I’ve been thinking about something and want to check an assumption I have. I only hear directly from other people in the USA, and interract with the global community through memes. How are the gun regulations/laws different from yours in terms of strictness, and do you wish there was more or less where you live?
Not looking for a debate here, discuss cold drinks vs hot drinks instead. Appreciate either answer. ❤️
Edit: Thanks for the answers all. I’m super proud how productive eveyone kept this talk. I figured most of you had very different experiences than I. I’ll share my most recent experience. I don’t have a firearm, but have considered it after being trained enough. When sharing this with “normal” people around town, I had multiple people offer to sell or gift me a gun where the serial number was scratched off and non-traceable. I ofter heard, “oh man, yeah. You need a gun.” I have literally never needed one. The fact that people offer to give me one when I don’t have a liscence or training shows the mindset of the minority here and how much of a problem a few individuals can make to safety within the current system.
In Germany you need a certified reason for owning a gun (hunting license or participation in shooting competitions), a gun safety test, a certified gun safe and all firearms need to be registered.
Carrying a gun in public for self defense is generally not allowed.I’d say it’s a good amount of regulation. It doesn’t keep people from shooting as a hobby, I was able to fulfill all requirements even as a student, but it weeds out the extreme loners, wannabe cowboys and people looking to buy a gun spontaneously.
Also knife laws are pretty strict for anything not a pocket-knife and certain length the last time I looked into buying something.
Australia here - our change to gun control was well covered by John Oliver some years back but, in short, we had a mass shooting in 1996 (Port Arthur) that resulted in 35 deaths and 23 wounded, that changed Australia’s mindset forever.
Our Prime Minster at the time worked with all states and territories to enact stricter laws on licensing and obtaining firearms. Yes, we’ve had crimes classed as mass shootings (4+ casualties) since, but nothing on the scale of Port Arthur - primarily because the change in laws reclassified semi-automatic weapons, and made them harder to obtain.
Before then, I’d shot guns with my dad - we’d enjoyed target shooting as a moderate hobby. But, aside from that, we had no other good reason to keep firearms, and my dad handed them in during the buyback scheme. We played our part in over a million weapons being handed back and destroyed, and I have no regrets. I’m now raising my child in a society where gun violence is considered rare, and I’m happy with that.
Great summary. It’s definitely been worth it for me and my family too
As a fellow Australian, are you starting to reconsider that last sentence?
Gun violence was rare and still is compared to a lot of countries but shootings were once BIG news and now it’s about every month or two someone is shot dead with an illegal firearm. Big increase since 2019
are you starting to reconsider that last sentence?
No, not really. Even though there’s been an uptick in gun violence, it’s not the sort of indiscriminate violence that would keep me (as a parent) awake at night. Many of the gun crimes we see are targeted or specific - gang and organised crime, murder suicides, familicides, etc.
Even though those are very troubling, they’re still largely distant from the average Aussie. Unlike, say, in America where there’s now a market for school backpacks with Kevlar inserts.
German here, I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a gun irl, except when used by the police or military. They are just not really a thing here. Nobody I’ve ever met owns one, nobody wants or needs one, nobody even talks about them.
There are legal ways to get a gun, but I never had to care about the details. That’s pretty amazing imo, if you consider how big of a topic and problem they are in the US.
Fellow German here, I can remember seeing a Hunter carrying a Rifle. And that was many years ago. I can rember cleary because i have never seen a rifle irl before and after that.
There are stories from a company I used to work for, where the CEO was walking through the office with a rifle. He apparently kept his hunting rifle in a gun safe in his office on days when he was planning on going hunting. And I have fired several guns at a shooting range in Hamburg. As I didn’t join the army this was my first time operating a firearm. Quite intense and interesting experience. Overall I agree with you, seeing firearms not carried by the police is such a rare experience here.
Well, we have the “no speedlimit on Autobahn” thing instead. But at least that is less harmful
I would gladly take my chances on the autobahn over the freeways in California. I feel that I’m much more likely to get killed in California by somebody texting while driving.
I feel like the nature of the autobahn makes it so drivers actually have to pay attention, but I could be wrong.
Also, the kind of cars that are popular in Europe actually drive and perform well. Our freeways are filled with pickup trucks and large SUVs, where the driver can’t see anything in a 10 foot radius around their truck, and if they have to perform a quick maneuver at top speed, it’s pretty much impossible.
Road safety here means to just be in a bigger vehicle, not to have a nimble well handling vehicle like most Europeans seem to prefer.
Apparently the number of deaths on the Autobahn is pretty average compared to other european countries, but it could still be much lower with speed limits.
Norway - Similar to many European countries, owning a gun requires a certifiable reason to do so, which basically means hunting or target shooting. Loads of guns here, as there’s a lot of moose and deer. Obtaining and owning a hunting rifle requires skill tests and a theoretical exam, and you need to be part of a hunting group.
ARs are banned for obvious reasons. The only exception is for people who are army reservists who are (were?) allowed to store their service weapon at home, if they have proper secure storage options available. This may have changed since I was a reservist myself, but those were the rules in 2007 at least.
Pistols are legal for target shooting, but with strict background checks and so forth. Plus you have to be part of a target shooting club. Getting a pistol is generally harder than a rifle, as a means of preventing pistols from ending up on the streets. Gun voilence happens, but it is extremely rare, and mostly tied to gangs and/or organized crime. Except from this asshole in 2011.
Carrying permit for guns is pretty much none existent. To/from hunting or shooting range.
Self defense is not a valid reason for obtaining and carrying a gun. You don’t really need it either. The only exception is Svalbard where is is possible due to polar bears. And even then, you can’t be an idiot about it; a few years ago this dumbass got permanently banned from the Svalbard territory after intentionally provoking a polar bear, then shooting it, claiming self defense.
Sweden is pretty much the same as this.
As is Denmark, but with even fewer rifles, owing to a noticeable lack of big game.
I think it’s important to mention that, like with medical products, we don’t generally get adverts for firearms. I want to say it’s illegal, but I’m not actually sure. Regardless, the lack of advertising for weapons contributes to the absence of firearms and related items in the public consciousness. You don’t really get people over here standing around talking about guns the same way they’d talk about sports cars or tools. Guns are very much a serious topic reserved for law enforcement and military matters.
Man. What I would gove to have firearm violence so far away that I don’t know the gun laws in my own country. Ty for the response.
Sweden also has extremely strict rules when it comes to alcohol commercials. Medicine commercials is only allowed for stuff that doesn’t require a prescription.
Yeah, Sweden has a lot of hunting rifles.
Giving the service guns to the people who served also means they underwent training and are in capable hands.
I’m from Australia, and we have strict gun controls. US gun culture is a complete and utter mystery to me. I have no desire to live like that…
In Canada you can buy hunting rifles at some Canadian Tires (think Target). You must get a PAL license and do some in-person firearms safety and training, store the rifle in a locked and certified gun locker, and can only carry it around to the range and for hunting.
It’s fairly strict on who gets a PAL (I can’t get one ever in my life because I was hospitalized for major depressive disorder when I was 18 and am 30 now).
Most people don’t care about guns here. They’re good for moose hunting and little air rifles are fun to shoot when one goes up to a cottage or something. There’s a small minority here that is very passionate about gun laws, but that same group also is usually very keen on the first and second amendment and often need to be reminded that those are American laws, not Canadian.
Another Canadian. I don’t know the gun laws well, nor do I shoot, so I judge mostly based on the consequences.
Yes, we have gun violence, but it doesn’t dominate the headlines daily. Homicides are still remarkable and mass shootings are still shocking. I suppose this means that we haven’t made guns too easy to acquire, at least relative to the wishes of our population at large.
I don’t think I need stricter controls, but I wouldn’t support looser controls. I support things as they are, largely speaking. I’m prepared to be schooled by a fellow Canadian more in the know.
What I dearly wish to avoid are the conspiracy fantasies of the government coming to take our guns as well as a retroactive insertion of the myth that our country was born in, by, and through guns. It wasn’t. As long as we avoid those two things well enough, we don’t seem to need urgent change regarding gun controls.
My dad has a gun licence (Canadian) and interestingly, he mentioned there was a place in the application where your spouse (and/or former spouse) must sign off on your application too. I can see how that might hinder a few violent exes.
I used to have a license, they called multiple friends and my employer. The RCMP does a background check and they keep doing it, if anything new pops up they can pay you a visit.
It all felt pretty reasonable to me tbh.
Everything here is correct, except the part about needing a gun safe. As long as they are stored in an area considered to be locked away from the public (e.g. your home) you’re good.
Source: am a Canadian who owns guns and stores them in my house with no safe.
Czech Republic here. I know there’s a license involved but other than that I have no clue how it works. Why should I know anything about gun regulations? It’s such a niche and unimportant thing…
I wish I could have that viewpoint. Believe me.
You shouldn’t but you also shouldn’t post about it, because as you said, you know nothing.
This is an asklemmy thread, not an askgunnuts thread. Anyone from any country can answer whatever if they so please. The USA has a weird fascination with guns. This doesn’t translate to other countries at ALL. There’s enthusiasts everywhere, sure, but way less so than on murica.
Yes it is, a thread that asked what your laws are in comparison to the US and what your opinions are, you said you don’t know anything about it and why should you.
You didn’t answer the question.
I’m not from America so not sure what you’re on about with the US.
deleted by creator
Nice delete
It’s informative regardless of how much they know about their local gun laws. Not all answers need to directly answer the question.
Switzerland.
The rifle given to active members of the armed forces (militia system means this is most men basically) can either be kept at home or stored in an army facility until needed for service. It must be stored disassembled, locked, out of reach, and without ammunition. (Ammunition isn’t given anyways.) It may not be used for anything outside of armed forces’ service.
Private firearms can be bought after obtaining a permit with a background check. It can only be used on firing ranges which are almost always run by an association (syndicate? not sure about the translation, basically a shooting for fun and sports club) which provides some level of social control (no shooting alone whenever you feel like it). The firearm can only be transported from or to the firing range and otherwise not be carried. When transported it should be in a locked box in the boot of the car, not in the owners trousers or something crazy like that. Ammunition is typically provided by the organisation so no need to own any (but firearm owners can buy it.) For carrying it in general a much more difficult to get permit is needed. Conceal carry doesn’t exist afaik.
Pro-gun Americans love to use Switzerland as an example of how firearms should not be restricted in any way and mental health is the one and only culprit of mass shootings. I hope a lot of them read this.
They’re not uninformed, they’re lying.
They are fully aware that if a politician tried to introduce gun laws that were an exact copy of Switzerland’s, they would be staunchly opposed by the pro-gun community, Republicans and the gun lobby that owns them.
They just want to muddy the waters and drag out the conversation forever. The Switzerland excuse is just as bad-faith as when they blamed video games, music or too many doors.
Can you buy semiautomatic or automatic weapons there?
The service rifles have different settings, single shot, double shot, and full auto.
Other than that I think semi-automatic is allowed but not fully automatic.
For semi-automatic weapons you need a normal (shall issue) permit. Select fire / fully automatic you need a collectors license which is harder to get. Dependent on the canton you need to show a history of collecting firearm/ safe storage and some documentation about that. (They are legally forbidden weapons, which just means you need a permit which is harder to get). Shooting full auto also need an additional permit every time you want to do it.
When transported it should be in a locked box. I think this is not stated in the law. It must not be loaded and no magazine must be inserted. (Some people still carry their rifle on the back while riding the bike to the range. :-))
P.s. there are a few commercial shooting ranges not belonging to a club.
Vietnam. I’ve never seen someone with a gun that wasn’t army, police, or at an Olympic event. Civilians can only own shotguns, and even then under a lot of restrictions. It’s quite uncommon but I’ve heard of companies with rubber plantations out in the middle of nowhere having one gun on site. I’ve only heard of it being used to kill the odd wild boar that accidentally wanders into the office building.
There are some illegal guns from time to time, but not that many. It’s something I’ve only seen on the news.
The current situation suits me just fine – at our population density, I’m not comfortable with gun ownership being widespread. When you put enough people in a small space, there’s always someone angry nearby, always someone celebrating, being born, dying. With everything happening everywhere all at once, adding guns to the mix would not be great, I think.
Also as one of very few immigrants to Vietnam, I am already seen as a target for thieves. People imagine I must be magically very wealthy or something – I’m not. I came here with nothing and built a company, to progress to maybe middle-class. I live in the slums quietly like a normal person.
I would be OK with the police or army running shooting ranges where you could rent a gun to practice target shooting. Maybe that already exists, for all I know. I haven’t really checked. There are archery ranges though, this is good enough for me :D
On the other hand – more or less all citizens are trained to service an assault rifle. The means disassembly, cleaning, maintenance. My wife was fastest in her university class. We just don’t own guns.
Wow, when I was 16 in Hanoi, a dude in a market tried to sell me a revolver
Haha wow. Times have certainly changed!
This city is nearly unrecognizable from 10 years ago.
You migrated to Vietnam? That’s actually quite interesting! Can I ask you some questions?
Sure. Go ahead.
Long story short though, my field of study disappeared in a puff of legislation, then the field I pivoted to also disappeared in a puff of legislation. So I decided to try and immigrate to a growth economy. I also taught myself software and hardware engineering. After visiting China and Vietnam, Vietnam seemed to have substantially clearer laws regarding foreign owned companies and immigration, the language didn’t make me functionally illiterate, and 12 years ago the economy hadn’t boomed yet, so the timing was better. The 5 year plan also had specific incentives for people like me.
The rest is mostly paperwork and immigration compliance (which you can also ask me about if you like). Currently there’s a trend where calling yourself a ‘digital nomad’, ‘expat’ or ‘remote worker’ means you ignore the laws of the country you’re a guest in – I’m not one of those (haha, I have dark stories about that crowd). I’ve seen so many of those come and go, that I don’t remember their names or faces – only their misplaced optimism.
Belgium.
The only guns I have ever seen in my entire life were from a friend’s dad when I was little, who was a park ranger and needed them to keep animal populations in check.
Never saw an other gun, ever.
If you don’t live in a shithole country, you don’t need guns in order to feel safe.
Also Belgium. The only time I had a gun was when I joined the Police for a few years. After that, nope. In my 5 years, I’ve never even had the thought that I should pull out my gun. I’ve served in Brussels and rural areas.
It was just emphasized so much during our 12 months of training to ‘never ever use it unless it’s your last resort, only pull out your gun when you’re ready to pull the trigger’ that it simply didn’t cross my mind. We were more trained with the stick thing, ‘job?’ and judo, hand to hand combat.
Also, as a civilian you have to take an exam to own a firearm. If you have mental health problems or a record of criminal behaviour forget it. Even if you do get a license, you can only use it in a shooting range and specific situations. And never transport your gun and ammo together.
If you have a burglar, even then you’re only allowed to use appropriate force. If he has a knife, you’re not allowed to shoot him.
India. Very strict gun laws. This law is enforced in the part of India that I live in. The only gunshots that I’ve heard in my life are from movies and video games. However, I did hold a gun in my hand once hehe. One of my friends’ dads had a gun license for some reason (I think he was a top level policeman or something). It was an unloaded black revolver that he was showing off to us kids lol. I remember being surprised at how much heavier it was than I thought it to be.
HOWEVER, in northern India (especially Uttar Pradesh), illegal guns are a very real thing. The law is very poorly enforced there. So yeah… There’s that.
New Zealand
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only ever had ONE school shooting in history and it was 100 years ago
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average level of gun ownership by OECD standards
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owning guns requires a firearms licence, licence system administered by Police, who visit your house
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guns not allowed for self defence/use on people
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guns can only be transported to place of use, sale, or repair and must be secured
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restrictions on semiautomatic weapons
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police only use guns if dermed necessary
Worth noting no hand guns except for special licenses, and guns mostly used for hunting and on the farm. Gangs still often caught with guns frustratingly.
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Croatia
You can get a hunting licence and buy a gun/rifle/shotgun. It takes a test, and i think you cant have violent crimes. You also need a gun “safe” (basically a shitty locker like in US highschool movies), and the cops can come whenever they want to inspect it (usually regular, i forget if once per yearor 6 months or something).
That said theres still guns from the war. One grampa died and the cops found a bunch of rifles and granades in the attic, and a minefield infront of his house. Everybody knew about it, but knew he was a harmless nut.
I didn’t realise that war was so recent until a holiday there. Beautiful country and friendly people too, and you love pitchers of wine eh!
I live in Oregon but grew up in Australia, where you can’t get guns. There’s a process for farmers to apply for a gun to shoot roos and whatnot, but that’s it. Other than that only police and military get guns.
Having lived in countries with no guns and all the guns, I would vote for almost anyone who promised to criminalize gun ownership here in the US. There’s no benefit to a gun flooded society and infinite misery.
I’m pretty sure Aussies can also get recreational/competition permits. I’ve seen a few Aussies on YouTube who shoot PRS.
Edit: PRS stands for Precision Rifle Shooting. Basically trying to get really tight group on far away targets mostly done with bolt action rifles with high magnification scopes.
You can, but you need to have a sensible reason to own one. “self defense” isn’t a reason, it is a fantasy.
Plenty of people have target guns and other stuff for club and sport shooting, all carefully locked up when not in use, as is the law, so accidents don’t happen.
Incidentally, we did have a school shooting in the last thirty years. In SA, I believe. No one died and they tightened the restrictions. It worked.
The UK has really strict laws on firearms AFAIK, you have to either apply for a certificate from the police or surrender them even if you’re an antique collector. The government website ofc does into more detail. I’m not really involved in the firearms debate, so I can’t say if I want more or less. I will say there’s a lot of knife crime in the UK though, enough for it to be a common occurrence on local news and a meme in online circles.
I’m not from here, but in Svalbard, a firearm is a legal requirement due to the bears in the area, but even then the use of it should be a last-resort if all the other bear deterrents have failed. Tom Scott’s got a good video on it.
Theres far less knife crime in the UK than gun crime OR knife crime in USA
That article doesn’t make a fair comparison.
It compares murders (intentional, not legally justified killings) in the UK, to homicides (any and all killings) in the US.
The differences between victim survey statistics and crime reporting statistics are not easy to explain. In the US, trends in victim reporting tend to lead law enforcement statistics by a year or two, which makes one wonder whether law enforcement is padding the numbers – either to make themselves look good (when crime is increasing according to victim reports and it would reflect badly on them if LE statistics followed suit), or to make themselves look necessary (when victim-reported crime is going down and LE statistics might make LE look redundant).
I’m not really involved in the firearms debate, so I can’t say if I want more or less.
There’s not really a huge debate as I think most people are fine with the current status quo.
From my own perspective guns were more available and used more casually by criminals before the 1997 legislation in the wake of the Dunblane massacre. Afterwards it was much less of an issue. If you really wanted one you could get one I’m sure but the cost (financial and risk) has gone up making it less of an option for petty criminals. Now you usually here of gun violence between gangs.
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Tom Scott’s got a good video on it
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