There are plenty of countries aside the US where citizens can and do own guns.
E.g. gun control is strict in most of Europe compared to the US, but it's entirely attainable to most people without a criminal record to own firearms.
E.g. gun control is strict in most of Europe compared to the US, but it's entirely attainable to most people without a criminal record to own firearms.
Here we just have cops with sidearms and one or two cowboys open carrying.
Carry permits allow you to carry loaded firearms in public.
Carry permits tend to be heavily restricted, but I believe handguns are not. The UK is an exception in that gun control is significantly more onerous than any other European country and more or less bans civilian handgun ownership completely.
E.g. in Switzerland, it's trivial to get a handgun. Not any more difficult than buying a double barrelled shotgun or an AR-15 style rifle. On the other hand it's very difficult to get a license that allows you to carry loaded firearms. The regular firearm permit allows you to transport unloaded guns from your home to the shooting range and back.
There are a lot of shooting clubs in former eastern bloc countries as well, and both long guns and handguns are popular for sport shooting.
Perhaps the commenter shouldn't have said: only gun nuts care.