[Warcraft mage voice on]Who summoned me?[Warcraft mage voice off]
well, the gun culture here, in Mother Russia, is a very mixed thing
first, the laws:
any lawful citizen 18+ old, with no crime records, methal illness or alcoholic records can apply for firearm permit. This takes about 15-20USD (offical fees) and abouth month or two to complete all procedures in local police. One can do it little faster (about one - twoo weeks) with some semi-legal help for about 100USD
As you have permit, you can go to gunshop and buy yourself a shotgun. After purchase, you MUST register your shotgun in local police within next 10 days; If failed to do so, a money fine is issued (about 20 - 50USD)
Each gun must be re-registered each five years.
One can own up to 5 shotguns per permit, if you want more, you can apply for collector's license, but this is much more expensive (don't know how much)
Rifles: one can apply for rifle license after 5 years of shotgun ownership; procedure is the same, and the same 5 rifles limit is applied (making it total up to 5 + 5 firerms w/o collector's license)
Long gun limitations (both smoothbore and rifled): OAL not less that 80 cm (31.5 in) or BBL not less that 50 cm (20 in); if folding-stocked gun fails to suit limitations with stock folded, it must have special device which blocks firing when butt if folded
mag capacity no more than 10 rounds
no caliber limits (one with rifle licence can legally buy a .338 Lapua Sako TRG-42 or .50BMG Armalite-50, if have enough money =)
Next, handguns.
Officially, "real things" are prohibited from civilian ownership. But, as ususal in Russia from ancient times, the law has many built-in (probably intentionally) loop-holes. Examples:
All congress-men (State Duma members) are allowed to own handguns, issued by MVD (Internal affairs Ministry); not sure if they can keep guns after being kicked outa DOOMa , but probably can
Also, every "para-military state service" (such as local police, fire guard, etc etc) can award their standard-issue sidearms to any civilian with "special merits". Guess what merits are most valued?
But, there's a thread in the right direction.
First, only tear-gas guns were allowed from early 1990s.
Then, in the late 1990s one large state company produced a barrel-less self-defence firearm, which fires 15mm (.60 caliber) rubber slugs at MV of about 120 m/s, with muzzle energy of 85 Joules (63 ft-lbs);
This relatively huge, electrically fired gun is derringer-type, with 4 barrels in cluster; it does kick, and can broke a chest bone or two if fired from 3-5 yards into the chest area through the light clothes
From the late 2003 there's also some less-lethal guns which fire rubber balls of 9-10mm in caliber with MV of about 400 m/s... These are made in the form of PM Makarov, Walther P22, and SW Chiefs Special revolver.
Prices are about 200 to 350 USD per gun, ammo is about 2-4 USD per round.
All those guns require police license to buy and then must be registered like any other firearms.
The other thing is black market, which is full with anything from WW2 guns, found in the grounds of former battle fields, and up to AK's and PM's, stolen from army stocks, and smuggled foreign guns.
The society has no strong bias to either side. The crime rate is high, and the police is not well regarded by average lawful Ivan or Sergey
There's constant pressure from pro-gunners (yours truly included), and we have hopes that maybe withing next 3 to 5 years we finally will be allowed to own and carry legal handguns.
as to long arms, there's about one or two millions of registered hunters in the country; there's also plenty of recreational shooters, most of them preferring military-looking Saiga shotties
As for myself.. i finally got the permits for shotgun and less-lethal arm this summer; the problem is that money are tight now as i recently bought a new flat to my family, and must pay debts.
As soon as money will be ok, i plan to buy a decent shotgun, maybe a aemi-auto MP-153 (about 300-400 USD here), or, if fortune will smile on me, an used SxS (Soviet era or imported) with English-style stock, preferably in 20Ga...
