Hello from Israel

[Lior]

Good morning folks.

It's nice to see this forum and its wealth of information on all things Smith and Wesson.

I'm a self-employed linguist living in Israel. Besides translating for most of my waking moments, my past times include volunteer police work (reserve LEO), competitive shooting and flying small aircraft. I've been living around guns for most of my adult life, from air pistols to field artillery, and carry and compete with 5" M&P Pros.

Gun laws in Israel are strict and it's difficult for most normal folks to own firearms legally. S&W has always been a familiar brand here in the civilian market though.

Am happy to be on board hereabouts.

 

[mrsig]

Welcome from Tampa

 

[bigwheelzip]

Shalom from South Carolina, and welcome to the forum.

 

[MSG Glenn]

Welcome from Wisconsin!

 

[Muss Muggins]

Welcome from the bootheel of Missouri . . .

(ps: love your holsters)

 

[Glashaus]

Welcome to the Forum from Texas!

 

[S&W Fan]

Boker Tov and Welcome!

 

[kraynky]

Welcome from Kentucky. Sounds like an interesting life for sure. What do you see most, semi-auto or revolvers? Which caliber is dominant there? Stay safe.

 

[Lior]

Welcome from Kentucky. Sounds like an interesting life for sure. What do you see most, semi-auto or revolvers? Which caliber is dominant there? Stay safe.

Most pistols that are carried by private individuals tend to be semiauto niners, which answers both questions.
Some old timers still carry sixguns, but they are becoming relatively rare. Glock and CZ are the main imported brands, and indigenous Bul and IWI designs are pretty common too. Bul dominates the IPSC (practical shooting) market in Standard (Limited) and Open Divisions.

Thanks for the welcome all!

 

[S&W Oldtimer]

Welcome from Va.

 

[MCorps0311]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Targets Guy]

Welcome to the forum. If you see Ziva tell her hi.

 

[tekarra]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

[OLDSTER]

Welcome from North Dakota I own two IDF surplus Hi-Power pistols.

 

[woolieworm]

Welcome from south Texas.

 

[PaulNYC]

Shalom from NYC

 

[les.b]

Welcome to the forum from the great state of West Virginia!!! Hope to see you around the forum from time to time!!! This is a great place to hang out.

Best Regards, Les

 

[lrrifleman]

Welcome from the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey.

 

[snubbyfan]

Welcome from the eastern panhandle of West Virginia.

 

[fyimo]

Welcome to the forum from Arkansas

 

[C Islander]

Welcome from Ohio!!

 

[vmumford]

Welcome Lior. Glad to have you aboard.

 

[islamoradamark]

welcome from south florida

 

[italiansport]

Would you please explain the reasons that it's so difficult for a private citizen to get a firearms permit? I would think that with the threat of terrorism that you have to cope with on a daily basis your government would want as many responsible citizens armed as possible.
Jim

 

[hanno]

Welcome from northern Michigan!

 

[Lior]

Would you please explain the reasons that it's so difficult for a private citizen to get a firearms permit? I would think that with the threat of terrorism that you have to cope with on a daily basis your government would want as many responsible citizens armed as possible.
Jim

Thanks for asking Jim. I can give you my perspective on that one, which is biased by my political affiliation and lack of complete data:

Israel's firearms laws, passed in 1949 at a time of cessation of hostilities, required a license from the government to own a firearm and ammunition, which law was inherited from the British. Israel is trying to be both a democracy and a homeland for the Jewish people, and its various governments have tried to balance between the need to make the country unsafe for terrorists and the need to make guns less accessible to fifth columnists and other people who might abuse them (most guns kept by civilians here are probably smuggled military ones, kept illegally by people who don't trust the state). The law gets relaxed when lots of Jewish blood gets spilt here, and tightened again when anti-gun feminists get too much press coverage. People who really want a gun and are willing to live in a certain way that qualifies them to own one can do so with enough planning and resources.

The system here is inconvenient for many people, but on the other hand we don't have many "gun free zones". I've visited the USA just once, a month ago, and was shocked in Chicago by how every other business had a "No guns" sign, as if that would somehow stop carnage, but that's another story.

 

[bigwheelzip]

...was shocked in Chicago by how every other business had a "No guns" sign, as if that would somehow stop carnage, but that's another story.

A common sense observation, that somehow escapes many citizens here.

 

[pawncop]

Welcome from Texas Lior. Great forum for all things S&W, have fun, learn lots, share what you know.

Always grand to have a new member of the S&W family join in from across the Eastern pond.

 

[les.b]

Lior:

I don't want to get political, and don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but Chicago is in no way representative of the United States when it comes to gun laws. Most of the United States are very accepting of those who choose to be responsible for their own safety. Before you visit us again, let us know, and perhaps we can help you know a little about the areas where you are going. BTW, all those signs that you see in Chicago help make it one of the deadliest places in the US!!!

Best Regards, Les