Do you go to the local gunshop to buy guns and ammo just like we do here?

There's a nice one in Basel Switzerland. Visited last May and had a nice conversation with the owner in between customers coming in and buying ammo and picking up special orders.

Cool!

I've been to gunshops in the Czech Republic, Germany and Norway. Anybody could walk right in off the street, just like American shops, and in fact the one in Norway had bullets on its shelves that I'd never seen in American shops--like a box of 400-grain .416 Swift A-Frames.

Most large cities have them.

Though its much more difficult to be allowed to own firearms, with tests and courses in most of European countries.

Here in Norway you have to own a (example) 223 rifle to buy 223 ammunition.

Likewise, I have to apply for a certain rifle, wait 2-3 weeks for approval. Here, we can own 6 hunting firearms without much hassle. After that it gets rather difficult.

Target rifles and pistols are pretty easy to get. Just have to show membership of a club, to apply.

But, we have to be a member of a pistol club for 6 months and be vetted by the club to be allowed to apply for and own a pistol.



So, yes most cities have them. But you can not buy ammunition or firearms without permits.

Hi ....In Romania is not so simple ...You must be a hunter in order to have a hunting hunt .
We have gun shops but not so big like in Germany for example .
If you want to buy ammunition you have to have a gun of that caliber in your "gun permit"
The variety of bullets of the same caliber is not so big ...because we are not shooting a lot .
You can't have more that 300 rounds of the same caliber .
Gun possession is strictly regulated here .

I thought .223 was illegal to own in Europe? Must only be in certain countries.

The Beretta store in Milan is worth a visit too. Not as busy as the shop in Basel but the street level cafe is very nice.

moosemike,

I know you realize this, but Europe is far from one country.

Many Americans assume ALL of Europe has similar firearms laws, and also often assume they're all as repressive as Great Britain's. Neither is true. At just about this time last year I went to Finland to hunt and tour the Sako/Tikka factory. There were several other gun/hunting writers on the same trip, most from various European countries. The one I got to know best was from France, and he owned 47 centerfire rifles, including an AR-15 and a Winchester Model 71. He also owned a number of revolvers and semiauto handguns.

As a bit of trivia, due to the Internet he was familiar with a number of American gun writers, including me, and introduced himself as a "rifle loony."

Thanks John. I'd love to get over there and experience the shooting/hunting scene. Maybe someday.

I've been in Kettner's and Frankonia shops in Cologne Germany, both were well stocked, nicely displayed and had very interesting firearms that we normally don't see in Canada or the USA. Quite "upscale" My understanding is that a customer there had to show a hunting license or gun permit when buying ammunition or firearms, not unlike the law in Canada.

Depends on the country, but mostly yes. In Germany, I walked into a well stocked gun store and walked out with what I wanted. It was a little more complicated when shopping in another country. There are a lot of great gunshops all over Europe. Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, England, Turkey, etc. all have a lot of gunmakers. Rules vary depending on where you live and where you are buying, but yes, there are plenty of gunstores in Europe.

While gun ownership is more regulated in most European countries, it is for the most part allowed. Most of the people I shot/hunted with in Germany owned 10-15 rifles and handguns. One friend there owns over 200, although he has been at odds with the regulatory people at times over whether he could own that many on just a hunting license.

Been to several in New Zealand. Not Europe, but well stocked and friendly.

Been to several in Bavaria as well as Austria.
Well stocked and many high end and interesting examples.

In France (I think in Europa) to own guns you have to have a license of shooting or a hunting license.
Weapon are classified in category and according to their category the administration allows you or not to get these weapons.(police investigation on you..)
Categories :
Handgun - Rifles like 12 gauge - Rifles like "Mauser style"
- Rifles like AR & Kala half-auto - Others : forbidden.
We must renew all the 3 years these authorisations.

Browsed in a pretty nice little shop in Rome a few years back. Had quite a few S&W revolvers in addition to the expected Beretta/Benelli stuff.

Have been in such stores in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Switzerland and some others in Europe. Couldn't seem to locate one in France. The rules and customs vary - the one in Brussels had mostly upscale firearms (no handguns) and the owner seemed very suspicious and stand-offish - as in "why would this American even be in here"? I think they mostly did such business by appointment. And, it was not simply a gun store - my wife looked at ladies clothing upstairs.

More open and easy in Denmark and Norway, and very easy and well-stocked in Germany. New Zealand shops were enjoyable, but did not give it a go in Australia. Don't ask me about Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo.

Most of those visited in Europe have much more high-end stuff than stores here, but nothing anywhere compares favorably to our ways and means.

When I was in Norway the prices were backwards to us. Sako and Tikka were cheap and the Weatherbys were really expensive. A Vanguard was 50% more than a Sako.

Last March I went to Wien, Austria and visited 3 very nice gun shops! My guide said with my back ground in firearms and credentials to back them up, it wouldn't be a problem for me to own guns in their country. Had a great time want to go back today!