[Sergio Natali]

The Administrators/Owners of another gun forum where I'm an old member, have recently asked me to write an article regardings "Gun Laws in Italy".
Although I realize this is not on top of your interests, maybe it could be interesting at least for a comparison with the US Gun Laws.

Unlike in the States the Italian Constitution. issued at the end of WWII, does not recognize any right to the Italian citizens to keep and bear arms. All the rules regarding guns and about who can own them are fairly simple but extremely strict.
Guns are limited to have a maximum of 15 rounds in handguns, and there are also restrictions on the total amount of ammunition which can be owned and how and where guns must be stored, namely in a locked cabinet or in a safe, private ownership of military weapons is forbidden as well as military ammunition.
There are several different kind of Gun Licence, and to obtain one of them an applicant must be at least 18 years old, prove he or she can use a firearm safely and for this a new gun-owner is first compelled to attend a firearms course at a National Shooting Range and get a certificate of completion, then certify that he has an absolutely clean criminal record which is always verified by the Police, and must have a Medical certificate prooving that he is not mentally ill or be a known abuser of alcohol, and drugs.
People in Italy MUST to register their firearms at the local Police station within 72 hours" (preferably IMMEDIATELY) after purchase.
Citizens are only allowed to own up to:
THREE common firearms,
NINE “sportive” guns that have been manufactured for shooting sports (and there is a precise list about them). An unlimited number of hunting guns,
EIGHT “rare” or really antique guns made before 1890.
Single shot muzzle loader replicas, are allowed without any registration.
Airguns under 7,5 Joules of muzzle energy, approved by the Ministry of Interior are also allowed without any registration.
Collection Licence: people that wish to “collect” firearms must have a special “Licence” and are allowed to keep only one of a kind sort of gun, but they cannot be shot nor taken out of your home without a permit, and ammo for those guns is not allowed either. All the guns belonging to a Collection must be kept locked in a safe.
In Italy it is always illegal to carry any type of gun especially in a public place with the few following exceptions:
Hunting license, along with a special “hunting permit” issued by the Region of residence, allows citizens to carry hunting guns but only during the hunting season (about a couple of months in Autumn) and only in the open countryside, away from roads, houses and farms. When transporting those rifles (pistols are not allowed for hunting) must be kept unloaded and locked in their case.
Sportive Licence: allows only to “transport” and NOT to carry on you, one or more guns with their ammo from home to the shooting range, the gun/s must be trasported unloded, locked in their case, and the case carried in a closed bag, so surely not at your easy reach.
Concealed Carry Licence: Allows very few citizens to carry a handgun for personal defense; this license is usually awfully difficult to obtain, must be renewed every year (while hunting and shooting sports licenses are valid for 6 years), and the applicant has to provide a valid reason to carry a concealed gun (e.g. a salesperson of valuable goods such as jewelry, owner of a gunshop ect).
Ammunition: Italian citizens are supposed to register at the local Police station when they buy ammo. In any case are not allowed more than 200 rounds , 1500 cartridges for hunting rifles (only if one has got a hunting rifle), 5 kgs of gun powder for reloading.
As you can see things regarding the use and ownership of firearms are very different from the States.
As stated the Italian citizens are compelled to register all their firearms, as soon as they get them, or imediately after they have sold them.
Accidents with guns happen of course but are very rare, and in most cases are involved guns not registered and used by outlaws.



Kind regards