Countries with similar gun laws to the US?

[G.A.Pster]

Are there any other countries besides the US that allow their citizens to buy self-loading rifles and handguns, and "hi-cap" mags without registration?

Or is the US the last bastion of true freedom in a repressive world?

I don’t know of any, Switzerland and canada are the friendliest countries towards guns, but still not enough.

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

france?

 

[General Geoff]

if you mean military-caliber autoloading rifles with standard capacity magazines, then I very seriously doubt it.

We have it far, FAR better than any other civilized country in the world when it comes to gun rights. Probably better than any third world nation too, if you follow the letter of local law.

 

[Morgo]

New Zealand is quite friendly, even more so than the USA in some regards like suppressors for firearms.

 

[Afy]

France: We do need special paperwork for certain calibers, and self loading rifles. However there is no practical limit on magazine capacities.
It certainly isnt as easy as the US but a lot easier than some other countires. And we have no restrictions on suppressors.

 

[JWF III]

Hopefully Shung , or another Swiss, will chime in. But I'd guess Switzerland might be a close second. Though I have to admit I don't enough about the gun laws there or New Zeland to give a comparison of them.

Wyman

 

[4Freedom]

Anyone see the Borat movie? In Kazaksthan you get to practice your gun at shooting range on real criminal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUcyphPxcVY

I vote Kazaksthan.. Cannot beat that kind of target practice

 

[Shung]

citizens to buy self-loading rifles and handguns, and "hi-cap" mags without registration?

Switzerland has no restriction on anything exept lasers, suppressors and full-autos... all of them can only be acquired with a special permit and a 150$ tax.. but you have no guarantee they will deliver it to you.

as for registration, we had from 1999 to 2009 a law that permitted to buy and sell guns from or to other people without going through the police paper work, which meant no real registration. However, the 1st buyer (in the gunshop) was always registered within the police of its state, and each transaction had to be written down on contract kept by both parties for 10 years..

from 2009, we have a new law, that require us to make a permit within the police for each buy (even from a friend), which means the police keep registration of every gun movement. But with all the transaction made in between 1999 and 2009, they have no real idea of where the guns are, and who own them.

Virtually, they could have known that by making a HUGE work by tracing every gun from it's 1st owner to the last, by tracing the contract from person to person.. But they didnt as it would have taken 20years and costed billions..

Even worse, when our parlament passed the new law (2009), they guaranteed gun owners, hunters, and sportsmens associations (who stupidly trusted them..), that they wouldnt be any Federal registration of guns... but a couple a days ago, the parlament voted to have one established.. the Conseil des Etats (2nd chamber) must still accept it, but probably will..

The only problem for them, is that the NEW LAW forget to mention about the contracts made in between 1999 and 2009 (and the fact that they should be kept 10 years), and since the new law totally cancel the old one, every gun owner that purchases or sold a gun from a private citizen in this time, could deny it, and say the police he has no contract or gun, etc..

If a Federal Registration should come, most gun owners think they will only declare the guns they had acquired in a gunshop, and for which the Police already owns a file.. Because most gun owners don't wanna see their guns seized and destroyed in 15 years like it happends in GB...

with their anti-gun agenda, the politicans would make black market explode, and put honest gun owners in the situation they have 3 kind of guns..

The guns they have, the guns they never had, the guns they will never have..

 

[X-Rap]

A better question would have been, what country ensures the RKBA in their Constitution. I believe in that respect we stand alone and most in Washington see that as a barrier that has thawarted most of their desires.
It doesn't mean that they don't claim its irrelavance but so long as it's there it must at least be acknowledged. The other gun owning countries have nothing when the gov. decides to take them.

 

[25 Pdr]

Are there any other countries besides the US that allow their citizens to buy self-loading rifles and handguns, and "hi-cap" mags without registration?

Here in the UK Pistols and Self Loading Centrefire rifles are banned.

In fact you cannot even buy a TV without giving your name and address.We have to buy a yearly licence to own one. It cost £140 (Around $250).

If you do not buy a licence they send a couple of Mafia type goons to your home to terrorise you then haul you off to court. People have done gaol time for not complying.

 

[6_gunner]

what country ensures the RKBA in their Constitution

The Mexican constitution recognizes the people's right "to possess and carry arms for their security and self-defense..." Of course, it is ignored just like ours is.

Constitutional guarantees don't count for much if they are ignored.

I'd still be curious to know if any other countries at least keep up the pretense of having a constitutional guarantee of RKBA.

 

[X-Rap]

While the Mex. Constitution has a RKBA article I think it allows for much more infringement than ours.
I think ours has been shreaded over the years but there seems to be enough left to detour total restriction.
Words mean things much to the chagrin of the anti's. Lets hope we can awaken some more of this sleeping giant and fully restore or rights.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Iraq allows full-auto AK-47s.

I understand that some of the postage stamp countries are remarkably easygoing about firearms. I know one is.

For awhile, Slovenia was very pro-gun. Haven't been there or involved for awhile.

 

[LightningJoe]

In fact you cannot even buy a TV without giving your name and address.We have to buy a yearly licence to own one. It cost £140 (Around $250).

What do you get for that? Do you get cable and 200 channels? Or just the right to turn the TV on?


Isn't the license supposed to be paying for the BBC, etc? Can you get a cable package that doesn't include government-owned networks?

 

[G.A.Pster]

"I understand that some of the postage stamp countries are remarkably easygoing about firearms. I know one is.

For awhile, Slovenia was very pro-gun. Haven't been there or involved for awhile."

I’ll have to look into it I’m willing to learn Slovenian if necessary.

 

[Prince Yamato]

France. They also don't have the stupid SBR laws we have here.

 

[chris in va]

A person from Yemen on another board said his country is pretty lax with gun laws, with the exception of the major cities.

 

[Travis Bickle]

I read somewhere that in Bolivia, one can legally buy everything, including full-auto, just by signing a declaration that you're not a felon or a mental patient.

While the Mex. Constitution has a RKBA article I think it allows for much more infringement than ours.

The Mexican constitution reads thusly:

Artículo 10. Los habitantes de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos tienen derecho a poseer armas en su domicilio, para su seguridad y legítima defensa, con excepción de las prohibidas por la Ley Federal y de las reservadas para el uso exclusivo del Ejército, Armada, Fuerza Aérea y Guardia Nacional. La ley federal determinará los casos, condiciones, requisitos y lugares en que se podrá autorizar a los habitantes la portación de armas.

In English it means: "Article 10. The inhabitants of the United Mexican States have a right to arms in their homes, for security and legitimate defense, with exception of those prohibited by Federal Law and those reserved for the exclusive use of the Army, Navy, Air Force and National Guard. Federal law will determine the cases, conditions, requirements, and places in which the carrying of arms will be authorized to the inhabitants."

It is interesting to note that this is the exact reverse of the holding in United States v. Miller, which stated that our constitution protects only a right to keep and bear arms used by the military.

 

[Frank Ettin]

One thing to keep in mind is that, AFAIK, in any case only citizens can have guns (subject to whatever limitations apply) in most countries other than the U. S. So anyone looking for a place to retire might want to consider that wrinkle.

 

[wyk]

"I understand that some of the postage stamp countries are remarkably easygoing about firearms. I know one is."


And which postage stamp country you know has pretty good gun laws? Is it one of those on the European continent?
By the way Slovenia's laws are pretty ok except for the no CCW part as well as having to be a member of a range or club in addition to passing an exam to own one. But everything is allowed except full-autos once you take a class, pass an exam and join a shooting range or club. This was what I last heard from a Slovenian. If there is anyone out there who knows feel free to update us.

 

[25 Pdr]

LighteningJoe Asks

Quote:
In fact you cannot even buy a TV without giving your name and address.We have to buy a yearly licence to own one. It cost £140 (Around $250).

What do you get for that? Do you get cable and 200 channels? Or just the right to turn the TV on?


Isn't the license supposed to be paying for the BBC, etc? Can you get a cable package that doesn't include government-owned networks?
__________________

The money is given to the BBC.We get nothing more, although BBC channels don't show commercials.

It is a criminal offence not to pay it though.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Wow, I knew the UK was bad, but just...wow. TV licenses.

 

[Garak]

From wikipedia: "The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago notes that two-thirds of the countries in Europe and half of the countries in Asia and Africa use television licences to fund public television."

So, it's nothing special. A couple of decades ago we had to buy radio licences also, think about that.

 

[Shung]

and I still like watching a movie on TV with only 1 adverts break, or even none..

 

[Dr. Fresh]

Switzerland has no restriction on anything exept lasers, suppressors and full-autos... all of them can only be acquired with a special permit and a 150$ tax.. but you have no guarantee they will deliver it to you.

as for registration, we had from 1999 to 2009 a law that permitted to buy and sell guns from or to other people without going through the police paper work, which meant no real registration. However, the 1st buyer (in the gunshop) was always registered within the police of its state, and each transaction had to be written down on contract kept by both parties for 10 years..

from 2009, we have a new law, that require us to make a permit within the police for each buy (even from a friend), which means the police keep registration of every gun movement. But with all the transaction made in between 1999 and 2009, they have no real idea of where the guns are, and who own them.

Virtually, they could have known that by making a HUGE work by tracing every gun from it's 1st owner to the last, by tracing the contract from person to person.. But they didnt as it would have taken 20years and costed billions..

Even worse, when our parlament passed the new law (2009), they guaranteed gun owners, hunters, and sportsmens associations (who stupidly trusted them..), that they wouldnt be any Federal registration of guns... but a couple a days ago, the parlament voted to have one established.. the Conseil des Etats (2nd chamber) must still accept it, but probably will..

The only problem for them, is that the NEW LAW forget to mention about the contracts made in between 1999 and 2009 (and the fact that they should be kept 10 years), and since the new law totally cancel the old one, every gun owner that purchases or sold a gun from a private citizen in this time, could deny it, and say the police he has no contract or gun, etc..

If a Federal Registration should come, most gun owners think they will only declare the guns they had acquired in a gunshop, and for which the Police already owns a file.. Because most gun owners don't wanna see their guns seized and destroyed in 15 years like it happends in GB...

with their anti-gun agenda, the politicans would make black market explode, and put honest gun owners in the situation they have 3 kind of guns..

The guns they have, the guns they never had, the guns they will never have..

I'm quoting this to reiterate the fact that a ridiculously low crime rate obviously does nothing to stop an anti-gun agenda.