‘’’’It was only a matter of time before Russia became an almost totally gun-free nation. Some people believed Russians would regain their right to own guns after the collapse of the Soviet Union but despite firearms becoming available on the black market during the 90s, the new government did not risk liberalizing the gun market.
Today, Russians can only legally buy smoothbore guns for hunting and sports, as well as pneumatic firearms for self-defense. Applying for a gun license also involves a pretty rigorous background check.’’’’
That’s basically not true. Since August 1953 you could buy any shotgun including semi-auto or a 22 caliber rifle without producing an ID in USSR. Guns were in abundance, you could by one in any hardware or sports shop. For a rifled gun you had to produce an ID and a hunting club membership.
At the same tume ‘respectable’ citizens could carry handguns under licence from local police chief.
More important, illegal weapon traffic was a federal crime in USSR butbthe maximal punishment was 2 years exile. That means the usual punishment was a fine or a month of probation.
Around 1959 there were changes and one was required to produce ID and a hunting club membership to buy any gun.
Actual gun registration started in 1974 and it required too much formalities specifically for a rifled gun owners prompting many to surrender it.
In fact the most dranonian anti-gun rules in modern Russia were implemented post-USSR in 1993 by Yeltsyn government. Handguns and rifles were nearly outlawed and for shotguns you were required to get a licence with months of background checks and other paperwork. To make things worse you had to renew the licence once in a few years.
Today the process is somehow easier and you can have rifle as well although many restriction remains.
In fact the most dranonian anti-gun rules in modern Russia were implemented post-USSR in 1993 by Yeltsyn government.
The Yeltsyn's era bill on guns made rifles available to non-professional hunters. Handguns have been effectively banned since long ago at the Soviet era and the law changed nothing in that.