4 ms·

Yes, you are right, the military rifle is only for the case of war or the mandatory military training. It's also wrong to believe that there is a military grade

Yes, you are right, the military rifle is only for the case of war or the mandatory military training. It's also wrong to believe that there is a military grade gun in every Swiss household, most people leave their rifle at the military or in one central weapons depot run by the state. I'm not sure, but aren't you allowed to shoot it at a gun range? (as Sportschütze) A friend from Zürich was talking about this topic, but my memories about this conversation are a little blurry. From what I've heard it's way easier to get a gun permit in Switzerland than here in Germany and the Swiss are allowed to have guns you can't even dream of here (I'm talking about stuff like the semi auto H&K MP5, AR-15/AK derivates, etc.).

mattowen_uk 5y ago
War with whom? IIRC Switzerland are traditionally neutral. Serious question.
- soco 5y ago
  It could be some neighboring state gets ideas... last time it happened was not even that far back.
- markyc 5y ago
  zee germans
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  It's a lot easier for the "other guys" to justify not occupying a country that's equipped to put up a good insurrection.
  - lovemenot 5y ago
    Counterpoint: Afghanistan. It's become a rite of passage for empires to try and fail there. Next up, China?
- numpad0 5y ago
  > … was especially furious when he saw that German equipment was used to shoot down German pilots. He said they would respond "in another manner".[17] On 20 June 1940 … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_Wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_W...
- dekhn 5y ago
  anybody who tries to invade. the swiss aren't neutral to invasions of the homeland.
- mattowen_uk 5y ago
  Downvotes? Really? I was asking seriously, I do not know the swiss culture and I wanted to know the answer. Silly me for wanting to learn something.
zikzak 5y ago
I lived near Zurich in the early 90s (Canadian) and would often see people headed off to military service on the normal, commuter trains with an assault rifle as part of their kit. I assumed everyone just took them home with them when their regular service was done and took them back when they revisited it next year. Most of my colleagues that did military service would go for a couple of weeks a year and loved it (you serve with people from the area you grew up in, I think, and they looked forward to seeing their buddies again, drinking some beer, etc.).

mattowen_uk 5y ago

War with whom? IIRC Switzerland are traditionally neutral. Serious question.

soco 5y ago
It could be some neighboring state gets ideas... last time it happened was not even that far back.
markyc 5y ago
zee germans
throwaway0a5e 5y ago
It's a lot easier for the "other guys" to justify not occupying a country that's equipped to put up a good insurrection.
- lovemenot 5y ago
  Counterpoint: Afghanistan. It's become a rite of passage for empires to try and fail there. Next up, China?
numpad0 5y ago
> … was especially furious when he saw that German equipment was used to shoot down German pilots. He said they would respond "in another manner".[17] On 20 June 1940 … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_Wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_W...
dekhn 5y ago
anybody who tries to invade. the swiss aren't neutral to invasions of the homeland.
mattowen_uk 5y ago
Downvotes? Really? I was asking seriously, I do not know the swiss culture and I wanted to know the answer. Silly me for wanting to learn something.

zikzak 5y ago

I lived near Zurich in the early 90s (Canadian) and would often see people headed off to military service on the normal, commuter trains with an assault rifle as part of their kit. I assumed everyone just took them home with them when their regular service was done and took them back when they revisited it next year. Most of my colleagues that did military service would go for a couple of weeks a year and loved it (you serve with people from the area you grew up in, I think, and they looked forward to seeing their buddies again, drinking some beer, etc.).