Gun Politics in the USSR?

[The Man]

I've seen videos and pictures of girls and young women, with red scarfs around their neck, shooting sport rifles like .22s. Was gun ownership actually legal in the USSR?

[#FF0000]

I'm pretty sure it was, actually, but don't quote me on it.

[Red Commissar]

I *think* in some areas of the Soviet Union weapon training was a mandatory part of athletic education for students in secondary schools as a part of preconscript training- recall that the Soviets had a mandatory military service set up for those who did not enter into higher education. I'm not a hundred percent sure though, but this youth training may have been what you saw in the picture.

Other socialist states had similar concepts, I know Albania had trained its citizens in the use of weapons and most of this was for the purpose of a fighting force that could be quickly formed and mobilized along side the regular military with out too time spent on training (as they would presumably already have and retained some knowledge) in the event of an invasion. This is what allowed for the revolt in Albania in 1997 get as large as it did due to the access of weaponry from militia stores and the training they had.

Gun ownership wasn't legal though, not in the way you are probably thinking of.

Edit: I've attached a JSTOR article I found regarding Soviet education. It is snobbish shit but it gives you an idea of Soviet Education (written in 1960):


The students must also spend 2 hours a week for a total of 198 hours to pre-conscription military training. Most of the organ schools are organized into "circles of defense" where the students are instructed, in military units, in the use of terrain tables, military maps and the assembly of scale model tanks, guns and aircraft. During the summer vacations, the 9th grade boys go to the army camps for 20 days of intensive drill. In addition, physical and athletic instruction is included and there is an increasing heavy stress on sporting events. Promising youngsters in this field are transferred to special schools where the state pays for developing champions out of them. (The favorite indoor game is chess.)

This could be combined with .22 as an "outdoor" activity like you'd see with hunting or marksman contests at camp by the youth groups.

[Born in the USSR]

I've seen videos and pictures of girls and young women, with red scarfs around their neck, shooting sport rifles like .22s. Was gun ownership actually legal in the USSR?

It wasn't.It was allowed to have only hunting rifles.Sport rifles were the ownership of sport centres.

[The Man]

Thank you for the input, everyone.

[Red_Struggle]

I know Albania had trained its citizens in the use of weapons and most of this was for the purpose of a fighting force that could be quickly formed and mobilized along side the regular military with out too time spent on training (as they would presumably already have and retained some knowledge) in the event of an invasion. This is what allowed for the revolt in Albania in 1997 get as large as it did due to the access of weaponry from militia stores and the training they had.

Don't mean to derail the thread but I'd like to touch upon this subject a bit more.

According to sources such as "New Albania" and "Pickaxe and Rifle," every household was encouraged to keep a weapons cache nearby, and drills were farily common where everyone would grab their weapons and head to the pillboxes (enough were built for every family in Albania). In the event of an invasion, the workers were trained to use weapons and engage in guerilla warfare.

Although an invasion never occured, the workers' training was put into practice in 1997, like the above poster mentioned. http://redrebelde.blogspot.com/2009/10/albania-1997-on-brink-of-revolution.html

[pranabjyoti]

Don't mean to derail the thread but I'd like to touch upon this subject a bit more.

According to sources such as "New Albania" and "Pickaxe and Rifle," every household was encouraged to keep a weapons cache nearby, and drills were farily common where everyone would grab their weapons and head to the pillboxes (enough were built for every family in Albania). In the event of an invasion, the workers were trained to use weapons and engage in guerilla warfare.

Although an invasion never occured, the workers' training was put into practice in 1997, like the above poster mentioned. http://redrebelde.blogspot.com/2009/10/albania-1997-on-brink-of-revolution.html
A good read indeed. But, that doesn't go with the present Albanian action as NATO allay against attack on fYugoslavia and other allay to imperialism. Recently, NATO forces are gathering their troops in Albania to attack Libya, as reported by News agencies. Is it true?

[Red_Struggle]

A good read indeed. But, that doesn't go with the present Albanian action as NATO allay against attack on fYugoslavia and other allay to imperialism. Recently, NATO forces are gathering their troops in Albania to attack Libya, as reported by News agencies. Is it true?

Are there any links confirming that NATO is using Albania as a base to attack Libya?

[pranabjyoti]

Are there any links confirming that NATO is using Albania as a base to attack Libya?
I can not remember at present. But, you can not deny that NATO used Albania as a base to attack Serbia. Can you?

[Red_Struggle]

I can not remember at present. But, you can not deny that NATO used Albania as a base to attack Serbia. Can you?

No, I wouldn't deny it. It wouldn't surprise me if Berisha did such a thing.

[pranabjyoti]

No, I wouldn't deny it. It wouldn't surprise me if Berisha did such a thing.
Probably Berisha was not head of the state when NATO attacked Serbia.