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How the Swiss do it...


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Video below is in German*, there's a French version as well.  Either way, stick with it if you have the patience, you don't need to understand the language to get the point. 

For those who don't know, the Swiss army is a standing militia (like Israel), so all young men aged 20 or older have to do military service, and crucially, are expected to return for 3-week long refresher courses every year.  The Swiss conscript soldier is sent home with all his personal kit, including his Stgw90 service rifle.  In addition to the yearly refresher course, there is a compulsory yearly marksmanship test/practice at your local municipal rifle range.  This video walks you through the procedure for that shooting practice+test, just in case you've forgotten your range drills!

Note how your rifle may be kept in a cupboard, but the bolt has to be stored separately.

And you can purchase subsidised ammo to practice with before the actual test, but you have to return any unused rounds.  

And finally, our Fritzy Everymann in the film then goes for a 'drink' with his mate whom he meets at the range, but not before he's locked his assault rifle in the boot of his car (on display, with the magazine and the bolt installed)...

But at least he cleaned it before heading home. 

*The dialogue is in Swiss German dialect (Bernese), but the voice-over is in normal High-German.  

 

French version...

 

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Seen first hand on holiday by a lake in Switzerland. Young 18-20 lads root marching fully laden packs and rifles I would guess 20 to 30 of them. It was a very warm day. 

Not sure if they were ordered ( suspect not) but they all stacked rifles and  bags and uniforms around trees at one area of the lake and went for a swim in there underwear!

On asking about rhe local shooting range was the other side of the lake as you could hear small and large firearms being discharged 

Regards Agriv8 

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1 hour ago, Agriv8 said:

Seen first hand on holiday by a lake in Switzerland. Young 18-20 lads root marching fully laden packs and rifles I would guess 20 to 30 of them. It was a very warm day. 

Not sure if they were ordered ( suspect not) but they all stacked rifles and  bags and uniforms around trees at one area of the lake and went for a swim in there underwear!

On asking about rhe local shooting range was the other side of the lake as you could hear small and large firearms being discharged 

Regards Agriv8 

Speaking of local ranges, did you ever come across the Bloke on the range video on YouTube about the Swiss shooting range that has a main road running across it? The civil service and health and safety would wet themselves if they tried to have one like that in the UK

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4 hours ago, NoBodyImportant said:

Those Sigs are Amazing rifles.  I have the 556and the 556r

Wish I still had mine - they asked for it back when I left Switzerland, and foolishly I gave it back...

 

2 hours ago, Agriv8 said:

On asking about rhe local shooting range was the other side of the lake as you could hear small and large firearms being discharged

All but the smallest villages have a municipal range.  There's usually an associated shooting club if you're so inclined to participate in competitions outside of the compulsory military practice.

Due to the somewhat mountainous terrain, most of the ranges run 'uphill' to take advantage of the terrain as a backstop.

 

46 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

Speaking of local ranges, did you ever come across the Bloke on the range video on YouTube about the Swiss shooting range that has a main road running across it? The civil service and health and safety would wet themselves if they tried to have one like that in the UK

This un

 

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12 hours ago, udderlyoffroad said:

 

And finally, our Fritzy Everymann in the film then goes for a 'drink' with his mate whom he meets at the range, but not before he's locked his assault rifle in the boot of his car (on display, with the magazine and the bolt installed)...

But at least he cleaned it before heading home.

 

I guess if everyone has got one, there's no point in nicking one!!

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23 minutes ago, udderlyoffroad said:

All but the smallest villages have a municipal range.  There's usually an associated shooting club if you're so inclined to participate in competitions outside of the compulsory military practice.

Can they shoot comps with their service rifle, or is there another cert/process to allow civilian ownership do you know?

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Just now, Demonic69 said:

Can they shoot comps with their service rifle, or is there another cert/process to allow civilian ownership do you know?

Yes you can shoot comps with your service rifle and yes you can always buy one after your service. 

 

9 minutes ago, Scully said:

Great stuff! 🙂
I’m assuming bedwetters are a minority over there. How nice must that be. 

There's a quite a sizable minority of the 'woke' brigade over there too, however any changes to the system would require a national referendum to change the constitution, so for the forseeable, the electoral maths makes changes unlikely.

 

28 minutes ago, Fatcatsplat said:

I guess if everyone has got one, there's no point in nicking one!!

A little bit...burglary used to be unheard of too.

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14 hours ago, udderlyoffroad said:

Wish I still had mine - they asked for it back when I left Switzerland, and foolishly I gave it back...

 

All but the smallest villages have a municipal range.  There's usually an associated shooting club if you're so inclined to participate in competitions outside of the compulsory military practice.

Due to the somewhat mountainous terrain, most of the ranges run 'uphill' to take advantage of the terrain as a backstop.

 

This un

 

That’s some Florida stuff right there.  I guessing it’s hard to get 300 yards in the Alps.  

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On 21/01/2021 at 11:06, Scully said:

Great stuff! 🙂
I’m assuming bedwetters are a minority over there. How nice must that be. 

 Bed wetters?

Now that might be the real cause of all of the flooding here? 

 

And before the storm, I am not belittling the flood victim situation.

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  • 1 month later...
On 22/01/2021 at 01:43, NoBodyImportant said:

That’s some Florida stuff right there.  I guessing it’s hard to get 300 yards in the Alps.  

Actually there is a lot of potential for some superb very long ranges but the Swiss Army only trains to 300m

The Swiss have a 300m range at Bisley, not a well known fact

Also in Switzerland, when you reach the end of your military service it used to be the case that they let you keep the rifle. 

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  • 2 months later...
On 14/03/2021 at 10:26, Vince Green said:

Actually there is a lot of potential for some superb very long ranges but the Swiss Army only trains to 300m

The Swiss have a 300m range at Bisley, not a well known fact

Also in Switzerland, when you reach the end of your military service it used to be the case that they let you keep the rifle. 

It used to be a thing, that Swiss citizens living abroad could take their issued rifles with them in order to continue marksmanship practice while out of the country.
The Swiss .gov had negotiated for this to be allowed irrespective of local laws elsewhere...

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It's always interesting to note that the Swiss as a neutral country have national service and teach skill at arms to all.

What would happen in this backward country if we started teaching just gun safety as an option at school.

For goodness sake, we can't even teach first aid as mandatory, imagine even offering skill at arms.

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2 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

It's always interesting to note that the Swiss as a neutral country have national service and teach skill at arms to all.

What would happen in this backward country if we started teaching just gun safety as an option at school.

For goodness sake, we can't even teach first aid as mandatory, imagine even offering skill at arms.

There would be a lot of soggy beds and melt puddles if these were even suggested:yes:

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7 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

It's always interesting to note that the Swiss as a neutral country have national service and teach skill at arms to all.

What would happen in this backward country if we started teaching just gun safety as an option at school.

For goodness sake, we can't even teach first aid as mandatory, imagine even offering skill at arms.

It's been a part of the Soviet/Russian school system for decades

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