Switzerland has a long history of proud gun ownership.

They can own anything from handguns to fully automatic rifles. The Swiss are always very competitive in marksmanship competitions and have a culture of shooting. In order to obtain a firearm Swiss citizens must apply for a permit and are checked for criminal and mental issues.

Sounds sensible to me..

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spjennifer · 61-69, T

Switzerland also has mandatory Military service for men and all must complete an annual shooting test to ensure they still know how to shoot for the duration of their military obligation which ends at 38 for enlisted and at 50 for Officers, they also spend a certain amount of compensated time serving every year during their obligation.

Quetzalcoatlus · 46-50, M

@spjennifer Yes I saw many young men on trains/walking with firearms slung on their shoulders.

spjennifer · 61-69, T

@Quetzalcoatlus Yes, heading off to do their duty. They also used to be issued with ammo but if I remember correctly, they stopped that maybe around 2005? Most Swiss are very much law abiding and would be embarrassed by even the suggestion that they might break a law so they are very careful with their guns.

Quetzalcoatlus · 46-50, M

@spjennifer Something that we should strive for here in the US., responsible citizenship....

Ferise1 · 46-50, M

@spjennifer it stops at 30 now for enlisted

spjennifer · 61-69, T

@Quetzalcoatlus Some of us do, most would squawk about their "Rights".
I remember in the 90's on vacation out walking in Geneva and a young kid maybe 7 or 8 dropped a candy wrapper, a Gendarme came over and gave him a lecture like he'd committed a national crime, I think if he could have, the cop would have had the kid scrubbing the sidewalk or his parents would have made him do it.

spjennifer · 61-69, T

@Ferise1 Ok, you may be right, it used to be 38 but that was maybe 10 years ago last I'd heard about it from friends there 😊

dancingtongue · 80-89, M

@spjennifer Sort of sounds like what the Second Amendment writers meant when they specified "well-regulated militia" as justification for the right to bear arms.

spjennifer · 61-69, T

@dancingtongue And Switzerland does indeed have a "well regulated" militia and there are serious penalties for gun crimes. Here, it's the gun fetishists, gun manufacturers and the NRA that have completely fucked up the interpretation of our 2nd Amendment to sell more and more guns, seriously 400M+ guns for 330M population???