Most New Zealand Gun Owners So Far Decline to Hand in Anything

By Chris Eger

Even seemingly non-controversial guns, such as some types of lever-action rifles and pump-action shotguns, are subject to New Zealand’s pending gun ban, with a compensation scheme offering as little as one-quarter of the firearm’s base value. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
With only a week before time is up to sell the government their newly-outlawed guns, many in New Zealand haven’t.
The Pacific country has a nationwide ban on several types of common firearms with a deadline of Dec. 20. Police Minister Stuart Nash earlier this year had estimated that as many as 300,000 guns of various manufacture– out of the 1.5 million in circulation– were targeted by the move. However, the latest figures from government sources are that only about 36,000 guns have been sold at police-arranged events by Nov. 11, at a cost of NZ$70 million ($45 million) in public funds.
“The clock is ticking on the last opportunity to receive payment for prohibited firearms and parts, or to hand over unwanted or unlawful guns without fear of prosecution under the amnesty,” said Nash in a statement. “If people don’t hand in the other prohibited firearms and parts by 20 Dec. they will get no money and will face up to five years

Source: Guns.com