Gun laws in Holland

[Nio]

Hello to all,

because of a request to post a threat of the gun laws used in my country (Holland), i will mention the crazy and over aged gun laws my country handles.

Since 1890 it is forbidden for civilians to carry any type of firearm on the streets. In 1919 this law expended by forbidding providing firearms to civilians but still didn't forbid owning a firearm when having the right papers. This law was made because of the governments fear of a revolution by communists after the first world war when the sympathy for Communism was growing in our country. ever since it is impossible to own a gun without having a permit and following the extremely crazy rules.

Some of these rules are:

- You have to be 18 to shoot a large caliber firearm
- To become a member of a shooting range you have to get paper work from the police stating prove of good behavior
- You then only can shoot with small caliber firearms under supervision for one year before you can request an legal permit.
- You have to be an excepted member of a gun club
- When you get a permit you have to make a minimal of 20 visits to the gun range a year or you will lose your permit.
- Police can come at any time to see if you have stored your guns and ammunition separated and locked in a safe
- When you don't meet up with of the points mentioned above you loose your permit and have to sell your guns A.S.A.P.

This means that when you are a firearm enthusiastic you have to travel once every two weeks to a gun range which most of them don't except new members because they are over-crowded. To shoot with small caliber firearms because large caliber 7 out of 10 times is not allowed. Also the average age at dutch gun clubs is over 60 making this also not a great place to be once every two weeks for younger people.
A few years ago me and my wife went to the only local gun club to become members, and what did you ques did happen. For me it was no problem becoming a member but for my wife it was another deal. They did not except women as members and this was in 2010 WTF!!!!!
So we left the gun club and never returned.

As a former soldier who has been on two tours to Bosnia I know what it is to have and handle a firearm in an secure and save way.
so why can't I own a firearm in my country without kneeling to this un-normal rules.
To me a firearm can provide safety to me, my family, and my community...........I just don't understand

 

[oohrah]

If gun clubs are over-subscribed, then it sounds like there are enough of your citizens to start petitions and start changing the laws. Using ISIS and Al-Quaeda as threats might also help your cause. Also, your ex-military buddies. Every grass-roots movement has to start with someone.

 

[Nio]

Hello oohrah,

the only problem is that there are very view people having the same ideas about gun laws as myself. Therefore the will of changing these laws is not supported by the general public.
Also mentioning Al-Quaeda and ISIS as possible threats will be waved away by the left wing lobby in my country who still think that there is no problem with Islam extremist

 

[Recoil45]

It sounds like you should be planning a move to Texas.

Not all of the USA has good gun laws. Many states severely restrict your rights to firearm ownership and self defense.

 

[Armybrat]

Nio, you have my sympathy. I think Europe is lost to the incoming flood of Middle Eastern "refugees because the EU governments rather not offend the Muslims, but will allow your western culture to fall instead.

My 12 year old grandson shooting my S&W AR15 for the first time on private property in central Texas.... no permits necessary, gun is kept in my safe at home. No registration. No government inspections.
(before anyone criticizes - he couldn't fit the eye protection glasses on with my cheap hearing muffs)

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Really sucks there as far as the gun laws Nio.
I killed my first deer when I was 8, with a .222.

 

[Nio]

Hey guys you do not have any idea how jaleous I am Reading your replys at the moment. I consider you the lucky ones.
God bless

 

[Nio]

Armybrat you completely get the point about the European opinion. Everybody over here seems to have no problem losing there countrys culture leaving us sitting duck for the muslim way of life. I just Cannot believe

 

[Brains]

Hello Nio, and welcome. Many in my family moved to the USA from the Netherlands (not sure exactly what part of the country) back in the early 1900's.

 

[Anger]

Welcome from a hereditary Dutchman. My Grandpa on my Father's side left Holland in 1939 with his wife, right before Hitler invaded (left on purpose) and settled in Michigan USA.

 

[Se7en62]

I feel really bad for everyone in Europe who doesn't own a gun. Their proximity to war zones has been FAR closer than any of us Americans way over here across the pond, so it doesn't make sense you would be disarmed by your own government. It would make more sense that your own governs would be arming you or at least encouraging you to become a trained firearm owner.

Here in the states it's seen as our God Given Right, that's protected by our Constitution, to protect ourselves from tyranny from our own government. It's not a privilege bestowed upon us by our government, even though act like it and try to change things, but there is just no way to make us give up our guns.

I think there are something like 270,000,000 guns estimated to be in circulation in the U.S. Though that number is rumored to low.

 

[ROGER4314]

I was born in Chicago, Illinois where gun laws are much more strict and restrictive. The requirements are not the same as you describe, but are just as senseless. How do any of those rules save lives?

I left Chicago and through a long series of moves, ended up in Texas in 1992. Rules regarding firearms are much more in favor of the citizen. The nicest part of that ability to move to a less restrictive environment is that I could trash the influence of Draconian, Liberal politicians in Illinois, to find a place that was more to my liking. If Liberals at the Federal level have their way, ALL of the United States would be under their thumbs!

As Patriots, we will fight the influence of the Obama/Feinstein/Clinton/Bloomberg alliances to prevent the infringement of our Second Amendment Rights at the Federal level.

As a final stand over this usurping of our rights may come as specified in the Declaration of Independence. When government gets out of control, the people must replace it. I hope that it doesn't come to that. Many of our citizens fly the "COME AND TAKE IT" flags for obvious reasons.

Texas is THE place for Shooting Sports in the United States! I found my only true home in Texas and I'll never leave here......dead or alive. God Bless Texas!

Flash

 

[ed308]

Reading post like this, so glad to live in the US and the South.

Nio, you are smart to want to protect your family. Tell the left wing who thinks the Radical Islamics are nothing to worry about to study what their leader's goals are. If they do, they'll learn they want to either kill or enslave you and every gentile, jew or muslim who doesn't share they distorted view of Islamic Eschatology. They want to end life as we know it. The left is clueless. Unfortunately, so is most of the right in this county.

 

[Nio]

Indeed I think the work pressure on local law enforcement would definitely be released when civilians that have no criminal history or mental issues could carry firearms. Thugs then would think twice before robbing people on the street when they get the chance to be shot by the ones they rob.
In all our major city's there is a problem with north African men who are highly involved in criminal activities. In some areas normal civilians don't dare to go on the streets at night in fear of getting in trouble.How nice it would be if those people get the chance to defend themselves in a proper way. But instead they have to let themselves beat the hell up and pray for police to arrive within 30 minutes........it's a damn shame

 

[benenglish]

...it is impossible to own a gun without ... following the extremely crazy rules.

It speaks well of the dedication of some shooters that they can live in that environment yet still enjoy themselves in matches. There are a number of formats but judging from YouTube it appears that a simple falling plate format is quite popular. Am I right about that?

In any event, I find this sort of thing fascinating:



In fact, I see quite a number of steel plate matches from your country on Youtube and they all seem to be shot indoors. Do y'all use sintered metal (no-lead, frangible) projectiles or are your ranges simply built with such awesome air scrubbing equipment that the airborne lead is not considered a health hazard?

 

[Nio]

No there is no lead used due to Health risk.
Also there are almost no open gun ranges in my country 90 percent is indoor, where it is only allowed to shoot small Caliber guns.
Also most gun clubs are centrred in the larger populated west of the country as I live north where there are only few.

 

[benenglish]

No there is no lead used due to Health risk.

Wow. That's a serious burden since lead-free ammo (There's a roundup here: http://www.hendonpub.com/law_and_order/articles/2013/11/going_green_non_toxic_training_ammo ) tends to be stratospherically priced.

What brands of indoor-on-steel-safe ammo are commonly available over there? Is any of it remotely affordable or are all those indoor plate matches on YouTube being attended by folks with (lots!) more money than me?

Or do you guys tend to make your own bullets? I know Corbin sells everything ( http://www.corbins.com/powder.htm ) needed to make your own and I was wondering if such reloading was common in your country.

 

[benenglish]

Also there are almost no open gun ranges in my country ...

Interesting. I note that all of the outdoor shooting I've found from your country seems to be done on nice, fully-baffled ranges. I wouldn't mind shooting at some of the facilities in this vid of Bianchi Cup competition.

 

[Nio]

Yes but the problem is That they are all in another part of Holland. The one closest to my home did not take on new members.

 

[Nio]

And even if you find a club and get accepted you have to shoot small Caliber guns for one year before you can even shoot a singel shot from a large caliber gun