(Next) friendliest nation for gun ownership?

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

ARTiger

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Messages
803
So the good 'ol USA is probably the best nation on our small rock where folks can own guns and use them for various purposes. So, after us where on this whole big globe does gun ownership/rights exhibit itself in a meaningful fashion?

I've traveled a good bit internationally (for a redneck) . . . Most of western Europe, Russia, Israel, Saudi, Kuwait, India, Japan, Australia, China, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Mexico and more . . .

Yet to see any nation that even comes close to our freedoms with firearms. From where I've personally been so far, Israel gets my nod for #2. Anywhere better? And, my main question: What's the nation that has the best freedom of personal firearms ownership and usage beyond the United States?
 
As an aside to my original question, does anyone think there's a nation on earth where there are greater freedoms for firearms than the USA, and, if so, where?
 
Without really knowing completely what I'm talking about, I'd say Switzerland then Israel.

I've never been to either though.


-T.

EDIT: As to the second question... again, maybe Switzerland. But maybe not. The devil is in the details. I imagine that at some point it ceases being just black and white better or worse. It's just "different".
 
Last edited:
Probably right

As to friendliness; Gun shops in Switzerland are gorgeous; if this question is an exploration of where to move if the balloon goes up, Neither is easy for non citizens; in fact I think these two are tougher than anywhere else on the planet unless you want to become a citizen (To do this you must establish source of income; in Switz I think the per annum is incredibly high; there's another similar thread here) or can claim right of return (you have to be Jewish by blood: DNA evidence required).
I do remember Mas Ayoob saying at one point in time he wouldn't teach in Israel because they would let him teach but not carry there. Sounds pretty stiff to me.
Wasn't South Africa (I seem to recall something I read in a gun mag (New acronym: SIRIAGM)) supposed to be open on this to visitors? Some of the Safari types might know more. I know currently there ain't no (legal) way in Kenya.
Cheers, TF
 
Last edited:
Honestly, I do not know. I do know, however, that America is not currently the America that our founding fathers envisioned, and that that needs to be corrected as opposed to continuing in the popular, yet unAmerican way, that is the status quo, and the way of tomorrow.

I don't want to see America become #2. It already isn't what it is supposed to be, but we can't let it become any worse.
 
Not looking for "where to move if the SHTF politically". My family has been in the USA since before there was a USA (260 years) and we're not going anywhere.

We have a good number of international members at THR and I read posts by Brits, Aussies, Germans, etc. bemoaning the gun regulations in their various countries.

Guess I'm curious. Are there other nations that value individual gun rights or are we the "last bastion" here in the US?

My hope is that there will be folks posting telling us about reasonable individual gun freedoms available to citizens of various nations globally.

My fear is a silence to my question and the expected, but unwanted realization that we're it. . . The last meaningfully free society on earth where individuals are able to defend themselves lawfully with firearms and also own them to use as they see fit whether it be for hunting, plinking, target shooting, etc.
 
I've heard (and this is all hearsay, of course) Sweden is pretty "classically liberal" on a lot of things. You can walk into a hardware store and buy a sound suppressor for 5 bucks.

'Course, you'll NEVER get anything but "legitimate sporting guns" [sic] over there, I'm sure.

We read alot about how great gun rights are in Switzerland and Israel, but in Switzerland you get a machine gun, but can't keep any ammo for it. In Israel, I'd be surprised if those were everyday civilians walking around Tel Aviv with M16s slung across their backs, and not just IDF on R&R.

The US is the last bastion. In fact, the US is the corner that all gun owners have been backed into. That corner is shrinking slowly, every day.

EDIT: Although, some of those lawless, civil-war ridden African 4th world country seem pretty lax on the whole "machine gun" thing. And I'm sure it's all in the name of freedom, too. :roll:
 
Switzerland, first and foremost. Unlike most European countries where you can buy suppressors over the counter but will be lucky to get a gun to attach it to, the Swiss are allowed to own fully automatic weapons, without having to pay an absurdly inflated price due to an arbitrarily limited market.

Israel isn't actually that gun friendly as far as private citizens are concerned. Since basically everyone has to serve in the IDF, you'll frequently see people toting M16s around. There's also plenty of security personnel with handguns, not to mention cops of course.

To get a gun as a private citizen in Israel you have to meet some fairly strict requirements; handguns in particular require you either to have served in the IDF or police for some years, or to be a bus or taxi driver for protection...
 
I live in Switzerland and wouldn't recommend the country to any American. Indeed we have the friendliest gun laws of Europe but that's about all. You can't carry a loaded firearm and self-defense is prohibited. I worry more about being prosecuted for using my firearm than being assaulted. Apart from firearms we don't enjoy the high standards of living that you would expect. If you work in the banking and financial industry you'll make a wonderful income and live a comfortable life but that's not the case of most Swiss. Taxes are quite high even for low-income workers. Car and medical insurance coverage is mandatory and very expensive compared to the US. Real-estate prices are so insane I couldn't imagine myself buying even some small condo. So clearly the US has better standards of living and the best laws regarding firearms. That's why - being an American citizen - I'll move to the US as soon as I can. Even if things get ugly for guns it'll still be better than Europe.
 
Switzerland, first and foremost. Unlike most European countries where you can buy suppressors over the counter but will be lucky to get a gun to attach it to, the Swiss are allowed to own fully automatic weapons, without having to pay an absurdly inflated price due to an arbitrarily limited market.
Click to expand...
WRONG. Every male of military age is REQUIRED to keep a full auto in their home, along with some ammo, but after they reach a certain age they can either give it back, or have it converted to semi auto. Ownership of any other full autos is forbidden, IIRC. Sure, it's better than the rest of Europe, but that isn't saying much. :D

The Scandinavian countries are also not bad compared to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, or Spain, and I've heard that the Czech can actually get permits to carry(or are allowed to carry if they are allowed to own, I can't understand the language to read it myself).
 
Central American countires

Actually looking at living abroad and it appears we can own guns in Costa Rica and Panama.

The issue is gun taxes, and Costa Rica has mag capacities of 10 rounds. Of course Costa Rica has no army, so I guess they don't want heavily armed people.

Panama according to what I read will allow you to have everything but full autos.

They do license handguns, but the handgun license doesn't restrict you from carrying it, they do have a cow about open weapons.

Those countries do have nice weather, and favorable tax, corporate and banking laws for those who have an entrepenuerial spirit.

Ran into a few Americans living down there, their in no hurry to come back here.

Nicki.
 
Many of you don't seem to have much of an idea about Switzerland...

Yes, military members can own a full auto. But, upon leaving the militia it is gunsmithed into a semi, from my understanding.

There is registration, and myriad little laws- supposedly there is one in place that says if you buy ammo at a range you must expend it at the range (I've also heard that this law doesn't exist, and that this law is often ignored, so who knows?).

It's also more difficult to get ahold of a gun there than here to begin with...
 
Last edited:
The Philippines is pretty friendly regarding private gun ownership. The main issue is economics. Guns are freely available, but most of the people there do not have the means to afford them.
 
does anyone think there's a nation on earth where there are greater freedoms for firearms than the USA
Click to expand...
I don't believe there's another nation that comes remotely close.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics

See above link for some interesting reading - covers about 12 countries in detail.

In South Africa we used to have pretty decent laws, until the new communist anc gov came into power, became paranoid and introduced new laws to reduce civilian gun ownership to a bare minimum. Next year all guns we couldn't manage to re-register will be confiscated by the police.

All this while our borders are wide open to the rest of africa to walk in with their ak's and commit violent crime.
 
The Philippines is pretty friendly regarding private gun ownership. The main issue is economics. Guns are freely available, but most of the people there do not have the means to afford them.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they can own full autos, suppressors, SBR's w/o all the lame paperwork...
 
All this while our borders are wide open to the rest of africa to walk in with their ak's and commit violent crime.
Click to expand...

That seems to be the general trend worldwide: Focus the attention on disarming the law-abiding, while letting insurgents and violent criminals have free reign. Very sad.
 
France has pretty good gun laws, as does Mexico if you get a collector's permit (or you have enough money). In France, you could get new full autos up until 1995. You can still own pretty much anything there, except for (I think) pump shotguns.

Austria has CCW, but it's hard to get.
 
As I feared. Well folks . . . appears we're it. Nowhere else on the planet does firearm freedom even come close to what we have here in the US.

That fact makes me simultaneously proud yet depressed. And, gives a heightened sense of urgency to preserving our 2A rights as doing so may be the single largest moral fight of my generation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
I have this to say about gun control..
2 3 4
Replies
82
Views
4K
Sam1911
S
S
  • Locked
Gun ownership grows, following national trend
Replies
5
Views
471
Trustin
T
amprecon
  • Locked
Rise in Private Gun Ownership?
Replies
6
Views
661
vito
V
W
  • Locked
More Guns May Enter National Parks:The Miami Herald & NPS are Worried!
Replies
6
Views
1K
Winchester 73
W
T
  • Locked
NEWS 20/20, Face The Nation & 60 Minutes
Replies
9
Views
725
searcher451
S
Back
Top