Swiss Gun Laws

[Darkpriest667]

I was having a conversation with some European folks (about education and taxes) and told them the only country I would live in Europe was Switzerland. When asked why I responded, "because it's the only country in Europe you can legally own a semi automatic weapon." Now, that statement is a little hyperbolic and untrue, but for the most part generally is.


So this got me to thinking: What ARE the gun laws in Switzerland?

https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3Wkn...DP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Gun_laws_in_Switzerland.html

You do have to get a permit to buy a gun, which is easy enough (even for an American.) But there are a few caveats. First... you cannot own a gun in Switzerland if you are from these countries: Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Albania. Secondly, you have to obtain the same permit to buy ammo.. EVERY TIME you purchase it and you can't own ammo for a gun you do not own.


Interesting stuff. Read the link and reply.. Also mods please move this to the correct part of the forum is this isnt it

 

[Younggun]

Sounds like they're racist...

 

[robertc1024]

They are, but acknowledge shithole countries

 

[MTA]

Switzerland is also not a socialist country so that is a giant plus. They also strictly minimize the amount of rapefugees that come into their country. Another good country is the Czech Republic who is also working on their own version of the 2nd Amendment.

I understand from my German relatives that there is also a bigger push for more legal gun ownership and self defense laws in Germany in the wake of the self induced cultural suicide initiated by fuhrer merkel but that remains to be seen

 

[benenglish]

Switzerland is also not a socialist country so that is a giant plus.

Well, they have their tendencies. You know why the Swiss almost never have building fires? They have two skinny little fire codes, one for residential and one for commercial property. The key reason it works is that the local fire department may call on you as much as once a year (more often if there's a problem) and inspect your premises. Let me re-state that: A Swiss fire inspector can knock on the door of your home and you have to let them in to completely inspect the interior for fire hazards. They'll look at wiring, how you store your flammables, etc., and give you written advice or a ticket to rectify any problems they find.

Can you imagine the uproar that would happen in the U.S. if a law were passed saying that any government official has the absolute right to inspect the interior of your home for your own good? We'd go nuts.

In Switzerland, it's just part of being a good citizen. So, as I said, they have their tendencies.

(Note - The information above is decades old. If things have changed, I'm sure someone will correct me.)

Another good country is the Czech Republic who is also working on their own version of the 2nd Amendment.

I feel for 'em. They're getting a lot of pushback from the EU on that subject.

Serbia is in a similar situation, facing outside pressures.

Then there are places like San Marino, where you can walk into a gun store, plunk down cash, and walk out with the Thompson submachine gun of your choice, all completely legal. Of course, everyone who can afford to live in San Marino is so wealthy they'd be able to find a way to own guns no matter where in the world they lived.

(Repeating my previous caveat, the San Marino info is quite old and I welcome updates.)

I understand from my German relatives that there is also a bigger push for more legal gun ownership and self defense laws in Germany in the wake of the self induced cultural suicide initiated by fuhrer merkel but that remains to be seen

True and I was shocked when I heard about it. I guess, though, that when reality clobbers you over the head hard enough you are forced to face it, one way or another.

 

[MTA]

Well, they have their tendencies. You know why the Swiss almost never have building fires? They have two skinny little fire codes, one for residential and one for commercial property. The key reason it works is that the local fire department may call on you as much as once a year (more often if there's a problem) and inspect your premises. Let me re-state that: A Swiss fire inspector can knock on the door of your home and you have to let them in to completely inspect the interior for fire hazards. They'll look at wiring, how you store your flammables, etc., and give you written advice or a ticket to rectify any problems they find.

Can you imagine the uproar that would happen in the U.S. if a law were passed saying that any government official has the absolute right to inspect the interior of your home for your own good? We'd go nuts.

In Switzerland, it's just part of being a good citizen. So, as I said, they have their tendencies.

It is always easier to participate in these things when you are a small country that is filled with people who have been living together for hundreds of years that are racially and culturally the same for the most part. That all goes away once that is being broken down and then people have a tendency to stick with what is familiar. Could be one of the reasons why the EU is experiencing dissension and also the drive for europeans to get back those individual rights they traded in for socialism amongst their ethnic borders.

I see this first hand in my German relatives. They weren't liberal by any means but they took comfort in their country and government being ethnically German, so why not go with the grain(socialism in place of individual rights)? I mean they are fully convinced that their government would take care of them and not import savages en masse. That isn't the case anymore so now they are looking to defend their own family and communities.

Pretty interesting to see but I have to admit it is also fairly depressing to see my ancestral home head down the tubes. Maybe they will get their rights back and have their own revolution

 

[TheDan]

You do have to get a permit to buy a gun, which is easy enough (even for an American.) But there are a few caveats. First... you cannot own a gun in Switzerland if you are from these countries: Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Albania. Secondly, you have to obtain the same permit to buy ammo.. EVERY TIME you purchase it and you can't own ammo for a gun you do not own.

Also pretty sure that unless you're a Swiss citizen and have served your compulsory military time, then you can't keep guns in your home; have to keep them at the range. I might be thinking of somewhere else, tho...

 

[Younggun]

Many European countries are running towards some pretty chaotic times. Their governments are far more disconnected from the people than ours and the EU is an ever present boot on the neck of any nation wishing to go against the grain whether it be related to social programs or immigration.

I think it's going to come to a head in the next decade with either a large spike in riots and social unrest or more nations bailing on the EU all together.

"Fuhrer Merkel" is surprisingly accurate considering the power grabs and unilateral decisions she's made with sweeping effects across the EU.

 

[TheDan]

What are the gun laws in Poland? That's the happening spot in Europe right now...

 

[Darkpriest667]

What are the gun laws in Poland? That's the happening spot in Europe right now...

Gun ownership in Poland is regulated by the Weapons and Munitions Act of 21 May 1999, as further amended, which requires a license to own and possess firearms. As a result of very strict controls in the past, gun ownership in Poland is the lowest in the EU, at 1 firearm per 100 citizens. However, the gun laws were relaxed in 2011 and again in 2014. Also year by year amount of permits given grows. This, in general, removed the police discretionary power to refuse a license without explanation. The current law states that target shooting and collecting permits are shall issue and self-defense one is may issue.

To obtain a firearms license, the applicant must have no criminal record, undertake a medical and psychological evaluation and pass an exam appropriate to their reason for wanting a firearm (held by the police for self-defense, the Polish Sports Shooting Association for target shooting, or the Polish Hunting Association for hunting). Permits are issued indefinitely, although self-defense ones require passing medical and psychological evaluation every 5 years.

Each permit specifies types and number of weapons the holder can own. These values vary greatly depending on license type and documented needs, but it's an established practice to receive around 5 slots for target shooting and hunting and 10 slots for collecting. A target-shooting license requires the applicant to possess a valid shooting competition license (by taking part in 2 to 4 ISSF-regulated shooting competitions per year for each category of firearm owned: handgun, rifle and shotgun), and allows carrying a loaded concealed firearm in public. A collecting license allows to obtain and use (in shooting range) any type of unstationary weapon including selective fire and fully automatic firearms. A self-defense license requires proving a "constant, substantial and higher than average" danger. There are separate, lifelong permits for high-ranking ex-military and police officers, generally allowing them to own one handgun. Institutional permits allow for firearm ownership by security companies.

Replicas of black powder firearms designed before 1885 require no licence to own, and are therefore quite popular in the shooting community.

 

[TheDan]

Gun ownership in Poland is regulated by the Weapons and Munitions Act of 21 May 1999, as further amended, which requires a license to own and possess firearms. As a result of very strict controls in the past, gun ownership in Poland is the lowest in the EU, at 1 firearm per 100 citizens. However, the gun laws were relaxed in 2011 and again in 2014. Also year by year amount of permits given grows. This, in general, removed the police discretionary power to refuse a license without explanation. The current law states that target shooting and collecting permits are shall issue and self-defense one is may issue.

To obtain a firearms license, the applicant must have no criminal record, undertake a medical and psychological evaluation and pass an exam appropriate to their reason for wanting a firearm (held by the police for self-defense, the Polish Sports Shooting Association for target shooting, or the Polish Hunting Association for hunting). Permits are issued indefinitely, although self-defense ones require passing medical and psychological evaluation every 5 years.

Each permit specifies types and number of weapons the holder can own. These values vary greatly depending on license type and documented needs, but it's an established practice to receive around 5 slots for target shooting and hunting and 10 slots for collecting. A target-shooting license requires the applicant to possess a valid shooting competition license (by taking part in 2 to 4 ISSF-regulated shooting competitions per year for each category of firearm owned: handgun, rifle and shotgun), and allows carrying a loaded concealed firearm in public. A collecting license allows to obtain and use (in shooting range) any type of unstationary weapon including selective fire and fully automatic firearms. A self-defense license requires proving a "constant, substantial and higher than average" danger. There are separate, lifelong permits for high-ranking ex-military and police officers, generally allowing them to own one handgun. Institutional permits allow for firearm ownership by security companies.

Replicas of black powder firearms designed before 1885 require no licence to own, and are therefore quite popular in the shooting community.

wow, thanks... So I'm guessing there's situations where it's legal to defend yourself, but if you only have a sport shooting permit you better not defend yourself with your gun? Nuts.

 

[leVieux]

I was having a conversation with some European folks (about education and taxes) and told them the only country I would live in Europe was Switzerland. When asked why I responded, "because it's the only country in Europe you can legally own a semi automatic weapon." Now, that statement is a little hyperbolic and untrue, but for the most part generally is.


So this got me to thinking: What ARE the gun laws in Switzerland?

https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3Wkn...DP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Gun_laws_in_Switzerland.html

You do have to get a permit to buy a gun, which is easy enough (even for an American.) But there are a few caveats. First... you cannot own a gun in Switzerland if you are from these countries: Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Albania. Secondly, you have to obtain the same permit to buy ammo.. EVERY TIME you purchase it and you can't own ammo for a gun you do not own.


Interesting stuff. Read the link and reply.. Also mods please move this to the correct part of the forum is this isnt it

One peculiarity I noted was that college kids can ride the bus with their full-auto .308 rifles, but no one can carry a concealed handgun. (This was from our last Swiss visit back in '09, and may not be current.)

Anther is that the "Swiss" do not call their Nation "Switzerland"; but use the term "C.H." which stands for "Helvetian Confederation". There are five separate "Cantons" (states), each with its own internal government and LANGUAGE, with 5 separate official languages, so most Swiss have fluent English in order to speak to one-another and to the outside world.

We loved the place and its people. They have achieved and maintained a great notion of conservative/liberal balance, freedom, and internal harmony. They are dedicated to the desire and ability to defend themselves from external military attack, to the level that no one has picked on them on almost 500 years, including Hitler, who had them completely surrounded for several years in the 1930's & '40's.

leVieux

 

[Younggun]

The biggest advantage the Swiss had to deter German invasion was terrain.

The Swiss had already planned to abandon most of their cities to the Germans and move their populations to mountainous regions which could be much more easily defended. Without the terrain, I doubt Switzerland would have survived much longer than France.

Not a knock on the Swiss, just a major detail in their defensive ability.

 

[BRD@66]

Busy little place 1/3 the size of Florida. (or that's what I read on the internet - bonjour!)

 

[easy rider]

Haven't seen anything convincing enough to envy anyone in europe, I think I'll stick with Texas gun laws.

 

[TheDan]

The biggest advantage the Swiss had to deter German invasion was terrain.

The Swiss had already planned to abandon most of their cities to the Germans and move their populations to mountainous regions which could be much more easily defended. Without the terrain, I doubt Switzerland would have survived much longer than France.

Not a knock on the Swiss, just a major detail in their defensive ability.

Terrain is definitely their defensive strong suit. Holding a bunch of Nazi (mostly stolen) gold and banking for them helped, too.

 

[BRD@66]

So...it's kind of like having a wall to keep the riff raff out?