Increasing Gun Purchases in Switzerland: Uncovering the Reasons Behind the Trend
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Swiss Cantons See a Surge in Gun Permits in 2024
Looks like some Swiss cantons have been handing out more gun permits recently compared to previous years, as reported by 20 Minuten.
Take Lucerne, for example, which recorded a whopping 43% increase in gun permits in 2024. However, it's worth noting that 280 of the 2,680 permits issued in this canton went to police officers wishing to keep their old service weapons.
Here are some other canton statistics:
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden: 304 new permits, a 35.7% increase
- Appenzell Innerrhoden: 167 permits, a 12.8% increase
- Solothurn: 1,122 permits, an 11.5% increase
- Basel-City: 670 permits, up 7.7%
- Basel-Country: 1,953 permits, a 5.7% increase
- Glarus: 182 new permits, a 4% increase
- Thurgau: 734 permits, a 5.6% hike
- Uri: 111 more permits, a 2.8% increase
(The only statistics cited by 20 Minuten; numbers for other cantons were not included.) In cantons like Zug and Solothurn, the number of gun permits appears to have decreased, but it's unclear if this is due to fewer applications or more denials.
So, why the sudden jump in gun sales?
No official data exists to explain the trend, but it seems that the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe plays a significant role.
A spokesperson for the Cantonal Police in Appenzell Ausserrhoden, where a 35.7% increase in permits was recorded, attributes the upward trend to a "general sense of insecurity." The St. Gallen Cantonal Police echoes similar concerns.
But it's not all doom and gloom – there's also a penchant for target shooting among the Swiss. Alexander Ambauen, owner of a gun shop in Beckenried, canton Nidwalden, believes the increase in gun sales is largely due to the relaxation of rules by the Swiss Shooting Sports Federation. Prior to the change, only army service weapons were permitted for sport shooting, but now any brand and type of pistol is allowed, provided it fits into a test box and is a 9-mm caliber.
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What's the deal with gun permits in Switzerland?
If you're hankering for a pistol, self-loading rifle, shotgun, pump-action weapon, or revolver, you'll need to snag a gun permit. To do so, you'll need to submit an application to the firearms office in your canton of residence.
Provided you're a Swiss citizen (dual nationals included), you're generally permitted to own a weapon if:
- You're at least 18 years old
- There's no reason to suspect you may use the weapon to harm yourself or others
- You've got no criminal record indicative of a violent disposition or a threat to public safety, or for repeated felonies or misdemeanors
All the rules are laid out here.
Owning certain weapons, such as airsoft guns, blank-firing pistols, paintball guns, or a hand-held repeating rifle for hunting, requires a written contract.
Prohibited items include semi-automatic rifles, serial firearms, stun guns, butterfly knives, and daggers with symmetrical blades. However, exceptions may be granted for these types of weapons, such as for sport shooters or collectors.
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Foreign residents, can you get a gun permit too?
Generally, if you've got a C permit, you've got the same rights to own and use a firearm as a Swiss citizen.
On the flip side, foreign nationals without a long-term residence permit need a weapons acquisition permit for all types of weapons and their essential components, according to the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol). They must also have a certificate confirming they're authorized to acquire the weapon or main components from their canton of residence or country of origin.
However, citizens of Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, and Turkey are not permitted to buy guns or any weapon components unless they have a C permit.
READ ALSO: Can foreign residents in Switzerland own guns?
- The trend of increasing gun permits in Swiss cantons, such as a 35.7% increase in Appenzell Ausserrhoden, might be influenced by the general sense of insecurity caused by geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe.
- In Solothurn, while the number of gun permits seems to have decreased, it's uncertain if this is due to fewer applications or more denials.
- Alongside the geopolitical concerns, the relaxation of rules by the Swiss Shooting Sports Federation, allowing any brand and type of pistol for sport shooting, has contributed to the surges in gun sales in some cantons like Nidwalden.
