OT? Gun Freedom in English speaking countries

[getitdone1]

Besides our U.S.A. what other English speaking countries have a good deal of gun ownership freedom?

Austraila?
New Zealand?

Is any nation more "gun friendly" than ours?

Back around 1975 I was crossing into Canada. The lady at the "gate" was not gun friendly and asked me why I had so many guns. She made you feel like a crook or low-life.

Of course I didn't but felt like telling her to not worry about it and whatever the law is I'm here to abide by it. I was just visiting Canada for less than a full day. After this female B......I dealt with a male border person. He was a gun lover and much eaier to deal with.

I state "English Speaking" but what about non-english speaking countries? Any of them "Gun Friendly?"

Don McCullough

[Old Ironsights]

I can't think of any ENGLISH speaking countries...

Certainly not Oz or NZ.

But IIRC Finland, Iceland and Switzerland are pretty good, as well as Israel.

Some of those Scandahoovian countries almost REQUIRE you to have a suppressor and don't grouse about "Class III" firearms.

But they are all registered IIRC.

[Leverdude]

I dont think any western countries have it like we do & the others that dont regulate guns like commies dont seem to have much law or Gov't.

I doubt theres many places left where the normal citizen can own or buy any & as many rifles, shotguns & handguns as they want.

[Sixgun]

I know its not English and certainly not friendly, but just the other day I read that Yemen was second to the U.S in gunownership at 61 guns per 100 people.

[wm]

Sweden, Switzerland, Finalnd & Norway are said to have very firearms friendly laws.

Also Isreal is pretty reasonable in this regard though I suspect military weapons are more commonly found then sporting weapons there.

Why such a question......planning on leaving us?

Wm

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I believe Swiss men of a certain age range are required by law to posses a rifle.

[Nath]

Our native tongue is about to change soon to Islam so we don't count and any way what are gun freedoms?
Nath.

[The Lewis]

Switzerland requires, in order to maintain your citizenship, qualifying on a 300yard rifle range. Ain't that a kick! I'm not sure what the age range is but I like the sounds of it.

[Leverdude]

Switzerland requires, in order to maintain your citizenship, qualifying on a 300yard rifle range. Ain't that a kick! I'm not sure what the age range is but I like the sounds of it.

Yup, but they decide what gun it'll be & how much ammo you can have.
Isreal I believe lets you have a handgun if you pass a test, not sure about rifles. Theres no doubt that other countries let you have a gun or two but its not like here. Nobody simply trusts their people like we do,,,er... like we used to.

[bigbore442001]

That is so true. We have been blessed with a political system that values individual freedom above the needs of the state. Unfortunately that has changed in the last generation. It seems that the people who want a government agency to carry them from the womb to the tomb has increased in population and influence. In a way many politicians have set up a tax system and a devaluation of the US dollar to influence people to have that mindset.

There are precious few areas of the world in which you can do as you like. This nation is the last one on earth. How many places will issue a CCW because they have to issue one to someone with a clean record? How many places allow a person to hunt and shoot at a reasonable cost? How many places allow a person to use lethal force to defend a life or property?

[gundownunder]

If I recall correctly and if what I heard was true, Switzerland requires its men to do national service and then they take their service weapon and 100 rounds home till minimum age 45 or any time after that if they want to retain it. I heard its not totally unheard of for a couple of mates over there to get on a public bus with their rifles over their shoulders when they want to go down to the local gun club for a bit of practice.
Now in a country like that only a complete Richard Head would be uncivilized or ungentlemanly. Man I like that idea.

As for Australia, Forget it, we are worse off than the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia, and hard on the heels of those poor Limeys over on the other side of the pond.

Heck even our law says that a foreign power can have our country as long as they take it peacefully, which of course is why all them rag heads are migrating here.

[Nordsee]

Hallo!

Here is what I know about the situation of our southern neighbour Switzerland:
- Every male has to serve the swiss army for about 300 days total, they can select to take this time en bloc or for some weeks every year till reaching an age of 34.
- Afterwards they (still) can buy their weapon
- Till 2007, so called "Taschenmunition" ("pocket ammunition", packed in tins) was given together with the weapons, it was only allowed to open the tins in case of war. From 2007 it was no longer available and everybody who received it in the past needs to return it till 2009. Only a small percentage of former soldiers (heared 3%?) is still allowed to poccess it.
- Receiving a permittance to carry a gun today for self-defense has become very very difficult (like winning a jackpot), criminals love that.
- On most shooting ranges it is only allowed to shoot with pistols and rifles that recently have been used in swiss army, on others only with weapons according to the competitions of the largest shooting association, which stronly reduces the possibilities.
- There are always new efforts to to make gun ownership more difficult and to reduce the number of gun owners which will make further restrictions easier. The (mostly left wing) media strongly supports these efforts. The possession of former army rifles at home is currently one main target of those people calling for restrictions.
Switzerland is not yet a member of the European Union, but it will be some day, so there will be more restrictions to come.

Our (German) weapons law, which is far more strict than the swiss one, changed last week. From now on it is no longer allowed to carry knives with a blade length of more than 5 inches, or knives that can be opened with one hand, easy accessable with you. (stored in the back of a car would be o.k.) Butterfly knives were forbidden some years ago.
Inherents of fire weapons need to block their weapons so that they themselves can not put them into operation, even if they would have ammunition which was forbidden for inherents years ago (Charges per system (weapon): US-Dollar 160,-)
There are some changes of marking of important parts of fire weapons, and other things... and more restrictions to come....

Greetings
Nordsee

[505stevec]

Good Lord!!! we need to keep the Democrats out of Office!

[2571]

Le Canada est un pays francophone.

[John Y Cannuck]

I'm sure our founding fathers would turn in their graves if they had any idea what the Liberals have done to personal fireams possession in this country (Canada).
It has become a permanent fight, for all gun owners just to retain what we have. Some of us still have hopes of turning back the clock a bit.


(a) For a resident to own a Handgun in the province of Ontario Canada you must take a course, pay a fee, submit to a background check, provide the same info that you would for a passport, Not have any unfriendly ex-wives, and belong to a range.
(b) You can only use your handgun legally at a range, and that range must apply in your name to get you a transport permit to take your handgun from your house, to the range.

If you want a long gun, paragraph (a) above still applies.

KEEP ON YOUR POLITICIANS!
You have a firewall of sorts in your Right to keep and Bear arms, however, you also have a strong anti gun movement. Don't let down your guard.

[Old Time Hunter]

Very interesting!

Welcome aboard Nordsee, glad to have you and thanks for the update as to the conditions of gun possession for the Swiss. It was not that long ago that the Swiss almost connected citizenship with a rifle. If I am not mistaken, didn't the K31 Schmidt-Rubin have an ID number and name under the butt plate of the recipient of that government issued rifle? Since all males were conscripted, I would assume that all males at one time possessed a rifle.

My understanding is that one of the Scandinavian countries actually has the most firearms per capita, not the USA.

Also, I really wonder how many guns are actually in China...sure see alot a people in the back country on National Geographic tote'n T53's

[Old Shatterhand]

Sweden, Switzerland, Finalnd & Norway are said to have very firearms friendly laws.

Also Isreal is pretty reasonable in this regard though I suspect military weapons are more commonly found then sporting weapons there.

Why such a question......planning on leaving us?

Wm

Here in Sweden we are allowed to keep guns if we are hunter or organized shooters - or both. But hunters have a number limitation of six long guns, for which a licence at the police autorithy should be applied. If you have the licence, you may buy ammo, brass, powder, primers and bullets freely. Handguns are really hard to get for hunting.

But the number restriction is rather stupid. When I found a Win #12 16 G 1917 vintage last, week, I was obliged to give in another gun, not to exceed the restricted limit, as I already have 6 long guns. That #12 costed me a Sauer pre-war sbs - luckily the seller took it in exchange without any bills beside.

There should be about 700000 gun owners in a population of 9 millions here in Sweden.

Old Sh.

[Ravenman]

Hallo!

Here is what I know about the situation of our southern neighbour Switzerland:
- Every male has to serve the swiss army for about 300 days total, they can select to take this time en bloc or for some weeks every year till reaching an age of 34.
- Afterwards they (still) can buy their weapon
- Till 2007, so called "Taschenmunition" ("pocket ammunition", packed in tins) was given together with the weapons, it was only allowed to open the tins in case of war. From 2007 it was no longer available and everybody who received it in the past needs to return it till 2009. Only a small percentage of former soldiers (heared 3%?) is still allowed to poccess it.
- Receiving a permittance to carry a gun today for self-defense has become very very difficult (like winning a jackpot), criminals love that.
- On most shooting ranges it is only allowed to shoot with pistols and rifles that recently have been used in swiss army, on others only with weapons according to the competitions of the largest shooting association, which stronly reduces the possibilities.
- There are always new efforts to to make gun ownership more difficult and to reduce the number of gun owners which will make further restrictions easier. The (mostly left wing) media strongly supports these efforts. The possession of former army rifles at home is currently one main target of those people calling for restrictions.
Switzerland is not yet a member of the European Union, but it will be some day, so there will be more restrictions to come.

Greetings
Nordsee

Perfect description Nordsee. Nothing to add. Here more informations in english about the Swiss Army. http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/en/home.html
Only one thing I do not see soon - a membership in the European Union.
Live free or die!

[Nordsee]

Hallo!

@ Old Time Hunter: Yes, there can be a name of the rifle user under the buttplate, and I heard that people who bought such a rifle later
tried to visit the former owner. The Schmidt-Rubin rifles are indeed very fine ones.

@ Ravenman: I hope you are right and I am confident that you can resist, but the EU can not allow such a successful country like yours not to be in the EU, the other countries might start thinking...

To all of you:
The biggest milestone in establishing a strict weapons law is the introduction of a demand for possession of all weapons, even if nearly everybody can proof one in the beginning. Gun owners are then forced into groups, such as hunters, sport shooters, collectors. Self defense (will be forbidden first) or "just want to have" gun owners are then not organized according to their needs because they are not accepted and it is easier for them to be in one of the other mentioned groups.
The main associations of these groups gain a little influence but will not pull into the same direction. If they ca save a right for their members they will have no problem selling a right of another group, devide and rule... And there will be endless calls for further restrictions. Together with a "I can live with the new regulation, since it does not affect me that much"-menthality the path towards a strict weapons law is set.

Take care!

Greetings
Nordsee

[Old Time Hunter]

Nordsee, I hope we all here in the USA read your post well. This strategy of divide and conquer is being played out here as we speak. By isolating specific interest groups and playing on the philosophy of if it does not pertain to us, then it is none of our business attitude, out rights will soon be gone.