.
3. Check whether the prohibited firearm you have may be modified in order to be compliant with the new laws. The Government will pay up to $300 for one of their (yet to be advised) approved gunsmiths to make the alternations.
4. Take good photographs in case there is a later dispute over condition and therefore pricing.   
5. Check that your firearm is on the Police pricing list. If it is not, or it is an unusual or modified piece, you will have to get it independently valued by assessors yet to be appointed by Police. Hold on to these firearms and secure them as usual until approved valuers are announced.

Collection events

1. Register using the notification form on the Police website. Apparently, this will speed up the process when you get there.
2. Remove all accessories from your firearm. eg scopes, slings, suppressors and magazine.
   1. Prohibited accessories unique to the firearm, including the magazine, are valued and compensated separately and do not improve the surrender value of the firearm itself. 
   2. Accessories that can be used on other non-prohibited firearms are not prohibited and not being compensated. The Police are strictly interpreting this, so most accessories are not covered.
   3. Magazines above 10 round capacity (above 5 rounds for shotguns) are prohibited and being compensated. Some ammunition has now been prohibited but is not being compensated. Lesser capacity magazines for a firearm that is now prohibited are compensated for at a lower value.
3. Prohibited spare parts are being compensated. Please return them along with the firearm.
4. Clean your firearms, parts and dedicated accessories. They must be complete, function correctly and be in pristine condition to attract the “new/near new” value.  Even 100-year-old firearms can attract top value if well maintained and preserved.
5. At the end of the hand in process you will be given an itemised receipt with the compensation values. You should receive payment to your designated bank account within 10 working days. If there are any issues with payment please get in touch with us – [email protected] with a scanned copy of your hand-in receipt.

Collection should be simple, but we have received reports that the process has been stressful. If you find yourself in a situation where you feel you are being bullied or harassed please write to us with your story – [email protected] . It is important that you detail the name and number of the Police officer attending upon you, or the details of the contracted civilian. That you outline to us your concerns at what happened at the event, give us the date, venue and time it occurred. We will keep your details confidential.