Staring down the barrel of Swiss gun traditions

[EFsDad]

http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/video/staring-down-the-barrel-of-switzerlands-gun-tradit.shtml?14430

Switzerland is grappling with a question and it’s a loaded one: should its citizens be allowed to keep military rifles at home? The shooting traditions are deep-rooted in this country where basic military training is mandatory and so is storing weapons at home. It’s estimated that over 500,000 military rifles are kept in Swiss cellars and cupboards. WRS video journalist Amy Wong went to the Tiro Federale in Campagna (also called the Feldschiessen in German or Tir fédéral en campagne in French) the largest shooting festival in the world, to witness this 83-year-old tradition.

Watch and enjoy. I almost want to become a Swiss citizen.

 

[Dale00]

Great video. I enjoyed seeing the Swiss military rifles (and the bumper stickers behind then in the gun safe).

 

[mons meg]

The Swiss have a lot going for them, but don't think that their gun laws are as friendly as we have here, STG-90 over the mantlepiece notwithstanding.

 

[POSITIVE DISCONTENT]

Was great until about 3 min 30 sec in....

 

[AKguy1985]

i'd love to have a SIG 550 at home

 

[Talacker]

One reason the Swiss are so free, both economically and otherwise, is their tradition of referendum. Ensures major decisions are truly the will of the people and not corrupted by altering influences.

 

[Plinker]

Outfreakingstanding. I chuckled at the pro-gun stickers in the locker, growled at the activist ("...there is no military justification for this tradition to be kept..."), and cheered the rebuttal from the original interviewee.

People use guns to kill themselves so guns are bad. Holy hell. So...let's get rid of them because we've never needed them? Do the anti's even bother to think that maybe the reason they've never BEEN used is because they've always been ready to BE used? You'd have to be crazy to invade der Schweitz...

 

[mons meg]

Circular logic? No military justification, because ostensibly they haven't been invaded recently....wait...what?

 

[Old Fart]

Couple of things jumped out at me.

1. The government supplies the guns and the ammo.
Novel approach.

2. 300 gun deaths nationally last year, most were suicide.
Pretty low occurence actually. I wonder how many of them were suicide?