this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2024
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearms_regulation_in_Switzerland
There's also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_number_of_civilian_guns_per_capita_by_country showing that while the US has a disproportionate amount of guns it isn't actually alone in civilian ownership.
To highlight, you're only allowed to shoot them at gun ranges and are only allowed to carry them to and from the gun range, stashed away in a bag. You can't even pop into the grocery shop on the way. And people actually stick with that.
And people do go to prison when they don't stick to that. It's effectively just like if you were allowed to shoot guns at a range, but you had to leave it there when you're done.
Also every gun owner I've met there seems to agree the rules are sensible. Nobody is complaining they can't open carry or shoot beer bottles in the woods. And at the ranges themselves safety is the very first thing ok everyone's mind and it shows. Liberal gun laws can work if the owners are responsible. Also, if citizens are reasonably well off and taken care of, violence in general is less likely. Compare, for example, with stabbings in the UK.
In addition to your points, Ipretty strongly agree with the various ideas that all of the bans, gun free zones, and other firearm villification just serves to glorify them to those that would do the rest of us harm. Its a terrible feedback loop that especially seems to impact the rare but terrifying mass killings we've seen over the years.