What makes a pcp a pcp?

the definition of a pistol is any gun thats under 762 mm in length but when it comes to pcps the law consders any pcp airgun with a buttstock evan carbines the same as it does for those under 762mm in length as pcp rifles,if you convert any co2 rifle to use hpa its then legally considered to a pcp rifle,pcp pistols are exempt from this classification because they are not specifically mentioned in the law dispite them being under 762mm in length so are legally considered to be just the same catogory as any other air pistol,as the law dosnt mention how pcp airguns are charged any rifle that has an hpa cylander that can be filled with hpa by any fill method is considered to be a pcp rifle,the trouble with this law is that it was never thourght thru properly,so much of it is open to interpretation by nz police who then decide what the classification all airguns come under and that is how nz police administer this law,as nz police have been given total discrecression on how they now can interperate all firearms laws this is allso why replica soft airguns are now essentually banned imports as well as are allso many other types of co2 airguns,as for the rifle with the built in pump,because it has the capablity to be charged allso by other means and has an hpa cylander,nz police will consider it a pcp evan if the second charging system was removed,simpliy because it was origionally a pcp rifle,i wouldnt push that issuse with nz police the way they interperate the law these days,there are some pretty murky waters around the definition of a pcp rifle these days.

Then you can have a Marauder pistol, pcp without an FAL, but put the stock on it and you then need an FAL for basically the same thing.

J-S wrote: I’d look at it as prechargining with air for multiple shots.. co2 isn’t air so not pcp, multi pump charges for a single shot where the stored air is then expelled, so not pcp. If there was a multipump that allowed stored air for more than one full power shot then I’d say it’s a pcp. There are pcps that have an integral pump for charging.

To counter any confusion, in New Zealand CO2 Powered air rifles do not require an FAL. These rifles are classified as airguns and are not considered "specially dangerous" unlike pre-charged pneumatic air rifles.

So we can all agree that Co2 doesn't require a license. I do wonder if a self charging gun like the FX independance would be regarded as needing a license if it had no fill port. I guess you could safely call it a multi pump pneumatic.

But if its more than a single shot off the same cylinder compression doesn't that make it a pcp as well.
What happened with the gun law regulation they were going to do?
You may be well allowed a under 12fps pcp by now.

Edited by kruzaroad - 10 Aug 2025 at 10:47am