Gun control in Russia is carried out in accordance with the Federal Law on Weapons. The law establishes three major categories of weapons: civil, service, and military.
[РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ. ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЙ ЗАКОН Об оружии]
("Russian Federation. Federal Law on Weapons")
Overview
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
n citizens over 18 years of age can obtain a firearms license after attending gun-safety classes and passing a federal test and background check. Firearms may be acquired for self-defense, hunting, or sports activities, as well as for collection purposes.
Carrying permits may be issued for hunting firearms licensed for hunting purposes. Initially, purchases are limited to long
smooth-bore
A smoothbore weapon is one that has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars. Some examples of smoothbore weapons are muskets, blunderbusses, and flintlock pistols. ...
firearms and
pneumatic weapon
A pneumatic weapon is a weapon that fires a projectile by
means of air pressure, similar in principle to the operation of pneumatic tube delivery systems. The term comes from a Greek word for "wind" or "breath" (πνεῦμα).
Comparison with fi ...
s with a muzzle energy of up to . After five years of shotgun ownership, rifles may be purchased. Handguns were generally not allowed, but with the growing popularity of practical shooting events and competitions in Russia in recent years (e.g.,
IPSC), handgun ownership has now been allowed and you must be 21 years of age, a legal Russian citizen and possess a valid firearms permit. Originally, handguns were only used for sports and competitive shooting, but have recently been allowed for the purposes of self-defense on an owner's property.
As of 2023, handguns using live ammunition are not allowed to be concealed carry in public. The only legal handguns allowed in public are
traumatic handgun
A traumatic pistol or traumatic handgun is a non-lethal weapon in the form of a pistol that fires non-lethal projectiles, typically rubber bullets.
Some gas pistols have an option of loading rubber bullets. Legality
*Kazakhstan: in 2008 traumatic ...
s using
rubber bullet
Rubber bullets (also called rubber baton rounds) are a type of baton round. Despite the name, rubber bullets typically have either a metal core with a rubber coating, or are a homogeneous admixture with rubber being a minority component. Altho ...
s, and may be used for the purposes of self-defense. The only exception to this federal law are commemoration pistols, which have special engravings, and these can only be gifted by government officials for acts of heroism. These engraved pistols may use live ammunition and are allowed to be concealed carried, and used for the purposes of self-defense, provided the recipient is 21 years of age or older, and possess a valid firearms permit. Rifles and shotguns with barrels less than long are prohibited, as are firearms which shoot in bursts or have more than a 10-round capacity. The only exception for the 10-round capacity, is for use on gun ranges.
Suppressor
A silencer, also known as a sound suppressor, suppressor, or sound moderator, is a gun barrel#Muzzle, muzzle device that suppresses the muzzle blast, blast created when a gun (firearm or airgun) is discharged, thereby reducing the sound inten ...
s are generally prohibited and must receive special government permission. An individual cannot possess more than ten guns (up to five shotguns and up to five rifles, either rifled or smooth-bore) unless they are part of a registered gun collection.
History of changes
In 2014 Russia relaxed its gun laws by simplifying regulations for foreigners who legally bring their firearms to Russia; and making regulations stricter for firearm licensing, safekeeping, and for the purchase of non-lethal firearms.
In July 2016, requirements were updated for registration, licensing, and storage of hunting, sporting, pneumatic, and gas weapons.
In the wake of the
Kazan school shooting
On 11 May 2021, a school shooting and bomb attack occurred in Kazan, Tatarstan, in the western part of Russia. Seven 8th-grade students and two teachers were murdered, all by gunfire, and 23 others were injured. The perpetrator was identified a ...
various proposals for tighter gun control were voiced
and a bill drafted earlier and submitted in December 2020 is to be considered by the
State Duma
The State Duma is the lower house of the Federal Assembly (Russia), Federal Assembly of Russia, with the upper house being the Federation Council (Russia), Federation Council. It was established by the Constitution of Russia, Constitution of t ...
in May 2021.
See also
* Gun control in the Soviet Union
During the Russian Civil War, the Soviet government allowed a variety of small arms and bladed weapons. The government had made it a point to "arm the working people", but also of disarming the exploiting classes, in the Declaration of the Righ ...
References
{{Russia topics
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
Law of Russia