From: C96@vm.urz.uni-heidelberg.de
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: German Firearms Regulations
Date: 26 Aug 92 13:30:37 GMT
Organization: University of Heidelberg, Germany

I am a lawyer myself, German and a shooter, too. Obviously, I couldn't
escape making some acquaintance with our arms laws. Unfortunately, I spent
too much time pondering over a possible answer to the question.
   Now, in article <1992Aug24.121137.1455@email.tuwien.ac.at>
holger@vmars.tuwien.ac.at (Holger Reusch) has endeavoured to give
some kind of an answer. Without any inappropriate flaming intention (a lot
of Holger's postings I liked and his magazine lookaround was very valuable,
even though one could argue about the characterizations :->): a lot of the
following statements are wrong or at least misleading and I feel they should
be corrected. Sorry Holger - don't shoot me.

#hollombe@polymath.tti.com (The Polymath) wrote, originally:
##Can someone tell me what firearms, if any, the ordinary citizen is
##allowed to own in Germany?  How about tourists and/or US Military
##folk assigned there?

Now Holger:
#The German gun law is one of the most paranoid in Europe.  You have to
#be active member of a shooter association (or a hunter) to get any kind
#of gun.

No, you haven't. It just makes things a lot less difficult (I wouldn't
say "easy"). The essence of it is that you have to supply legal proof of
need ("Beduerfnis"). For hunters and shooting club members, that's not very
difficult. Collectors frequently experience troubles.

#The assoc. has to write a letter certifying that a person needs
#a special kind of gun for a special kind of competition.  For instance,
#you might be allowed to purchase a "sport revolver, caliber .38 Special,
#barrel length 4.5" thru 6.5".

Correct. The first two handguns aren't a problem. Afterwards, it tends to
become more difficult. Rifles and shotguns are easier, in this respect.

#Most gun associations have only small caliber ranges, so they can't
#certify for big-bore handguns.

"Gun club" would be the appropriate word. The fact is given correctly, but
misleading. There would be few places in Germany where you'd have to
drive more than 20-25 kms to find a bigbore range. The legal problem is
noise: Germany is very densely populated and has strict environmental
laws against noise pollution. However, sporting grounds have been somewhat
privileged by a new ordinance a year ago.

#The police has to approve of each buying or selling of a handgun

Of each gun, in fact, not just of handguns; muzzleloaders excepted. However,
your wording is very misleading for American readers. "Police" does not
mean uniformed police, but general county (or city) administration.

#(and each cartridge, too).

Oh, NOO! Where did this fairy tale come from? There isn't even registration
for ammunition sales any more, leave alone need of approval. What you *do*
need to buy ammo is a valid hunting license or a firearms certificate (Waffen-
besitzkarte) with permission to acquire ammunition. Seperate ammunition
certificates exist, but are rarely practical: e.g. for collectors.

#Hollow point ammo, don't even think about it!

Correct. HP handgun ammo is forbidden, except .22 rimfire. Exceptions
are virtually not granted.

#Don't think that "just entering a shooter association" will get you a
#gun quickly.  Most organizations are even more paranoid than the police.

Nope.

#In gun clubs sponsored by the DSB (Deutscher Schuetzenbund), waiting
#periods of 1+ years, during that time you have to be a "member in good
#conduct" training regularily with borrowed guns and never saying
#anything against the club functionaries, are not unusual.

Mmhm... sounds like a personal bad experience. Isn't true generally.
Besides, there are at least four major nationwide shooting associations
(now the term is appropriate) beyond the DSchueB, namely the BDS (Bund
deutscher Sportschuetzen), BDMP (Bund der Militaer- und Polizeischuetzen),
DSU (Deutsche Schiesssport-Union), all doing bigbore shooting, and the
DJV (Deutscher Jagdschutz-Verband, Hunting Ass.) which also conducts
semi-sportive shooting in a loosely hynting-associated manner.

#Hunters have it a bit easier.  On the other hand, you have to pass a
#difficult examination (comparable to a high school diploma) to be
#allowed to be a hunter.

It is decidedly *more difficult*. I must know it because I did the two
of them at the same time :-). Besides, failure rate is much higher in the
hunting exams.

#Disclaimer: I don't have any factual information on German gun law, just
#what is written in gun magazines.

Unfortunately, this disclaimer is but too correct. One shouldn't trust
these magazines: rather look at the law. Lot of propaganda around there
even if they're somewhat right in complaining about excessively strict laws.

Alexander Eichener
<c96@vm.urz.uni-heidelberg.de>:
in real life, working at Heidelberg University, School of Law.