Arms Act 1983

Offences - Offences

51A: Presenting prohibited firearm at other person

You could also call this:

"Pointing a banned gun at someone is a serious crime"

You commit an offence if you present a prohibited firearm at another person without a lawful purpose. You can also commit an offence if you show someone something that looks like a prohibited firearm, and they think it is one. It does not matter if the firearm is loaded or can be fired at the time. You can be imprisoned for up to 7 years if you are convicted of this offence. The firearm does not need to be capable of firing to be considered an offence. This law is part of the Arms Act 1983, which was amended by the Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts) Amendment Act 2019.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS187389.

This page was last updated on 27 January 2026 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyCrime and justice > Criminal law

51: Unlawful carriage or possession in public place of firearm, airgun, pistol, ammunition, explosive, or restricted weapon, or

"Carrying weapons in public without a good reason is against the law"

52: Presenting firearm, airgun, pistol, or restricted weapon at other person, or

"Pointing a gun at someone is against the law"

Part 8Offences
Offences

51APresenting prohibited firearm at other person

Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, unless for some lawful purpose, presents at any other person—
a prohibited firearm; or
anything that, in the circumstances, is likely to lead that person to believe it to be a prohibited firearm.

For the purposes of an offence against subsection (1)(a), it does not matter whether the prohibited firearm is loaded or capable at the time of the offence of discharging any shot, bullet, missile, or other projectile.

Notes

Section 51A: inserted, on 12 April 2019, by section 54 of the Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts) Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 12).