Gun Laws in other (select) countries

[FireCloud9]

Is anyone familiar with the guns laws in the selected countries below?

Any prior ex-pats here that can speak to gun ownership in these countries?

Aside from the U.S., what is your perception of gun ownership in these countries? (Ranking 1-5; 1 being most similar to U.S. and 5 being no gun ownership allowed)

Australia / New Zealand (target / sport shooting w/ permit and sports shooting club membership)
Austria (target / sport shooting w/ permit and sports shooting club membership)
Belgium
Canada (target / sport shooting w/ permit and sports shooting club membership)
Chile (target / sport shooting w/ permit and sports shooting club membership)
Costa Rica
Denmark
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Portugal
Singapore
Spain
Uruguay

[FNH5-7]

People used to be able to own all kinds of guns in Costa Rica. They could legally own AK's, AR's, FAL's, as long as they were semi automatic. Then the government and anti gun groups realized it wasn't in their constitution and got rid of that right. And guess what? Crime is now rising.......

[Snow]

I'm from Switzerland. In Switzerland, military boot camp is mandatory for every male after a certain age, some exceptions apply. Up until very recently it was mandatory to store your rifle (a nice Sig SG550) at home. Back in the day, when I had to go through boot camp we got a sealed 'emergency brick' of ammunition. This practice was banned a few years ago and they don't hand them out anymore and everybody who had one had to turn them in (Military Security is exempt from that). A few years later they changed rifle storage at home from mandator to voluntarily.

After boot camp you had to go do mandatory shooting once a year with your rifle, the army paid for the ammunition, which was nice. But it was a very boring experience, the fact that it was mandatory didn't help at all. I really disliked my mandatory shooting back in Switzerland. Now that I'm immigrated into the US and I get to shoot because I want to, it's suddenly way more enjoyable.

Once you turn 30, you don't have to do the yearly mandatory shooting anymore. You can keep your rifle (but have to get it refitted to semi-automatic only) or turn it in.

You need to own a permit to own any kind of firearm, once you're not in the military anymore you'll also need one for your military issued firearm. You pretty much only get a permit if you use your weapon for hunting (which requires a separate hunting licence), for sport (which requires proof of you being a member of a marksmanship club) or if you're a collector. Self- or home-defense are no valid reasons to get a permit. Recreation even less. You also need a permit to privately sell a firearm, kinda like california, where you need to go to a FFL. Every change of ownership of a firearm needs to be reported to the local police department. Curio and Relics are everything made before 1870 and don't need a permit. You're only allowed to buy ammunition to a gun you're allowed to own. It's amazing to me that I can go into a gunstore here and just buy some boxes of ammunition and leave without showing any permits or anything. I love it.

People often mistake Switzerland for being this amazing country where there's no gun control whatsoever, because pretty much every male from 18-30 has a assault rifle in his bedroom closet, but besides that it's no fun at all. If you want to shoot recreationally or just to go plinking or having fun, it's pretty much impossible to do so.

Even California's extreme gun control laws feel like massive freedom to me, even tho I owned a assault rifle back in Switzerland since I turned 18 and until I emigrated to the US.

Also almost no one back in Switzerland associates shooting with fun or something normal people enjoy, it was very refreshing to experience the gun culture here in the US. Going to a indoor range with friends for an evening of fun? It's a completely normal activity and pretty much everybody (even antis) thinks it's fun or at least worth a try.

Sorry, that kinda turned from gun laws into some more personal thoughts. I hope it wasn't boring.

[Fjold]

Australia and New Zealand are two separate countries with totally different laws and shouldn't be lumped together. It would be like putting the US and Canada together and trying to explain their gun laws.

In New Zealand, you have to get a separate license for every type of gun. Hunting rifles and shotguns are fairly easy to get and sold in licensed gun stores.

Handgun, semi auto rifles and full auto licenses are harder to get with mandatory storage and inspection requirements and are only allowed to be shot at a licensed range.
Detachable magazine, semi auto rifles are limited to 8 round magazines and may not have a pistol grip. AR 15's are sold with thumbhole stocks.

Handguns cannot be used for self defense and must be locked up at home and only transported directly to and from a range. No hunting or casual (field, plinking) use allowed at all. They have a mandatory proficiency requirement where you must document continuous use during the year or face losing your handgun license.

Suppressors are bought over the counter and encouraged to be used by the authorities as noise reduction.

It's fairly easy to import hunting rifles and shotguns into New Zealand for self use while visiting.

[Rosebud22]

Sorry, that kinda turned from gun laws into some more personal thoughts. I hope it wasn't boring.

Not boring at all. Good read. Thanks for the info.

Suppressors are bought over the counter and encouraged to be used by the authorities as noise reduction.

This part I like!!

[FireCloud9]

Australia and New Zealand are two separate countries with totally different laws and shouldn't be lumped together. It would be like putting the US and Canada together and trying to explain their gun laws.

In New Zealand, you have to get a separate license for every type of gun. Hunting rifles and shotguns are fairly easy to get and sold in licensed gun stores.

Handgun, semi auto rifles and full auto licenses are harder to get with mandatory storage and inspection requirements and are only allowed to be shot at a licensed range.

Handguns cannot be used for self defense and must be locked up at home and only transported directly to and from a range. No hunting or casual (field, plinking) use allowed at all. They have a mandatory proficiency requirement where you must document continuous use during the year or face losing your handgun license.

Suppressors are bought over the counter and encouraged to be used by the authorities as noise reduction.

It's fairly easy to import hunting rifles and shotguns into New Zealand for self use while visiting.

I'm aware they're separate countries. It's just habit as at IBM we used to identify the region as A/NZ...

I take it that's the New Zealand gun laws you were indicating. Does that also apply to Australia?

Hard to imagine enforcement outside the major cities in Australia given the vast amount of land. Expected it to be more like Texas when in the outback.

I enjoy my time target shooting at a pistol range and would like to be able to do that if I live in these countries for a year or so.

Singapore makes it pretty much impossible so my time there will probably be just 2-3 months to visit the region.

[_TomT_]

Thailand has really restrictive gun laws:

-no rifle caliber
-thai citizen only

Well that's about it, but yea the no rifle caliber is pretty blanket law. A lot of good that did for the 27 people that died today thanks to the religion of peace.

[Zartan]

Thanks for the insight Snow

[FireCloud9]

Thailand has really restrictive gun laws:

-no rifle caliber
-thai citizen only

Well that's about it, but yea the no rifle caliber is pretty blanket law. A lot of good that did for the 27 people that died today thanks to the religion of peace.

I'm quite familiar with Thailand (my girlfriend is Thai) that's why it's not on my list. :-) For many reasons we'll just visit Chiang Mai and a few other select destinations there.

Foreigners can't own property there either. Sure, you can establish a company through a Thai attorney and through the company you can "own" (it's really a 30 year renewable lease) property. No thanks.

Pretty country, generally nice people, great food, lousy governance.

Recently some guy got a 60 year sentence for a negative Facebook post about the Royal Thai Family. They were "nice" and reduced it to 30 years.

Like Singapore, we'll just visit for 2-3 months at a time there.

[I Swan]

Mexico does not allow handgun calibers over 380auto/38 spl for most civilians. Shotguns have to have a 25" or over barrel. There is only like one legal gun shop in whole country in the capital it is run by Army/secretary of defence. Of course the country is awash in illegal guns and and many families own guns of different types legal or not.

[wireless]

Soon Canada will have less strict gun laws than California.

[FireCloud9]

I Swan, that's pretty funny. Never really gave any thought to Mexico.

Hey, Snow, can foreigners own firearms in Switzerland or would I have to become a citizen first? (pretty much impossible for me since I'd have to spend 10 years there before I could apply for citizenship - nice country, but that would be a non-starter).

Australia / New Zealand (target shooting w/ permit)
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Denmark
France
Germany
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Portugal
Singapore (no way, no how, penalty is death)
Spain
Switzerland (target / sport shooting w/ permit)
U.K.
Uruguay

[FireCloud9]

Just found out that in Switzerland if someone steals your gun and uses it in a crime, you're responsible for their actions.

[FireCloud9]

Soon Canada will have less strict gun laws than California.

Unfortunately, can't have handguns with barrels less than 4.1" and all the guns I have interest in, G43, PPS, 709 slim, etc. etc. have small barrel lengths.

[Fjold]

I'm aware they're separate countries. It's just habit as at IBM we used to identify the region as A/NZ...

I take it that's the New Zealand gun laws you were indicating. Does that also apply to Australia?

Hard to imagine enforcement outside the major cities in Australia given the vast amount of land. Expected it to be more like Texas when in the outback.

I enjoy my time target shooting at a pistol range and would like to be able to do that if I live in these countries for a year or so.

Singapore makes it pretty much impossible so my time there will probably be just 2-3 months to visit the region.

Australia allows no semi auto guns at all including hunting shotguns, no pistols and there is currently legislation being introduced to ban lever action rifles. All guns must be on a permit and you must have a good cause for each rifle or shotgun that you want to put on your permit.

Gun laws are strictly enforced.