What’s a definition of a ‘professional hunter’? You could get such a status from a related organizations rather easily. Also, before 1993 handgun permits were issued by a local police. Most holders were party apparatchiks, military vets who got personal handguns as an award or people working with cash and valuables, true but you still could get one being a friend with a police chief. In 1993 local police was stripped from the right to issue handgun permits which fell under a definition of a ‘service weapon’. Only government and security companies were allowed to hold handguns since then. The latter was actually a possibility to put hands on a handgun being licensed as a security guard. Another downside of a 1993 bill was that 22 lr was finally equated to the rest of rifled guns making it out of reach with a regular license.
Bottom line is USSR was rather pro-gun in between 1953 and 1974. Not entirely anti-gun in between 1974-1993. Currently there are certain improvements as well due to a loose legal definition of a ‘rifle’. There are certain types of rifling considered ‘smoothbore’ by law and producers are using it to build rather potent civilian weapons. ,366tkm or 9,6/53 lankaster calibers are good examples. The first is very accurate under 600ft and no less lethal than 7,62/39 and the latter is ever better than that. The main ussie is a cost because ,366tkm SKS cost like 30000 rubles or $500 while never-issued mind original SKS is around $100 and a used one is half that much. Also tkm ammo costs about $,5 per round and 7,62/39 is nearly free in Russia.
In the late Soviet years (two decadish) it meant a person worked on a contract with a relevant enterprise. They hunted mainly for furs. Such job required living in a remote forested area for a half a year, and a rifle was necessary for self-defense.
but you still could get one being a friend with a police chief
That's not actually handgun ownership for everyone.
There are certain types of rifling considered ‘smoothbore’ by law and producers are using it to build rather potent civilian weapons.
Those solutions aren't popular at all. Most people prefer to wait for five years before they can legally apply for a rifle permit.
As for the handguns ownership, there have been at least two attempts to legalise it, the most recent was by the LDPR party, but the Russian Duma (parliament) has declined them all.