On this E-Group we want to meet people from all over the World, and

exchange information, instructions, tips on survival and survivalism.

I live in Brazil, and the situation of the common citizen is hard,
because we can only have few firearms, in lesser calibers, a short
supply of ammunition, can not handload or reload ammo, can not practice
with firearms, and so is no match for the very well armed criminals.
Ragnar Benson, a Master on survivalism, once said in one of his books
that firearms aren't the most important item on a survivalist's battery
- the most important items are explosives. I agree with him, and so the
situation here in Brazil is sour at extreme to citizens.
But, even agreeing that explosives are a must for extreme survivalism
conditions, without light weapons (i.e., weapons that can be carried
and used by one person without external support) one may not survive an
ordeal in a criminals-paradise like Brazil is today.
I am ever concerned with this problem - without ready access to combat
weaponry we'll not survive, being incapable to defend our homes,
family, and ourselves.
But Laws in Brazil are draconian on it's citizens.
I'm a Government-licensed Collector, Hunter, and Competition Shooter,
hence I can handload or reload my ammo, and I have almost all the
rights an American citizen who is a Class-I, Class-II, Class-III &
Class-IV Dealer with a lot of Red-Tape along his years. Only "right" I
have not here is to carry with me any loaded weapon in any caliber
another common citizen without that "lot of Red-Tape" can not have.
And what is this?
Common citizens here, older than 21, after a complete "check-out" about
his life (that must be 100% "clean"), can buy one weapon each year, up
to a maximum of six - but on this last gun, one must ask for a
Collector's license, else one can not have more than five firearms.
But among these six guns, the limits are:
- muzzle-loaded firearms: no limit on quantity or caliber, but can not
be carried loaded;
- two handguns, with rifled barrels, not of the same caliber; on the
first time, one can buy up to 100 rounds of ammo for the gun, but more
ammo only after six months, and not more than 50 rounds every six
months, and not more than 25 rounds at one time; allowed calibers for
handguns are .22 Short rimfire, .22 Long rimfire, .22 Long Rifle
rimfire, 5.5mm Velo-Dog, .25 ACP (6.35mm Browning), .320 Elley, .32 S&W
Short, .32 S&W Long, .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning), .380 Elley, .38 S&W,
.38 Special [including +P], and .380 ACP (9mm Browning Short)
[including +P].
- two long guns, with rifled barrels, not of the same caliber; on the
first time, one can buy up to 300 rounds of ammo for the gun, but more
ammo only after six months, and not more than 100 rounds every six
months, and not more than 50 rounds at one time; allowed calibers for
rifled long guns are .22 Short rimfire (even for semi-auto guns), .22
Long rimfire (even for semi-auto guns), .22 Long Rifle rimfire (even
for semi-auto guns), 5.5mm Velo-Dog, .25 ACP (6.35mm Browning), .320
Elley, .32 S&W Short, .32 S&W Long, .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning), .380
Elley, .38 S&W, .38 Special [including +P], .380 ACP (9mm Browning
Short) [including +P], .218 Bee, .25-20 WCF, .32-20 WCF, .38-40 WCF,
and .44-40 WCF - only semi-auto rifled-long-guns allowed are the non-
Magnum .22 rimfires.
- two smooth-barreled guns, either long or short (handgun configuration
with any lenght of barrel), except semi-autos, in the same calibers
(Gauges), in these calibers: 8mm Rimfire, 9,1mm Rimfire, 9mm Flobert,
9,1mm Centerfire, 40, 36 (.410), 32, 28, 24, 20, 16, and 14 Gauge, OR
12-gauge non-semi-auto with a 24" barrel minimum lenght.
- airguns in calibers up to 6mm, only by showing ID and being older
than 18, but can not carry a loaded airgun.
- archery weapons (bows, crossbows) are not regulated, but can not be
carried loaded.
- exotic weapons are not regulated, but except those really discrete
(ASP, folding knife) can not be carried - and this includes Kobudo
weapons like Nunchaku, Tonfa, Shuriken, Sticks, etc, as well as "secret
weapons" like cane-swords, belt-buckle blades, pen-daggers, etc. - to
carry a Tonfa, a Private Security Guard must work for someone who has a
Government permit that allow his guards to use such a weapon...
- no "secret" firearm is allowed (such as a pen-gun).
Even to me, with all my "Red-Tape", somethings are not allowed: full-
auto weapons of less than 50 years of manufacture, artillery shells
loaded, ballistic rockets, and weapons in use by Brazilian Government
Armed Forces (I can own a Sniper Rifle in 7.62x51mm NATO, but not the
same Sniper Rifle in use by Brazilian Army, and so on). And, as a
Collector (but not as a Competition Shooter or Hunter) I can own guns
in 9x19mm caliber (9mm NATO), but can not even TRANSPORT nor have ANY
CARTRIDGE OF THAT CALIBER, it being restricted to the Armed Forces -
not even the Police instituiton (nor the COPs) can use handguns in 9mm
NATO, only submachineguns in 9mm NATO but under strict conditions, alt.
even those are being substituted by .40 S&W caliber guns.
For those really few who can get a CCW-like license, something that
costs up to US$ 2,000.00 for a one-year license, one can carry ONE
loaded handgun in an allowed caliber - no exceptions. Spare ammo can be
carried, but not too much (how much is too much? no one can say...)
Retired COPs are like common citizens, must ask for a CCW-like license
(that is easy to get) and can carry only one handgun in an allowed
caliber.
Those CCW-like licenses are for one gun, and for a specific gun, not
just any one gun. You may ask for a CCW to carry in your State a
concealed Glock 28 pistol, a .380 ACP version of the Glock 26, and can
carry only that gun. Two extra magazines are Ok, but six can get you
arrested...
If you hava a "CCW", having a K-Bar knife with you can be Ok, but if
you are a punk, even a small folder can get you arrested.
- blank guns, airsoft guns, replica guns, are NOT allowed.
- Paint-Ball guns are allowed, but can not be carried loaded.
On using firearms, if you shoot one outside a Shooting Club, you can be
arrested for the crime of shooting a firearm in a populated place -
even if you are in a swamp 20-miles from anyone.
And to carry your gun to a Shooting Club you must be a Competition
Shooter registered with the Government; else you must rent a Club's gun
and use it only inside the range (Shooting Ranges here are called
Shooting Clubs, because these can not be a commercial venture, only a
non-profit sporting training facility).
Body Armor can be used by common citizens, up to Level III-A, but must
be registered like weapons; armored cars on the same level of
protection must be registered also - in short, no armoring capable of
defeating assault rifle ammo is allowed to "Average Joe" here. Uhmmm...
sounds strange? To me too!
Well, and our criminals are the best armed in the World, with assault
rifles, mines, grenades, anti-tank weapons, Stinger missiles, high-
explosives, silencers, anything.
Thinking about it all is perturbing, to say the least.
And this is why I think one must be well versed in the construction and
use of his/her own weapons, be these anything of use, because only them
one can really be the OWNER of any weapon - by being able to BUILD a
weapon, one can really OWN it, because if that tool (and a weapon is
just a tool) must be abandoned, one can build another, and so on.
Right of the box is fun, but once we are talkin' about surviving, it is
only a partial solution.
Do not take me wrong, I own guns, and I love guns.
My dream is to get a Class-V license...
But I can not place my survival only a firearm on my hands, because
some Gov't-goon may take it from me at any time - hence, I must know
all I can about other weapons, and know whath it can, and can not, do.
Kindest regards.
Mad Abe.