Switzerland would probably be less of a problem with gun ownership - but getting residence in the first place might be a far bigger obstacle. And the cats.
How about Somalia or Afghanistan? Sure, they are not very modern but you can keep your guns. Perhaps it is better to stay in the US where everyone needs lots of ammo and weapons. Myself, I feel safer in a place with fewer guns as I am about 100 times less likely to be assulted here in the Middle East than in the US.
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] DeadlyAccurate, I’m sure calm kiwi wasn’t trying to engage in an arms debate with you.
QUOTE]
I really wasn’t! NZ just doesn’t have a gun culture. Farmers (or hunters) have guns…they shoot possums and bunnies. And then you have your deer/boar hunters and that is it…yeah you have that odd South Auckland shoot out-gangland style but is that …ODD!
We don’t have that whole “right to bear arms” thing. Most Kiwis find the need for guns just a bit odd , that’s all I meant.
Your average suburban Kiwi thinks someone who has a need for gun either REALLY hates possums or is someone to be kept at arms length, the whole ‘defend yourself’ is not part of our society.
Just keep a close eye on those cats; polar bears look at them the way teenage boys look at Chicken McNuggets.
Technically, Spitsbergen is the name of the largest island, and Svalbard is the name of the archipelago, but since only Spitsbergen is permanently inhabited many people use that name to refer to the region as well.
Svalbard is in the weird situation that while it’s under Norwegian jurisdiction, there are limits to that jurisdiction and in some specific instances it does not function as part of Norway or any other country. This is particularly important when it comes to immigration rules. Basically, if you can find a job and a place to live, and you don’t get in trouble with the law, you will be allowed to stay. A handful of would-be refugees have chosen to move to Svalbard and take advantage of this after their requests for asylum were denied by the Norwegian government. Of course, since there are only two settlements of over 100 people, and the larger of these has fewer than 2000 permanent inhabitants, both the job and the place to live can be something of a challenge to find.
It depends where you live. You average Aucklander or Wellingtonian might find the need for guns a bit odd, but in the South Island they’re very common and many families have one, even if it’s Grandad’s .303 From The War. You don’t need a gun licence to buy airguns in NZ and most of the guys I knew in high school had at least one air rifle or air pistol.
As Calm Kiwi says, gun ownership for self-defence in NZ and Australia is not permitted, and whilst it is possible to legally own handguns, the only time you can use them is at a shooting range, and the amount of paperwork and so on that you have to go through to get a pistol licence- never mind actually buying a handgun- is mind-boggling.
Do NOT start going on about anything even vaguely sounding like it might have come from an NRA Pamphlet if you want to bring guns into Australia or NZ or get a firearms licence once you’re here. Even other gun owners will probably regard you as a bit of an extremist- as has been mentioned, firearms are considered “Sporting Goods”, not tools, in these parts.
Ironically, I’d like to move to the US, but wouldn’t be able to bring my guns with me… all the import paperwork is just prohibitive.
Having said that, what sort of handguns have you got? Australia has laws on calibre, barrel length, and magazine capacity- there’s no point bringing in a .50AE Desert Eagle with you because it’s not possible to legally own one unless you’re a farmer or a collector, and even if you could get a licence for one almost no-one sells the ammo.
I am not a gun person, but this raises a question. If I happened to have to use my legal shotgun against an armed intruder, would there be strong repercussions against me?
Rather than residence, the Swiss go for work permits. Work permits vary by canton (so many things do that I’m amazed this country doesn’t have more lawyers), but there’s things like “a work permit to look for a job”.
Right, just sorted out a reply, had a mains blip followed by a reboot :smack:
So start again
From a government Minister in 2004 (full article )
Of course the plod will want to know why the gun wasn’t locked up :rolleyes:
There was a case back a bit where an unlicenced pistol was used to kill an intruder (druggie vs dealer). The guy got off the man slaughter charge eventually, but was done for owning the pistol :rolleyes: Can’t find a cite sorry, it’s probably before online news became wide spread here.
Don’t want to hijack this into a “gun friendly countries thread” but just a quick remark. This used to be true. It was terribly easy to get and keep handguns, or most other types of guns in South Africa. But not any more.
They have launched new gun control laws that are very stringent. You have to pass both a proficiency test and a psychological evaluation. The licence fees are quite high. You are also limited to 1 self defense weapon (handgun or shotgun)and 2 recreational weapons (shotguns or hunting rifles). It has become such a hassle that quite a few people have sold their guns or simply handed them to the police.
So far it hasn’t made any noticable difference in crime or violence but we live in hope. (The problem being that illegal firearms are still dead easy to get, especially from our neighbouring countries like Mozambique and Zimbabwe.)
Do you seriously want to live somewhere that pulling a gun is ok? It seems there are plenty of places out there for you, why make NZ any more gun friendly?
Mind you I support the “anti-smacking” bill. We were probably never destined to agree