Gun politics in Norway

[Visaman]

While having a large amount of civilian owned guns, Norway has a low gun crime rate.
Regulation

The control of firearms are regulated in a separate law, the Firearm Weapons act . This includes all firearms, air pressure weapons, some exotic arms as stated in the first paragraph of the weapons act. All regulated weapons have two things in common: they must be able to eject a projectile mechanically and use some form of propellant to perform the ejection. The second litra of the first paragraph makes room for inclusion of military type weapons, flare guns while the third litra includes easily manufactured replicas that can be converted.

The guns owned and operated under the responsibility of the armed forces is excepted from the civilian weapons act .


Types of civilian owned guns

Norway has a large population of hunters. Shotguns and semi-automatic and bolt action rifles make up the better part of the guns in civilian homes.

There is a total ban on automatic weapons for civilians, unless they fall under the collector category. Modification of semi-automatic guns into fully automatic without the consent of the police is a felony crime.

The maximum legal caliber for a handgun in norway is .460 S&W Magnum. Norway has long traditions of high-end sports shooting competitions, specially with rifle shooting. Each caliber must be used in a type of competition to be allowed. Also, there is a restriction on the number of weapons an owner can have for each caliber. For recreational shooters, only one gun is allowed in each caliber. For professional and semi-professional shooters, a spare gun is allowed. A recreational shooter is only allowed to own four different handguns. To obtain more, documentation on extensive sports shooting activities is needed.


Ownership

To own a weapon in Norway, one must document a use for the weapon. By far, the most common grounds for letting a civilian purchase and own a weapon is hunting and sports shooting, in that order. Other needs can include special guard duties or self defense, but the first is rare and the second reason is practically never accepted as a reason for gun ownership.

There are special rules for collectors of weapons, they are exempt from many parts of the regulation. In turn, they must fit an even more narrow qualification to be accepted as a gun collector. Collectors may purchase, but not fire without permission, all kinds of weapons.

Ownership is regulated , and responsibility for issuing a gun ownership license is given to the police authority in the applicant's district.

Rifle- and shotgun ownership permission can be given to «sober and responsible» persons 18 years or older. The applicant for the permission must document a need for the weapon. Two exemptions exist for the age qualification: persons under the age of 18, but over 16 may apply for rifle or shotgun ownership license with the consent of parents or guardian. For handguns the lowest ownership age is 21, no exceptions are allowed. For inherited weapons, it is up to the local police chief to make a decision based on the individual case facts.

The applicant must have a clean police record in order to obtain a ownership licence.


Obtaining a firearm

There are two ways of obtaining an ownership license in Norway. The most common is through the process of obtaining a hunting license, the other is through sports shooting.


For hunting

To obtain a hunting license, the applicant must complete a 30 hour, 9 session course and pass a written multiple choice exam with 80% fail rate. The course includes firearm theory, firearm training, wildlife theory and environment protection training.

Once the exam is passed, the applicant may enroll in the hunter registry and gets a hunting license. The membership must be renewed each year, through license payment. The hunting license is brought to the police station, where the applicant fills out an application for obtaining the proper firearm for his or her hunt. After evaluation, part of the application is sent back to the applicant if it was approved. Upon approval, the applicant can take the returned form to the store and purchase the proper firearm stated in the application. The store keeps part of the application and sends it to the police with the serial number and make of the weapon, and a receipt is kept by the customer. The receipt is the actual weapons license, to be kept with the weapon under transportation and away from the weapon during storage. After some time, a laminated license arrives and replaces the paper license which can be archived. The same rules apply for the laminated license.


For sports shooters

The qualification process is theoretically easier, but takes a lot of time and practice. The applicant must enroll in a firearm safety course, lasting at least 9 hours. The course includes a written test, but much shorter than the hunting exam as it only deals with firearm safety. The test must be passed with no less than 9 correct out of 10 questions. Two thirds of the course is completed on the shooting range as practice. The passing of the test results in acceptance to the approved gun club, and a competition start license. However, while the hunters can obtain their firearm almost at once, the sports shooters must prove their intentions to compete with active training or competition in the gun club. This means regular attendance to the gun club training over the course of six months at least 15 times. The applicant must use the firearms owned by the club or borrow at the range for this. After six months, the applicant may apply for a weapon for competition and training. The start license and a written recommendation from the gun club president is brought to the police station, and the competition class is filled out on the application. If approved, it will be returned to the applicant as with the hunter example.

In both cases, if the application is rejected, the applicant is allowed an explanation of the reason and an appeal.


Guns in civilian ownership

The ownership of a firearm is considered an enormous responsibility in Norway. Thus, the norms for storage of firearms are strict.

For shotguns and rifles, the qualification given in the weapons act is to have the firearm, or a vital part of the firearm, securely locked away. For handguns, this means an approved gun safe, securely bolted to a non-removable part of the house. A vital part is considered to be the bolt group(the bolt head will suffice)for rifles. And the slide for pistols, the barrel for revolvers, and in the case of break barrel shotguns the handle/trigger group.

The police are allowed to make a home inspection of the safe, since the ownership is a privilege, not a right. An inspection must be announced more than 48 hours in advance and the police are only allowed to see the safe and make sure it is legally installed.

Ammunition, only sold to persons able to show a valid firearm license, must be locked away but can be stored with the firearms. Without a special permit only 10 000 rounds of amunition can be stored in by a person, or 15 000 rounds if 5000 are 22.LR or smaller calliber. And 2Kg of blackpowder may be stored in a separate building if the person have a lisence for a backpowder firearm. Older rules stated that the ammunition must be locked away separately, but these rules are abandoned in the latest revision of the weapons act.


Transportation

The owner must have a good reason to bring the weapon to a public place. Such reasons include transportation to the range or hunting, transportation to repairs or perhaps another gun enthusiast for maintenance and discussion.

During transportation, the weapon must be empty, stored on a concealer, not worn on the body and under constant supervision of the owner. This equally applies to replicas, air guns and decommissioned firearms.


General gun politics

Gun ownership is a non-controversial subject in Norwegian politics, even when gun crime is at an all time high. This is due to the fact that most illegally used guns are stolen from larger, often military, storage facilities. Break-ins in private homes seldom leads to the theft of weapons, unless the owner does not follow the regulations. Thus, the private ownership is not under scrutiny. By far, the most crimes are committed with stolen weapons, not legally obtained ones.
There is no publicly shown wish to introduce a concealed carry permit at this point in time, and there is no such license to hand out for civilians.

The norwegian Police does not carry guns in the open, they have them locked away in their cars.

Any comments?

[popeyespappy]

I’ve spent a little time in Norway. Oslo, Tromso, Longyearbyen. It is not unusual to see someone walking around in Longyearbyen openly carrying a firearm. According to the locals one of the side affects of a lot of people carry guns in Longyearbyen is crime practically unheard of there.

The majority of crimes commited with firearms in the US are commited by people who circumvented the law in order to obtain them and these people would normally not be allowed to legally own firearms due to previous criminal convictions. Most law abiding gun owners in the US are just that. Law abiding gun owners.

[Wildalaska]

Norways crime rate is so low that the only reason to have guns is national defense, hunting and sport shooting

WildastoldtomebyanorwegianAlaska TM

[Rich Miranda]

To own a weapon in Norway, one must document a use for the weapon. By far, the most common grounds for letting a civilian purchase and own a weapon is hunting and sports shooting, in that order. Other needs can include special guard duties or self defense, but the first is rare and the second reason is practically never accepted as a reason for gun ownership.

First off, I am proud to say that I am half Norwegian. Needless to say, here in Texas lutefisk and lefse are hard to come by

As for the above section of the law, it makes me wonder. Since the gun crime rate (and overall crime rate) is so low in Norway, self-defense is not an acceptable reason to own a weapon. OK, fine, I can understand that. If the society is civilized enough to keep from killing each other, your need for a weapon is diminished.

But here is my question: let's say the gun crime rate started to increase, perhaps significantly. Would the government respond by allowing MORE people to own a gun for self-defense (since there is increased need for self-defense purposes, OR would it go the opposite route and allow LESS gun ownership under the guise of reducing the number of handguns generally in existence?

Here in America, the answer seems to be that there are more restrictions placed on gun ownership when the crime rate is high, which obviously doesn't make sense (to me anyway, a RKBA advocate). Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but those places with greater gun control generally have higher crime rates. This is a chicken-and-egg scenario (which came first?) but it seems to me that the crime almost always came first, then the gun control showed up as a way to control the crime. But since that doesn't work, all you end up with is a crime ridden city/state with a populace unable to properly defend itself.

I would hope that Norway, being progressive and peaceful, would never have to address this scenario. It was the world's 3rd most peaceful country in 2008 (US was #97).

[Visaman]

well, the Norwegian government has aways had a little pacifistic views . There has been trouble between immigrant gangs, the most famous one the incident at Aker brygge.
But still, it is a nice an peaceful country.

Total firearm-related death rate 4.39
firearm homicide 0.30
firearm suicide 3.95
Firearm unintentional 0.12
Year 1993

This happened recent:
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationwo...,2723201.story

[OldCorp]

I'm curious as to WHEN these laws and policies began in Norway. Was it ever more like here in the US as far as use/ownership of guns goes?

[Visaman]

I cant really tell, but before World War II, Poland, France, Denmark, Norway and Czechoslovakia all had gun registration laws. When the Nazis invaded, they simply seized these lists and used them to confiscate privately owned weapons. And the gun laws are "adjusted" some once a year, like the recent ban on sale of .50 calibre handguns. ( 4.Mars 2008 ) The maximum legal is now .460 S&W ( 0.455 maximum bullet diameter ).

[B. Lahey]

well, the Norwegian government has aways had a little pacifistic views

Depends on how far back you go, and whether or not you consider the viking system to be a true "government".

Save us, oh lord, from the wrath of the Norsemen.

Indeed.

[Visaman]

Yes.
OT:
In the Old Norse language, the term norrœnir menn ("northrons"), was used to refer to the North Germanic population of Scandinavia (Swedes, Danes, Norwegians and Icelanders), thus corresponding to the modern English name Norsemen.

Viking style beer:
http://www.gruitale.com/rec_skullsplitter_beer.htm

[cajuncutter]

Hei Visaman.
Jeg snakker litt norsk. Jeg giftet meg i Oslo i Dec. 1998 to a Norwegian girl. Seems the times I am there most crimes are committed with a knife and it is some Haitian refugee that lost it and either killed or beat a woman. My brother in law came here for a visit and I took him and his son out shooting, they got hooked. Of course he went home and started looking into getting guns and the law. I seem to remember it is like jumping through hoops to get a licenses or qualification over there. I worry if my wife and I ever decide to move there I would have to give up my arms . Beautiful country and great people just got to watch out for the pick pocket Pakistanis and the Haitians refugees that seem to loose it from time to time.

[Visaman]

yes, pickpockets and the occasional petty theft are common in Oslo.. And some gang related incidents, mostly baseball bats and chains and so on..
The trouble is that citizen's arrest of shoplifters can sometimes be frowned upon from the police.
And trying to stop armed robbery's or shootouts like the Aker brygge incident..

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/lo...cle1428882.ece
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/lo...cle1430981.ece

One Muslim in Norway stated that: “I worked in a Pakistani shop, but all of the work there is ‘unofficial.’ Neither the boss nor I pay taxes to Norwegian authorities. In addition to this, I receive 100% disability benefits and welfare. I have to be cunning to make as much money as possible, since this is my only objective with being in Norway.” Undoubtedly, many Muslims view welfare money from the infidels as Jizya, the poll-tax non-Muslims according to the Koran are supposed to pay to Muslims as tribute and a sign of their inferior status and submission to Islamic rule. According to Statistics Norway, immigrants generally have a three times higher unemployment rate than native Norwegians. It should be noted that non-Muslim Asians are much more successful, which means that the unemployment rate among Muslims is even higher than 300 % that of the natives. The number of Muslims in Norway has quadrupled over the past 15 years. The number of immigrants in Oslo increased by 40 percent in just five years, from 2002 to 2007. With current trends remaining unchanged, native Norwegians will be a minority in their own country within a few decades.

The number of rapes in the Norwegian capital is six times as high per capita as in New York City, and it is well documented that certain immigrant groups are grossly overrepresented on the statistics. Two out of three charged with rape in Norway’s capital are immigrants with a non-western background according to a police study. Unni Wikan, a professor of social anthropology at the University of Oslo, has said that “Norwegian women must take their share of responsibility for these rapes” because Muslim men found their manner of dress provocative. The professor’s conclusion was not that Muslim men living in the West needed to adjust to Western norms, but the exact opposite: “Norwegian women must realize that we live in a Multicultural society and adapt themselves to it.”

What a bunch of crap! They are guest's in this country, so i think that THEY should adjust! They even sell pepper spray at the gas stations now. They did not do that 3 years ago.

The number of rapes has continued to rise year by year, as it has in neighboring Sweden.

[cajuncutter]

I remember the first time I went to Oslo I did notice the immigrants you speak of. And yes more times than none while shopping at the malls you almost feel like the minority, kind of wierd really. Back then my wife explained to me the welfare system and how the people took or now take advantage of the Norwegian Government.

[Rich Miranda]

Unni Wikan, a professor of social anthropology at the University of Oslo, has said that “Norwegian women must take their share of responsibility for these rapes” because Muslim men found their manner of dress provocative. The professor’s conclusion was not that Muslim men living in the West needed to adjust to Western norms, but the exact opposite: “Norwegian women must realize that we live in a Multicultural society and adapt themselves to it.”

This is ridiculous! Ludicrous! Number one, the immigrant is the one who must adapt, not the other way around and, Number Two, shouldn't Muslim men "take their share of responsibility for these rapes” by realizing that the women -regardless of their manner of dress- are not there for them to assault?

[Bud Helms]

Okay, gents, this has gotten too far away from a discussion of firearms laws in Norway and has turned into political-social commentary unrelated to firearms.

Closed.