Deutsche Waffengesetz

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The Rabbi

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I am interested in hearing from members about the current gun laws in Germany. What is allowed, what is verboten, usw.
 
What I have been able to gather from talking to relatives and friends over there is that gun posession is viewed with similar skepticism as it is here; or rather, people don't understand the rationale for individual posession of guns, just as in any predominantly liberal area of the United States. HOWEVER, the individual use of firearms, at a licenced range, where you pay to use a USC or SL8 upon paper targets, is not demonized in the manner that you would see in the American media. Generally German youth and voters are not afraid of guns per se, but don't support individual ownership rights.

I believe handgun ownership is permitted, with fullcap mags, etc. after licencing or participation in a gun club. I know that there are police-sponsored gun clubs availiable to the public, offerring on-range training and practice.
 
@ Rabbi:

In Germany all kinds of handguns are legal: single shot pistols (T/C Condender), SA/DA-revolvers (.22 lr.........500 S&W) and semi-auto pistols with high-capacity mags (all calibers).

Pump-action and semi-auto shotguns are available for target shooters as are single shot, repeating and semi-auto rifles (even "evil" black rifles with barrels longer than 16,5" but no bullpup-types). Alas there is a magazine capacity limit of 10 rounds for semi-auto rifles. :cuss: :banghead: :barf:

Of course full-auto weapons are mega-verboten! :cuss:

Sooner hell freezes over than a loyal, law-abiding citizen is issued a CCW permit
 
Krautgunner,
What about self-defense at home issues? There was a widely publicized (by the NRA) case in England of a farmer who shot some intruders with his shotgun and he ended up getting arrested and going to jail (oops, gaol). How have German authorities looked at these issues?
 
The self-defense situation in Germany is much better than in "Great" Britain.

As long as you don't shoot a fleeing burglar in the back, there are no critical legal consequences to be expected.

Even if a burglar or an assailant is unarmed you have the right to shoot him after warning him to back off and stop his attack. Noone is forced to engage in hand-to-hand combat with a possibly superior foe with uncertain chances of a successful outcome.
 
Ah, I am very glad to hear this. What are the actual legal restrictions on ownership of handguns? You have to be a club member, no?
 
Another question: I've read of a requirement for psychological testing prior to purchase of a firearm; and that some recent effort was made to expand this requirement even to air rifles. Is this true?

Art
 
@ hjaeger:

There are only three possibilities to legally own firearms in Germany:

1.) target shooters, who must be members of a gun club and (with a few exceptions) also members of a govenment approved shooting association.

2.) hunters, who must pass a extremely complicated hunting exam

3.) licensed firearms collectors

Under normal circumstances a target shooter is entiteled to own two handguns. Before you can buy more than two handguns, you must proof the "need" for those additional weapons to the authorities. :barf:
The minimum age of legally owning high-powered handguns (that's everything above .22 short and .22 lr) is 21 years.

@ Art Eatman:

In the aftermath of the horrible school massacre in Erfurt, the ****ing pols tightened the German firearms law by introducing the compulsory psychological examination of all first-time firearms license applicants under the age of 25 years and also all licensees under that age. Applicants for a firearms license who are older than 25 years need not go to the shrinks. There is no need for that psychological examination for owners of air rifles with a maximum projectile energy at the muzzle of 7,5 Joules (5,5 foot pounds). High-powered air rifles are treated like normal centerfire rifles, therefore that psycho exam is necessary for shooters under 25 years.
 
Thanks, KG.

My son and DIL live near Lindenberg. They've done some air-rifle competition, but aren't avid shooters. I was just wondering about the laws in the event they get more interested. (They're well over 25.)

I have an old Schuetzen .22 rifle which is around 100 years old; I wanted to give it to him and "repatriate" it. He quickly discovered it would probably be easier to bring in a suitcase nuke than to go through an honest man's paperwork for a rifle...

Art
 
He quickly discovered it would probably be easier to bring in a suitcase nuke than to go through an honest man's paperwork for a rifle...
Click to expand...

Yes, it's sad, but it's true! :cuss: :banghead: :barf:

You must be a REALLY avid shooter to take upon you the monstrous bureaucratic harassment, all the German shooters are subject to!

But that's exactly the strategy of the German pols! Here they prefer to administrate guns out of existence rather than banning them. It surely takes much more time to disarm the populace than by an outright gun ban, but it is nearly as effective. A lot of youngsters interested in firearms and shooting are not willing to be harassed by the authorities and to pay the horrendous administrative fees for firearms licenses or to go to the shrink for the necessary psycho examination.

But it is by no means impossible for your son to legally acquire that old shooting stick!

If he is patient and persistent and fulfills all the legal requirements of firearms ownership, then one day he will be the proud owner of that relic of a better, vanished time. :cool:
 
Kraut Gunner:
this is definately off topic, but where are you in Bayern?
(ich hab' nah an Erlangen gewohnt -Uettenreut-, als ich an der Uni war)

doc
 
Oh no! :D

It's been 20 year since I'm out of the Bundeswehr.

I never was a tanker. Just a mere signals puke. ;)

But I think, the LEO II ain't too bad.
 
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