Ownership of Firearms in the Netherlands

[RShaw]

Hi All,
Mrerick, your point re self defense here in the Netherlands is correct as far as I know- therefore the laws regarding transport in separate containers, and storage in 2 different safes. There is no such thing as concealed carry or inside / outside waistband, or any other personal carry method for private citizens here at all, much less any provision to legally use your firearm in self defense.

Also your point about the club being able to eliminate your ability to own and shoot a firearm is also true, although I think that happens very rarely. Therefore the 3 month provisional period in which the prospective member is evaluated.... the club takes note of general range behavior, respect for firearms, and even conversation... to see whether this person has the "right mindset." A good idea as far as I am concerned... no problem.

While it is likely true that "the very existence of private gun ownership is likely justified as preparation for participation in the military," but there are also many gun enthusiasts and hobbyists who have had a significant say in the laws as they are now- also designed to keep guns out of the hands of people with ill intent, while at the same time to recognize hunting and target shooting as valid and healthy hobbies. It IS expensive- with club and permit fees... but I'm sure that in the US permits are anything but free. It is also a long road toward owning several firearms for shooting or collecting, but on the other hand, there are very few firearm related "incidents" here.

A statistic I looked up just now :
The Netherlands has a rate of 0,58 firearm related deaths per year (2011) which includes suicides, accidental fatalities, and justifiable homicides.
The United States' figure is 10,54 firearm related deaths per year (2014) which includes suicides, accidental fatalities, and justifiable homicides.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ted_death_rate

Wow! I am NOT saying here that the Netherlands is wonderful and the US is terrible.... I am a dual national- Netherlands and US- having grown up and lived in the US for half my life (31 years). The other half I have spent here- 25 of those years in the Netherlands. After having gone through the legal process here to own a firearm, and having grown up with guns in our house (in the US) since we learned to walk... I have to admit that I love the freedom enjoyed in the US for the serious and responsible firearm owner, shooter, hunter and collector. That's one of the things I miss living here. On the other hand, gun accidents involving children, crazy stuff involving adults, irresponsible behavior, etc. gives the "firearm world" a bad name. Here those things just don't happen nearly as often.... the laws do prevent much of that. Yes I have found them sometimes "annoying" especially with the long waiting periods before one can buy and sell great collector's items.... but, ah well.... I need to be patient. And yes, I do favor somewhat more stringent gun control than that in the US at present, after having lived in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands... and in the US and having lived and seen the differences.

You're right Eugen, it's not too bad in the US!! But yes, the US is a more dangerous place.........
You all have a nice day........

[Eugen]

Originally Posted by RShaw

... the laws as they are now- also designed to keep guns out of the hands of people with ill intent, while at the same time to recognize hunting and target shooting as valid and healthy hobbies.


I do favor somewhat more stringent gun control than that in the US at present, after having lived in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands... and in the US and having lived and seen the differences.

You're right Eugen, it's not too bad in the US!! But yes, the US is a more dangerous place.........
You all have a nice day........

RShaw, you make some great points. There appear to be many irresponsible and criminal gun owners in the USA and our numbers of gun related deaths and injuries are higher than many countries.

But the question is will more regulation make a difference? I believe the issues are more complex than the quantity and the extent of gun and ammo regulations/restrictions. Increases in education, wholesome family values and other social matters need to be included in the discussions. Simply piling up the regulations doesn't necessarily get the results politicians naively imagine. But their speeches, busy work and well meaning intentions on the topic does tend to garner them some votes from the masses of the uninformed.

A great example are the laws in Illinois. A vast majority of the crime and gun violence in Illinois happens in what us down-staters refer as Chicagoland (Cook county and nearby). Chicago is a dangerous place ....but they have far more gun and ammo regulations than the rest of the state. More regulation has not lowered the crime rate involving guns. Criminals obtain their guns and ammo regardless of the laws, it just costs them more to do so.

I doubt more regulation will reduce the deaths and injuries from that population, culture and fill-in other descriptive adjectives that could use to identify the reasons for such lawlessness and lack of respect for the law and life in general that exists within a segment of that city.

I don't claim to have all the answers. But, I am leery that more regulations on honest, mentally stable, responsible citizens that contribute to society (and who cling to our guns and religion according to Obama) is the simple solution to this complex problem. People must change and not just the laws.

More discussion, study and other social interventions are necessary to solve this problem.