Headlines
Factbox-Gun ownership rules in Sweden
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 6, 2025
3 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 6, 2025
3 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
Sweden's gun laws allow civilians to own guns mainly for hunting and target shooting. Illegal firearms contribute to gang violence, highlighting the need for regulation.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's worst ever mass shooting this week has raised questions about the country's gun laws and widespread gun ownership.
Police said the suspected gunman had a license for four guns, three of which were found by his body at the school where the attack took place.
Here are the key facts about gun ownership in Sweden:
HOW MANY SWEDES HAVE A GUN?
- According to figures from The Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research institute, there are around 2.3 million guns held by civilians in Sweden. That is around 23 guns per 100 people.
- By contrast, there are 120 guns per 100 people in the United States and 29 per 100 in Norway. Britain had around 4.6 guns per 100 people. The data is from 2017.
- Most guns in Sweden are legally registered and used for hunting and target shooting.
- The Small Arms Survey estimates there are around 340,000 illegal guns in Sweden. It is mostly those illegal weapons that have been used in a wave of gang violence that has catapulted Sweden to the top of the list of shooting deaths among European countries.
- According to figures from broadcaster SVT, around 580,000 Swedes have a weapons license out of a population of around 10.5 million.
- Citizens can have a maximum of four guns without special permission, the police authority said.
WHO CAN GET A WEAPONS LICENSE?
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old, need to be law-abiding and must be able to justify to the police why they want a gun.
- To get a hunting license, Swedes must have a hunting certificate for which there are both theory and practical tests.
- Around 280,000 Swedes have a hunting license, according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
- To get a gun license for target practice, applicants have to be an active member of an approved shooting club and pass a test.
- A special dispensation must be sought to get a license for a fully automatic weapon for use in target shooting. Applicants also need to be over 20, according a police summary of Sweden's weapons laws.
WHAT TYPE OF GUNS CAN BE OWNED?
- Shotguns, handguns and semi-automatic weapons can be used for hunting.
- Semi-automatic weapons have limits on how many bullets can be held in the magazine. The maximum is five with an additional shot in the breach.
- Fully automatic weapons cannot be used for hunting.
- There are no limits on what kind of weapon can be used for target shooting, according to police.
- When not in use, weapons must be kept in a gun cabinet or similar secure storage, police said.
- Police have not said what kind of weapons were used in the Swedish attack.
(Reporting by Simon Johnson; Editing by Toby Chopra)
The article discusses gun ownership rules and regulations in Sweden, including licensing and the impact of illegal firearms.
Applicants must be 18+, law-abiding, and justify the need for a gun. Hunting licenses require passing tests.
Shotguns, handguns, and semi-automatic weapons for hunting; fully automatic weapons require special permission.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
