NSW Gun Buyback Phase 1 Opens 2 November: The Prices, and What to Do First
Magnum Sports — NSW Firearms Dealer Licence No. 413159984, 19 Babbage Road, Roseville Chase NSW 2069. Verified against nsw.gov.au on 13 October 2026.
Phase 1 of the national firearms buyback opens in New South Wales on Monday 2 November 2026 and is expected to run for about twelve months. The fixed compensation prices are now published, and they are the number most people have been waiting for. Before you hand anything in, read the price list below against what your firearm is actually worth — for a lot of guns the fixed price is well under market, and surrendering is not your only lawful option.
What Phase 1 actually is
New South Wales is the first state to start the national scheme, with costs shared equally between the state and the Commonwealth. Phase 1 pays compensation for eligible firearms affected by the new ownership limits and the classification changes, and it pays a flat fee for ammunition surrendered with them.
The NSW Government estimates that up to 274,000 registered firearms may be affected by the reforms overall.
The published fixed prices
These are the amounts published by the NSW Government for individual licence holders who are above their new legal limit. They are fixed per firearm, not negotiated.
| Firearm | Fixed price |
|---|---|
| Rifle, centrefire | $1,000 |
| Handgun, revolver | $1,000 |
| Handgun, semi-automatic | $850 |
| Shotgun, double barrel | $850 |
| Shotgun, single barrel | $650 |
| Rifle, rimfire | $600 |
| Air rifle | $450 |
Ammunition surrendered with an eligible firearm attracts a flat fee. The amount has not been published yet.
Read that table honestly. A thousand dollars is a fair outcome for a tired factory centrefire. It is not a fair outcome for a good bolt gun with glass on it, a quality over-under, or anything collectable — and $600 is well under market for plenty of rimfires. The fixed price is a floor for administrative simplicity, not a valuation of your particular firearm.
Who is eligible
Licence and permit holders whose firearms can no longer be held, because:
- the firearm is prohibited or reclassified under the reforms;
- they own more than the new limit — the Government's page states this as four or ten firearms, and which applies depends on your genuine reason. Confirm your own cap with the NSW Police Firearms Registry rather than assuming;
- or they do not meet the Australian citizenship requirement, with some exceptions.
If a firearm is unregistered or unlicensed, the buyback is not the pathway — that is a matter for the NSW Police Force firearms amnesty, and it is a different process entirely.
The reclassification is still not in force
This is the part most often got wrong, including by people who should know better, so it is worth stating plainly.
The move of straight-pull and some pump-action firearms — rimfire rifles, centrefire rifles and shotguns — to Category C has passed but is not yet in force. The Government's own page says the provisions “are not yet in force and will commence on proclamation on date/s to be determined”.
So if somebody tells you your straight-pull is Category C today, they are ahead of the law. Nothing has changed about what you may lawfully hold until proclamation. What it does mean is that there is still time to make a considered decision rather than a rushed one. Our guide to lever-action rifles and the 2026 category changes sets out what the reclassification does and does not cover.
What is still unknown
A good deal, and anyone claiming otherwise is guessing. As at 13 October 2026 the Government has not published:
- Any surrender deadline. The scheme is expected to run about twelve months from 2 November, but no cut-off date has been set.
- How or where you hand a firearm in, or how and when payment is made.
- The ammunition flat fee.
- Whether the fixed prices can be disputed if you believe a firearm is worth more.
The page says further information on eligibility, compensation and participation will follow “in due course”, including direct contact with licensed owners. We will update this page as it does.
Phase 2, from early 2027
Phase 2 covers eligible higher-value firearms — those with an indicative market value above $3,000 — with payments capped at $10,000 per firearm. Eligibility and the detail are still to be published.
The practical implication is worth sitting with. If you hold something genuinely valuable, Phase 1's fixed price is almost certainly the wrong door, and the cap in Phase 2 may still be below what the firearm would fetch. That is a conversation to have before 2 November, not after you have signed something.
Before you surrender anything, get it valued
This is the only piece of advice in this article that will cost us money to give, and we are giving it anyway: for many firearms, surrendering at the fixed price is the worst of your lawful options.
What the alternatives are depends on why your firearm is affected, and the two cases are not the same:
If you are simply over the new limit. You choose which firearms to keep. The surplus does not have to be surrendered at all — it can be sold or consigned at market value to another licence holder who has capacity under their own cap, through a dealer-witnessed transfer. On a decent rifle that is routinely several times the fixed price. Our pre-owned transfer guide explains how the process works.
If the firearm is prohibited or reclassified. This is narrower. Once the reclassification commences, the pool of people who may lawfully acquire it shrinks, and for some firearms the buyback will be the practical route. But it has not commenced yet, which is exactly why acting now beats acting in a panic later.
Either way: bring it in, or ring us on (02) 9882 2689, and we will tell you what it is worth and what your options are. Magnum Sports is a licensed NSW firearms dealer at Roseville Chase, dealer licence 413159984, and we have no interest in telling you a gun is worth more than it is. Sometimes the honest answer is that the fixed price is the best you will do. Sometimes it is nowhere near.
Confirm your own licence position with the NSW Police Firearms Registry. We can value and transfer; we cannot tell you what your cap is.
If you run a firearms business
An industry support package launches alongside Phase 1 on 2 November, and it has gone largely unreported:
- Business support grants of up to $25,000 for eligible businesses and dealers.
- One-off licence fee relief worth $500 over two years for eligible NSW gun dealers.
- Advisory support for all gun dealers and businesses.
The NSW Small Business Commission is holding a roundtable on the grants and the other support, and the Government says more detail is coming in the coming weeks. If you hold a dealer licence, that is worth watching closely.
Frequently asked questions
When does the NSW gun buyback start?
Monday 2 November 2026. It is expected to run for about twelve months initially. Phase 2, for higher-value firearms, starts in early 2027.
How much will I get for my firearm?
In Phase 1, a fixed price: $1,000 for a centrefire rifle or a revolver, $850 for a semi-automatic handgun or a double-barrel shotgun, $650 for a single-barrel shotgun, $600 for a rimfire rifle, $450 for an air rifle. Ammunition surrendered with an eligible firearm attracts a flat fee that has not yet been published.
Is my straight-pull rifle now Category C?
No. The reclassification has passed but is not in force, and commences on proclamation on a date still to be determined. Nothing about what you may lawfully hold has changed yet.
Do I have to hand my firearms in?
Not if you have a lawful alternative. If you are over the new limit you choose what to keep, and the surplus can be sold or consigned to a licence holder with capacity instead of surrendered. If a firearm is prohibited or reclassified the options narrow once that commences. Confirm your position with the Firearms Registry.
Is there a deadline to surrender?
None has been published. The scheme is expected to run about twelve months from 2 November 2026.
What about unregistered firearms?
Those are dealt with under the NSW Police Force firearms amnesty, not the buyback. Do not bring an unregistered firearm to a dealer — contact the police first.
Where to next
Our workable alternative to the buyback sets out the case we put to government. The licence categories explainer covers A, B, C, D and H, and gun safes and storage covers the inspection that has sat in front of every Permit to Acquire since 1 July 2026.
Protect native wildlife. Perfect your shot. Magnum Sports is Impact Sports AU Pty Ltd, ABN 80 680 499 852, NSW Firearms Dealer Licence 413159984. Call (02) 9882 2689 or email sales@magnumsports.com.au. This page is general information, not advice about your own licence — confirm your position with the NSW Police Firearms Registry. Firearms require the appropriate licence and a Permit to Acquire. Ammunition is sold for collection at our counter only; we do not ship it.