Australian Gun Laws

A Brief History

The regulation of firearms in Australia is delegated to the states in the Constitution.

Quite unusually, Australia went from a period of tight gun controller to much weaker control at a time in its history. Due to fear of a communist insurrection in the 1920s, strict controls were placed on handguns and military caliber weapons. These restrictions were relaxed in 1956, however, to allow Australia to enter a pistol team in the Melbourne Olympics that year.

The situation after 1956 remained relatively constant until 1996. Each state had various regulations, with New South Wales being strict (banning rifles with folding stocks, for example - perhaps the world's first AWB), while states such as Queensland and Tasmania were far looser. Essentially, you could get any gun you wanted relatively easily, for self-defense or any other reason. Licenses and registration were introduced to various extents in this period, but the measures were relatively benign, ineffective and rarely enforced.

This all changed, however, with the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. A mentally disturbed man, Martin Bryant, illegally purchased an AR-15 and FN FAL, and used them to murder more than 30 people. A tragedy, but what came next was worse. The new prime minister at the time, John Howard, who has a personal distaste for civilian ownership of firearms, used the opportunity force the states to introduce strict new laws.

The issue came up again in 2002 with killing of two people in the Monash University killings in 2002 - I find it hard to call it a massacre - by yet another mentally disturbed indvidual. This time, handguns were more tightly regulated.

The situation now:

While the rules vary slightly from state to state, in principle they are all similar.

In order to own a firearm, you must be licensed and the firearm must be registered. Licenses are relatively easy to obtain, but they are time-consuming.

There are six classes of firearm:

A - air rifle, rimfire rifle, shotguns
B - centerfire rifles
C - pump action and semi-auto shotguns, semi-automatic rimfire rifles
D - semi-auto centerfire rifles
H - handguns
Prohibited - full auto, SBRs, homemade firearms and other nasty things.

You must have a genuine reason for possessing a firearm (Purpose of Use - POU). They are:

1 - Club Use
2 - Target Shooting on private land
3 - Hunting
4 - Paintball
5 - Primary Producer (farmer)
6 - Security
7 - other purposes approved by register

Class A/B firearms can be held under any POU
Class C firearms can only be held under POU1 (this only applies to members of clay target clubs, however, and does not allow them to get Class C rifles) POU3 (who can possess one C shotgun and one C rifle) and POU7
Class D firearms can only be held under POU7, and are only issued (on a regular basis) to professional hunters
Class H firearms can only be held under POU1 and 6

If you can provide a good reason to the Chief of the Firearms branch, you can get a POU7 for just about anything. An common example of this is vets can get a handgun to euthanize animals.  

Prohibited Firearms can only be held under a special license, which you're not going get.

So essentially, your average citizen can own Class A/B firearms. He can own pistols or Class C shotguns if he joins a pistol or clay target club, respectively.

A farmer can own A/B and one class C shotgun and one class C rifle.

All firearms must be kept under lock and key in a approved safe.

There are further restrictions on handguns. They cannot be greater than .38 caliber, unless you are using them for metallic silhouette or cowboy action, nor can they have more than ten rounds in the magazine. Semi-automatics must have a 5" barrel, revolvers must have a 4" barrel. You can only own a handgun after have a handgun license for six months, then you can buy one air pistol and one other pistol. After another six months passes, you can buy as many handguns as you like.

You must also compete a certain number of times per year to maintain your handgun license. This varies wildly from state to state. For example, in my state, handguns are split into four classes (air pistols, rimfire pistols, centerfire pistols up to .38 caliber and centerfire pistols over .38). If you own handguns in one class, you must shoot six matches a year with that class of firearm. If you own more than one class, you must shoot six events with one type, and then four per every additional type.

So, for example, if I owned a Browning Buckmark, a Smith and Wesson 686, a Glock 17A and a Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum, I would have handguns in three categories and thus would need to shoot six matches with the 686 and the Glock, four with the Buckmark and four with the Deagle, for a total of fourteen matches over the year.

from our thread/posted by Lancair.. I'm too lazy to translate the French one:

French Gun Laws

by Philippe Mullot

Firearms legislation in France is vastly different from what is being foisted onto the Australian public.

Traditionally, gun law in that country has been based on the idea of responsibility of the individual. One similarity between France and Australia is that recently the European Community did force the introduction of new gun laws that are more restrictive, further evidence that what we are faced with here is not isolated but is an international move.

French gun law is based on legislation of 1934 with amendments from 1939, drawing a distinction between military and non-military calibres. Fascist Germany and Italy tried in the thirties to establish illegal storage of military arms for terrorist use, and this influenced legislation.

During the second world war, the population was divided between obedience to the official Vichy government, in political cooperation with the Germans, and obedience to the illegal government of General de Gaulle which was fighting with the allied forces to repel the Germans.

This background no doubt introduced into the mind of the French people the idea that it is always possible for conditions in a country to worsen - something Australia seems not to have picked up, officially, anyway, despite the events of the last war - and that the country's law and order do not necessarily fall into instant decline if the authorities do not know about every gun in the hands of every law-abiding citizen. Perhaps they at least share this second idea with Australians. At any rate, only a small proportion of the arms given to the Resistance by the allied forces have since been surrendered, so they must still exist stored right throughout the country.

In France Today
There are three categories of gun owners, made up of the private citizen, the hunter and the target shooter-member of the French Shooting Federation (Federation Francaise de Tir), the French equivalent of the SSAA.

Persons treated for established mental illness are ineligible for gun ownership - something the SSAA has been proposing for years.

What sort of guns are allowed in France, and who owns them?

Firearms there are divided into different classes, numbered 1,4,5,6,7 and 8.

The first category comprises any centrefire handgun or longarm in a designated military calibre.

As an aside, it is interesting that during the period 1973 to 1995 the French were allowed three fully automatic assault rifles per shooter, a right only lost with the introduction of this last European law, and during this time not a single problem occurred with a legally owned fully automatic firearm. This aligns with American experience, where nearly a quarter-million fully-automatic arms collectors' licences have been granted since 1934, without a single offence ever having been recorded with one of the legally-owned guns. If it does nothing else, this experience common to both countries speaks eloquently of the paranoia of our own Australian authorities.

The fourth category comprises what are called defence firearms, and includes any revolver and pistol, centrefire or rimfire, of a non-military calibre, short rifles having a total length of less than 80cm or a barrel length of less than 45cm, semi-automatic rifles with more than three shots capacity, repeater rifles with a magazine capacity of more than ten shots, riot guns with over five-shot capacity, semi-automatic or repeating military lookalikes, and disguised arms such as pen guns.

We will touch on this category again shortly. Guns of the classes still to be described, however, five, six, seven and eight, may be bought and owned in any number by the private citizen, along with the ammunition. No firearms certificates are needed, although the buyer's name and address are registered for the fifth and seventh categories. Break-action shotguns need not be declared to the authorities at all.

The fifth category is the hunting arms class. It includes shotguns, riot guns with a five-shot limit, semi-automatic shotguns with a three-round capacity, repeating rifles in non-military calibre and with a magazine capacity of no more than ten shots, and also semi-automatic rifles in non-military calibre with a capacity of no more than three shots and with no removable magazine. Total length of this class must be over 80cm and barrel length must be more than 45cm.

The sixth category is the blades and any-weapons class designed to incorporate any object that can be a danger to public safety. For example, a stone is a stone, but carried in a crowd with the intent to be thrown at security forces it becomes a sixth category weapon. A rusty hand razor carried at night in the pocket of a person who cannot explain why he needs that item is no longer a razor but a sixth category weapon, and not allowed. Mace and other such sprays have recently been included in this category, so they are still available to buy, but not for carry.

The seventh category is rimfire single shot or repeating rifles and air guns. It also includes single shot .22 pistols with a total length of over 28 centimetres.

The eighth category covers all guns (or copies), handguns as well, made before 1870 and not using a metallic cartridge. It includes all deactivated guns.

The new gun laws of 1995 brought a significant change. At this time, semi-automatic rifles were transferred to the fourth category, that of defence arms. This was of course before the latest round of worldwide gun legislation activity, and is further evidence of the international nature of gun laws.

For these the French gun owner must now have an autorisation de d'tention, a firearm certificate.

In order not to infringe the property right of the owners who have bought them legally before the law was changed, French authorities have automatically issued owners a certificate for each of these firearms already in their possession. It cannot be renewed if the guns are sold, but it remains current for as long as the owner retains the gun.

This measure was adopted for two reasons. In France when the government wants to bring on a forced sale of property in the public interest the citizen is not obliged to agree with the price, so he can go to court for a ruling on it. Property rights are heavily protected under the French Constitution.

However, the other reason is much simpler and more powerful, and it is something that the advisers of the Australian government have not been intelligent enough to work out for themselves before making a bad mistake - despite a world of evidence that was crying out to be seen. If the French government wanted to buy these guns the citizens would simply not have given them back.

The French government, in other words, did not choose the futile line of coercion and heavy-handedness culminating in bans that was followed by the Howard Government. It did the research and knew that these do not work.

Handguns for Citizens
Another important fact should be noted. In France, on a firearm certificate renewable each five years, the private citizen is allowed to have one fourth category handgun with fifty cartridges for home defence, pursuant to a police background check. This can be in any non-military calibre from .22 to .44 Magnum. The handgun cannot be moved outside the house. Sometimes a second handgun is allowed for a secondary house.

Under current anti-gun dogma as practised by Australian Federal and State authorities, this fact alone ought to lead to a massive increase in danger to the public. The truth is that murder rates in France are within the usual bands in countries of comparable type and culture, as the accompanying graph shows.

Not only that, but in 1968, at a time when .22 break-action pistols were available unrestricted and unregistered from department stores, there was a very unpleasant time of political unrest. The Algerian troubles were still fresh and there had been terrorist activity, but as has been so often the case this did not connect itself with civilian gun ownership. This was a time of tremendous turmoil and riots were expected. It was feared the government could be brought down.

The Republic's President De Gaulle disappeared, gone to Germany to meet with his generals and see if they would return and support him if the insurrection against the government succeeded. In these electric circumstances, of a type not experienced here, still the only shot fired was by a single panicky policeman.

One wonders just what kind of unrest it must be that the Howard Government fears.

So here is a brief breakdown of what the private French citizen can buy and own, from the age of eighteen years.

To be classed as a hunter, he or she has to pass an examination, of which knowledge of wildlife, gun handling and safety are most important. The permis de chasse is then issued for life.

The hunter is entitled to have the same arms as a private citizen, but also the fourth category ones which are restricted. This would include a semi-automatic non-military rifle with a removable magazine, or a short-barrelled bolt action rifle for scrub hunting.

The other difference is that the hunter is also entitled to have a gun at the age of sixteen, with parental agreement.

These variations aside, there are few differences between the hunter and the private citizen.

The accredited target shooter and member of the FFTir, however, is the only citizen to be allowed to have military calibre arms. To be so classified requires membership of a shooting club, and a six-month probation period forbidding purchase of first and fourth category firearms, but providing unrestricted use of any in the fifth, seventh and eighth categories. After that six-month period, application is accepted for an autorisation de d'tention for a first or fourth category firearm. This done, the shooter is then allowed to buy and own up to seven centrefire handguns or rifles and five rimfire handguns or rifles in the first or fourth category. Centrefire ammunition is allowed up to a thousand cartridges per gun per year. The certificate is renewed each three years.

This refreshing attitude to gun ownership indicates that the French authorities have recognized the foolishness of restricting individual guns - whether short or long, big or small of bore, black, brown or brindle - from those people who have satisfied reasonable licensing restrictions. Assuming sensible attempts have been made to ensure the good character of the applicant, then no further social benefit accrues from increased bureaucracy attached to the gun-owning process.

Pistols have been heavily regulated since the 1930s in Australia, and this has not prevented criminal misuse with illegal ones. By the same token, international research indicates strongly that the number of licensed handguns in the community belonging to licensed shooters does not increase crime.

Then, of course, there is the matter of French firearm education and safety. While first and fourth category arms are restricted from applicants aged below twenty-one, instead of denying the right to gun ownership at every turn, the French allow accredited target shooters to buy fifth, seventh and eighth category arms from the age of sixteen. Airguns can be bought at the age of nine with the approval of the parents. From this, it is hardly difficult to work out where French gun safety training takes place, and in what circumstances. Early education is the demonstrated best way to prevent firearm accidents - again, the opposite line to that taken by the Australian government.

A Realistic Approach
There is no gun control problem in France. There are 2.5 million hunters, 142,000 members of the FFTir, and, exactly as it is in Australia, an unknown but large number of guns in the hands of ordinary people.

Concerning accidents, the sport of shooting there is safer than almost any other. In 1996, for the FFTir, there was one personal injury. Gun accidents in France are considered of such small statistical importance that there are no official figures on them.

Public opinion there is not against guns, nor is the opinion of university teachers and criminologists. As an example, in the proposals published in the International Criminology Review concerning the control of criminal behaviour in big cities, no gun control measures have been suggested as relevant. Those measures proposed concern better liaison with youth by social workers, more direct police action against drugs, and better town planning to give suburbs more places where young people can meet for productive social activities (libraries, youth centres, and school help structures are suggested), instead of being left alone on the streets.

Also interesting to modern Australia is their suggestion of social centres to increase the options of foreigners seeking better integration into the society.

There has not been an increase in the pressure from the authorities to prevent ordinary folk from owning guns in the mistaken belief this would alter crime rates. Guns are seen to be objects, and the ordinary dictates of personal responsibility require the individual to think about what he is doing with a firearm, exactly the same way as with a car. They are not toys, even though they bring pleasure when properly employed in target shooting or hunting.

Concerning the protection of personal property using a gun, French criminal law recognizes the acceptability of shooting at somebody to save life, but only under precise conditions does that right exist. When it occurs, trial by jury follows, and if the law has been respected there is normally no problem. Rural areas of the country, where quite everybody owns a shotgun, have a very low rate of criminal activity where there is direct assault against the person. This is well known to both criminals and to the police forces, which agree with the use of this mean of defence.

In another point of contact with Australia, what is really curious is that the media strongly condemn the use of lethal force by a citizen to protect his life, and yet when the odd case does go to court the jury usually understands the common sense application of the law and acquits where appropriate.

Actually, criminal behaviour is not increasing in France, but this has nothing to do with misplaced notions of so-called gun 'control'. It is mainly due to the efforts of the French police to be more present in the streets. The patrol car response has been replaced wherever possible by a change of emphasis in favour of the foot patrol, encouraged to have good contact with the population and to know exactly what is going on in their patrol zone. This system is effective.

What work there is on the subject of gun legislation is being done by the media, probably because of their perceptions of American conditions, but the population and the authorities are not concerned.

The world's two recent mass murders have not influenced the French approach, because in that country a multiple killing is not seen as a function of a gun that has somehow run amok, but a problem of the inadequate detection and treatment of madness.

It should be noted that that the above-posted guide is about a decade old, and while essentially correct, (one of the Frenchmen can confirm this), I heard rumblings on the IPSC Global Village that the French could no longer get home defense handguns?

Please remember that it is a one person one post thread, no bantering on about any discrepancies etc. Please take that to the random thread.

Tony

Here is a simple version of the different licences available in Spain for a resident.

Cat A - Military, Police, Customs
Cat B - Individuals Subject to valid threat, Judges/lawyers/bank managers(Pistols)
Cat C - Armed Security Guards must be T.I.P Licensed/Government Vetted (Pistols)
Cat D - Big Game (full Bore Rifles, Single action)
Cat E - Airguns/.22 Carbines/Shotguns
Cat F - Sports Federation (all Olympic Disciplines/IPSC)

Some Links from the Spanish Government explaining classes or weapons and classes of Licenses.
http://www.guardiacivil.com/quesomos/organizacion/operaciones/icae/licencias.jsp
http://www.guardiacivil.com/quesomos/organizacion/operaciones/icae/clasif.jsp

CLASSES OF LICENSES (English Translation)

Licensed arms "A".
Personnel: Military, Security Forces and the Customs Surveillance Service (RA section 114).
Granting Authority: The awarding of professional identity card.
Duration: During active duty or available (RA section 114).
Weapons covered: Categories: 1st, 2nd 2, 3rd, 6th and 7th 2.3 and 4.
Other considerations: This license is the effectiveness of license B, D, E, F and Special Authorization (EA).

License Arms "B".
Personnel: Individuals
Granting Authority Director General Civil Guard. (Assistant Director General for Operations of delegation).
Duration: Three years, and must be stamped biennial annually for over 60 years and 70 years respectively.
Weapons covered: A weapon of the 1st category.
Other considerations: Licenses for defense, taking the same restrictive.

Licensed arms "C".
Personal security guard (art 121 º RA).
Granting Authority Director General Civil Guard (Command by heads of delegation).
Duration: Weather service provision, and must update the document with a photograph every 5 years.
Weapons covered: Guns of the 1st, 2nd 1 3rd 2. categories.
Other considerations: The weapons are guided in the name of the Company and their number is proportional to the number of licensed security guards "C". Weapons may only be employed in the security services or functions for which they were granted.

Licensed arms "D".
Personnel: For big game.
Granting Authority Director General Civil Guard (Area by heads of delegation).
Duration: 5 years, and must be stamped biennial annually for over 60 years and 70 years respectively.
Weapons covered: Up to 5 arms of the 2nd 2. Category
Other considerations: The weapons must be kept well in the homes of the owners in safes or vaults (Resolution of the DGGC of 26/11/98), or local entities or companies that specialize in the custody of weapons ( Article 100 º RA).

Licensed arms "E".
Staff: Hunting For smaller.
Granting Authority: Delegates subdelegation Government (Command by heads of delegation).
Duration: 5 years. Biennial must be stamped and annually for those over 60 years and 70 years respectively.
Weapons covered: 3rd Category 1 to 6, grade 3 2 maximum 6, 3rd category 3 maximum 12, 7th category 2 and category 7 maximum 12 maximum 12 th 3. Whenever the total number of weapons they possess can not be more than 12 weapons.
Other considerations: The licensing of firearms to be issued by launching ropes Civil Governor, the report of the commanders of the Navy.

Licensed arms "F".
Personnel: For members of the sports federations.
Granting Authority Director General Civil Guard. (Assistant Director General for Operations of delegation).
Duration: 3 years.
Weapons covered: Up to 10 so-called weapons of competition (Ministerial Order of 2 March 1995) (Shooter 3rd weapons, 2nd best shooter and shot 6 of 1st maximum 10.
Other Considerations: They may only be used to behave in the camps, firing or shooting galleries approved. The weapons must be kept off in the homes of the owners, (Resolution of the DGGC of 26/11/98), or on the premises of the federations. (RA 133).

Special Authorization (EA).
Personnel: Individuals.
Granting Authority: Delegates subdelegation Government (Command by heads of delegation).
Duration: 5 years.
Weapons covered: 6th and 7th 4., Categories, no limit on the number of weapons. .
Other considerations: Only used in the fields, shooting ranges or polygons competition and land controlled hunting practices and competitions. The system "Flobert" may also be used in shooting positions specifically designated for such weapons.

Book Collectors (L).
Personnel: Individuals.
Granting Authority Director General of the Guardia Civil (Assistant Director General for Operations of delegation).
Duration: Indefinite.
Weapons covered: 6th and 7th 4., Categories, no limit on the number of weapons. .
Other considerations: These weapons can not be used to make fire.

Special permission for use of weapons for Children (AEM)
Personal: Children (14 to 18 years)
Granting Authority Director General of the Guardia Civil. (for heads of delegation Command).
Duration: Until the age of majority.
Weapons covered: Only use (not having) weapons on the 2nd or 3rd category 2, with a license holder D, E or F.
Other considerations: The holders of this authorization may only use these weapons for hunting or sporting competitions junior, accompanied by an adult licensed D, E, or F, which have committed to support them and watched in every hunting or sporting event. (Art. 109.1, RA)
May hold only a single license or authorization of each class of weapon described earlier by the holder.

It also may authorize the possession in the home, (no need for licensing or authorization described above) of a firearm in the short or long not prohibited individuals, proving their special historic or artistic value, or two weapons avancarga of documented with the relevant guidelines of belonging after injection of the report of psychological skills. (Art. 107.e)., R.A.).
If at the expiry of the validity of the license or authorization had not requested a new one, or been denied grant, should deposit the weapon or weapons that rely on the intervention of Arms for your home, and if not, this behavior could fall within any of the existing Article 564 of the Penal Code, approved by Orgánica10/95 Act of November 23, published in the Official Gazette number 281, dated 24 November 1995.

Here is some useful links
http://www.guardiacivil.com/quesomos/organizacion/operaciones/icae/index.jsp
http://www.tirolimpico.org/
http://extranet.tirbcn.com/db/tiro/pub.home
http://foro.tirmallorca.com/
http://www.ctohortasur.com/federaciones.htm

I hope this helps Someone

All the best
Milo

In very condensed form, here are the danish gun laws, with a bias to the competition side of things.

Licence: Either on a hunting permit or as member of a rifle club. Hunters are dealt with by the police, comp shooters by SKV, their own registering body (plus police approval.)
Limits: semiautomatic hunting rifles has to be limited to two shots, no semi rifles allowed in competition. Under 25 rifles or under 10 pistols: Gun cabinet of approved type, over 25/10 active alarm system required.
Ammo/calibers: (rifle) up to but excluding 20 mm. 1000 cartridges long range, i.e. rifle; 5000 carts short range, i.e. pistol. Pistols and revolvers are limited to .38 cal. In addition, .40 S&W, .44 special, .45 Colt and .45 ACP wil be allowed in 2012. Slugs and buckshot not allowed in smoothbore shotguns.
Pistol permits are only given when 2 years of shooting in a club has been succesfully (i.e. without any 'episodes') completed, A certain number of training sessions with small caliber as well as large caliber (.32 and up) required. Usual practise is to buy the pistol or revolver and register and keep it at the club, until you have the seniority required.
Reloading requires a licence. Due to a succesful lobbying effort by the shooters federations, we can now even reload in apartment dwellings, though there is a limit of 2 kg of smokeless per reloader. Primers and powder has to be noted on your permit when bying.
Moderators/"silencers" are strictly forbidden. Muzzle brakes and flash suppressors allowed. No limits on magazine capacity except on semiauto rifles for hunting.

Historic military rifles have their own shooting clubs. Semiautomatics such as Garands are allowed if converted to a repeater. A federation is being discussed right now (2011)
IPSC have their own semi-autonomous federation. Danish members have to have a Class A competition licence to take part in matches.

Soren

Revised 8/6-09 reloading, pistol seniority, slugs, spelling.
Revised 16/6-11 allowed calibers, flash hiders, magazines, IPSC.

German Gun Laws

The German gunownership is dividied into 4 "chapters"

- Sportshooters

You need to be signed in for at leat 12 month in a offical sportshooting club and show that you take part on teh clubs
frequent training. After thta 12 month you can apply for a "Waffenbesitzkarte". The WBK will just let you transport your guns from your home to the range or gunsmith. NO carring.
Gun type and caliber has to be signed in by the goverment before you can go shopping. Your gunownership is now restricted by the sportshooting disciplins your shooting
club is offering. You can´t buy more then 2 Guns all 6 month. Handguns and SLR´s are held on tight regulations.
2 of each is the standard. If you want more of this type of gun´s you need to proof that you are an active sportsman.
For SLR´s the restriction is 10rd´s.
You can use 30rd mags, but they need to blocked.
No FA and no can´s. No SLR´s with shorter barrel then 16.7" (42cm), No SBR/SBS., No centerfire handguns with a caliber smaller then 6mm.

- Hunters

When you got your hunters-license "Jagdschein", that is a 2-3 week long fulltime class raping you 2000-3000 Euro out of your wallet, and when you got your personal huntingarea (you have to rent your personal huntingarea to proof that you are really hunting) you can get regularly 2 handguns and almost as much rifles/shotguns
as you want. SBR´s , SBS´s is no problem, sometimes you can apply for a can if you personal asigned huntingarea is at a graveyard or alike.
But you can just load 2+1 round in your SLR-Huntingrifle. And you just can carry your handgun in your personal asigned huntingarea or if you hunt with a friend at his area.
No bowhunting at all.

- Collectors

you can get a collectors licence for historical guns from 1945 and earlyer. But you have to proof that your subject of collection is worth it !?
So you may just get a licence for "Luger 08 pistols with 8" barrel or longer" For movie guns and if you are a officel authorized expert you may get other guns signed in your licence.
But you can´t just become one by rising your hand.

- Waffenschein

A Waffenschein is the equivalent to the CCW. There are two types. One is like a business CCW. If you have a securety-company offering PSD you will get a CCW. But this one is just valed when working. After working hours you can´t carry. By the way, it go´s like this: You just get the CCW when you can proof that you have a job that is so dangerus that you need a CCW. But who will book you for a dangerus PSD when you don´t have a gun and you have to apply for it just for that job. The second category is for peopel who can proof that they are in danger. But this will just apply eather politican or, don´t be mad at me but thats the way it is, if you belong to a special ethnic minorety I will not discus deeper here.
For exampel, in Munich we have a popolation of aprox 1.300.000 and just 20-30 have a personal, non job related CCW.
If you are a jeweler and you have been robbed a coupel of times....don´t wast your time and money to apply for a CCW.

Totaly NONO´s in Germany are: Fullauto, weaponlights, butterflyknifes, tasers, combat-shooting,...

Guns need to be stored saperated from the ammo in a solid gunsafes. Guns need to be locked during transportation in a gunbag/case.

The moto is: "So wenig Waffen wie möglich im Volk" (As less guns in the public as possible)


Hope you got it all. Sorry for my bad english.


Cheers,

Gunner

Czech republic, no need to reinvent the wheel, wikipedia is quite accurate on this issue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_the_Czech_Republic

Though some corrections are needed:

JHP/EFMJ and other expanding ammunition is illegal only in handguns - you can shoot it or even carry it in long guns.

B - sport - gun licence can be obtained by 15 year old  sport club members with writen permission of parents.
C - hunt licence - gun licence can be obtained after 16 year old students of forestry.
D - For person's occupation - doesnt allow possesion of gun..

How to obtain gun licence:
(supposing you got clear offence register and no problems with drugs or alcohol)
Find where is your local firearm police department and fill in the application for gun licence
Cops will tell you where will your examination take place and who is your examiner..
Go to see your doctor (GP) and ask for medical confirmation (may optionaly send you to take a psycho test - quite rare but possible).
Pass the exam, field strip safely rented gun(CZ75) and shoot mandatory score(easy) and manipuilat the gun safely. Examiner wil give you statement that you are capable of gun possesion - bring it all to you police depatrment with two passport photos and apply for gun licence.
Wait 14-30 days for gun licence..


(i will ad more in future)

I'm heading to Belgium. Anyone have gun laws for Belgium?

This is an information thread only....

But here's a link http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=49&t=438942 You'll have to read the whole thread until you get to what it is your looking for.

Greetings to all. I am not so involved as I'd like to be, but here is a short look into gun ownership in Russia.

Airguns under 3 J - no license, just 16 years age.
Airguns over 3 J - ummm don't know
Shotgun - "green" hunter's licence, 18 years age.
Shotgun - self-defensive licence, no hunting permit, 18 years age, 5 items limit.
Carbine/ rifle (including rimfire) - "pink" hunter's licence, 5 years of shotgun owning (on hunting licence only), 5 items limit.
Non-lethal handgun - self-defensive licence, 18 years age, 2 items limit.
Usual handgun - forbidden for usual citizen, but legal for private security guards (on duty), ex-military (award weapon), and some other cases.

Shotguns and rifles (for hunt and self-defence) have 10 rounds limit.

Emmm, in this case weapons are the property of sport organization, not sportsman.

newzealand gun law
Firearms in New Zealand fall into one of four categories:

Pistols are firearms shorter than 762 mm (30 in).
Restricted Weapons include machine guns, selective-fire assault rifles, grenades and rocket launchers. This category also includes some non-firearm weapons such as pepper spray. Cabinet can declare things to be restricted weapons by regulation.
Military-Style Semi-Automatics (MSSAs) include semi-automatic rifles and shotguns that have one or more of the following components:
A folding or telescopic butt
A bayonet lug
A military pattern free-standing pistol grip
A flash suppressor
A magazine that holds (or looks like it could hold) more than 15 rounds of .22 rimfire ammunition or 7 rounds of a centrefire calibre.
A Category firearms are those that do not fall into any other category, and are the vast majority of legally-owned firearms in New Zealand.
Registration is not required under the law but the police carry out a regime similar to registration for all but "A Category" firearms. Firearms in any other category require a "permit to procure" before they are transferred.

Except under supervision of a licence holder, owning or using firearms requires a firearms licence from the police. The licence is normally issued, under the conditions that the applicant has secure storage for firearms, attends a safety lecture and passes a written safety test. The police will also interview the applicant and two referees (one must be a close relative and the other not related) to determine whether the applicant is "fit and proper" to have a firearm. The applicant's residence is also visited to check that they have appropriate storage for firearms and ammunition. Having criminal associations or a history of domestic violence almost always leads to a licence being declined.

A standard firearms licence allows the use of "A Category" firearms. To possess firearms of another category a person is required to get an endorsement to their licence. There are different endorsements for different classes of firearm but they all require a higher level of storage security, stricter vetting requirements and the applicant must have a 'special reason' for wanting the endorsement.

Each endorsement type has additional requirements

B Endorsement - Target (Competition) pistols

Applicant must be a current member of a pistol club, a financial member of Pistol New Zealand (or in some cases membership of an approved club) and have attended at least 12 club shoots in the last 6 months before they can apply
Applicant must be sponsored by their club
The endorsement holder must attend at least 12 club activities (either at their home club or to another recognised club) in a financial year
Normally limited to no more than 12 pistols registered to their licence
Pistols must be of an approved sporting type i.e. barrel length of more than 10 cm (3.9 in)
Pistols can only be carried to and from the range in a locked container with ammunition in a separate container or to a gunsmith
Pistols may only be shot on a Police approved pistol club range.
C Endorsement - Restricted Weapons Pistols can also be held on the C endorsement instead of the B. Common special reasons include:

Collecting (must provide evidence in the form of books, club membership, collection of A type firearms), Museum curator, Family heirlooms and Theatrical.
C category firearms must be stored in an inoperable condition
Can never be used with live ammunition, but blanks are allowed for movie making and re-enacting
Can only be taken to an approved display venue, re-enactment event or to another collector for sale.
D Endorsement - Dealers licence

For those that make an income from firearms. To sell restricted weapons the dealer also needs to have the appropriate endorsements.

Renewed annually
Further security requirements
Must maintain a record (usually a book or register) of firearm purchases and sales.
E Endorsement - Military Style Semi-Automatics (M.S.S.A)

New class of restricted weapon that was created after the Aramoana tragedy. At the time anyone with an M.S.S.A that wanted to keep it in that configuration was given a E endorsement (after going through the vetting and extra security requirements). But presently few are issued. Common reasons for wanting an E endorsement are professional pest destruction, collecting, 3-gun and service rifle shooting. Those people that did not want the extra hassle and expense of the endorsement converted their rifles into 'A' configuration by removing the components that made it an 'E'.

F Endorsement - Dealers Staff Licence

This class allows a person working for a dealer to demonstrate a Pistol, Military Style Semi Automatic or a Collectable weapon without having to have that class of licence. They can demonstrate one but not possess one for personal use. This is not a well known endorsement

[edit] Buying and sellingAnyone buying firearms or ammunition, whether privately or from a dealer, needs to show their firearms licence. In addition, a permit to procure must be obtained prior to the transfer of pistols, military-style semi-automatics and restricted weapons. Sales can be made by mail-order, but a police officer must sign the order form to verify that the purchaser has a firearms licence.

and if want import e cat rifle need to hand in one

... read the rules, this thread is for people posting info on their countries laws, not to make requests, you may start a new thread for that.

No they can't but on the other hand the law was also changed so that certain people can have Category 1 handguns if they are under threat from terrorists.

French gun laws have recently changed quite substantially so that the categories now largely follow those of the European Firearms Directive.

My advice is that anyone looking for info on an EU country first read the European Firearms Directive as it is the minimum standard for gun laws in the EU.

There are four categories:

A - prohibited firearms, including fully-automatic firearms and firearms disguised as other objects - these can only be authorized for possession by a collector;
B - short firearms (anything under 60cm or with a barrel length of 30cm or less) as well as any semi-automatic long gun with a detachable magazine or a fixed magazine that holds more than two rounds and any firearm that "resembles" a military firearm - subject to "individual authorization", which means some sort of licensing or permit provision;
C - long firearms, i.e. manually-operated long guns, two-shot semi-auto long guns, single-shot .22 pistols  - subject to "declaration" which really means some sort of registration;
D - smoothbore long firearms like double-barrel shotguns and single shot shotguns.

In practice no EU country religiously follows these categories, for example .22 single-shot pistols were put in C because of insistence from the French, then they later put them in Category 4 anyway (same as B).

However if you understand the EFD you will understand many of the references used in legislation in EU countries.

Yeah. But there's even less chance than getting a CCW License in NYC.

People who previously had "defensive firearms" (mostly revolvers) had to turn them in just because.

De facto, handguns and EBR can only be owned through target shooting



The exact content of the new A B C D categories won't be known for sure until September 2013.

Latest rumors are some sort of status quo, with some "obsolete" calibers being easier to get. A little less paperwork to get your firearms permit.

But on the other hand we might get magazine capacity restrictions (20 rds for handgun, 30 rds for long guns) and max 10 magazines per firearm (yeah, good luck with tracking unmarked magazines).

Anyway, these are just "informed rumors" and as with any executive order (you didn't expect any democracy, did you ?)  you never know until they are promulgated...

Well, that sounds quite rational.

Swiss Firearm Laws:

There are three cathegories of firearms in Switzerland:
- Contract: The follwing weapons can be purchased with a simple contract: Single shot and double barreled rifles/shotguns and bolt actions that can't be identified as a “war or law enforcement weapon”. The barrel must be longer than 51cm, it mustnt have a detachable muzzle brake or detachable magazine. No folding stocks and tacticool stuff like that is allowed.
- WES (Waffenerwerbsschein = Weapon Purchase Permit): This is the main cathegory. Every semi-automatic firearm, handgun and all rifles that don't comply with the “contract requirements” mentioned above fall into this cathegory. There is no such thing as SBR. The rifle, pistol or PDW can be as short as it gets and folding stocks etc don't matter at all. The WES weapon permit is pretty easy to get but your weapon will be registered with the police and you need to apply for it. All you need is to send in a copy of your passport, your criminal record and a form. You can get as many WES as you want and therefor as many firearms as you want.
- Special Permit: Suppressors, Lasers and Machineguns (also converted semi-automatics) need a special permit. It's more difficult to get. The government/police officer want to be sure that you are a serious collector. For fully aoutomatics there are even more restrictions. You need to make another permit everytime you want to go out and shoot it and you need to store the bolt in a safe etc.

Other things worth to be mentioned:
- Magazine capacity is not limited at all.
- You can apply for a Carry Permit but it is pretty much impossible to get for a regular citizen. You need to prove that you are in danger at some times and that there are threats to you. Only very few people have a carry permit in Switzerland.
- There are tons of shooting ranges here. About 3400 ranges for a population of only eight million people. Most of them are military only or official national shooting ranges of the shooting association  (where only a variety of guns and calibers are allowed.) There is still a variety of ranges where you can shoot all the other guns.
- There are no caliber restrictions. Hollowpoint and semijackted bullets are only allowed for hunting purposes though and steel-core ammo is not allowed for civilians at all.
- It is true that every young man who does military service can take his fully automatic SIG 550  home which is pretty ridiculous because 99% of Swiss military members don't give a damn about guns and still have a FA weapon at home while serious collectors are having a hard time acquiring and using fully automatic firearms and face loads of restrictions... Still it is a great tradition that shouldnt be changed.
- Marksmanship is deeply rooted in Swiss history and the firearm laws are still pretty good but the pressure from the European Union is getting heavier with every year. God knows for how long we can keep it the way it is now.

(Placeholder for extensive translation from Latvia)

In a nutshell..

CCW next to impossible. Need to prove your life is worth keeping safe.
OC fuggitaboutit. Only some police officers and security guards have permission to.

Pistols have no mag restrictions but no caliber larger than 9mm.
Rifles for hunting are a-okay but I've yet to see a privately owned AR or AK because from what I gathered most semi autos are a nono?
-Barrel length isn't regulated but any changes to a gun's internals need approval because the .gov takes ballistics info from every gun sold and as required by law registered.
-Suppressors are now legal to own! But no-one can legally sell them last I read over the law they passed this year.
ETA2: Hollowpoints, AP, Steelcore, etc. or anything besides FMJ are a nono. Somehow the government hasn't figured out that shotguns don't leave ballistics with buckshot but please don't tip off the politicians.

There is some sort of class system for owning different tiers of weapons but mere peasants can't legally hope to own most everything that stayed in my safe back in the USA. (And I really didn't have much of anything)

ETA: I didn't live here back then but allegedly they had relatively lax gun laws with full registration but after this..
(In Latvian) Guy shot in theater for eating popcorn too loud
I understand that quite a few guns were deemed illegal and rounded up/turned in but I don't really have more than hearsay for citation. for that.
But folks over here love being unarmed because of all the horrible news stories about guns they hear from the US.