Rant on ironic firearm laws from around the world

Before you read this, please read "Why civilian weapon laws will do more harm than good in the long run". It is my ultimate argument for the right to keep and bear arms and armor, and just might settle the gun control debate once and for all for some people.

Got this from here. If you want me to take down this image, feel free to do so.

For some time, I've been doing a bunch of reading on firearms laws, and from time-to-time I would find some irony.

Argentina:  When it comes to "Civil use" rifles, single shot .22 BB rifles are, literally, classified identically to semi-automatic variants of the American-180 (or Marlin Model 60, which would make a cool .22lr survival rifle). When it comes to "Civil conditional use" rifles, a .22 magnum single shot is classified in an identical manner to the Denel NTW-20 anti-material rifle (presumably), Troy PAR (a pump-action AR-15), M1 Garand, and SKS (with a fixed magazine).  When it comes to "Prohibited use" rifles, a Ruger 10/22 magnum is classed identically to a minigun, M2 Browning machine gun or FN MAG. When it comes to "Civil use" shotguns, .410 single shot shotguns are classified identically to a Mossberg 590 bullpup with 8 shot magazine or, if converted, 30 round Saiga drum, or a Blaser D99 with caliber conversion inserts or Thompson Encore (probably unless it has a rifle barrel in it). If a .410 single shot had a barrel less than 600mm long, then it would be classified in an identical manner to a Fostech Origin-12, not becuase of the former's caliber or mechanism but merely becuase of its barrel length. When it comes to "Civil use" handguns, manual-action .22 Flobert pistols (like what is commonly owned in the Czech Republic and Slovakia) are presumably classified in an identical matter to the Dominion arms P762 (or at least the Kel-Tec PMR-30). When it comes to "Civil conditional use" handguns, at least presumably, a .36 caliber black powder revolver is classified identically to a Robinson XCR pistol.

United Kingdom.

Double-barrel 10 gauge shotguns and semi-automatic shotguns up to 2+1 shots (ie Browning Gold in 10 gauge and Benelli Black Eagle 2 with plugged magazine) are classified as "Section 2". However, a single-shot .22 BB rifle or .32 caliber muzzleloading rifle is "Section 1", just like a Fostech Origin-12, VZ-58 trigger release, AR-15 lever release, or AR-10 bolt action (or lever release) rifles. .410 single shot shotguns are "Section 2", but pre-1939 double barrel 10-gauge shotguns can be held with no liceseing or registration. .22 BB handguns are "Section 5", but muzzleloading revolvers (ie Remington 1858, LeMat) are "Section 1", or "antique" if they are pre-1939, or if they (originally) fire ammunition that authorities think are too hard to find (http://www.oldguns.co.uk/2.html). Same with rifles.

Australia: their way of doing things doesn't seem too bad at first as far as contradicting goes. I recommend watching Australian Gun Laws (explained) (I tried to post it on here, but there is a glitch for some reason).

However, there are a few things to think about. For example, the Paradus LAX12, which holds 5 rounds in the magazine plus one in the chamber and another on the loader, is Category "A" becuase it isn't self-loading. However, a single-shot Remington 870 Competition is Category "C" because it's pump-action. 

A semi-automatic 3-shot shotgun (mainly for people who have arm aliments) is Category "C", while a Blaser D99 shotgun is Category "A". 

A Marlin Model 60 is Category "D" for being semi-automatic and holding more than 10 rounds, while a Henry Octagon rifle (.22lr variant) actually has a larger magazine by 1 round but is Category "A" for being rimfire and manual-action. 

I hope that the Australian authorities know the difference between a Marlin Model 60 with a 14 round magazine and a ARAK-31 with a 100 round Beta-C mag. 

Same case with a Gamo Cadet XP vs a Henry Octagon magnum rifle, Chiappa Triple-magnum, Paradus LAX12, becuase all are Category "A".

And, while I find this less ridiculous, the Remington 7615 is classified as Category "B" becuase it's a manual-action and doesn't look too much like a military or tactical law enforcement weapon. While it offers a rate-of-fire that's 2nd best to a semi-auto, where things get worse is where other firearms, such as the Troy PAR (a Pump-Action AR-15), Southern Gun Co lever release or bolt action AR, trigger-release VZ 58, and even the Ruger Precision rifle are all Category "D", while the Mossberg MVP and Ruger Precision rifle are Category "B". How silly is THAT!?

But wait, there's more! Collectors can have functional Category C shotguns, but they can't fire them unless their license permits them to. Also, if someone had a deactivated category "D" or "R" weapon, then they must store it almost like it is still functional. For example, if I had a deactivated M1 Garand, it must be in a metal safe that is bolted to the frame of the building it's in, just like a fully operational ARAK-31. 

And to add to that, someone tell me how a deactivated single-shot pellet pistol or deactivated .22 BB/CB cap starter pistol is in the exact same league as a fully operational Glock 20 in .460 Rowland.

Canada: watch this video first.

Now here's some odd classifications not mention in the video: the Beretta BM59 is "Prohibited", while the M1A is "non-restricted". AR-15 replicas in .22lr are "Restricted" and can only have magazines that hold up to 10 rounds of .22lr (becuase of pistol variants), while the Ruger 10/22 is "non-restricted" and both the rifle and pistol variants can have magazines of any capacity (to give you an idea how ridiculous this is, check out http://www.cabelas.ca/product/62029/gsg-ruger-1022-110-round-drum-magazine for proof). Hi-point rifles and pistols are limited to 5 shots, while firearms that use STANAG magazines can have 10 shot pistol magazines or originally 5 shot .50 Beowulf magazines that hold 14 or 15 rounds of .223 Remington/5.56 NATO (source: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/bulletins/bus-ent/20110323-72-eng.htm), or firearms that take AR-10 magazines  are limited to 10 rounds. High Standard bullpup shotguns are "Restricted", while the Kel-Tec KSG is "Non-restricted". 

Not to mention how the SIG 556 is "Prohibited", while both the FAMAE SG-543-1 and Swiss Arms Classic Green rifle are "Non-restricted", even though there isn't that much of a difference! 

To round this up, caplock .32 caliber muzzleloaders and .22 BB single-shots are non-restricted, just like Tavor's and Robinson XCR-M's. How stupid are the people who make these laws!?

 

Singapore: air guns are classified the same way as real firearms, and thus, are classified identically to machine guns and large caliber rifles.

Uruguay: you couldn't have a single-shot rifle in, say, .32 ACP, but is is legal to have a Blaser R8 in 6.5x68mm or a Negev in 5.56x45mm. Same with the case of a M1911 or Hi-Point chambered for .40 S&W can't be owned by civilians, but an MP7 or Modern Sub Machine Carbine would be perfectly legal.

Ironically, this is currently my #1 pick for founding my micronation (https://saynotodemocide1.blogspot.com/2015/12/top-4-countries-to-found-my-micronation.html).

Corporate United States of America: I recommend watching "Gun Gripes Episode 14: Gun laws that are FUBAR", though I have some of my own examples.

Now, something like a Marlin Model 60 with a rubber band wrapped around it in a certain way is considered a machine gun (okay, the linked case involved a Ruger Mini-14 with a shoestring, but you get the ida). But, an ARAK-31 with bumpfire stock and 100 round beta magazine is not considered a machine gun. A single-shot .22 BB is considered a firearm. But a Lee-Enfield, Winchester 1897, or Mauser pistol, as long as they're made on or before 1899, even if the ONLY original part was a restored receiver, is considered an "antique", and is exempt from requiring a background check or having the weapon shipped to an FFL dealer. Same case for reproduction Sharps percussion cap rifles, 10-gauge double-barrel percussion shotguns, Remington 1858 revolvers and LeMat revolvers.

And, in most states, airguns are practically unregulated. So, you need to pass a background check to get a single-shot .22 BB rifle, which must be brought from an FFL dealer. But, you can have a sig-bore PCP rifle, full-auto pellet gun, or something like that shipped directly to your home with no background check!

Another gripe I have is the way how certain firearms are used. For example, in Australia, if someone goes in their backyard (in a rural area) and fires a single-shot pellet pistol, then they are braking the law big-time. But, if they load-up on Sunday and fire off rifles and shotguns for any amount of time in their rural backyard, or go to a club and fire away with a Glock 20 until the cows come home, the authorities wouldn't care at all. Same for New Zealand and Canada for real pistols. So, someone in New Zealand can go into their rural backyard and fire-off Category A weapons and the authorities wouldn't care. But, if they do the same with others (even Category B, handguns), then they are breaking the law. A similar case in Canada is that someone can go into their rural backyard and fire-off as many rounds as they want out of  unregulated or "Non-restricted" weapons all they want. But, they may only discharge "Restricted/Prohibited" firearms at a club for the former, or a approved shooting range for the latter. And, remember what I just talked about on Canada.

I'm sure that they would be a few people out there, mostly civilian weapon control advocates, are asking "why do I need to know much about guns? I just want reasonable regulations.", even after reading this. By the logic I just described, then is it legitimate for someone who only rides a motorcycle to make laws regulating large trucks (ie tractor-trailers, roadtrains etc) when they never even stepped into the cab of a truck, or someone who only drives a large truck to make up regulations for licenses to drive a motorcycle? You tell me.

Now, do you have any pet-peeves with things like contradicting weapon laws in the world? Feel free to post in the comments!