You can get a permit to own a rifle, but it is much harder. In the case of a shotgun license, the police have to give a good reason why they shouldn’t grant one, in the case of a rifle, the would-be owner has to demonstrate why they should have one, so the burden of justification is shifted from the police to the owner...
Maybe it's a bit better than I thought if that goes for urban areas as well. Can you buy a pump shotgun? Can you keep the shotgun loaded? (In Canada they will charge you with improper storage - at least it used be that way). Do you know if you can you buy 00 shotshells and shotgun slugs and also can you buy ammo without a permit?