Which country/place has the most open gun laws?

[Damien85]

I just recieved my card telling me I passed the hunting and firearms course and exam in Quebec (Canada) which is needed to demand a Possession and Acquisition Licence which I am now told this can take up to 3 months.

I'm wondering if there are any places in the world where people are free to own shotguns at home to defend themselves without a permit (because it's a right) and without a license or having to take a course or getting their background checked for citizenship (which I wouldn't have) and general info. Just walk into a gun shop and buy a shotgun with munition as you would walk into a store and buy knives with no bureaucratic nonsense.

Any english or french speaking country would be fine.

Thanks in advance.

 

[PT1911]

in switzerland every male adult is required to have military training and own a fully automatic weapon. also an extremely low violent crime rate from what I have seen (possilby the lowest)...go figure...

 

[razorback2003]

America

You can own a firearm for protection in most US states without any government nonsense. I live in Tennessee and can buy a handgun, shotgun, or rifle from a friend who is a resident of my state or anyone, for that matter, as long as we are not both convicted felons. I do not need a license to own firearms or buy ammunition. I can keep a handgun, rifle, or shotgun loaded at home, hotels, campsites, fishing, hunting, or hiking without any sort of license in Tennessee. I do have a handgun carry permit so that i can carry a loaded handgun in public or in my vehicle. I can also keep a magazine loaded shotgun or rifle in my vehicle.

I hope this information helps. We do not have state income taxes in Tennessee. I do not know if you have provincial income taxes on top of Canadian federal income taxes. If you have a good skill, please join us in a freedom state. Avoid California, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Wisconsin, or Maryland if you like guns and are interested in getting any sort of carry license. If you want to avoid state income taxes, go to New Hampshire, Wyoming, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, and Alaska. Job growth has recently been moving in Southern states.

If you stay away from the larger cities, the crime rates are pretty low in the USA. The big cities with social problems, such as drugs, prostitution, poverty, illegal aliens, are what make the USA have higher violent crime rates than Europe or Canada. Throw out the Newarks, Watts, and Detroits, and American crime stats would be a lot lower.

 

[paintballdude902]

come on down to the guys in the south well learn you something about gun freedoms lol wow i sound like a hick

the us is very gun friendly for the most part and for now

hey go on down to texas if you get too cold they actually have a pretty strong economy right now

what part of Quebec are you in? my older sister attended Mcgill in Montreal

 

[Oro]

Damien,

Just drive down to VT just over the border. VT is one of the two US states that have no restrictive gun laws. You can carry, openly or concealed, buy as many as you want when you want, etc. I used to live there and it was fine.

I know your frustration because as a frequent visitor to Canada, I've wanted to bring a modest revolver for self-defense when in wilderness where dangerous wildlife pose a real threat in BC (example: last time I was there, I saw a large bear up close in the wild, and at a campground a dozen or two miles away a child was mauled by a cougar. This is not some "hypothetical" threat). The bureaucratic nightmare of getting a pistol license, and restrictions on which type I could own, were silly, cumbersome, and expensive.

 

[Kind of Blued]

Sure, most of the United States is such. Your lack of American citizenship, and residency in one of the "freer states", however, disallows you from coming down here and buying a gun to take home with you.

Here in Colorado, I could buy a handgun and an AR-15 without doing any paperwork, load the pistol, put it on my hip, load a magazine for the rifle, put it in the rifle, toss the rifle in my trunk, drive to a pub, have a beer, drive the other way, shoot my new guns for free, and go home. I could do all of this without any paperwork or government interaction, other than that involving my car and my drivers license.

This terrifies many people here, but freedom isn't supposed to make people feel safe, it's meant to make them sovereign, respected, and responsible for their actions. The majority of us act accordingly, and its absolutely worth it.

 

[Sunray]

Damien85, please join us at http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/. You'll get Canadian law info.
"...passed the hunting and firearms course and exam in Quebec...needed to demand a Possession and Acquisition Licence..." Congratulations. You've done the combined course. The PAL and Quebec Hunter's Safety Course? Quebec is a bit more daft for a PAL than the rest of Canada, but not much worse than Ontario. You don't 'demand' a PAL though. You apply for it. Joined a shooting club?
"...because it's a right..." Not in Canada. Not in every U.S. State either.
"...knives with no bureaucratic nonsense..." You can buy all the knives you want with a few exceptions that aren't much different Stateside. Switchblades, for example, are evil just about everywhere in North America.
"...I've wanted to bring a modest revolver for self-defense..." Not allowed. No handgun hunting and no wilderness permits unless you're a working trapper or prospector. You'll never get an SD carry permit. No matter how much of a bureaucratic nightmare you go through.

 

[danprkr]

"...because it's a right..." Not in Canada. Not in every U.S. State either.

The right to defend oneself is ALWAYS and EVERYWHERE a right, just not acknowledged by the governments. Never let bureaucratic permission or lack thereof confuse you.

 

[HoosierQ]

Well Damien there's a place close by...America...and we speak English. If you move clear down to Louisiana or clear up in northernmost Maine (which is real close to you) you'll find people who speak French too.

Gun laws in the USA a pretty darned good as long as:

1. You don't saw off a shotgun or rifle.
2. You don't want a full auto (which can be legal but good luck).
3. You don't want a suppressor (which are legal but very controlled).
4. You have the proper handgun permits for where you live (which can be pretty easy).

It is fully legal to own just about any kind of gun not noted above in your home without any kind of permit just about everywhere. Stay out of California, New York City, and the City of Chicago and your Right to Keep and Bear Arms will not be infringed...not very much any way.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

What about Mexico? If you put the right money in the right hands you can do whatever you want.

 

[danprkr]

What about Mexico? If you put the right money in the right hands you can do whatever you want.

That's true of most 3rd world countries. Problem is that you run the risk of your politician not being honest and staying bought.

 

[dullh]

Just because Switzerland has compulsory military service and allows members to store automatic weapons at their houses does not make it a firearms mecca. Possession is heavily regulated and the guns are subject to constant inspection. Recent suicides with military weapons have focused attention on the practice, and it may very well change.

The US, with the exception of a couple localities, is still the best place on earth to own guns. If Obama gets his way (and a second term in 2012) that will change, but until we are officially brought down to the level of 3rd world Africa or Mexico this country still remains the best in which to own guns, and own them with a minimum of paperwork and hassel. Even though I can't carry concealed in Illinois or own a shotgun with a 6-inch barrel, when viewed in the proper prespective this country is number one - in more ways than one.

 

[franconialocal]

Damien.....greetings from your neighbor just south of Quebec. Bonjour! Come down to N.H. and we'll shoot!!

 

[R.W.Dale]

I'm gonna say that may a few middle eastern countries probably have much more open gun restrictions than we do here in the good ol USA.

Even strict gun countries such as the UK in some ways have more lax laws than us. An example is their encouraging the use of "sound moderators" for hunting and shooting whenever possible.

 

[BeltfedMG]

Its called California, WITH THE COUNTRY OF ILLINIOS BEHIND IT.

 

[Match14]

I've heard that Austria and the Czech Republic have pretty decent gun laws too. I've personally visited both countries but was only 17 at the time and didn't to any shooting while there.

http://homepage.usask.ca/~sta575/cdn-firearms/Laws/austria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_the_Czech_Republic

 

[Shung]

In Switzerland.... Possession is heavily regulated and the guns are subject to constant inspection.

ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT

for example

I legally own guns that nobody knows about (like hundred thousands of gun owners).. That is because, from 1999 to 2008 private sales without any police information was legal.

I legally own full autos, and I was never subject of any inspections..

Recent suicides with military weapons have focused attention on the practice, and it may very well change

Correct.. but not backed on facts or statistics, but as a political agenda

..

 

[rl2669]

The short answer to the OP is - "it doesn't get much better than the Southern and Western US".

Every time one of these discussions starts, countries like Israel, Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Norway/Finland, Costa Rica, New Zealand, South Africa, and even Canada are pointed out as examples of places where some level of civilian ownership and use of firearms is permitted.

Now, to be fair, some of these countries indeed have more permissive laws on suppressors and/or full auto than the US does. But if you dig deeper than those two specific facets of gun ownership, you'll find out that in virtually every case - gun ownership in other countries suffers from one or more key flaws. Its often connected to military service or is on a discretionary permit basis, there are caliber limits, there are limits on how many guns or how much ammunition you can purchase, there are tests you have to take, carry outside ones home is not permitted, self defense is not recognized as a valid reason for ownership, etc. In other words, its a regulated privilege, not a right.

Today, there are vast differences within different regions of the US with respect to gun regulations. If you live in a restrictive part of the US such as NYC, DC, MA, NJ, Chicago, CA, etc. then indeed you probably have fewer gun ownership possibilities than at least some people in some of these other countries.

But if you live in a gun friendly part of the US, you've got it just about as good as it gets anywhere in the world. And stay tuned, incorporation of Heller is likely to reduce some of the more egregious laws within the restrictive parts of the US.

 

[rmodel65]

come on down to the guys in the south well learn you something about gun freedoms lol wow i sound like a hick

the us is very gun friendly for the most part and for now

hey go on down to texas if you get too cold they actually have a pretty strong economy right now

what part of Quebec are you in? my older sister attended Mcgill in Montreal

the south has some of the most restrictive gun laws, esp GA, we have more restrictions than even california, the laws were an attempt to disarm blacks after the civil war.


http://www.georgiacarry.org/cms/2007/11/14/georgias-racist-gun-laws/








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[mp510]

I know your frustration because as a frequent visitor to Canada, I've wanted to bring a modest revolver for self-defense when in wilderness where dangerous wildlife pose a real threat in BC (example: last time I was there, I saw a large bear up close in the wild, and at a campground a dozen or two miles away a child was mauled by a cougar. This is not some "hypothetical" threat). The bureaucratic nightmare of getting a pistol license, and restrictions on which type I could own, were silly, cumbersome, and expensive.

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"...I've wanted to bring a modest revolver for self-defense..." Not allowed. No handgun hunting and no wilderness permits unless you're a working trapper or prospector. You'll never get an SD carry permit. No matter how much of a bureaucratic nightmare you go through.

Isn't it legal for folks to (visibly) carry unrestricted shotguns and rifles in the wilderness for protection against wildlife? If it is, that is somewhat of a viable option for some degree of protection against 4-legged bad guys.

 

[dullh]

Shung,

Whatever you say, so I guess I stand corrected.

Still, you can have at it - I wouldn't leave the US for any country in the world. Unless I owned a private island in the south Pacific...

 

[Shung]

You are absolutely RIGHT. US of A is still the best place for guns, no matter what.

I didnt mean to be rude or impolite, just wanted to get the Swiss situation better explained.

What we mainly LACK in Switzerland, since 1999, is the right to carry.. which is linked to a permit, nearly impossible to get for the average citizen.

 

[pdowg881]

somalia