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List of individual weapons of the New Zealand Defence Force

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The following are lists of individual weapons used by the New Zealand Defence Force.

Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles

[edit]

Currently In service

Name Origin Type Calibre image Details
Lewis Machine and Tool MARS-L  United States Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Adopted in 2015 to replace the Steyr AUG as the standard service rifle of the New Zealand Army. This weapon comes in 2 different barrel lengths and can take many modular attachments hence the name given by the NZDF to this rifle the Modular Assault Rifle System - Light (this is the same with LMT's own MARS-L, but is referred as the Modular Ambidextrous Rifle System - Light instead for its US civilian models). The rifle is generally equipped with the Trijicon ACOG scope with an RMR red dot mounted on top. Most recent design upgrade with enhanced features based on the AR-15/M4/M-16 family of firearms. Equipped with M7 bayonet.
Lewis Machine and Tool 308 MWS  United States Designated marksman rifle, Sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO The New Zealand Army adopted the rifle in October 2011. It differs from its UK counterpart in the use of a Leupold adjustable 4.5-14× scope, canted iron sights and a foldable foregrip. [1]
Barrett MRAD  United States Bolt action sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO

.338 Lapua Magnum

Introduced in 2018 to replace the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare 7.62×51mm bolt action sniper rifle.[2] Equipped with an ATACR 5-25×56 F1 Nightforce scope. Dual calibre configuration with 7.62×51mm NATO for training and .338 Lapua Magnum for operations.[3]
Barrett M107A1  United States Anti-materiel sniper rifle 12.7×99mm NATO A semi-automatic sniper and anti-materiel rifle chambered in .50 BMG.[4] [5]
M4 carbine  United States Assault rifle, Carbine 5.56×45mm NATO Used by New Zealand Special Air Service.[6][7][8]

Retired

Name Origin Type Calibre Image Details
Steyr AUG

F88 Austeyr

 Austria

 Australia

Bullpup assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Retired Assault Rifle That Is Replaced By LMT Mars L
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare  United Kingdom Bolt action sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO Retired Sniper Rifle Replaced By Barrett MRAD
Accuracy International AW50F  United Kingdom Anti-materiel sniper rifle 12.7×99mm NATO
M16A1  United States Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO
L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle  United Kingdom

 Australia

Battle rifle 7.62x51mm NATO
Parker Hale M82  United Kingdom Bolt action sniper rifle 7.62x51mm NATO
Rifle .22 No 8 Mk I  United Kingdom Bolt-action cadet rifle .22LR
Boys anti-tank rifle  United Kingdom Anti-tank rifle .55 Boys [9]
Lee–Enfield
  • New Zealand Carbine
  • No. 1 Mk III
  • No. 4 Mk I
  • No. 4 MK II
 British Empire Bolt action service rifle .303 British Still used for commemorative purposes.
Ross Mk III  Canada Bolt action service rifle .303 British
Pattern 1914 Enfield  British Empire Bolt action service rifle .303 British
Lee-Metford
  • Mk I
  • Mk I*
  • Mk II
 British Empire Bolt action service rifle .303 British
Martini-Henry and carbine variants

Martini-Enfield

 British Empire Breech-loading single-shot lever-actuated rifle .577/450 Martini–Henry

.303 British

Carbine still used by Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles Colour Guard
M1885 Remington–Lee  United States Bolt action service rifle .43 Spanish Introduced 1887, Withdrawn 1888
Snider–Enfield  British Empire Breech-loading rifle .577 Snider

Sidearms

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In service

Name Origin Type Calibre Image Details
Glock 17  Austria Semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum Gen. 4

Retired

Name Origin Type Calibre Image Details
SIG Sauer P226   Switzerland

 Germany

Semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum
FN Browning Hi-Power No. 2 Mk I  United States

 Belgium

Semi-automatic pistol 9x19mm Parabellum [9]
M1911  United States Semi-automatic pistol .45 ACP
Smith & Wesson Model 10  United States Revolver .38 S&W Victory Model
Enfield No. 2  British Empire Revolver .38 S&W
Webley Revolver
  • Mk I
  • Mk VI
 British Empire Revolver .442 Webley

.455 Webley

Shotguns

[edit]

In service

Name Origin Type Calibre Image Details
Benelli M3  Italy Hybrid pump-action and semi-automatic shotgun 12-gauge [1]

Retired

Name Origin Type Calibre Image Details
Browning Auto-5  United States semi-automatic shotgun
Remington Model 870  United States pump-action shotgun

Submachine guns

[edit]

In service

Name Origin Calibre Image Details
Heckler & Koch MP5  West Germany 9×19mm Parabellum Used by the New Zealand Special Air Service.

Retired

Name Origin Calibre Image Details
Sterling L2  United Kingdom 9×19mm Parabellum [9]
Owen gun  Australia 9×19mm Parabellum
Sten  United Kingdom 9×19mm Parabellum [9]
Thompson
  • M1928
  • M1928A1
 United States .45 ACP
Lanchester  United Kingdom 9×19mm Parabellum

Machine guns

[edit]

Currently In Service

Name Origin Type Calibre Image Details
FN MAG (MAG 58)  Belgium General-purpose machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO [1]
FN Minimi  Belgium Light machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO [10]
M2 Browning  United States Heavy machine gun 12.7×99mm NATO [1]

Retired

Name Origin Type Calibre Image Details
C9 Minimi C9 5.56mm  Canada light machine gun 5.56×45mm NATO [1]
L43A1  United Kingdom Ranging machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO Used as a ranging gun on the FV101 Scorpion
L7  United Kingdom General-purpose machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO [9]
M60  United States General-purpose machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO
L2A1  Australia

 Canada

light machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO [9]
L4A3  United Kingdom light machine gun 7.62x51mm NATO [9]
M1919 Browning
  • L3A3
  • L3A3E1
  • L3A4
 United States Medium machine gun .30-06 Springfield
Bren gun  British Empire light machine gun .303 British [9]
Charlton Automatic Rifle  New Zealand light machine gun .303 British
Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié  France

 British Empire

light machine gun .303 British
Lewis gun  British Empire light machine gun .303 British
Besa machine gun  British Empire Tank-mounted medium machine gun 7.92mm
Vickers gun  British Empire Medium machine gun .303 British [9]

Grenade launchers

[edit]

Current

Name Origin Type Calibre Details
RM M203PI  United States Under-barrel grenade launcher 40mm grenade Used on Steyr AUG and LMT MARS-L rifles
Heckler & Koch GMG  Germany Automatic grenade launcher 40mm grenade [1]

Retired

Name Origin Type Calibre Details
M203  United States Under-barrel grenade launcher 40mm grenade Used on M16A1 rifles
M79  United States Handheld grenade launcher 40mm grenade

Mortar

[edit]

Current

Name Origin Calibre Details
M6C-640T  Austria 60mm mortar [1]
L16A2  United Kingdom 81mm mortar

Retired

Name Origin Calibre Details
Ordnance SBML two-inch mortar  British Empire 2 inch (50.8 mm) mortar [9]
Ordnance ML 4.2 inch Mortar  British Empire 4.2 inch (110 mm) mortar [9]

Anti-armour

[edit]

Current

Name Origin Type Calibre Details
FGM-148 Javelin  United States Anti-tank guided missile 127 mm [1]
SRAAW M72  United States Anti-tank rocket launcher 66 mm
Carl Gustaf M3  Sweden Recoilless rifle 84 mm [1]

Retired

Name Origin Type Calibre Details
Carl Gustaf L14A1  Sweden Recoilless rifle 84 mm [9]
M40 106-mm recoilless rifle  United States Recoilless rifle 105 mm [9]
BAT L1  British Empire Australia Recoilless rifle 120 mm [9]
BAT L4 MORBAT [9]
BAT L6 WOMBAT [9]
Anti-Tank Grenade No 94 Energra  Liechtenstein Belgium Anti-tank rifle grenade 75 mm [9]
M20 Mk II "Super Bazooka"  United States Anti-tank rocket launcher 3.5 inch [9]
Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT)  British Empire Anti-tank grenade launcher

Anti-personnel

[edit]

Current

Name Origin Type Details
M18A1 Claymore  United States South Korea Anti-personnel mine
M67 Fragmentation hand grenade  United States Fragmentation grenade

Retired

Name Origin Type Details
Mills bomb N°36  British Empire Fragmentation grenade

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Firepower". army.mil.nz/. Archived from the original on 2016-10-21. Retrieved 10 Oct 2016.
  2. ^ "New Weapons for Snipers and Special Forces" (PDF). New Zealand Army News (487): 4–5. October 2017. ISSN 1170-4411. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2020.
  3. ^ New Sniper Rifle for the NZ Army (Television production). New Zealand Defence Force. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2021 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ Davis, Sgt Mick (5 December 2013). "Snipers Hit the Mark: Snipers get fired up at SASR concentration in WA". Army (News). Directorate of Defence News. p. 11. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  5. ^ Force, New Zealand Defence (18 October 2017). "Defence Force buying two new weapons".
  6. ^ "Unofficial New Zealand Special Air Service page". Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  7. ^ "Split second decisions: police rules of engagement". The Sunday Star-Times. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Replacement due for police rifles". New Zealand Police. 19 May 2005. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Fenton, Damien Marc. A False Sense of Security: The Force Structure of the NZ Armt 1946-1978. New Zealand: Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand, Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN 0475201035.
  10. ^ "New Zealand Switches from 5.56mm to 7.62mm FN Herstal Minimi Light Machine Gun". thefirearmblog. Archived from the original on 2016-09-14. Retrieved 10 Oct 2016.