Hey all,
another member was interested in gun laws in Austria, so I thought opening a thread could be a good idea. Maybe others are interested in getting to know more about it as well.

In Austria you are allowed to buy and own bolt action rifles, O/U and side by side shotguns by the age of 18.
There is a three day waiting period where your personal info etc. is checked, then you can take the gun home.

If you want to own revolvers, Pistols and semi automatic rifles and shotguns you need a permit.
You need to be 21 years old, make a short course on handling guns, gun safety and a bit of law and you need a conformation of a psychologist that you are fit to own these guns.
That process usually takes some weeks and a couple of hundred EUROS.

With this permit you are allowed to own two weapons (handguns, semi automatic rifles). After some years, or if you are a sport shooter (with lots of paperwork!!) you have the possibility to increase the total number of guns you are allowed to own.
This permit also enables you to buy rifles without the waiting period.

The possibility to carry a gun in public is very restricted. Nowadays only police officers, some people from the military, security guards, prosecuting attorney, politicians etc. get this permit.

If you have a hunting license you don't need the confirmation of a psychologist to apply for the handgun and semi-automatic rifle permit. Furthermore you are allowed to carry your hunting rifle while hunting and as of next year hunters are allowed to carry a handgun and use silencers while hunting as well.

I hope this gave you some insight on our gun rules and that you enjoyed reading this short summary. There are more details, such as what ammunition are you allowed to buy/own, but I didn't want to go overboard.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Greetings,
Skeletor

I’m curious about the change to allow hunters to carry the handgun. Do you mean in addition to carrying the rifle, or do you mean the handgun is carried as the main hunting weapon?

I’m under the impression that the hunting community in Austria is EXTREMELY tradition-oriented, so I am a bit surprised by this change. I would have assumed an Austrian hunter wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a handgun. So, or not so? Are things changing away from being hidebound to the old ways?

Thanks for your interesting summary about firearms in your country.

We appreciate the peek inside your borders.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Thanks for the information. And welcome to the forum!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Thanks for that information. i have a question. Why are the politicians and attorneys allowed to protect themselves and you are not? How does your government explain that?
Just asking-----

Interesting thread.

(And if I may tease you just a little bit, I am glad that one is permitted to carry one’s rifle when hunting if one has a hunting permit. That seems quite reasonable.)

May God Bless and keep the USA! (Or at least most of it!).

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No school like the old school.

A lot of people are trying to make it like that here.

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No baby we aint

Thanks, skeletor. It looks as if Austrian gun laws are somewhat less restrictive than those in some European countries

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Oh well, what the hell.

I could have gotten a permit while a resident of Italy, but it was allowed only for sport (organized) events. The pistol had to be stored at the local Carabineri facility (military police), and could only be checked out for specific events, then had to be returned in a strict time frame. I would not have been allowed to store it at home.

You had to ask this, as if you didn't already know the answer?

Let me add one piece of information which I‘ve found many American-born friends to need in order to understand why “people don‘t just get a hunting license” to have more gun rights.

A hunting license (Jagdschein/Jagdkarte) in Austria, just like in Germany where I got mine, is not something you buy for 30 bucks or so (current cost here in Oregon) over the counter at your local sporting goods store.

The test you need to pass to be eligible usually takes several months of preparation. This varies a bit from state to state, so maybe the OP can share some details for his situation. This isn’t just hunter safety either. Wildlife biology, law, weapons theory and handling, dogs, first aid, ecology, agriculture, plus you need to demonstrate a minimum proficiency with rifle, shotgun (trap), and in some states handgun. It’s not cheap and only for the committed.

Once you have that, you can purchase your annual liability insurance and ticket.

I thought in Germany hunting is only a right of royalty....therefore one had to be ceremonially knighted for hunting permission?

Thank you for the glimpse into the laws of Austria. I always find it interesting to see how the rest of the world handles it. I found hunting in Germany a lot of fun and tradition even if a bit heavy on regulations. But the after hunting celebrations made up for any inconvenience.

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Minimize the variables

Welcome from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Thanks for the insight into your gun ownership world.

I think it's great, that so many people are interested.

Hunters are going to able to carry a handgun as a sidearm, using it for a finishing shot, or in defensive situations against hogs for example. I personally don't think that all hunters will be in the woods with a sidearm now just because of the new law.

Years ago hunters could apply for a permit to carry handguns during hunting (Waffenpass). But in the last years this wasn't possible anymore. So this new law now makes it possible for all hunters without applying for the "Waffenpass", just a regular permit to own revolvers, pistols and semi automatic rifles (Waffenbesitzkarte) is needed.

You're right about hunting beeing traditional in Austria. It still is and will be, but in my opinion there is a slow change, as nowadays more and more people are interested in hunting.


Thanks, that is absolutely correct. "Getting" a hunting license isn't something easy.
You have to take an oral test with several examiners. They ask you about wildlife biology, ecology, agriculture, weapons theory, hunting law, weapon law, hunting dogs, first aid etc. Furthermore you have to pass a shooting test with a bolt action rifle and a shotgun.
Taking the course takes about 3 months, two nights per week. Several people teach the courses, all hunters. Some work at the university of University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, some are ornithologists etc. There really is bandwidth of knowledge and people.
You also go out in the woods and try to apply some of the theory outside. Training in weapon handling and shooting is also a part of the course.
It's expensive, but worth it. You learn a lot!

Greetings,
Skeletor

Fascinating that you say the interest in hunting there is growing, despite the rigorous requirements to be met in getting licensed. Here, the interest seems to be fading. Sadly. From what I can see.

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Oui Chef!

Sarcasm aside, that is one of the things that is most strikingly different between most of Europe and the US:

Because there hasn‘t been any real wilderness or public land (in our sense) in Europe basically since the late Middle Ages, hunting traditionally has been the sport of the aristocracy and later simply those who were wealthy enough to own enough land or lease hunting rights.That explains a lot of the fancy traditions.

Here in the US, in contrast, it‘s the most democratic and accessible of pastimes, and in fact has often been a way to feed your family in hard times.

PS: Before anyone thinks I grew up rich because I hunted in Germany: The one large “non-elitist“ group of people in Germany who own enough land for hunting are farmers. And my dad had a lot of connections there, so we got invited to hunt. For many, that‘s the only financially feasible way to get into it.

A late best friend served in the Air Force in Germany. He enjoyed great pleasure in showing his buddies pictures of him being knighted..... one pictured the sword touching his shoulder as he was declared a Knight for the sole purpose of hunting privileges.

He never let us forget he was German royalty.... LOL.
He also said back in those times you could only hunt in the presence of the forester/game warden who would specifically point out which deer to take. He said the forester may tell you to let a nice buck pass while allowing a shot at a spike he wanted removed from the herd. Also said he had to join a shooting club to store his hunting weapons that was forbidden to keep at his residence.

All of this is pure speculation on my part(although a strong German heritage, I've never been there) but I did see the pics and hear the stories....Many times. LOL

Please clarify. You were a foreign resident, right?

I think Italian citizens store their guns at home.

I doubt some of this. Anyway, a knight is not royalty, only nobility. A Royal is literally a member of the Royal family, whether in the UK, Spain, Sweden, Norway, etc.

He/she will usually be a Prince/Princess, or at least hold a Dukedom. For instance, Prince William in the UK and his wife are also the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. His father, Prince Charles, is Prince of Wales and heir to the Throne, currently occupied by his mother, Queen Elizabeth.

However, a man called an Earl, Baron, Baronet , etc. is noble, but not royalty.

If your pal was literally knighted (made a Ritter?), who knighted him?

I used to know a German Baron, but his title went back in the family for many decades. He was the president of a famous knife company. (Puma)

A US citizen will not normally accept foreign titles. The only exceptions I know of are the late (Sir) Ronald Reagan, a high ranking member of the Order of the Bath and Jamie Lee Curtis, who married a Baron.

Because he wasn't from a Commonwealth country, Reagan didn't use the title of Sir Ronald. I just looked it up. He was the 58th American to be granted an honorary knighthood. Another was President Eisenhower.

Your pal was "knighted" in Germany while a serving officer in the USAF? Dubious. I think we need substantiated details.

However, in WW II, Lt. Audie Murphy, MH, received what I think are probably honorary knighthoods from both France and Belgium. Chevalier. ??

Please present your evidence... my story stands on its own... as factual!!

I don't have to present any evidence. That ball is YOUR court.

However, you can find on the Net pics of Audie L. Murphy's decorations and their identity. You can then contact the Military Attache at both the French and Belgian Embassies in Washington, D.C. He will almost certainly speak English. Ask your questions there, requesting the names and privileges of the specific decorations and what they mean.

I can't get into politics here (as you must know) but it's a matter of public record about Reagan's knighthood, presumably originated by request of the late Dame Margaret Thatcher in cooperation with the Monarch and from the US Dept. of State and/or Congress. For Ms. Curtis, I think you can find info on her Online. I read about her title in a magazine, probably, People or some such. LATER: I just looked it up. She is Baroness Haden-Guest.

I concede:::: your word is final"""""thanks for the insight!

Actually, I don't doubt any of this. I went through the "knighting" too. However, since your friend remembers a lot of it, his German hunting partners apparently treated him gently. Due to the alcoholic haze, most of what happened I can only reconstruct based on photos taken by designated drivers ...

Seriously, many of the traditions are part of the social component of organized group hunts, which commence after the guns have been locked away, are booze-fueled, and are often over-done to the point of caricature. None of it has any legal meaning; in fact, many younger hunters are turned off by some of the antics.

The strict regulation of what you can and can't shoot is quite correct. That's a big reason why you have to study so much stuff for the test. The population density and road density in much of Europe makes maintaining a healthy game population with a sustainable gene pool a balancing act, and land owners have to keep close track of what kinds of bucks and what ratio they need to keep. You shoot too many or the wrong ones, the gene pool suffers, you don't kill enough, and crop damage and road kill goes up and you hear about it from affected parties.

PS: Texas,
Legally speaking, you are perfectly correct. No title of any kind has been awarded, nor could have been, in Germany since 1918 when the Kaiser abdicated. But that’s not what we’re talking about. This “knighting” is the equivalent of a frat prank.

While I was in stationed in Germany in the early 70's I found the whole process involved with hunting interesting, sure there were parts of it that were drawn out and could be expensive or at worst time consuming and at times boring. I never heard anything about "Royalty" or getting "Knighted", there was a ritual involving the blood of the animal being "anointed" on your forehead and afterwards you were considered "blooded" but for the most part it was an interesting and rewarding experience. They have an almost religious respect for the woodland experience which in many ways was how my backwoods family raised me. The stories I was brought up with resonated with many of those that I heard while in Germany, not surprising that I have a Germanic background. I've always felt more at church in the forest than anywhere else.

Correct, I was a legal permanent resident (equivalent of a US Green Card), but never tried to get dual citizenship, as it would have conflicted with my job security requirements.

I can't say that Italian citizens store guns at home, as I have no knowledge of that. My very good friend, an Italian-born citizen, had to store his pistols (US GI 1911 .45s) at the armory. We had to sign it out and present a declaration (on legal paper stock with tax stamp) describing the event, persons involved, and planned travel any time we went out.

He did not own a long gun, and that may well be completely different. Likely so, as I've seen many an old man with a shotgun out on farmland.

You did have to pay a fee for the storage, even when allowed only that option.

A brief simple search:

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See Absalom's Post 25. That's not a legal knighthood. It's more like a frat prank.