Swiss "gun problem" on BBC radio

[willbrink]

I am sure most of you are aware of the gun debate of the Swiss considering removing their long standing tradition of training people and sending them home with 5o rnds and their rifle.

I don’t know if the Brady Group et al are helping the anti gun agenda of some Swiss anti gun groups, but I can tell you they are using Brady tactics, which is to say they are simply inventing “facts” and data that simply don’t exist.

I was just listening to the BBC about the “Swiss gun issue” and they stated that (1) the only country with higher suicide rates than the Swiss is the US* and (2) at least once per month on average a Swiss citizen takes his army issued assault rifles and kills his entire family.


I kid you not, and I am not paraphrasing either, They stated exactly that. We know the first claim is wrong, and easy to prove wrong, and the second claim may be a little harder to confirm, but is clearly a fabrication.

So, inventing data/facts from thin air is alive and well. How these people sleep at night is a mystery to me, but there you have it….

* I have the distinct feeling what they meant to say was that the US had a higher rate of suicide using a gun as the method of suicide, but are either too stupid or too intellectually dishonest to make that distinction and assume once out there as “fact” via the media know it will be hard to correct.

 

[Sistema1927]

Liars love statistics.

 

[PTK]

I thought that it was their rifle and a sealed full case of ammunition, not 50 rounds?

Either way, there is no Swiss "gun problem".

 

[willbrink]

My understanding is 50 rnds, as goofy as that sounds.

 

[Standing Wolf]

How these people sleep at night is a mystery to me, but there you have it….

Leftist extremists have always believe the ends justify the means. People without principles can justify anything.

 

[willbrink]

"Leftist extremists have always believe the ends justify the means. People without principles can justify anything."

I think it is safe to say extremists on the far right are no different in that respect, but the point is a true one.

 

[matt87]

It is a box of 50 rounds I believe. Enough to fight one's way to a base/depot etc. presumably.

 

[willbrink]

Thats what I always figured too, but your enemy now knows exactly what to take out first and where everyone will be, so I always thought the 50rns made little tactical sense for them. They should be sent home with 2-5k rnds, enough to fight for at least a day or two if needed and dont have to rush directly to a spot that is a big target, but I digress from the topic of the thread...

 

[Geronimo45]

Regarding the 50rds: Sounds like a tradition started around WWI or WWII. Ten stripper clips for your rifle. Since Switzerland isn't likely to be invaded by anyone in the near future, they probably don't see the need in changing it.

 

[HardKnox]

regarding those quotes from the radio show, just remember 84% of all statistics are made up...

 

[armedandsafe]

My understanding is that Switzerland doesn't plan on fighting a massed-front war. They expect to fight from behind the little hillocks called the Alps in small groups of hit-and-run wasp raids.

Pops

 

[LAR-15]

I bet the BBC thinks all the illegal guns in Britain come from Swissland

 

[Fosbery]

Could you please tell me exactly what channel you heard this on, what day and what time (in GMT preferably, if not then your time zone and I'll convert). Then name of the person who said it and their position (host? guest?) would also be helpful. I will be writing a letter of complaint. Since I pay their sallaries, they might take notice.

 

[callgood]

Not according to the WHO.


http://www.fathersforlife.org/health/who_suicide_rates.htm

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

I like the BBC, but anything they say related to guns is bull.

 

[flashman70]

I bet the BBC thinks all the illegal guns in Britain come from Swissland

I believe you mean Virginia.

I listen to the BBC every weekday from 5:30 to 6:00 AM just to get my blood pressure up. Their leftist bias is so obvious it's more funny these days than infuriating.

 

[kurtmax]

I'm sure that many people in Switzerland probably keep more than just their issued ammunition... unless there is some law that doesn't let them own military calibers. But then that wouldn't make sense...

 

[xd9fan]

who is having the "gun problem".........criminals or passivist socialist???

 

[- J -]

The Swiss keep 50 canned rounds and some military-issued food. More ammo and heavier equipment is stored in several safe points of every city/town, where citizens are instructed to report in case of need.

 

[MechAg94]

No they are smuggled over the border from Texas and New Mexico.

 

[matt87]

For the record, I understand that military-type ammo is heavilly subsidised in Switzerland (so it is dirt cheap) but is supposed to be used-up at he range where you buy it and is not meant to leave the gate. I also understand that just about no-one follows this law and many don't know it exists.

 

[col_tapiocca]

This damned story begann I think a year ago. A ex army officer killed his girlfriend/wife with his army pistol. The liberals begann to attack our freedom / tradition of gun ownership and tradtion of swiss army.

No, we've not gun problems here in Switzerland. Only problem we've is communistic liars, eh liberals
They are talking about over 300 suicide with army issued weapon, each year! I mean our army isn't that big Hey, I can belive that nearly everyday somebody suicide with a gun. I notice 2-3 gun related killing each year here in Switzerland. But they are not army issued guns!! And mostly they are foreigner who kill someone with gun. Rarely swiss, we are peacefull guys.
This the tactic of anti gun guy, first they take our army issued ammo. Next step will be no more military weapon. And finally no guns at all. The liberals wants a gun law like England for Switzerland. No lawful gun ownership at all. But take a look at England, criminality raised since the ban gun and criminal get gun on black market anywise and lawful citzens can't defend against the criminal.

Army issued ammo for "personal equipment" which swiss serviceman have to take home is not in a cardboard box like a picture show in this thread.
Each soldier get a can of 50 round. It's in a can which look like this:

Service ammo must be return to army, when the service time of 300 days for a normal soldier is over. If the serviceman pay approx. 80 US$ to the army, then you get your assault rifle convert to semi-automatic and then the army put a p-mark on the rifle and it's yours.


This is one reason, why a Swiss army knife has a can opener. (The can is rip open signed but it's possible that the lever breaks, so you need a can opener to shoot)
And we use the Swiss army knife to adjust sight on our assault rifle.

I hope think will not change to bad

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

80 US$ to the army, then you get your assault rifle convert to semi-automatic and then the army put a p-mark on the rifle and it's yours.

That's a fine deal. $80 for a modern military rifle is hard to beat. Too bad that if you want to keep it, you have to get it converted to semi-auto only though.

 

[matt87]

If that's why SAKs have a can opener, why do they have corkscrews?

(BTW the French military rations actually used to contain a bottle of wine. Perfect for relaxing after a long, hard 3-hour day on white flag detail...)

 

[Wes Janson]

I think I would set a new land speed record rushing to go fork over $80 for an StG-90, even if only semi-auto. Right now the going rate seems to be about $10,000 for one of the very few legally imported into the United States.