AMERICANS OWN LARGEST NUMBER OF FIREARMS IN WORLD

DeutschePresse via Bloomberg no url | 7/8/3

[NativeNewYorker]

New York (dpa) - A study released Tuesday on legal gun ownership

worldwide shows the United States - not surprisingly - leads the

world, but it also shows that Europeans own a high number of firearms. 

   The number of guns owned by civilians in the United States is

between 238 million and 276 million, making country of 268 million

people the most armed in the world, the study by the Graduate

Institute of International Studies in Geneva said. 

   But it also said the 15 European Union nations, with more than 300

million people, have a total of 84 million firearms, with Finland

leading in per capita gun ownership. 

   The study was presented to a 156-nation conference at U.N.

headquarters on progress made in banning the illicit trade of small

and light weapons around the world, which killed an estimated 500,000

people a year. Those weapons are military sidearms, assault rifles,

rifles, sub-machine and machine guns and grenade launchers. 

   The Swiss study focused on legal gun ownership among ordinary

citizens, excluding military personnel and police officers. It said

what the study revealed about Europe debunked the belief that

Europeans are disarmed and do not privately hold a large stock of

guns. 

   It said 80 per cent of the estimated 84 million firearms in Europe

are in civilian hands, with Finland leading with 39 guns for every 100

citizens, followed by Norway with 36 guns, Sweden with 24 guns and

Denmark with 18 guns. 

   But the United States, which the study estimates has between 83 and

96 guns for every 100 people, still has far more guns per person than

Europe, where the survey estimates there are 17.4 guns for every 100

people. 

   The study said Americans are most armed in the world, followed by

Finns and Yememis. 

   The National Rifle Association, the leading U.S. group representing

gun owners, says there are more than 200 million privately owned

firearms in the United States. These guns are owned by about 60

million people, NRA statistics posted at the 4-million-member

organization's website say.

   The Swiss group was among the nongovernmental organizations that

were taking part in the conference to review implementation of the

2-year-old U.N. agreement to ban the illegal trade of small and light

weapons. There are an estimated 600 million such weapons around the

world, both legally and illegally owned. 

   The U.N. has denounced the lucrative illegal trade of small arms

for fueling civil wars, threatening peace efforts and development

projects in poor countries. 

   When the week-long conference opened Monday, the research group,

the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), said little

progress had been made to implement the ban. It said only 37 of the

156 governments have set up national committees in the past two years

to coordinate action against small arms, and 56 have submitted

progress reports to the U.N. on implementing the ban. 

   Progress has been ''particularly slow'' in countries in North

Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia, it said.

[ChefKeith]

My bad

[Richard Kimball]

All-Righta!

And I'm still short a 30-30 model 94 and a 12 gauge.

[El Gato]

Of course the number of guns per 100 people doesn't tell the whole story. Also important is the number of individuals, or even of households, that own one or more guns. If you count the "issue" rifle or pistol that most Swiss men have in their closet somewhere, the Swiss come out on top. Notice that they aren't even mentioned, because technically the Swiss Army owns those guns, until the person completes his required "militia" service, which is at a fairly old age( about my age maybe? :) ) , and then they may retain them for a small charge. Meanwhile they are free to use them, and many do, just not for nefarious purposes.

[El Gato]

They said that the Swiss are the most heavily armed people in Europe. Every guy is drafted into the Army and than has to keep his service rifle at home for the rest of their life. It is also very easy for a citizen in good standing to buy a gun there.

They didn't count their "issue" rifles and pistols, those technically belong to the Army, until their militia sevice is finished, at which point they can keep them perhaps for a small fee.

[El Gato]

And that is a Full-Auto rifle required in every household for the defense of the country.

Not quite, officers are only issued pistols. They can buy an assault rifle, or a battle rifle if they want one.

[El Gato]

thank God I live in a country where I can get one if I need to.

You do, and you should.

[tet68]

Just doing my part.
Ask me about C&R licenses.
YOu too can have the Big Brown Truck bringing arms
right to YOUR door. (At wholesale!)

[section9]

Well, folks, ONE of those two hundred some odd million is mine, specifically the Stevens-Savage 12 Guage pump-action shotgun (a picture of which I found on the web....)

A local gunsmith who is Range Officer for one of the local police departments turned me on to one of his techniques for exterior maitenance. He uses the metals polish and restorer called "Flitz", the homepage of which can be found here. I swear to Gawd, people, that Flitz stuff will take the storage residue right off, and he's sworn by it for years. That shot barrel was as smooth as a baby's a$$ when Mike got done with it. This is for exterior use only and is no substitute for standard cleaning and oils, by the way.

By the by, this fellow maintained that for Home Defense purposes, it's best if I convert to a shorter barrel for tactical purposes, rather than have that long thing stick out like that. Anyone know where I can get a decent shorter barrel on the internet, or should I just do the right thing and go to the next gun show?

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[45Auto]

I don't see anyone cracking on Finland for their relatively high precentage of gunowners.

The Finns are a very proud people. Their history includes kicking the crap out of the Russians on more than one occasion. Finland is odd for a socialist nation; they have a very good rifle manufacturing industry and are very big on bolt actions. They also produce brass cartridge cases of very high quality (Lapua) and have their own smokeless powder manufacturing (Vitha Vuori)industyr which exports to the US.

Vitha

[El Gato]

until the person completes his required "militia" service, which is at a fairly old age( about my age maybe? :) ) , and then they may retain them for a small charge.

I was pretty close on the age deal. 42 for enlisted, 52 for officers. I was an officer once upon a time in a land far away, and I'm 53 now. Of course I've got nearly 7 years to go in the Texas Reserve militia, as does my wife, and of course my daughters and their SOs have much longer.

Here is a Link with some info on the subject, and here is one on their gun laws at the Swiss Embassy in Washington and on their militia/military system

I may have been wrong about the "small charge", they may just get to retain them.

[45Auto]

The Sako Varmint Stainless, made in Finland

[45Auto]

The Tikka Model T3 Hunter, made in Finland.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Percentage wise second only to Montana

[river rat]

Americans are the most heavily armed!

Certainly, we have the most to defend!

Our Constitution recognized it would take ARMED CITIZENS to confront ANY bastards that wish to deprive us of life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness..

We may yet be forced to prove the wiseness of that provision....given the behavior of the "enemy within"...

Semper Fi

[Lurker]

Barrels aren't considered guns, legally so you can order different barrels from any number of catalogs.

The Cabelas catalog has a bunch listed. Try them.

(Nice shotgun BTW.) Here's a pic of mine.

Regards,

L

[Yardstick]

The study said Americans are most armed in the world, followed by Finns and Yememis.

I think this is the first time, for any reason, that I've ever seen Finns and Yemenis bracketed together.

[Hinoki Cypress]

Agreed. Here's my "line-up":

Glock 32/ .357sig w/ Docter red dot sight
Kimber Eclipse Target II 1911 .45cal ACP 5" w/night sights
Eagle Arms AR-15 (pre-ban 2.5" barrel) w/ M4-2000 Silencer & Eotech 551 sight
Alexander Arms Beowulf .50cal AR15/M16-style w/ Eotech 551 sight
Armalite AR-10 A4 Carbine w/ Leupold MkIV CQ/T sight
Bushmaster AR-15 A3 Carbine w/ Trijicon ACOG TA01 sight
Remington 870 Express HD Tactical 12ga w/ Eotech 551 sight
Colt Trooper MkIII .357 Magnum 6" - unscoped!
Lifer: BSA/ Eagle Scout '63
5yr Member: NRA & GOA

Disregard the last two lines...

[Hinoki Cypress]

The "Big Brown Truck" brings me lots of ammo, weekly. I like seeing that "ORD" sticker on the shipping box, BTW.

I'm looking for a gun safe, now. Don't need fire-proof units. Any suggestions, FReepers?

My "firearms roster" is listed above in Post #77, FYI. One is a Class III weapon, BATF-approved.

[LibKill]

About Texans and firearms. My best friend (wasn't born here, but got here as quick as he could) recently said, "I have to admire you Texans, you all seem to have grown up with a rifle in one hand and a pistol in the other. You're good shots."

[Little Bill]

Looks like my Remington Model 12, made in 1939, one of the finast pieces of machinery ever made, action smooth as silk, with a goose barrel.