Legal gun owners wary of crackdown on illegal weapons

A law and order select committee is recommending tighter rules surrounding ammunition, gun storage, firearm dealers, and gang members. Photo/AAP

A Government crackdown on illegal firearm possession could unfairly penalise lawful gun owners.

A law and order select committee is recommending tighter rules surrounding ammunition, gun storage, firearm dealers and gang members, NewstalkZB reports.

Deerstalkers Association president Bill O'Leary says under the proposed changes, gun owners would need to ask for police permission to lend their guns to other licensed users.

"If we're going to have to be required to get a permit to transfer our possession from one person to another, purely for a temporary period, this is just a pain in the proverbial."

O'Leary said they also mean Category A firearms, such as shotguns and .22s, would fall under the more heavily restricted E Category.

He said the changes won't come without a cost.

"If I've got a firearm safe that will handle an A Category firearm then I'd probably expect to spend round about $300. If I have a Category E firearm, my costs will at least double and possibly go up 250 per cent."

Proposed changes to gun laws are being ridiculed as a waste of time for both police and law-abiding gun users.

A select committee has made a raft of gun law recommendations, including banning gang members and prospects from ownership. It also recommends tighter rules surrounding ammunition, gun storage, and the loaning of firearms to other people.

Rural Women New Zealand national finance chairwoman Rachael Dean says some of the proposals are unfair.