# Forum About Russia Society  Gun laws and regulations in Russia

## Ленивец

Members of public are allowed to own these categories of firearms: 
1. Shotguns (and air-rifles from 3  to 25 joules of muzzle power)
2. Rifles (after 5 years long term of owning a shotgun and 5 years long membership in a hunting cooperative)
These two categories mean shoulder guns. 
3. "Self-defense weapons" Those are gas pistols and so-called traumatic guns which fire a rubber bullet using a light charge of gunpowder. 
No handguns, automatic fire and such. 
Licences.
Buying a gun requires obtaining a licence from the police. Anyone starting from 18 years of age can obtain a shotgun or a self-defense weapons licence if he/she meets those criterias: 
- not in file as a drug addict/alcoholic
- not in file as mentally ill
- no criminal record
- health certificate
- no certain misdemeanours comitted (such like misuse of firearms)
- that person passed an exam  (on legal issues and firearm handling).
- good character report from the neighbourhood police inspector
- a steel gun safe. (very often they require it to be fixed to a wall) 
The rifle license requires the same plus 5 years long owning of a hunting smoothbore licence  
There are these types of licences: 
1. Hunting smoothbore /air powered weapons - this requires joining a hunting cooperative before applying to the police. Hunting cooperatives require an applicant to pass an exam. One with such licence can keep a weapon at home, wear it in hunting/sports grounds and transport it elsewhere. A gun being transported must be unloaded, upholstered, ammo stored separately. 
2. Self-defense smoothbore /air powered weapons. One with this licence can keep a weapon at home.  
3. Rifle licence. Same as hunting smoothbore weapons' licence carry/storing/transporting regulations  plus annual forensic shoot-off. 
4. Self-defense weapons. One can carry such a weapon everywhere except certain places. 
All the licences must be renewed in 5 years. One can buy up to 5 pieces of weapons of each category. Cold weapons can be bought by hunting licence holders. 
Ammo.
Ammo can be bought according to the caliber in your licence. That is a 0.308Win rifle owner cannot buy 30-06 cartridges. Gun dealers log ammo purchases.  
Shotgun shells can be legally reloaded (powder is sold by the gun dealers). Rifle cartridges - a legal uncertainity with them, rifle powder cannot be found on sale. However, rifle owners disassemble factory cartridges to get the powder and load imported shells with it and imported bullets  ::  Those ones are bought mainly in the US web-shops. 
There are private security firms. 
They can rent (previously could own) handguns from the police. The handguns are limited in muzzle power - 300 J.

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## kidkboom

If the laws in my country were so strict on civilian firearm possession, I think there would be less shootings.  Also there would less to say about Ted Nugent.    ::

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## Ленивец

Well, I agree on shootings while, I suppose, you would have more stabbings. In Russia kitchen knives are the most bloody weapon. As well, as criminal attacks would be more successful.

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## SAn

In Russia, we have only the following 2 rules: Every Russian is allowed to have not more than one AK-47 assault rifle.[/*:m:69zdbuk6]Every Russian is allowed to kill not more than one foreigner.[/*:m:69zdbuk6]

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## Ramil

> In Russia, we have only the following 2 rules: Every Russian is allowed to have not more than one AK-47 assault rifle.[/*:m:2k8krxmy]Every Russian is allowed to kill not more than one foreigner.[/*:m:2k8krxmy]

 Very funny.

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## SAn

We have strong punishment for violation of these rules: If person has more than one AK-47, or more powerful device (like RPG-7), then the weapon is confiscated, and it full cost is taken as a penalty.[/*:m:3rokm9qz]If person killed more than one foreigner, or killed any Russian, than a fine of 10000 rubles is taken, or 10 days of hard public works for every killed person.[/*:m:3rokm9qz]The bears which walking all around the streets are forbidden to kill: you will get imprisonment for life for such a serious crime, because bear is a national symbol of Russia.[/*:m:3rokm9qz]

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## it-ogo

> Every Russian is allowed...

 Every Russian is not allowed.

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## SAn

> Originally Posted by SAn  Every Russian is allowed...   Every Russian is not allowed.

 You are right. Russians are not allowed to have more than one AK-47 assault rifle.

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## Marlow

E

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## it-ogo

> I know you all are just joking but in seriousness...  are AK's legal in Russia?

 No. See the first post.

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## SAn

> I know here in the US we can buy as many as we like (to a reasonable degree, probably 5), and they are quite cheap.

   ::

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## Ленивец

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TC2xTCb_GU

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## Medved

Ленивец coooooollll!!!   ::

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## capecoddah

In Massachusetts, USA:  http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/educatio ... n_laws.htm 
Sling-shots are blow guns are illegal

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