What guns are legal in South Africa?

[SaMx]

I'm doing some research on gun laws in South Africa. I found an article from the New York Times that was published in 2005, that outlines what was the latest gun control law in South Africa. According to the article, the in South Africa a person must obtain a license to own a gun. To get a license you have to be a non-drug or alcohol abuser, have never been convicted of violent or sexual crimes, and not partake in "deviant behavior." After this, you must provide three acquaintances who are interviewed. Then you must pass a competency and safety test, and install a gun safe. You must also provide a reason to own a gun. It isn't clear is self defense is or is not a valid reason.

So I know this much, but what I can't find is what firearms can you buy after getting this license? I understand the license counts as a carry license as well as an ownership license, but is it just for pistols, or are semi-auto rifles and shotguns allowed too? What about full auto, and suppressors?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Prince Yamato]

Sounds like gun-owning South Africans need to work harder at Protecta-ing their rights. It looks like the ANC has taken a dump on freedom.

 

[Outlaws]

Are you going to move there?

What you could own will be table scrapes compared to any state in the US.

You can no doubt get a permit for a hunting rifle (with heavy regs on what kind).

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

Didnt used to be that way. In the Apartheid era (bad as it was), South Africa and its counterpart Rhodesia used to be a gun owners paradise....though unfortunately not for black people.

 

[PILMAN]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_South_Africa

 

[Odd Job]

I have two active gun licenses in South Africa. Here is the deal:

You can't have two weapons of the same class, for the same purpose. This affected me, because I started with a Baby browning, mainly to discourage dogs from taking me off my bicycle. This was before the change of regime in 1994. After the regime change, hijackings and shootings skyrocketed. I found myself using a car instead of a bicycle and I needed a 9mmP. When I applied for it, I was initially refused. They said I already had the Baby Browning listed as a self defense pistol. They told me to sell that and reapply for the Vektor again, from scratch.

I said hell, no!

So I had to apply for the Vektor on the grounds that I needed a competition pistol of a certain minimum calibre (the calibre in question being 9mmP). And then I got the Vektor.

The last information I heard (as applies to all but those on a 'collector' license) was as follows:

1) You can have one rifle for hunting, one shotgun for home defense, and one pistol for self defense or target shooting.
2) You can't have any full auto stuff.
3) There is no barrel length limit for handguns.
4) Shotguns and rifles cannot be semi-automatic. I'm laughing right now because the Thompson Center Benchmark I have here in the UK is not legal in South Africa. Okay I'm not really laughing.
5) Some exceptions before the new laws were applicable to farmers living in remote areas. They were allowed to have semi-automatic rifles. I also remember our camp guide on our leadership school expedition having a nice FAL, but that was in the 80s on the border with Lesotho.
6) Some of the security outfits around the mines had some very interesting kit. There was a fully automatic 12 gauge of sorts, but I can't remember the details.

So yes, it is hard for a law-abiding citizen to get a gun. It looks like it will be hard for us to hold on to them too. One thing is for sure: I would rather put those two pistols under a roller than hand them in.

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

Shotguns and rifles cannot be semi-automatic.

Leaves the options kind of small doesnt it? Most guns in the US are semi, that would present a real problem.