The National Rifle Association is contesting the Army's decision to close the Trentham rifle range, a gift to the country's shooters from Queen Victoria.
The NRA is hamstrung by the fact that the information on which the Army based its decision is a secret British military study.
Defence spokesman John Seward said the document, which also prompted the Army to close the Gisborne, Hastings and Dunedin ranges for safety reasons, was restricted. He said it contained new information on ricocheting bullets.
NRA president Tony Loughnan said a foreword to the report indicated that it was likely the NRA could prove that its use of the range was safe at all times.
Competitive shooting involved taking deliberate aim at a target, which was much less likely to result in hazardous ricochets than military shooting, which could involve bursts of fire with automatic weapons.
Mr Loughnan said the Trentham range was a public reserve set aside for shooting. "The Defence Force is the custodian of the range, not the owner."
- NZPA
Shooters fight closure of Trentham range
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.