From: ARMARIA ON-LINE
It is interesting that the CDC Study on firearms deaths in the world
mentions Brazil as the second country in firearms death rate.
Our country has one of the most rigid gun laws in the world. A true
nightmare.
Since 1936 all firearms must be registered. No handguns with
ammunition more powerfull than .38 Special (9mm Short for pistols)
are allowed for civilians. Rifles and carbines are only allowed if they
fire handgun ammunition (the only center fire rifle cartridge allowed
is the vintage .44-40 WCF).
No center fire semi-automatic long gun (rifled or smooth bore) is
permited. Black powder muzzle loading guns are considered
firearms like any other and subject to the same rules.
A Brazilian citizen must not have, at any given time, more than two
handguns, two rifled long guns and two shotguns. Only shooters or
collectors registered within the Brazilian Army may have more guns
than this figures.
Citizens are not allowed to buy more than one gun per year.
Reloading is permited only for shooters belonging to a shooting
club and reloadind supplies are strictly controlled by the Brazilian
Army. Only trough the club is possible to buy reloading supplies.
If one is caught with a gun without a permit, it doesn't matter if it
was being carried or just transported (a registered gun unloaded
and locked inside a box, for instance) - it is a crime and one can
face two years in jail for that (four years if it was a forbidden gun).
Permits for transportation must be obtained at the central police
office downtown and it usually takes a week to be ready.
Officialy carry permits do exist, but is very difficult to get one
(there is a black market for concealed carry licences).
Gun stores are not allowed to sell second hand firearms and taxes
on guns sales are the highest in the world (81%).
Waiting periods for registration average 30 days, but in Rio de
Janeiro state it could reach 3 month.
Obviously, all these controls have lead for a huge black market.
Brazil is one of the few places in the world where one can buy
an illegal handgun cheaper than in gun stores (about one third of
the price for a Brazilian made revolver).
In the neighboring countries there are gangs specialised in
smuggling guns through Brazilian borders. Brazilian drug gang
members carry AR15, M16, SIG 551, HKG3 and AK47 - they
have no problems in gettings these weapons. It is quite common
to see them using tracer bullets in their shootings (also
forbidden for Brazilian citizens).
If one still believes in gun control, Brazil's example is worth
examining.
Leonardo Arruda
Director of the
Brazilian Gun Collectors Assn. (ABCA)