You’ve probably seen by now that all semis, amongst other types are to be banned from sale here. However, the low-calibre ones that are used on rabbits will still be allowed. They didn’t use the sort of high-calibre guns and ammunition that was used in the mosque shooting; the hunters need to be able to pick up the rabbit carcasses and take them away.

When it comes to the rabbits they have a case. There is a huge predator/prey imbalance. They are an introduced species and they have no predators here except for the odd feral cat. There was a virus that was to be introduced to wipe them out, but someone brought it into the country illegally and it wasn’t put into the rabbit population properly and so wasn’t as effective as it would have been if they’d waited for the scientists to do it. Now, partly because of the way it was introduced, the rabbits have developed an immunity. They’re looking for another virus, but have not yet been successful. It’s only a small number of farmers with this excuse, but most of those using it are using it genuinely. Most farmers can and do use a rifle for pest control. They use professional rabbit hunters on these rabbit-riddled properties, and the hunters mostly use rifles except for these particular properties.

They make lots of semi automatic shotguns that would do a far better job if killing rabbits if this is their goal. As I said before, there is no reasonable reason why hunting would require or need any semi automatic rifle. If the person is such a poor shot then I would suggest practice or find something else to do.

I agree. I expect that one of the changes to NZ law will be that semis will either no longer be available, or only available in exceptional circumstances. There was a member of Federated Farmers (the farmers’ union) that said some South Island inland high country farmers use semis for rabbits. I actually accept they need them because those guys are sometimes killing 50,000 (no, not a typo, fifty thousand) rabbits off their properties each year and they only way to get them is with a semi. They eat huge amounts of grass and it would destroy them economically if they couldn’t use a semi. Apart from that, I see no reason for anyone to have one, I think they should otherwise be banned.

There are also loopholes in the law around ammunition and magazines that the murderer took advantage of, and I expect those loopholes will be closed.

Parliament has tried to fix the laws in 2002, 2007, and 2012, but there were never enough votes. I expect there will be this time. 1. The party of the deputy PM is basically being forced to vote for the changes via the coalition agreement with the PM’s Labour Party. He’s clearly not happy about it. The National Party are doing their best to cooperate and are meeting with the government regularly over the changes. They are the biggest party in parliament and represent most farmers and are the main opposition. I expect that they will vote for the changes because of majority public opinion. There will be some stuff they’re not happy with and it’s hard to know whether they will vote against those things or not. I expect the changes will go through whether or not they vote for them though.

That farmer who said something about the pigs is the stupid one. Just because the pigs are smarter than he is, needs an assault weapon to go after them. Give one to the pig and that’s the end of the farmer. I have known a lot of hunters and I never knew one who wanted an assault rifle or was stupid enough to waste money on such a thing. Most hunting is done with shotguns because they are the best for most hunting and they are much safer. Anyone who has to ask, why are shotguns so much safer is just telling you how stupid he is and he knows nothing about hunting or guns.

Just be sure you know – this sick individual who killed all those people in NZ, did so because of the gun he had. When you are hit with high velocity bullets from these weapons they do great damage. That is why the only place they were made for was war, for the military. Shooting people is what they do in the military. Putting these things in the hands of civilians is just pure ignorance and any country that allows it is loaded with ignorant people.

P.S. I’ll be offline now for a couple of days.

Yeah. Everyone thinks they’re a better driver than average too.

Quite honestly, I think a lot of men have a fantasy where they end up a hero after shooting the bad guy. The reality is, as my last post on guns pointed out, that even the best trained cops usually shoot (and often kill) a whole lit of innocent victims in such scenarios. An amateur is more likely to shoot himself in the foot, be shot himself, or get home to discover one of his kids dead after they find the gun.