Firearms regulation in Norway: Difference between revisions
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'''Gun laws in Norway''' incorporates the political and regulatory aspects of firearms usage in the country. Citizens are allowed to keep firearms (most commonly for [[hunting]] |
'''Gun laws in Norway''' incorporates the political and regulatory aspects of firearms usage in the country. Citizens are allowed to keep firearms (most commonly for [[hunting]] and/or [[Shooting sport|sports shooting]]). The acquisition and storage of guns is regulated by the state. |
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== Laws and regulations == |
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Firearms in Norway are regulated by the ''Law on weapons, firearms, weapon parts and ammunition''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lov om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenlova) - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2018-04-20-7 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> with additional regulations given in the ''Regulations on weapons, firearms, weapon parts and ammunition''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> Guns owned and operated by the [[Norwegian Armed Forces|armed forces]] and the [[Norwegian Police Service|police]] are exempt from the aforementioned law. The [[National Police Directorate (Norway)|National Police Directorate]] can issue [[government circular]]s to further detail and define how the firearm laws and regulations should be interpreted by the police. |
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Firearms in Norway are regulated by the Firearm Weapons Act,<ref name="law">{{cite web|url=http://www.lovdata.no/all/nl-19610609-001.html|title=Lov om skytevåpen og ammunisjon m.v.|accessdate=10 October 2017}}</ref> with a new secondary law in effect 1 July 2009 providing more detailed regulation.<ref>http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/JD/Vedlegg/Forskrifter/Vapenforskriften.pdf Våpenforskriften</ref> The act covers all firearms, air pressure weapons, and some "exotic arms" as the act defines. All weapons that would be regulated must have two things in common: they must eject a projectile mechanically and use some form of propellant to perform the ejection. The act includes military type weapons, [[flare gun]]s and replicas that can "easily" be converted to working firearms. Guns owned and operated under the responsibility of the armed forces and the police are exempt from the civilian weapons act.<ref name="law"/> |
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The detailed interpretation of the law is laid out in another regulation.<ref name="forskrift">{{cite web|url=http://www.lovdata.no/for/sf/jd/xd-19630125-9722.html|title=Forskrift om skytevåpen, våpendeler og ammunisjon|accessdate=10 October 2017}}</ref> |
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Norway has a large population of [[Hunting|hunters]] and [[Shooting sports|sports shooters]]. [[Semi-automatic rifle|Semi-automatic]] and [[bolt-action]] rifles, as well as [[shotguns]], [[pistol]]s and [[Revolver|revolvers]] make up the better part of the guns in civilian homes. [[Automatic firearm|Fully automatic firearms]] are prohibited for civilian ownership for the most part, that is unless they are a collector and member of the ''Norwegian historical weapons society''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norsk Våpenhistorisk Selskap {{!}} |url=https://www.vapenhistorisk.no/ |access-date=2023-06-26 |language=nb-NO}}</ref> who ''may'' be issued licenses for automatic firearms. |
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[[Suppressor]]s are not regulated under Norwegian law, and may be purchased by anyone. Suppressors are also legal while hunting, and seen as a necessity for more comfortable shooting and to lower the environmental impact of noise. |
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The ownership of firearms is restricted in Norway, firearms licenses are issued by the Norwegian police on a may issue basis. However, in practice almost all applicants are granted firearms licenses (e.g. 98.3% of firearm license application were granted in 2017<ref>{{Cite web |title=Revisjonsrapport for 2017 om politiets behandling av våpensaker |url=https://www.riksrevisjonen.no/globalassets/rapporter/no-2018-2019/revisjonsrapport2017politietsbehandlingavsoknaderomvaapentillatelse.pdf |website=riksrevisjonen}}</ref>). As of 2017 there were 1,329,000 registered firearms owned by 486,028 people,<ref>{{cite web |date=10 February 2017 |title=Nå er det over 1,3 millioner private skytevåpen i Norge. To distrikter troner klart øverst på våpenstatistikken |url=https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/44MnG/naa-er-det-over-13-millioner-private-skytevaapen-i-norge-to-distrikter-troner-klart-oeverst-paa-vaapenstatistikken}}</ref> which means approximately one in ten people own a registered firearm. |
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Norway has a large population of hunters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brreg.no/english/registers/hunter/facts.html|title=At the start of the new hunting year on 1 April 2008, 417,400 hunters were registered by the Norwegian Register of Hunters.|accessdate=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007054209/http://www.brreg.no/english/registers/hunter/facts.html|archive-date=7 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Semi-automatic rifle|Semi-automatic]] and [[bolt-action]] rifles, as well as [[shotguns]], make up the better part of the guns in civilian homes. There is a total ban on [[automatic firearm]]s for civilians, unless they fall into the collector category. Modification of semi-automatic guns into fully automatic without the consent of the police is a felony crime. |
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Civilian firearms licenses are mostly granted for the application of hunting and/or sports shooting. However, there are some exceptions such as collectors who are members of the ''Norwegian historical weapons society'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norsk Våpenhistorisk Selskap {{!}} |url=https://www.vapenhistorisk.no/ |access-date=2023-06-30 |language=nb-NO}}</ref> museums, ''[[International Ship and Port Facility Security Code|international ship and port facility security]]'' and some other specialty purposes not generally applicable to ordinary civilians. |
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[[Handgun]]s have some calibre restrictions. A [[Smith & Wesson Model 500]], for example, is illegal due to its high power, but other, less powerful guns, are legal as they are used in sports shooting. Norway has a long tradition of high-end sports shooting competitions, especially rifle shooting. Each calibre must be used in some type of competition to be allowed. Also, there is a restriction on the number of weapons an owner can have for each calibre. For recreational shooters, only one gun is allowed in each calibre. For professional and semi-professional shooters, a spare gun is allowed. A recreational shooter is only allowed to own four different handguns. To obtain more, documentation on extensive involvement in [[sport shooting]] is needed. |
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Gun collectors are exempt from many of the restrictions regarding type, function and characteristics of a firearm that most civilian firearms must abide by. However, becoming a gun collector is generally a lot more difficult than becoming a hunter or sports shooter. Gun collectors may own up to 100 firearms, but they must be tied to one or more specific fields of collection - often classified by historical periods, wars or geographical locations. Gun collectors may not fire their firearms without explicit permission from the police. |
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== Ownership == |
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Rifle and shotgun licenses can be issued to persons 18 years or older with a clean criminal record. The applicant for the licenses must document a need for the weapon, usually hunting or sports shooting. There exists three exceptions to this age qualification. A minor under the age of 18, but over the age of 16 may apply for rifle or shotgun licenses in the name of a consenting parent or [[legal guardian]]. |
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For handguns, the age of ownership is 21. However, minors between the age of 12 to 18 can apply for caliber [[.22 Long Rifle|.22lr]] pistols licenses in the name of a consenting parent or [[legal guardian]]. The aforementioned rules also applies to those between the age of 18 to 21, but for any pistol caliber. Any license granted by the police in the name of a consenting parent or [[legal guardian]] on behalf of a minor is only valid for two years at a time.<ref name=":0" /> |
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There are special rules for collectors of guns. They are exempt from many parts of the regulation, but, in turn, they must meet even narrower qualifications. Collectors may purchase, but not fire without permission, all kinds of guns in their respective areas of interest, which they have defined in advance. |
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Ownership is regulated in paragraph 7,<ref name="law"/> and responsibility for issuing a gun ownership license is given to the police authority in the applicant's district. |
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To legally qualify for a firearms license you must either be a Norwegian citizen, have a ''[[Permanent residency|permanent residence]]'' permit or have been living continuously in Norway for a minimum of five years. Citizens from within the [[European Economic Area]] (EEA) are exempt the five year ruling if they can provide a valid ''[[Police certificate|Police certificate of conduct]]'' from their country of origin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Krav til personlege eigenskapar - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_7-1#%C2%A77-7 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> |
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Hunters can obtain up to a total of eight firearms (for hunting), whilst sport shooters can obtain one firearm for each shooting disciplines approved by the [[National Police Directorate (Norway)|National Police Directorate]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lover og regler om våpen |url=https://www.politiet.no/tjenester/vapen/lover-og-regler-om-vapen/ |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Politiet |language=nb}}</ref> Sports shooters who compete internationally and/or has participated in more than 10 competitions for a specific shooting disciplines in the past 12 months can apply for a spare firearm in each approved shooting discipline. |
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Rifle and shotgun ownership permission can be given to "sober and responsible" persons 18 years or older. The applicant for the permission must document a need for the weapon. Three exceptions exist to this age qualification. Persons under the age of 18, but over 16 may apply for rifle or shotgun ownership licence with the consent of parents or guardian. For handguns, the ownership age is 21, but a license can be issued to those 18 or older if certain criteria are met. However, such license is valid for only 1 year and must be renewed to avoid revocation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lov om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenlova) - Kapittel 5 Kven som kan erverve og ha skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon - Lovdata|url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2018-04-20-7/KAPITTEL_5#%C2%A715|access-date=2022-01-09|website=lovdata.no}}</ref> For inherited weapons, it is up to the local police chief to make a decision based on the individual facts of the case. |
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An applicant must have a clean [[police record]] in order to obtain an ownership license. |
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There are two ways of obtaining an ownership license in Norway. The most common is through the process of obtaining a [[hunting license]], the other is through a sports shooting license. |
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=== For hunting === |
=== For hunting === |
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=== For sports shooters === |
=== For sports shooters === |
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To become a sports shooter in Norway you must enroll in a firearm safety course hosted by a sports shooting club, lasting at least 9 hours. The course includes classroom theory, a written test as well as practical experience on the shooting range. Passing the safety course results in acceptance to the sports shooting club, and a certificate for completion. After getting the firearms safety certificate and becoming a member of a sports shooting club one will most likely start out training or competing with a firearm owned by the sports shooting club. |
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The qualification process for sporting is theoretically easier, but requires more time and practice. The applicant must enroll in a firearm safety course, lasting at least 9 hours. The course includes a written test, but is shorter than the hunting exam, as it only deals with firearm safety. Two-thirds of the course are completed on the shooting range as practice. The passing of the test results in acceptance to the approved gun club, and a license for competition. However, while the hunters can obtain their firearm almost at once, sports shooters must prove their intentions to compete by actively training or competing in the gun club. This means regular attendance (at least 15 times) at gun club training over the course of six months. The applicant must use firearms owned by the club or borrowed at the range for this period. After six months, the applicant may apply for weapon ownership. The start license and a written recommendation from the gun club president are brought to the police station, and the competition class is filled out on the application. If approved, it will be returned to the applicant as with the hunter license. |
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Sports shooters who compete or participate in a shooting discipline with manual rifles, semi-automatic rifles approved for hunting, manual or semi-automatic shotguns may apply for a license after having participated in six organized training sessions and/or competitions for said [[List of shooting sports organizations|shooting sports organizations]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Erverv av skytevåpen og våpendelar til sportsskyting - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_4-2#%C2%A74-7 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> |
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Sports shooters who compete or participate in a shooting discipline with manual or [[Semi-automatic pistol|semi-automatic pistols]] and/or revolvers may apply for a license after having been a member of a sports shooting club for a minimum of six months, and having participated in ten organized training sessions and/or competitions for said [[List of shooting sports organizations|shooting sports organizations]] within the last six months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Erverv av skytevåpen og våpendelar til sportsskyting - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_4-2#%C2%A74-6 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> |
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In both cases, if the application is rejected, the applicant is allowed an explanation of the reason, and an appeal. |
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Sports shooters who compete or participate in a shooting discipline with [[Semi-automatic rifle|semi-automatic rifles]] '''not''' approved for hunting (e.g. [[AR-15–style rifle]]) may apply for a license after having been a member of a sports shooting club for a minimum of 24 months, and having participated in ten organized training sessions and ten competitions for said [[List of shooting sports organizations|shooting sports organizations]] within the last 24 months.<ref name="vpf4-4">{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Erverv av skytevåpen og våpendelar til sportsskyting - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_4-2#%C2%A74-4 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> |
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==== For competition shooters in DFS ==== |
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For competitive shooters in [[Det frivillige Skyttervesen]] (DFS) you will need an active membership for 6 months, and limitations for membership is Norwegian Nationals only. There is training course for youth from age 8 and up to 18, for adults an introduction to safety and behavior on the range is given, no written exams are required. Active members can apply for rifles approved by DFS competitions such as [[Sauer 200 STR]] in caliber [[6.5×55 Scan]], [[308 Win]], and [[22lr]] only, Other approved rifles is [[Krag-Jørgensen]], [[Mauser M98]], and other competition bolt-action rifles in 22lr with trigger pull of 1.5 kg |
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The requirements for a high capacity magazine license for semi-automatic pistols requires having been a member of a sports shooting club for a minimum of 12 months, and having participated in ten organized training sessions and/or competitions for said [[List of shooting sports organizations|shooting sports organizations]] within the last 12 months. The license requirements for high capacity magazines for semi-automatic rifles are the same as the license requirements for semi-automatic rifles which are not approved for hunting.<ref name="vpf4-4" /> |
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== Guns in civilian ownership == |
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The laws for storage of firearms are strict. |
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When applying for any sports shooting firearms license you must also be able to document membership in a sports shooting club, as well as membership in said shooting sports organization. You must also document having completed the firearms safety course. |
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For shotguns and rifles, the requirement given in the weapons act is to have the firearm, or a vital part of it, securely locked away. Generally, this means an approved [[gun safe]], securely bolted to a non-removable part of the house. (A vital part is considered to be the [[Bolt (firearm)|bolt]] group—the bolt head will suffice—for rifles, the slide for pistols, or the barrel of a shotgun.) |
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== Transportation & storage of firearms and ammunition == |
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The police are allowed to make a home inspection of the safe. An inspection must be announced more than 48 hours in advance, and the police are only allowed to see the safe and make sure it is legally installed. |
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[[Ammunition]] is generally only sold to persons with valid weapon license. However, if one is in possession of a legally unregistered shotgun bought before 1 April 1990, and is in the hunter registry, one can purchase shotgun ammunition by showing a firearms license or a hunting permit at the place of purchase. Without a special permit only 10,000 rounds of ammunition can be stored by a single person, or 15,000 rounds if 5,000 of them are [[.22 LR]] or smaller calibre. |
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| ⚫ | During transportation, the weapon must be empty and concealed, but not worn in any form of holster or otherwise on the body, and the firearm must be under constant supervision of the owner - effectively prohibiting any form of [[Concealed carry|concealed]] or open-carrying of firearms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 6. Oppbevaring, transport og sending av skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_6#%C2%A76-7 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> This applies equally to replicas, air guns and decommissioned firearms. |
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Older rules stated that the ammunition must be locked away separately, but these rules were abandoned in the latest revision of the weapons act. |
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The entire firearm or a vital part must be stored in an insurance-rated safe when not in use. For the safe to be approved, it must be certified to ''FG-520, SSF 3492, EN 1143, NS 5089, INSTA 610'' or better.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 6. Oppbevaring, transport og sending av skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_6#%C2%A76-1 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> |
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== Transportation == |
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Gun safes must be located within the permanent residence of the person(s) who legally own(s) the firearm(s) stored within it. It has to be within the livable space of the residence, meaning it cannot be stored in a garage, shed, detached storage unit etc. |
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The police can perform a home inspection of the safe. An inspection must be announced 48 hours or more in advance, and the police are only allowed to see the safe and make sure it is legally installed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 11. Forvalting, kontroll og tilbakekall av våpenløyve - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_11#%C2%A711-6 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> |
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During transportation, the weapon must be empty and concealed, but not worn on the body, and under the constant supervision of the owner. This applies equally to replicas, air guns and decommissioned firearms. |
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Within a single household, you may only store up to 10,000 rounds of ammunition, or 15,000 rounds if 5,000 are [[.22 LR]] or a smaller calibre. Ammunition must be stored within a lockable container and be physically separated from any firearm (i.e. you may not store your firearms loaded).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 6. Oppbevaring, transport og sending av skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon - Lovdata |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2021-05-07-1452/KAPITTEL_6#%C2%A76-3 |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=lovdata.no}}</ref> |
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== Homeloading == |
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One can apply for an exception from the storage limit with no official upper limit for exceptions. |
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Homeloading is legal in Norway if you have a weapon license. You can only load for calibres you have a weapon license on or a “loan permit”. You can have up to 5kg of smokeless powder in your house and a maximum of 10,000 primers. |
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== Reloading ammunition == |
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[[Handloading|Reloading]] your own ammunition is legal in Norway if you have a firearms license. You may only load ammunition for a caliber you have a firearms license for, or you have a “loan permit” for. |
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You can legally store up to 5kg of smokeless powder in your home, and up to 10,000 [[Primer (firearms)|primer]]s. Black powder can also be stored in your home, split into 1kg boxes up to a total of 3kg. Black powder must be stored in the original plastic container it was purchased in, moreover, each 1kg container must be separated by dividing walls in a wooden box/chest. The storage container cannot be kept near an open heat source like a fireplace or oven. one can apply for an exception to store more than 10,000 primers, 5kg smokeless powder and 3kg black powder. with an exception there is no official limit. <ref name=":1" /> |
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As of 2017 there are 1,329,000 (or 25 per 100 people) registered firearms owned by 486,028 (or 9% of population) people in Norway.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/44MnG/naa-er-det-over-13-millioner-private-skytevaapen-i-norge-to-distrikter-troner-klart-oeverst-paa-vaapenstatistikken|title=Nå er det over 1,3 millioner private skytevåpen i Norge. To distrikter troner klart øverst på våpenstatistikken|date=10 February 2017}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gun laws in Norway}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gun laws in Norway}} |
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[[Category:Firearms law by country|Norway]] |
[[Category:Firearms law by country|Norway]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Law of Norway]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian law]] |
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Latest revision as of 11:38, 4 November 2024
Gun laws in Norway incorporates the political and regulatory aspects of firearms usage in the country. Citizens are allowed to keep firearms (most commonly for hunting and/or sports shooting). The acquisition and storage of guns is regulated by the state.
Laws and regulations
[edit]Firearms in Norway are regulated by the Law on weapons, firearms, weapon parts and ammunition[1] with additional regulations given in the Regulations on weapons, firearms, weapon parts and ammunition.[2] Guns owned and operated by the armed forces and the police are exempt from the aforementioned law. The National Police Directorate can issue government circulars to further detail and define how the firearm laws and regulations should be interpreted by the police.
Types of firearms owned by civilians
[edit]Norway has a large population of hunters and sports shooters. Semi-automatic and bolt-action rifles, as well as shotguns, pistols and revolvers make up the better part of the guns in civilian homes. Fully automatic firearms are prohibited for civilian ownership for the most part, that is unless they are a collector and member of the Norwegian historical weapons society[3] who may be issued licenses for automatic firearms.
General firearms ownership
[edit]The ownership of firearms is restricted in Norway, firearms licenses are issued by the Norwegian police on a may issue basis. However, in practice almost all applicants are granted firearms licenses (e.g. 98.3% of firearm license application were granted in 2017[4]). As of 2017 there were 1,329,000 registered firearms owned by 486,028 people,[5] which means approximately one in ten people own a registered firearm.
Civilian firearms licenses are mostly granted for the application of hunting and/or sports shooting. However, there are some exceptions such as collectors who are members of the Norwegian historical weapons society,[6] museums, international ship and port facility security and some other specialty purposes not generally applicable to ordinary civilians.
Gun collectors are exempt from many of the restrictions regarding type, function and characteristics of a firearm that most civilian firearms must abide by. However, becoming a gun collector is generally a lot more difficult than becoming a hunter or sports shooter. Gun collectors may own up to 100 firearms, but they must be tied to one or more specific fields of collection - often classified by historical periods, wars or geographical locations. Gun collectors may not fire their firearms without explicit permission from the police.
Rifle and shotgun licenses can be issued to persons 18 years or older with a clean criminal record. The applicant for the licenses must document a need for the weapon, usually hunting or sports shooting. There exists three exceptions to this age qualification. A minor under the age of 18, but over the age of 16 may apply for rifle or shotgun licenses in the name of a consenting parent or legal guardian.
For handguns, the age of ownership is 21. However, minors between the age of 12 to 18 can apply for caliber .22lr pistols licenses in the name of a consenting parent or legal guardian. The aforementioned rules also applies to those between the age of 18 to 21, but for any pistol caliber. Any license granted by the police in the name of a consenting parent or legal guardian on behalf of a minor is only valid for two years at a time.[2]
Obtaining a firearms license in Norway
[edit]To legally qualify for a firearms license you must either be a Norwegian citizen, have a permanent residence permit or have been living continuously in Norway for a minimum of five years. Citizens from within the European Economic Area (EEA) are exempt the five year ruling if they can provide a valid Police certificate of conduct from their country of origin.[7]
Hunters can obtain up to a total of eight firearms (for hunting), whilst sport shooters can obtain one firearm for each shooting disciplines approved by the National Police Directorate.[8] Sports shooters who compete internationally and/or has participated in more than 10 competitions for a specific shooting disciplines in the past 12 months can apply for a spare firearm in each approved shooting discipline.
For hunting
[edit]To obtain a hunting license, the applicant must complete a 30-hour, 9-session course and pass a written multiple choice exam. The course includes firearm theory, firearm training, wildlife theory, and environmental protection training.
Once the exam is passed, the applicant may enroll in the hunter registry and receive a hunting license. The membership must be renewed each year, through license payment. The hunting license is brought to the police station, where the applicant fills out an application for obtaining the proper firearm for his or her hunt. After evaluation, part of the application is sent back to the applicant if it was approved. Upon approval, the applicant can take the returned form to the store and purchase the firearm listed in the application.
For sports shooters
[edit]To become a sports shooter in Norway you must enroll in a firearm safety course hosted by a sports shooting club, lasting at least 9 hours. The course includes classroom theory, a written test as well as practical experience on the shooting range. Passing the safety course results in acceptance to the sports shooting club, and a certificate for completion. After getting the firearms safety certificate and becoming a member of a sports shooting club one will most likely start out training or competing with a firearm owned by the sports shooting club.
Sports shooters who compete or participate in a shooting discipline with manual rifles, semi-automatic rifles approved for hunting, manual or semi-automatic shotguns may apply for a license after having participated in six organized training sessions and/or competitions for said shooting sports organizations.[9]
Sports shooters who compete or participate in a shooting discipline with manual or semi-automatic pistols and/or revolvers may apply for a license after having been a member of a sports shooting club for a minimum of six months, and having participated in ten organized training sessions and/or competitions for said shooting sports organizations within the last six months.[10]
Sports shooters who compete or participate in a shooting discipline with semi-automatic rifles not approved for hunting (e.g. AR-15–style rifle) may apply for a license after having been a member of a sports shooting club for a minimum of 24 months, and having participated in ten organized training sessions and ten competitions for said shooting sports organizations within the last 24 months.[11]
The requirements for a high capacity magazine license for semi-automatic pistols requires having been a member of a sports shooting club for a minimum of 12 months, and having participated in ten organized training sessions and/or competitions for said shooting sports organizations within the last 12 months. The license requirements for high capacity magazines for semi-automatic rifles are the same as the license requirements for semi-automatic rifles which are not approved for hunting.[11]
When applying for any sports shooting firearms license you must also be able to document membership in a sports shooting club, as well as membership in said shooting sports organization. You must also document having completed the firearms safety course.
Transportation & storage of firearms and ammunition
[edit]Firearm owners must have a good cause for bring a firearm to a public space. A good cause could include transportation to and from a shooting range, hunting area, transportation for repairs, or for maintenance and hobby activities.
During transportation, the weapon must be empty and concealed, but not worn in any form of holster or otherwise on the body, and the firearm must be under constant supervision of the owner - effectively prohibiting any form of concealed or open-carrying of firearms.[12] This applies equally to replicas, air guns and decommissioned firearms.
The entire firearm or a vital part must be stored in an insurance-rated safe when not in use. For the safe to be approved, it must be certified to FG-520, SSF 3492, EN 1143, NS 5089, INSTA 610 or better.[13]
Gun safes must be located within the permanent residence of the person(s) who legally own(s) the firearm(s) stored within it. It has to be within the livable space of the residence, meaning it cannot be stored in a garage, shed, detached storage unit etc.
The police can perform a home inspection of the safe. An inspection must be announced 48 hours or more in advance, and the police are only allowed to see the safe and make sure it is legally installed.[14]
Within a single household, you may only store up to 10,000 rounds of ammunition, or 15,000 rounds if 5,000 are .22 LR or a smaller calibre. Ammunition must be stored within a lockable container and be physically separated from any firearm (i.e. you may not store your firearms loaded).[15] One can apply for an exception from the storage limit with no official upper limit for exceptions.
Reloading ammunition
[edit]Reloading your own ammunition is legal in Norway if you have a firearms license. You may only load ammunition for a caliber you have a firearms license for, or you have a “loan permit” for.
You can legally store up to 5kg of smokeless powder in your home, and up to 10,000 primers. Black powder can also be stored in your home, split into 1kg boxes up to a total of 3kg. Black powder must be stored in the original plastic container it was purchased in, moreover, each 1kg container must be separated by dividing walls in a wooden box/chest. The storage container cannot be kept near an open heat source like a fireplace or oven. one can apply for an exception to store more than 10,000 primers, 5kg smokeless powder and 3kg black powder. with an exception there is no official limit. [15]
References
[edit]- ^ "Lov om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenlova) - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Norsk Våpenhistorisk Selskap |" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Revisjonsrapport for 2017 om politiets behandling av våpensaker" (PDF). riksrevisjonen.
- ^ "Nå er det over 1,3 millioner private skytevåpen i Norge. To distrikter troner klart øverst på våpenstatistikken". 10 February 2017.
- ^ "Norsk Våpenhistorisk Selskap |" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Krav til personlege eigenskapar - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Lover og regler om våpen". Politiet (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Erverv av skytevåpen og våpendelar til sportsskyting - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Erverv av skytevåpen og våpendelar til sportsskyting - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Erverv av skytevåpen og våpendelar til sportsskyting - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 6. Oppbevaring, transport og sending av skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 6. Oppbevaring, transport og sending av skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 11. Forvalting, kontroll og tilbakekall av våpenløyve - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Forskrift om våpen, skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon (våpenforskrifta) - Kapittel 6. Oppbevaring, transport og sending av skytevåpen, våpendelar og ammunisjon - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 30 June 2023.