this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
119 points (90.5% liked)
Asklemmy
43892 readers
747 users here now
A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions
Search asklemmy ๐
If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!
- Open-ended question
- Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
- Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
- Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
- An actual topic of discussion
Looking for support?
Looking for a community?
- Lemmyverse: community search
- sub.rehab: maps old subreddits to fediverse options, marks official as such
- !lemmy411@lemmy.ca: a community for finding communities
~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~
founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I have lived in Switzerland.
They have mandatory service and many people choose the military service option.
As I understand it, they get basic training and then do annual service. Most people seem to enjoy this as they serve with people from where they grew up and hae a lot of fun (and beer).
Each of these people has a military rifle in their home (and uniform, etc) with live ammo. They are a standing army. A well ordered militia, maybe?
You often see them on the train in fatigues with their weapon on the way to training.
https://www.ch.ch/en/safety-and-justice/military-service-and-civilian-service/military-service/#basic-training
https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryPorn/s/I1GLtIcQ4c
While the Swiss do tragically have "mass shootings", they are not US style terror attacks, typically: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mass_shootings_in_Switzerland
Swiss here, quick correction. Yes, we have the rifles in our attics and basements, but, generally, no ammo is given out. You get that at the armory when you go to mandatpry training or in case of emergency.
Which is probably why the last mass shooting was some 20 years back.
As I understand it, people can buy ammunition in Switzerland. Here's a FAQ from a Swiss gun store (in English) saying that ordering ammunition online requires a copy of an ID card and proof of residency.
The store sells .223 Remington ammunition which can be fired from the Sturmgewehr 550 service rifle.
What are the gun ownership rules for people who do not choose the military service option?
No idea, I was there as a cook for under two years. Guys I worked with had to do military service so we discussed it.
Found this: https://www.ch.ch/en/safety-and-justice/owning-a-weapon-in-switzerland/
There is a more in dept post above. In a nutshell, you can have semi-auto with a shall issue permit. No carrying for self defense however.