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Poll: 74% (!!!) of Austrians support a total ban on private firearm ownership, after 11 were killed in a school shooting last week here.

Tender Branson

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The poll asked if citizens support a total ban on private firearms, with exceptions just for police/hunters/sport shooters and certain other professions that require guns.

74% support a complete private ban
21% are opposed (I belong to this small minority)

Ministerrat fixiert strengere Waffenregeln – das kommt | Heute.at

Strengere Waffenregeln nach Grazer Amoklauf: 74 % der Österreicher unterstützen ein Verbot für Private. Ministerrat beschließt neue Gesetze.
www.heute.at

All party voters support a ban by huge margins, Green and Liberal voters with more than 90%, Conservative and Social Democratic voters with more than 80% and even Trumpian far-right FPÖ voters by 57-39.

76% of women and 71% of men.

77% of young people under 30 - and 69% of middle-aged people - and 78% of old people over 60.

81% of higher-educated people and 70% of lower-educated people.
 
This means that Austrian voters would favour much more restrictive measures on gun ownership than what the centrist government unveiled on Wednesday.

The government will restrict access to firearms for private purposes, by increasing the minimum age to 25 for handguns (but keep 18 as minimum age for hunting rifles). More and better psychological tests to receive a firearms license (written tests and personal talks with a psychiatrist, instead of only an easy written test) and a longer waiting period for gun purchases of 4 weeks instead of just 3 days.

But no outright ban.
 
Knees tend to jerk in Austria, too...right?
 
It's not surprising that support for an outright gun ban would increase a lot after such a school massacre, but three quarter support is stunning, I expected 60% or something ...
 
Tender Branson said:
It's not surprising that support for an outright gun ban would increase a lot after such a school massacre, but three quarter support is stunning, I expected 60% or something ...
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Is there hunting in Austria?
My opinion, speaking as a Canadian, hunting is the only reason to own a firearm.
 
Grand Mal said:
Is there hunting in Austria?
Click to expand...

Yes, lots of hunting. 60% of Austria are forests after all.

Hunters are a big and important constituency of the conservative ÖVP, the chancellor's party.

So, by keeping the minimum age for future hunters and rifles at 18 (instead of the higher proposed age limit of 25 for handguns), they did not piss off their important voters.

According to the poll though, 85% of their own voters would support a handgun ban too. So even the conservative voters would be stricter than their party.

Handgun owners are more likely a constituency of the far-right FPÖ, but the poll says even their voters want a handgun ban for private people. So there's universal support for that among the population.
 
Grand Mal said:
My opinion, speaking as a Canadian, hunting is the only reason to own a firearm.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily in my opinion:

Many private people also want to get a handgun or several of them legally, to protect themselves and their family from home invasions, or because they collect such various handguns like post stamps.
 
Tender Branson said:
Not necessarily in my opinion:

Many private people also want to get a handgun or several of them legally, to protect themselves and their family from home invasions, or because they collect such various handguns like post stamps.
Click to expand...
I'm surprised. I don't know anyone who thinks they need a handgun for protection.
I know two people who own handguns, both ex-military. One guy still shoots in competitions, the other guy just because.
But I would have no issue with hunting with a handgun.
 
Tender Branson said:
Not necessarily in my opinion:

Many private people also want to get a handgun or several of them legally, to protect themselves and their family from home invasions, or because they collect such various handguns like post stamps.
Click to expand...
Yet every study on burglary shows that a home is far more protected by using good locks , good lighting system, burglar alarms and even having a dog. And making it obvious that the house has these things. A thief will look for an easier target if they see these kind of defenses. Where as the thief will not know if you have a gun and the result is more likely to be a fight for your life rather than scaring the thief away with obvious alarm systems.
 
Austria should ban ALL types of firearms. No Austrian has any constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

Ban 'em ALL.

Problem solved.
 
What third world countries think is not really relevant to me.
 
I'd say yes, a house equipped with reinforced steel doors, concrete walls, and level 10 bullet resistant glass would provide superior protection to a gun in case of a burglary, but not everyone has hundreds of thousands of dollars to build themselves a near-bunker. A shotgun is $200-$300.
 
A majority opinion that speaks well of Austrians'common sense. You would do well to listen.
 
How much for a couple of deadbolts and a doorcam? $50 maybe.
 
And as usual one can only expect a really stupid way of doing something that most people do quite sensibly.
 
soylentgreen said:
And as usual one can only expect a really stupid way of doing something that most people do quite sensibly.
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Your home's structural strength for purposes of resisting a burglary is only as strong as the weakest point of entry. Good locks are only as good as the strength of the wall they're bolted into.
 
Cosmo said:
How are those going to stop someone from kicking in the door or breaking the window?
Click to expand...

Strong locks prevent doors and windows from being easily breached and door cams would have the preventive measure outlined in post #12. How will a shotgun prevent those things if you are not at home, or are asleep, or have it safely stowed?
 
Cosmo said:
Your home's structural strength for purposes of resisting a burglary is only as strong as the weakest point of entry. Good locks are only as good as the strength of the wall they're bolted into.
Click to expand...
Thieves are not into a hard time. They will always pick the easiest target. Having visible defenses such as good locks and light, a dog and alarms will deter them. A gun is only a last and desperate defense against a person already in your house. Prevention is better than a fight for your life.
 
Decypher said:
Strong locks prevent doors and windows from being easily breached and door cams would have the preventive measure outlined in post #12. How will a shotgun prevent those things if you are not at home, or are asleep, or have it safely stowed?
Click to expand...
A home invasion happens very quickly.

I would have to unlock the gun vault, take the trigger lock off, go get the ammunition which is locked up separately and load the the gun.

The better plan is running out the back door and calling the cops.
 

Austrians are smarter than Americans.
 
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