Hi all,

I registered to this forum because I'm a life-time S&W fan. In Germany you are very very restricted as a owner of firearms and so it is quite difficult to get proper informations when you need them - far too less poeple out here who know what they are talking about, because there are only few people who own a gun. For about 25 years now I own a 17-4 and a 27-3, both great shooters (will post photographs later) that I use regularly as a target shooter in a sport shooting association. I once had a 29 6" nickle that I sold in 1990, and I still regret it (accurate as you can imagine).

best regards
Ulrich

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

Welcome to the forum Ulrich!

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Misty

Welcome to the forum.

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Roger

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome Ulrich from Tenn. I have a model 17 also
and love to shoot it. I got a model 41 this weekend and
love to shoot it to. Don

Attached Images

S&W-41.jpg (98.9 KB, 13 views)

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"Don't worry be happy"

Ulrich, welcome from North Carolina. Loved my 6 years in the Eifel.

Welcome from Pennsylvania!

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- The Federalist #46 -

Welcome from New Jersey.
What part of Germany are you from?
I have family from Mainz and Dessau.

Willkommen, ya'll!

Welcome from Florida.

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PC, censorship
with a smile.

Welcome to the forum. We do have some really knowledgable people here. I'm constantly amazed by them.

I've got an 8 3/8s inch nickel Model 29 that is much more accurate than I am.

And some Schwabian ancestors, but they crossed the ocean in 1832, so my grandfather was the last generation to speak much German.

We are likely to increase your addiction to Smith and Wessons.

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Regulate Banks, not guns

Greetings from the Pacific Northwest!

Welcome from Texas Ulrich. Great forum, have fun, learn lots, share what you know. Always nice to have a new member of the S&W family check in from across the pond.

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

Thank you all for the warm welcome,

I really appreciate this. For those who want to know: I live in the northern part of Germany, somewhere half way between Hannover and Dortmund. Nice area her, lots of woods (you remember the movie "Gladiator": first scenes are supposed to have happend here, where the German beat the Romans ).

I'm looking forward to contribute to the forum

best regards
Ulrich

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

Willkommen, miene frau is from Osnabruck.

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Dick

Hey,

that's not far away of us - in USA you would probably say, it's in the neighbourhood

regards
Ulrich

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

Grüß Gott from Illinois. What part of Germany are you from?
Bill

Missouri says Hello .

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gunnut2u
(Tim)

I live in the northern part of Germany, somewhere half way between Hannover and Dortmund. Nice area her, lots of woods (you remember the movie "Gladiator": first scenes are supposed to have happend here, where the German beat the Romans ).

regards
Ulrich

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

Welcome from Ohio! (Actually I am in Cape Cod, Mass right now)

I am a big fan of steel products from Solingen. I collect Henckels knives from Pre-WWII. Always wanted to take a trip to that area.

Enjoy the forum, there are a lot of very knowledgeable people here (I am not one of them...)

DAve

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Dave

Welcome from Minnesota.

Welcome to the forum from Southeastern Massachusetts (near Cape Cod).

Are there particular models of Smith & Wesson that you want to acquire next?


What type of regulations govern ownership in Germany? Do you need a license?

What does an 'average person' do to become a gun owner?

.

Welcome to the forum from Arkansas.

Hi,

some brief answers: My wife will get a M696 hopefully next summer. For myself, I don't know if there will be another S&W possible . Read further down.

Gun laws in Germany: very very restrictive. You need to be member of a shooting club, hunter or professional bodyguard/security specialist to be allowed to apply for a license to buy guns. You then have to proof what they call "the necessity" - this means: you have to pass a hunting course (which my wife will do from september on for half a year), you have to be a shooting club member for at least one year (including a safe handling course and a shooting test result to show that you are able to hit the target) or you have to account for a constant threat to yourself or your customers if you are professional bodyguard/security specialist. As few guns as possible is the policy of our gun laws - which means, you get a license when they have no possibility to dismiss your application.

There are a lot of further severe restrictions - esp. since early this year a 17 yo teenager killed 17 people with his father's Beretta (a shooting club member who offended against the law by keeping his gun and some 100 live rounds in the wardrobe instead of in the steel locker). To be allowed handguns larger than .22 caliber, you have to be at least 25 yo, you have to transport your guns to the shooting range separeted from the ammo in two different and blocked bags/boxes/cases, the safekeeping of your guns can be controlled by the police at any time etc.

I'm a competetive shooter for 30 years now and own firearms since 1983. These are my two S&W's: 17-4 and 27-3.

I own a quite rare auto-loading pistol as well, a Steyr GB, 9mm (although intended as a military sidearm, it has an incredible accuracy). Some rifles too... Happy to be a member of the german Army's Reserve Shooting Association.

regards
Ulrich

Attached Images

	M17-4_web.jpg (76.0 KB, 6 views)
	M27-3_web.jpg (69.5 KB, 8 views)

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

Ulrich,

Thanks for the detailed answers.

The process you describe makes me appreciate even more, the Constitutional protections we have here.

We have licensing processes that vary state by state and even some varying at the local level in many cases.

In my state of Massachusetts, the granting of licenses is in the control of local Chiefs of Police in each town or city. In one town you may have a Chief of Police who is sympathetic to the cause of civilian gun ownership and licenses may be fairly easy to obtain.

You may find though, that in all the surrounding towns, the Chiefs oppose civilian gun ownership and make licensing virtually impossible.

In other states, that are so-called "shall issue" states, the licensing authority more or less must grant a license to any law abiding citizen who meets a very limited set of criteria.

Many of us believe that any licensing process is an 'infringement' of our natural rights to self defense that are affirmed in our Constitution.


You have some great looking guns. Perhaps in this thread or others you participate in, you could post pics of your Steyr as well.

It's a Smith & Wesson forum, but you'll find most of us are gun lovers at heart and appreciate any quality firearm.


I hope you thoroughly enjoy this forum and feel comfortable to ask any questions you may have, and to contribute freely as well.

.

WELCOME from Spotteddog as well!
You will enjoy the 696 as much as your others!
Thank you for helping us keep the shooting sports alive worldwide!

Those are two very nice revolvers.
I was at a local outdoor range and meet a fellow that had a couple Hammrelli's (I'm sure this is not spelled right) Nice pistols though. Said he used to shoot in matches in Germany. I didn't ask but suspect he was in the US Military. Do they follow the same laws as you as in owning firearms. Any way.

Willkommen zum Forum

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SC Army National Guard

Welcome to the Forum

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4th SQD 7th CAVALRY

Hallo Ulrich

Willkommen im Forum und liebe Grüsse aus dem "Waffenparadies" Schweiz.

Jörg

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bibere humanum est ergo bibamus (To drink is human, let us therefore drink)

willkommen

Welcome to the forum from Nebraska...

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Bob