News Article: Guns to hit Saudi market for first time

[damien]

I think it's interesting. Just an FYI.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id...onid=351020205

Saudis will be able to buy handguns and other personal firearms openly for the first time, the country's interior ministry has anounced.

The ministry also stated that it would license privately-owned gun shops.

Anyone over 25 with a clean criminal record and a bank guarantee of SR 500,000 (some US$133,000) can apply to open a gun store, Arab News reported.

The move is aimed at reining in the widespread illegal ownership of handguns and assault weapons, a Saudi official said.

Hunting and sport shooting weapons are currently sold in specialty stores in Saudi Arabia and all weapons have to be licensed.

The ministry has also announced its decision to give Saudis permission to run shooting clubs.

[Standing Wolf]

The move is aimed at reining in the widespread illegal ownership of handguns and assault weapons, a Saudi official said.

Leftist extremists in America take careful note.

[markinmichiagn]

Great more demand on the ammo market!

[runrabbitrun]

Interesting how where I used to live as a kid, is now taking a more
pro 2a stance than many politicians and areas in my home country of the USA.

Or are they just not as conniving as their US counterparts?
SEE BELOW:

The move is aimed at reining in the widespread illegal ownership of handguns and assault weapons, a Saudi official said.

[Titan6]

Reverse gun control? Perhaps they are hoping creating a legal market will drive the illegals out of business and then put the legals under gov.sa control will give them greater control. Too bad for the rulers that their government is totally corrupt. The whole market is black market right now.

[HKUSP45C]

I find it funny that when I lived in Saudi Arabia almost evry single "native" my family knew had at least two or three rifles with "da switch" and most had a handgun or two.

It's good that they are finally changing the laws to reflect the reality of life in the Kingdom.

[Catherine]

Good for them and ANY other country that turns into a PRO GUN community!

Catherine

[runrabbitrun]

I didn't see many guns when I was living there in the 70's,
other than high profile compound guards and some special police units and such.
I guess I was just too busy having a blast to see them.

I did see first hand how the black market worked...
and YES, you could get anything you wanted, If you had the money.

[RoadkingLarry]

Oh the humanity! The streets will run red with blood, it will be just like the wild west. A simple argument over a camel parking spot willo result in gunfire.

[Paul47]

I'm not entirely convinced this is a positive. Are regulated markets better than free (black) markets? Guess the govt decided if they couldn't beat them, they'd better join them - and control them.

[HKUSP45C]

Originally Posted by runrabbitrun

I didn't see many guns when I was living there in the 70's,
other than high profile compound guards and some special police units and such.

Interesting how our experiences were so different. I was there (Ras Tanura) from '76-'84 and I recall nearly everyone with a "government job" (from the muttawa to the customs agents) armed with an assault rifle and, again, nearly every Saudi family we knew had hardware at home as a pretty "open" secret.

The black market was certainly an eye opening experience and many people would be surprised what Americans resort to buying on the black market because Anglos, in general, couldn't hardly sneak anything in, unless you knew who to pay your American Dollars to.

I did truly enjoy the time I spent there and am very glad to have an entirely different perspective of that culture than people who have never experienced it. Plus, it was neat to learn how to build and run a real still.

ETA:

Originally Posted by Paul47

I'm not entirely convinced this is a positive. Are regulated markets better than free (black) markets? Guess the govt decided if they couldn't beat them, they'd better join them - and control them.

Of course, it's interesting to note that even in this country when something becomes available on the open market it tends to be easier to regulate effectively. Alcohol is a good example, when I was in high school I had a MUCH, much easier time getting illicit drugs than I ever did getting cigarettes and booze. Usually it was cheaper to get drugs than liquor as well. This is one of the main failings in prohibitionist logic. If you pretend that once you outlaw something people will stop using it/doing it then you are throwing away the only opportunity you have to control the use/activity at all.

I think the House of Saud finally realized that if they want to ensure that the only the "right" people (wahhabists mostly) would have guns was to do away with the majority of the need for a huge black market for the majority of people, for guns, the black market will thrive on the rest of the contraban in that country.

[mikitsubizunizu]

We'll just have to wait and see, might work out very well for them.

[runrabbitrun]

HKUSP45C, I lived in Jeddah mid to late 70's.
I did see 'some' guns but don't recall lots of them.
Could of been all the Hashish.
Hell, old Bin himself may of smoke a bowl with me...
I just don't recall.

Hope this works out for them.
But I've got a sneaky suspicion.