M
mike-k
Guest
Why would you use a spray, when you can use a gun.
Switzerland thus has a relatively high gun ownership rate (31%-61% in 2005)
Nope.
Switzerland has an army based on the milita-system.
Meaning: every man (and volontairing woman) with 20 has to do bootcamp (15 or 18 weeks, depending on function). after that, you have your "personal effects" including the rifle (but no ammunition) at home; after bootcamp, you have normally 6 "repetition courses"; reading 6 x 2 (or depending on your function) 6 x 3 weeks. normally, once each year. Absolving those 6 x 2/3, you have to travel to different locations (Edit: the locations are not necessarly camps, but also bunkers, out in the green, aso)... Hence the whole effects "on man", so to speak. During this (normally) 6 years, you have to shoot the "Obligatorische"; a mandatory programm to "keep in touch with the rifle"; as sometimes a service has to be posponed, it is not possible to shoot during service; it's normaly held on a weekend in local shooting-clubs. That's why the rifle's at home, too -> so everyone can attent the yearly mandatory program...
Unfortunatly, ABSOLUTLY NO STATISTIC, swiss, european, nor american, differs between "private ownership of a gun" (VERY low due to the hard requierments) and "ownership due to military service". Though, it is possible to keep your rifle (modifed from automatic to single-shot) after service, but you'll have to proof you're shooting in a club (incl. tournaments!), you'll have to make a license to own the gun, proof you'll have a space to lock the gun away safley aso... And therefore many ex-soldiers return their rifle...
(I had to return my gun, as due to a whiplash-syndrom after a car-accident, I couldn't attent the tournaments for the "proof of need")
A short but needed explanation... Sorry for the OT