Military-style semi-automatic

Military-style semi-automatic (MSSA) is a term in New Zealand firearms law. The category was introduced after the 1990 Aramoana massacre and is defined as any "self-loading" (i.e. semi-automatic) firearm, other than pistol, with any of the following features:

The definition of an MSSA is in the Arms Act, which together with the Arms Regulations, also specifies the controls over possession and use of MSSAs. The Act is administered by the New Zealand Police.

Possession or use of any MSSA requires a firearms licence with either a "C" or "E" endorsement. The "E" endorsement allows MSSAs to be used with live ammunition; while the "C" endorsement is used by museum curators, collectors, film/TV/theatre armourers, etc. To be granted either endorsement, the applicant must demonstrate to Police good cause for possessing MSSAs and the application must be supported by 2 referees who are current endorsement holders, serving members of a firearms-related organisation, bona fide collectors or persons able to demonstrate a genuine long-term interest in firearms. The applicant must also demonstrate a higher standard of security for the storage of weapons than is required for ordinary firearms.

On 2 July 2009, the New Zealand Police issued a memorandum advising that the police had reviewed the criteria for classifying weapons as MSSAs; and in particular the interpretation of the phrase 'military pattern free-standing pistol grip' used in the legislation.

Under the new interpretation, many types of thumbhole stocks were now to be considered as pistol grips for the purposes of the Arms Act; any semi-automatic rifle with a grip having either the appearance or function of a military pattern free-standing pistol grip would be regarded by the police as an MSSA. Specifically, a semi-automatic rifle would henceforth be considered an MSSA if it had any of:

This reinterpretation had the effect of re-classifying as MSSAs many weapons previously considered to be sporting-configuration firearms, including the Heckler & Koch SL8 and USC, and the Dragunov sniper rifle. Transitional arrangements were made by the police to allow owners of such weapons to either register them, obtaining the necessary firearms endorsements if required, or dispose of them. The transitional period ended on 31 March 2010.

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