doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Geno, questions baout gun ownershipin Russia

Thank you so much, this is really fascinating. Daryl

Geno, thanks for the insight so far. I guess I could have been a bit more specific. I wasnt so much curious about a specific region as much as what it was like under the Communist regime vs what you have today under Putin.
That is very informative. So , how about some on rifles, past and present?
And, are ther gunshops like we have here there??

Great joke.

It is always interesting to hear the history and traditions of others.

Спасибо.

Pete

Major, Sir, I'm afraid you're not get any definite answer from me or any other Russian Because, it's all too complex... you gain in one thing, lose in another, get more bullet weight but less velocity, or more recoil. So to speak.

Again, there were communist years and communist years.

If we compare 2008 and 1988, I'd say a hunter is MUCH better off now (at least we can buy rifles!). Yet, if we compare 1988 and 1958 - it's just possible that a hunter was better off then (free sales of shotguns, and a chance to buy a rifle too).

Thу above comparecion is based on gun control issues alone. But - if you figure in issues like purchasing potential (money), and (especially) availiability of weapons - the NOW looks much better.

And if you add up all aspects of living - well, I can only speak for myself:

I'd rather live under Yeltsin's anarchic "freedom" then under Putin's USSR-odored "stability". But I'd take Putin over any Communist leader of the past.

Oh, yes. The rifles.

I admit I don't know as much about availiability of rifles in the USSR. While the shotguns were more or less yes-yes, the rifles were always more or less no-no. Until 196-something, one could buy a rifle under secial permission (the rumor connects the ban on rifles for the hunters with Kennedy's murder). Before the WW2, I've been told, the NKVD and other law-enforcmnt bodies looked through the fingers on break-open rifles (drillings, double rifles, etc), but took a very firm stand against "army rifles".

But anyway, the professional hunters, who needed rifles, had rifles (at times not as their property, but isued to them like the militeyry issued rifles to soldiers).

Now a hunter can buy a rifle after he/she had owned a shotgun for 5 years without incident. After you buy the gun, and before you get a keep/bear permit for it, you come to a Milicia range and fire a few shots: the milicia keeps the bullets and empties, so that they can trace your gun, if you shoot soneone with it. Other aspects of gun ownership are the same as regards shotguns.

Also< i forgot to mention that you only can buy a shotgun if you're 18 or older.

And, for those who liked the Russian gun joke, here's an Ukrainian one:

A Ukrainian Natounalist is in a Soviet prison and gets a letter from home. The wife writes:

- Oh, dear, what am I going to do, it's plowing time and you're away at prison, who's going to plow our field?

The man thinks for a while and writes back:

- If you find someone to plow the field make sure he's not one of them darned Commies, because I got the machine-gun buried in there!

A few weeks later the wife writes:

- Those Commies came again with a whole lot of soldiers and them soldiers started digging in the field and dug it up so well it doesn't need plowing! But they haven't found the machinegun. Think again - perhaps you've had it buried in my Momma's field?

Agree with all H-D said, but have to add. Today I can buy and keep at my house/apartments no more, then 5 pcs shotguns and 5 pcs rifles (or combos). If I need more, I have to obtain collector' licence. I got no collector licence, because to get 1 is real headace, but sometimes I got much more, than 10 shotguns and rifles. In this case I just ask my friends to get licence for that.

Thanks! I needed that...

H D, great report and very good, insightful jokes.

Your commentary on Putin is very telling. To me he is, to say the least, frightening.

JC

Humpty, I appreciate your educating us. I suspected you are a teacher and see that you are! Enjoyed the lesson greatly! Thank you! Kurt