Czech sales of guns rising

As what is thought to be a reaction to the terror scares of late, the Czech Republic has noted a sharp increase in the amount of gun sales and applications for licenses. It is believed that more than 800,000 guns are now owned by private citizens with over 100,000 units being sold in the last five years alone.

The rate had been slowing in recent years but a sharp upturn in the second half of 2015 saw 2,000 new permits granted which adds to the ever-growing total of 290,000. One owner, of Security Arms in Trutnov, East Bohemia, said that sales had rocketed by 30% since September 2015. He also went on to say that people are having to wait weeks, even months, for the most popular nine-millimetre pistols - such as the Glock - as they are simply selling so fast.

Ceska zbrojovka, a well-known firearms manufacturer in the Czech Republic, has told the media that they are able to keep up with demand at the moment but if sales remain where they have been of late, they could begin to struggle. The increased amount of terror attacks in the last 12 months has been cited as the main reason for this increase with people choosing to have a weapon available just in case.

This increase is likely to bring the firearms application system into dispute as there is currently no psychological testing involved; this makes it somewhat easier to purchase a gun in the Czech Republic than in the surrounding countries. As a whole, the European Commission has already stated their intentions to make the ‘possession of weapon’ laws stricter but the Czech Republic is not taking any such steps.