A ban on the controversial seven-shot Adler shotgun will remain until the states and territories follow through on a newly-published national firearms agreement.
Gun control advocates and shooters are astonished the updated 14-page agreement was released without any fanfare a week ago.
The updating of the deal sparked a political storm last year, particularly over the import of the Adler gun.
The debate culminated in the December meeting of state and territory leaders and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull agreeing to the Adler being placed in the toughest category D. However the wording of the new NFA itself was not settled.
A spokeswoman for federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan told AAP the federal government had been awaiting comment from the states and territories before the final wording was settled.
The agreement - published on the attorney-general's department website - sets out minimum requirements in relation to gun regulation but states and territories can adopt more restrictive regulations.
It is now up to them to update legislation and regulations in line with the agreement.
Once all of the governments deliver on the agreement, the federal government can then lift the import ban on the Adler.
Greens gun control spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said the government had kept remarkably quiet about the new agreement.
"Given the Turnbull government's internal party tensions over gun control issues we were never expecting them to make a song and dance about the NFA but it is truly astonishing they have made no announcement," she said.
"We remain worried the import restriction on lever action firearms could be lifted and we remain concerned DIY magazine extension kits can easily convert firearms to allow for more shots than is technically acceptable. That's what we would call a loophole."
A Sporting Shooters Association spokesman also queried the low-key approach to the release of the agreement, saying it had been "slipped out there to see what the reaction is".
The spokesman said governments had not done enough consultation on the detail, which could have resulted in a more "workable" document.
Gun Control Australia's Sam Lee said it was a situation of "drop and run" without explanation.
Ms Lee said this was mind-boggling given the review itself stemmed from something as significant as Sydney's Martin Place siege.
She said it appeared the government was putting political decisions ahead of public safety.
Labor justice spokeswoman Clare O'Neil said the opposition was deeply concerned about the "silent rewrite of our gun laws".
"Michael Keenan must immediately front up and explain these sweeping changes to the national firearms agreement, and reassure the community that the Turnbull government is not watering down our gun laws," she told AAP.
Last year, it emerged the government sought to use gun laws as a bargaining chip with key crossbencher Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm.
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