The standard weapon for protecting oneself against a crime is a pistol and not a rifle.
Against what kind of crime you want to protect yourself? In case of burglary it makes no difference. In case of an assault a pistol is better but best choice for the attacker.
Ban pistols but allow rifles.
But you can't accept any limitation to your right to keep and bear arms. If it makes sense to you to not allow automatic guns or rifles then there is no limit to ban any arm. I want a RMK 30 to protect me.
Back to Switzerland. You're not allowed to carry your rifle and ammunition at the same time. Carrying is only allowed just for certain purpose, e.g. "compulsory shooting".
If I know I'm going to need a weapon, I'll take a long gun almost every time. Handguns are just, well, handy. I generally don't do it anymore, since I don't live in the same place, but I used to keep an M-1 Carbine beside my computer table, which was right in front of a bay window, in an area where drive by shooting were more likely than in many places. As I told my wife, they'd better not miss or they're going to be in for a rude surprise, sometimes, just because I could, I'd substitute an SKS, with bayonet of course, for the Carbine.