What it actually takes to buy a gun in Switzerland

[ichy]

Certain uninformed people like to hold Switzerland up as some kind of gun-lover's paradise. Here's a reddit post that more accurately shows that the process for getting a gun is like. So much for all of the NRA fantasies of what Switzerland is like:

http://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/17d43q/im_an_immigrant_in_switzerland_and_i_finally/

After over 10 years living in here I decided to buy a gun and do some target practicing. So I applied for a weapons permit in order to buy a Glock 19. Here's my gun: http://i.imgur.com/IgDAn6k.jpg

It works like this:

You go to the local post office and ask for a copy of your criminal records. You pay 20 Swiss Francs and they send you a paper during the next couple of days.

After this you go to the local police station and ask for a weapons permit. They give you a bunch of papers and you have to fill them out.

They ask stuff inside the form like "Do you have any mental illnesses, is there any criminal process open against you, do you have any addiction etc.". After you answer these questions, they might check it out to see if it's true.

You can apply for 3 weapons and you have to explain why you want a gun, they have several categories like "Sports; Combat Shooting; Collection: Self Defense" etc. I went for "Sports" since I just want to shoot stuff for fun.

You can buy Bolt Action Rifles, Hunting Rifles, Hunting Shotguns with only a copy of your criminal record and ID, basically almost over the counter. But for any other weapon you need a Weapons Permit.

After filling those papers you have to go back to the police station and give them the papers, the copy of your criminal record and a copy of your ID.

They take around 10 days to check out the information that you filled. If they accept you (they always will if you have a clean record and don't come from a country like Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Sri Lanka etc. (since the immigrants from these countries have high criminality and because of sending these weapons to their home countries when they were at war.)

You receive a confirmation that you have been accepted and you need to pay 50 Swiss Francs for them to send you the permit.

After paying you get the permit which consists of 3 copies of permit.

You go to a store, let the guy there fill your permit and buy the gun you want and all the ammo you want.

You cannot carry the gun with you unless you are going to a shooting range (always inside the briefcase), you cannot keep a loaded magazine inside the same briefcase.

Conceal carry is not allowed, unless you have a job that requires you to use guns or have guns with you, such as Bodyguards or some forms of Security jobs.

Guns are very expensive in Switzerland, a new Glock costs around 1k Dollars and the ammo goes for 17 Dollars for 50 rounds. A new SIG 550 rifle goes for 3k Dollars, unless you get one when you are in the army.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

You go to the local post office and ask for a copy of your criminal records. You pay 20 Swiss Francs and they send you a paper during the next couple of days.

After this you go to the local police station and ask for a weapons permit. They give you a bunch of papers and you have to fill them out.

They ask stuff inside the form like "Do you have any mental illnesses, is there any criminal process open against you, do you have any addiction etc.". After you answer these questions, they might check it out to see if it's true.

All of that is already done in the US via NICS and form 4473, you just don't have to physically transfer any paperwork for it.

 

[kage69]

According to a Swiss friend of mine, when being discharged from the military after compulsory service you have the option of keeping your rifle, although the armory guys remove the full auto or burst fire first.


I still think that's pretty cool.

 

[xj0hnx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ufkwTM82e4

 

[sigurros81]

All of that is already done in the US via NICS and form 4473, you just don't have to physically transfer any paperwork for it.

Except it's not fully enforced, depending on how you're buying a gun. I can walk into a gun show and walk out with a gun in about 10 minutes.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Except it's not fully enforced, depending on how you're buying a gun. I can walk into a gun show and walk out with a gun in about 10 minutes.

What does the gun show setting have to do with it? It's no secret that private sales don't need a background check

 

[ichy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ufkwTM82e4

Whoever made that video is retarded. The first line in the description is:

Switzerland has the lowest crime rate in the world,because the people are armed,basic military is mandatory for men,and after wards they are required to keep their weapon at home

That's completely untrue. Switzerland has a very low crime rate compared to the US but it's nowhere close to being the lowest in the world.

 

[ivwshane]

What does the gun show setting have to do with it? It's no secret that private sales don't need a background check

Well then that negates your first post doesn't it?

 

[Genx87]

So their background check goes quite similar to ours except we arent shuffling papers around?

In MN I have to apply for a permit to purchase a pistol or "assault rifle". I get this permit issued via local law enforcement. It takes 7-14 business days. Then I go to purchase said weapon and a federal background check is done at the point of sale. I cant walk around with it loaded unless I can conceal permit.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Well then that negates your first post doesn't it?

No, private sellers can't sell guns in bulk at gun shows and are closely watched by the ATF. Additionally purchasing new guns with the intent to resell them is not permitted without a FFL and FFL holders must run background checks on sales.

 

[xj0hnx]

Whoever made that video is retarded. The first line in the description is:



That's completely untrue. Switzerland has a very low crime rate compared to the US but it's nowhere close to being the lowest in the world.

Does that change the fact that there are actual assault rifles in MANY homes there?

 

[ivwshane]

No, private sellers can't sell guns in bulk at gun shows and are closely watched by the ATF. Additionally purchasing new guns with the intent to resell them is not permitted without a FFL and FFL holders must run background checks on sales.

What does any of that have to do with one person buying a gun? You are changing the argument, no one said anything about buying or selling in bulk.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

What does any of that have to do with one person buying a gun? You are changing the argument, no one said anything about buying or selling in bulk.

It means that the vast majority of people are not buying their weapons that way. A seller can't simply bring a half dozen cases of AKs to a gun show and sell them without doing background checks.

Have you ever purchased a gun?

 

[DrPizza]

I'm missing the OP's point. It seemed as though he was trying to show that it's harder to get a gun in Switzerland. In NY, for a rifle or shotgun, the process is the same - pretty much over the counter. They take down your information & over the phone, a quick background check is done with your info. But, in NY, if I want to purchase a handgun, it's going to take months and months for the process to get the permit. I know it's not true in all states - a friend got a permit in NC - took 8 days. Here, depending on the county, it might take upwards of 6 months or longer before you get a permit.

 

[jpeyton]

Wow that bites. I prefer my state, where I can walk into a Walmart and walk out with a firearm 20 minutes later.

 

[sigurros81]

I'm missing the OP's point. It seemed as though he was trying to show that it's harder to get a gun in Switzerland. In NY, for a rifle or shotgun, the process is the same - pretty much over the counter. They take down your information & over the phone, a quick background check is done with your info. But, in NY, if I want to purchase a handgun, it's going to take months and months for the process to get the permit. I know it's not true in all states - a friend got a permit in NC - took 8 days. Here, depending on the county, it might take upwards of 6 months or longer before you get a permit.

I guess the point, that I gather from your post as well as the OP's is that our laws on purchasing guns in America are so varied and inconsistently enforced that ultimately, does not really do anything at all. I don't know, maybe in Switzerland, there are plenty of under the table gun dealings as well, but I know here in Texas, it's so easy to buy a gun.

 

[blankslate]

According to a Swiss friend of mine, when being discharged from the military after compulsory service you have the option of keeping your rifle, although the armory guys remove the full auto or burst fire first.


I still think that's pretty cool.

That is awesome. If they did that in the U.S. there would be more people in joining the military.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

I guess the point, that I gather from your post as well as the OP's is that our laws on purchasing guns in America are so varied and inconsistently enforced that ultimately, does not really do anything at all. I don't know, maybe in Switzerland, there are plenty of under the table gun dealings as well, but I know here in Texas, it's so easy to buy a gun.

How do you know it is so easy? Have you ever bought a gun or filled out a form 4473?

 

[ichy]

I'm missing the OP's point. It seemed as though he was trying to show that it's harder to get a gun in Switzerland.

Switzerland is often painted as some kind of libertarian gun lover's paradise. My point was that this is not true.

 

[ivwshane]

It means that the vast majority of people are not buying their weapons that way. A seller can't simply bring a half dozen cases of AKs to a gun show and sell them without doing background checks.

Have you ever purchased a gun?

No one is saying the vast majority of people are buying their guns that way, again you are changing the argument.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

No one is saying the vast majority of people are buying their guns that way, again you are changing the argument.

Why do you keep dodging the question about your experience with gun purchases?

 

[sigurros81]

How do you know it is so easy? Have you ever bought a gun or filled out a form 4473?

No, I like to pull random shit out of my ass and say made-up things just for the sake of it.

 

[KB]

I don't know anyone who said Switzerland was a gun buyers paradise. NRA memebers and anti-gun control advocates only mention Switzerland because they have a very armed populace.
"A new SIG 550 rifle goes for 3k Dollars, unless you get one when you are in the army. "
Since military service is compulsury, and many people leave with their rifles, there are many rifles owned by the people in Switzerland. Buying one is certainly another story.

 

[Genx87]

Switzerland is often painted as some kind of libertarian gun lover's paradise. My point was that this is not true.

Who is saying that?

 

[Nebor]

It sounds like a paper & pen version of our NICS system, to be honest. Maybe a little bit of Illinois' FOID system mixed in.