Way off Topic - Gun Ownership in Mexico

[Pop Watts]

Sorry for the OT posting - BUT.

My wife and I are looking into a lifestyle change.
We are thinking about leaving Australia and heading out to live in a country where the cost of living is much lower and I could pretty much retire.
So Australia is really right in the middle of Asia, so we have had a look at Vietnam and Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, but recently I have been talking to a mate of mine who has been living in Mexico for extended periods of time over the last 5 years or so and he is starting to convince me that it may be a viable place to live for a while.
Most Asian countries have oppressive gun ownership laws.
So, does anybody know where Mexico stands on gun ownership?
If we do make the move I want to take a couple of Winchesters with me - just because I do not think I could live without them.
You guys live much closer than I do.
Is there another country in Central or South America that may be worth considering?

Thanks,

Pop.

[FatJackDurham]

http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/mexico

It sounds technically legal, but I don't know what the actual, on the ground policy is.

[FatJackDurham]

"However, the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) has set its own rules (in Spanish: Disposiciones giradas por la propia Secretaría), and while neither federal firearms law nor its regulation set a limit on the amount of firearms a person may own, SEDENA has determined that only nine long guns and one handgun for hunting or shooting activities will be authorized.[31] Consequently, those who do not belong to a hunting or shooting club, will only be authorized one handgun for home defense."

[Sixgun]

No disrespect to your fine country Pops, but when it comes to firearms ownership, only one country guarantees it, and if you choose the right state, your desires are practically unlimited.

There's plenty of areas in our great nation where the cost of living is very low and if you use the system. like about what 46 million people do, you can drive a Cadillac, watch color TV, and eat like a hog, all the while never having to subject your heartbeat to more than 70 beats a minute.

I don't see anyone beating a path to get to Mexico.

They don't call the U.S.A. the "land of opportunity" for nothing.---------------Sixgun

[octagon]

Pops: As a non Mexican citizen, I think you cannot own property in Mexico. As a white dude (I assume) your chances of owning a gun legally, are very thin. Most Mexicans cannot have one as far as I know. The odds are fair, however, of someone finding your head in a burlap bag on a street corner, or being kidnapped, or even ending up in a Mexican prison (scary).
A good friend has a big house on the beach down there and has been inviting me down for a vacation for years. Many years ago I would have gone in a flash, but as Mexico has a very corrupt government, military, and more Drug Cartel Gangsters than you can shake a stick at, I prefer to stay in Texas and will never go to Mexico again, and would NEVER take a family member there.
This is my opinion only, and other members like Charles who live much closer to Mexico, can probably offer much more accurate information.

[92&94]

First thing to know about Mexico is that the rules apply to those who do not pay the bribes. The bigger the rule is, the more it costs to get around it. Even perfectly legit stuff in Mexico is expensive, you need a local lawyer to handle just about any major business with any level of government (of which there are many).

Foreign nationals cannot own real property within something like 30 miles of the coastline. There are legal ways around that, but that increases costs. I don't know how hard it is to own real property further inland, maybe just as bad in its way.

As far as I know, foreign nationals are allowed to import sporting weapons for sporting purposes. For long term stays the rules may be different and more restrictive. In theory you can show up at the border with some paperwork and a shotgun for a quail hunt, but in practice the border guard will likely toss you in jail, confiscate the weapon and everyone involved will attempt to cover it all up - that is exactly what happened to a young former US marine last year. Either a lawyer involved in advance or a generous bribe at the crossing would have fixed all his problems, but since he was not attempting to break any Mexican laws, he seemed to assume that he would have no problems.

Mexican citizens are allowed to own non-military firearms in calibers less than .38 - any military caliber, like 5.56, 7.62, are ruled out on principle even for sporting arms (as far as I know). Even a legally owned 30-30 is a bear to find ammunition for, as all the ammo is sold through a government store in Mexico City (and as far as I know, that is the only one). So ammo for legally owned guns is usually imported from the US illegally.

In summary, you probably could own your guns in Mexico, but it would not be cheap by any way you chose to do it.

[AJMD429]

If you enjoy either firearms or freedom (not sure there is a real difference), you would NOT enjoy Mexico.

[MrMurphy]

Agreed.

Guns are effectively illegal in Mexico unless you're rich, a criminal/cartel member or found a way around the law.

New Year's Eve in Ensenada sounds like a battalion-level live fire exercise. But of course, they're all illegal.....

[GonnePhishin]

G'day Pops,
I've read that a lot of people choose to go down to live in Costa Rica but have no idea about firearm rights.

[junkbug]

As far as Asian countries go, I believe the Philippines are less restrictive than most. That is from knowing the son of immigrants from there. However, I do not know what the situation would be for a foreign national there. I do know many people buy property there to live at a much lower cost than say the USA.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I lived in Mexico all year in 1985. Then it was abosolutely prohibited for a non-resident to be in posession of a firearm or ammo.
Maybe different today but I would not be satisfied till I had something in writting from the governor of the Mexican state you plan on residing in. Federal laws are one thing.. state laws are an entire different matter.
Have you considered Chile ? Gun laws in Chile are very accomidating, firearms and ammo readily available. Living is cheaper than Peru. The government is Pro-USA. If I did not know Peru is where I should be I would cross that border as fast as my little Suzuki Samuri could haul us.
Mike in Peru

[RIHMFIRE]

take a look at the southern states aound the gulf

[Rusty]

I'm not sure about the gun laws but I've been told Belieze is a friendly country for those Ex- pats from another land. If you make a large enough deposit in one of their banks I am told you can obtain citizenship.

[Charles]

I live within 3 miles of the border of Texas and Mexico and Mexico is no place you want to be or live these days. Firearms ownership will be impossible for you. Violence, crime and corruption is way out of control in Mexico. I have also lived in Central and South American and none of those places are truly "gun friendly", having far more restrictions that you have in Oz.

There is only one truly gun friendly country in the world anymore and that is the United States. Texas is very gun friendly and where I live (Rio Grande Valley) is as cheap or cheaper to live as any place in the USA.

[Blaine]

Mexico is a stuff-hole. Period. All those glowing pics and reports are by those selling a nightmare painted up like a good deal.......you might live cheap but not free.

[gamekeeper]

When GK.Jr was just a toddler I joked with him about living in Mexico and when folks asked him when he was going to start school he always replied " I NOT GOING TO SCHOOL, I'M GOING TO MEXICO"....