Personal Weapon

[Gianni7476]

I have a question about the personal weapon: in Switzerland, the assault rifle you get will be yours for your entire military career and even after that. Now a friend told me that in Germany or the US, soldiers do not have a personal weapon which they keep for their entire service. Is this true? How is this handled in other armies, do soldiers have personal rifles or are those "corps material"?

[ejected]

Well, i'm very skeptic about that personal rifle stuff. I mean, how someone can have so much trust in all kinds of army perssonal and give them assault rifles to bring it home in peace time? I think that Israeli's do that, but they have combat situations every day, almost a war so i understand that. I think i would first of all get drunk one day and start shooting at inoccent people on the street from my apartment!:) Just kidding! See the point?

[ed316]

In America, it's government property. Most of the time if they move you to another unit they will issue you a new one.


You can buy some of the military weapons at some gun store(class III) here in America.

[Gianni7476]

Well, i'm very skeptic about that personal rifle stuff. I mean, how someone can have so much trust in all kinds of army perssonal and give them assault rifles to bring it home in peace time? I think that Israeli's do that, but they have combat situations every day, almost a war so i understand that. I think i would first of all get drunk one day and start shooting at inoccent people on the street from my apartment!:) Just kidding! See the point?

Yes, I see the point. But let's not start a discussion about whether this is a good decision or not. I just want to know if this is common in other countries that soldiers do not really "possess" their weapons (like in the US, thank you ed316!).

[Jippo]

In Finland they are governement property, and normal soldier can have his rifle replaced anytime with another one. Also bringing rifles home is not possible.


-jippo

[SharpShooter282]

In Switzerland, it's also Gov. Property... But the weapon is lend to the military personnal... And you can buy it at the end of your military obligations...

[Quantenjaeger]

Moin folks,

in germany you don't get a personal weapon and of course you are not allowed to bring it home. (which is very sorry, because the Heckler&Koch G36 is a helluva rifle and it would surely suit my apartment :) )

But you are given a numbered gun while in basic combat training which you have to care for and which you are not to change or worst case loose, since it can be identified as yours. even leaning it on a tree can be a serious problem, depending on your instructors sense of humor:
" Is this your gun, soldier?"
"No, mine is leaning 'gainst that...erm, can I take a closer look again?"

Again, if the swiss army had that g36 rifle, i'd be glad to serve for the "eidgenossen"

[Hydro]

Here you're allocated a numbered weapon in the armoury, and you sign for it. It's then yours to care for until you leave, or get reallocated another weapon. It stays in the armoury at all times when not being used. There are exceptional circumstances in which weapons are issued to personnel and they are taken pretty much everywhere that person goes - you'll only find that applies to personnel in certain jobs in the military.

[East Scout]

Well, i'm very skeptic about that personal rifle stuff. I mean, how someone can have so much trust in all kinds of army perssonal and give them assault rifles to bring it home in peace time? I think that Israeli's do that, but they have combat situations every day, almost a war so i understand that. I think i would first of all get drunk one day and start shooting at inoccent people on the street from my apartment!:) Just kidding! See the point?

I wonder if your really kidding..........

[Icarus1]

Every swiss serviceman gets his assault rifle (or a few like MP or Medics teh Pistol) at home. He keeps it (more or less) safe... some under a bed or so :) You also get one spare magazine and 50 shots in a closed can (in case of war to open). You should seperate the bolt from the rifle, but many people don't do this. There are nealry no accidents with service rifles, the reasons are of various nature (serious training on the rifle, swiss mentality, good laws etc). Other stuff you get at home (if the big war comes to Switzerland you are prepared) are:

- Combat dress for summer and winter.
- Steel Helmet
- Load Bearing Vest
- Combat ruck
- Parade Uniform
- Bajonet
- gasmask
- sleeping bag
- two pairs of (absolutely great) combat boots
- dogtag

and much more useful or useless stuff.

It looks like this when you go into, or come out of, sevice

http://www.brezel.org/icarus/taz.jpg
pic provided by icarusnet.ch.vu

[Gianni7476]

@Icarus:

- Combat dress for summer and winter.
- Steel Helmet
- Load Bearing Vest
- Combat ruck
- Parade Uniform
- Bajonet
- gasmask
- sleeping bag
- two pairs of (absolutely great) combat boots
- dogtag

With combat dress you mean PA TAZ? And are you sure you get the sleeping bag? I thought nowadays you don't get the sleeping bag anymore. I didn't. Oh, and you forgot something:

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/678/be4203rb.th.jpg (http://img45.imageshack.us/my.php?image=be4203rb.jpg)

The new baggage for travelling....:)

[a deadly fart]

Hmmm you Swiss have some interesting finds for would be house burgulars.

[Randomrokottaja]

"I have a question about the personal weapon: in Switzerland, the assault rifle you get will be yours for your entire military career and even after that."

Militia system, totally different to the US system. The original reason for the personal weapons kept at home was the expected situation where a swiss soldier has to fight his way throught to the unit's meeting point. In Swiss sized country it also helps in preparing against a surprise attack
and makes it less gainfull.

Never been in swiss army myself though but few close relatives have been.

In Finland weapons are also government's property and like in the most armies, they are not kept at reservist's homes. Better so.

If you want an assault rifle to home, then just go to store and buy an own one. Very simple and then you can even choose what to buy.

[Luno]

In Sweden the national guard have al their equipment and weapons at home (AK4B or AK4OR and some have Kpist M/45)
Picture AK4OR and AK4B

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/7248/ak4b5gy.th.jpg (http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ak4b5gy.jpg)

[ABNINF]

Hmmm you Swiss have some interesting finds for would be house burgulars.

Of course, knowing that their could be a 99% chance of getting shot by said weapon, MIGHT, deter someone from burglarizing a house too.......

[Icarus1]

About the sleeping bag (best piece of equipment, just a great bag): I'm oldschool army and I did get it home, you are right, nowadays you don't get the bag personal at home and have to use a used bag in service (hopefully not from someone who pissed in it).

With combat dress I mean PA TAZ (Tarnanzug), Winterjacket and Winter pants. That's correct. Guns are personal, registred and numbered. If they get stolen the MP goes after it and you couldn't sell it. And on the black market the SIG550 is not so much worth (even if they are full-auto) because they are way to big (1m long) and there are a few huindred thousand in our country...