Compulsory gun ownership?

[RichardM]

Originally Posted by bufungla

The spin I've always heard the pro-gun people put on that was that the concern was with the concealment of a weapon, and that the carrying of an unconcealed weapon was perfectly legal.

As I understand the previous law, this is true.

[snopes]

Comment: Someone on FB has shared a post that claims Switzerland provides
each of its citizens a sig550 assault rifle and provides training in use
of this weapon. Surely this isn't true!?

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Comment: Switzerland issues every adult a gun and trains them how to use
it: Switzeland has lowest gun-related crime rate in the civilized world.

[Cyrano]

Every Swiss citizen who serves in the Army (military service being compulsory for male citizens and facultative for women) is issued a service weapon (Sturmgewehr 90 assault rifle, SIG 220 pistol for senior NCOs, officers, pilots and medics). Until now, the weapon is kept at home like the whole military equipment (though recently, one is given the possiblity to give it to an arsenal). Until 2007 one was also issued a sealed can of ammunition that was to be opened only in case of a war mobilization (the can being checked at every period of service).

Until the citizen's dismissed from the service (at age 40 in my days, 35 now), he/she has to perform a yearly marksmanship exercise at the local range kept by one of the country's innumerable shooting clubs and societies. Ammunition for this exercise is free and provided by the Army.

Once he/she leaves the service, the citizen is offered the possibility to keep the sercice weapon, which, in case of the assault rifle, is modified to semi-auto only.

So yes, the first comment is mostly true - except that it's not "every citizen" but "every citizen who is or has been in the Army"... however, as the former generations' weapons are generally kept in the family, there's hardly one home in the country where you won't find dad's assault rifle 57, granddad's carbine 1938 or grand-granddad's 1911 rifle gathering dust in the attic.

As for the crime rate cited in the second comment, it's actually very low, but it has more to do with the country's generally decent standard of living, stability and excellent social security system than with the presence of guns in every closet... one even has to admit this weaponry occasionally plays a sad part in tragic cases of domestic violence and it's the Swiss males' #1 method of suicide.

[damian]

Are Swiss Army guns multi-functional like the knives?

[Brad from Georgia]

Originally Posted by damian

Are Swiss Army guns multi-functional like the knives?

Yes, but the toothpick is always missing.

[Cyrano]

Like most rifles, they come with a bayonet, but ours have a small bipedal for enhanced accuracy in prone position shooting (also to use the rifle as a light MG in full auto), and it has an external "winter trigger" that facilitates shooting with mittens on.

And the famed Swiss Army Knife (official version) is specifically designed as a tool to break down and reassemble the rifle.

But no, there's no toothpick.

[diddy]

ETA: Misread the question.....

[damian]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

But no, there's no toothpick.

DO they have that tool for digging stones out of horses hooves?

[Cyrano]

You mean the sharp, pointy thing?

Yes - but we used it to punch holes in cans. Plus, it's very practical (together with the main screwdriver/can opener) to pinch the rifle's firing pin so it blocks the spring and doesn't jump out of the block when you disassemble it.

[damian]

And you guys do all that training just so you can protect the Pope?

[Don Enrico]

No, the training with the gun is to protect Switzerland against invasions (succesfully since centuries!).

To protect the pope, you have to train with the halberd additionally.