Hungary or former YU states - what are the airgun laws?

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bigHUN

bigHUN

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Jan 16, 2020
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I am lurking with the idea retiring somewhere there, because, first of all I am decent literate with all they languages, also the living costs attracting my attention. For years I was tinkering about moving to Spain or Portugal, but those places floaded lately with african migrants, must have got over crowded in meantime ...
In Canada I have a PAL-RPAL (license=permit) for my high powered airguns, the ideal would be if I could take my toys with me there, in a container?
Next time I am flying out somewhere before end of the year for a learning curve. Where shall I ask for details? Start with a local Police station or there may be other better places? I would really prefer visiting and talking to a living person over there instead of just reading generic websites in front of a PC screen.
Any hungarian-serbian members in gunclubs can chime in, or eventually we go private messaging?
 
The legal limit to possess an air rifle without any permit in Hungary is 7.5 J (5.53 ft/lbs). One of the worst countries in Europe to shoot HP. Airguns shooting over limit are considered firearms. Getting a firearm license is close to impossible. You need a bunch of expensive licences and its a very long procedure. You can forget about importing your HP airguns if you do not hold these needed permits.
 
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Hey there,
I know that getting a firearms permit in Hungary isn't exactly easy... As far as I can tell, if you live in Hungary and want a full/"high" powered airgun, you're going to have to get a firearms permit, because I think that "high" power airguns are a subject of not only declaration, but registration and licensing, just like firearms. I'm also not sure, whether suppressors/moderators are legal at all, they're probably sold over-the-counter just like in my country, or in Czech Republic, but I'm really not sure on this matter. In Serbia however, suppressors are not legal at all (not sure whether they've changed anything or not, but I'm quite sure that as of last year suppressors were still illegal there). I also know that in Hungary you're going to be limited to 7,5 Joules of muzzle energy for airguns, without requiring a gun license or permit. In Serbia on the other hand, the law gets complicated, because you've got two limitations on airgun performance, both muzzle velocity and energy - but declaration only consists of submiting the serial number and type of airgun to the police, just like in Czech Republic for C-1 category of "firearms" - blank guns, muzzleloaders, flobert guns (low-powered .22 rimfire guns).

In Czechia though, you can own any airgun in its full power configuration, up to .30 caliber, without any kind of licensing + declarations for calibers above .25 are easily handled. CR is like the Texas of the European Union. I'm already thinking of moving there someday...
 
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oOmpH said:
The legal limit to possess an air rifle without any permit in Hungary is 7.5 J (5.53 ft/lbs). One of the worst countries in Europe to shoot HP. Airguns shooting over limit are considered firearms. Getting a firearm license is close to impossible. You need a bunch of expensive licences and its a very long procedure. You can forget about importing your HP airguns if you do not hold these needed permits.
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Exactly, all too true I'm afraid about Hungary, but at least they don't have migrants there ;)
You know, the "I love my ZERO" kind of attitude of Visegrad countries.
 
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I've met and shot with a few Hungarian guys, all have to have a shooting licence, being semi literate in the Hungarian language will probably prohibit decent power ownership.

Serbian guys tell me their legislation is about to change, or will change soon, not for the better. 😦

I live not so far from Serbia, get charged 30 Euro entry, just to travel with a air rifle.
Tagged rifle case the whole trip, sealed by customs.

Even Bulgaria, we don't know what's the future, EU dogma, local interpretation. Confusion between departments, etc.
My last air rifle registered with the system ,
licenced police department etc the document issued stated ' for civil use only '.

Can the chief inspector who handed me the document/ticket explain! Poor guy is still scratching his head, as am I.😦

No matter what anyone advises you, bigHUN, always expect the unexpected.😏. Especially in Eastern Europe.

Migrants etc are political, no comment from me.
 
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Spinach said:
I've met and shot with a few Hungarian guys, all have to have a shooting licence, being semi literate in the Hungarian language will probably prohibit decent power ownership.

Serbian guys tell me their legislation is about to change, or will change soon, not for the better. 😦

I live not so far from Serbia, get charged 30 Euro entry, just to travel with a air rifle.
Tagged rifle case the whole trip, sealed by customs.

Even Bulgaria, we don't know what's the future, EU dogma, local interpretation. Confusion between departments, etc.
My last air rifle registered with the system ,
licenced police department etc the document issued stated ' for civil use only '.

Can the chief inspector who handed me the document/ticket explain! Poor guy is still scratching his head, as am I.😦

No matter what anyone advises you, bigHUN, always expect the unexpected.😏. Especially in Eastern Europe.

Migrants etc are political, no comment from me.
Click to expand...
No wonder the Serbian legislation will change for the worse, after what happened in that school in Belgrade...
Darko from DumDum was silent about it for quite a while now, but broke silence recently and explained how the gun law in Serbia is going to take a dive, yeah.
 
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Right now its getting really hot (air) over there in Central and Eastern EU, I am not planning flying there until late Fall when the weather cools down.
I am mentally prepared to do a lot of paperwork with governments and banks, probably will hire a lawyer to do most of the heavy work.
In Canada as well my airguns falling in a firearms category with 80 + joules so for my brain is absolutely acceptable applying for a shooting license anyway. Also in Canada ZERO tolerance for silencers/moderators, so I got used to that as well :)
Any shooting clubs or ranges you can recommend in "Délvidék" or "Vojvodina"?
Shall I assume for the licensing I shall start with a Police, or maybe a Sporting Association?
 
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bigHUN said:
Right now its getting really hot (air) over there in Central and Eastern EU, I am not planning flying there until late Fall when the weather cools down.
I am mentally prepared to do a lot of paperwork with governments and banks, probably will hire a lawyer to do most of the heavy work.
In Canada as well my airguns falling in a firearms category with 80 + joules so for my brain is absolutely acceptable applying for a shooting license anyway. Also in Canada ZERO tolerance for silencers/moderators, so I got used to that as well :)
Any shooting clubs or ranges you can recommend in "Délvidék" or "Vojvodina"?
Shall I assume for the licensing I shall start with a Police, or maybe a Sporting Association?
Click to expand...

Might be worth giving the FT boys over there a shout http://www.fieldtarget.hu they support foreigners coming in for matches with legal stuff.
As for the licensing, don't want to discourage you, but be prepared for a lot of frustration. Should you manage the miracle - yes, would be a miracle - of obtaining a license in the end mind you can only have 2 HP guns. Sport shooting culture, aside from the 7.5J, in Hungary is pretty much extinct because of said reasons.
 
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oOmpH said:
Might be worth giving the FT boys over there a shout http://www.fieldtarget.hu they support foreigners coming in for matches with legal stuff.
As for the licensing, don't want to discourage you, but be prepared for a lot of frustration. Should you manage the miracle - yes, would be a miracle - of obtaining a license in the end mind you can only have 2 HP guns. Sport shooting culture, aside from the 7.5J, in Hungary is pretty much extinct because of said reasons.
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Most of the EU FT guys know the local process, definitely worth getting to know a few, it's a excellent network.

Not much FT in Serbia, they are just starting out. They visit Bulgaria for experience and networking.
Serbia has a good BR following, a few clubs and a new shooting range is currently being built. 200m long if I remember correctly.

Take a look on the Serbian airgun forum, helpful guys.👍
 
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Trucker3573 said:
God bless the 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 all I can say. I always tell my European friends I’ll take the freedom to get gunned down in the streets any day over ridiculous restrictions. They never understand 😂
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Rules are very divided across EU and the continent. Almost every country has their own laws regarding. Belgium and The Netherlands have no power restrictions and import/export is also slightly grey in certain areas. Hence why sport shooting retailers like Krale or Shogun thrive there.
 
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In Croatia you can have air rifle in any caliber and there are no limits in output energy but you must register every air rifle at local Police station. No license procedure, only registration ( police gunsmith checks rifle for caliber, serial number and model).
More problematic is to find place to shoot as there is very low number of shooting ranges). If you have big private property you can enjoy yourself otherwise you must look for places without people.
Hunting of any kind is prohibited with air rifles.
 
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ddark said:
In Croatia you can have air rifle in any caliber and there are no limits in output energy but you must register every air rifle at local Police station. No license procedure, only registration ( police gunsmith checks rifle for caliber, serial number and model).
More problematic is to find place to shoot as there is very low number of shooting ranges). If you have big private property you can enjoy yourself otherwise you must look for places without people.
Hunting of any kind is prohibited with air rifles.
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Pozdrav iz Slovenije!
I love your country's model of legislating airguns, in Slovenia we have a power limit of up to 25 Joules for airguns, but we don't have to register blank guns, or crossbows/bows/slingshots... et cetera, here at all; Also, you can get any bow/crossbow in a full-power config, over-the-counter. Sadly, we cannot buy black powder guns o-t-c, but we can still order them via online stores from Germany or Austria, or even France ;)
 
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I’m glad I found this thread, looking everywhere for information regarding bringing my airguns with me to Croatia, all my guns are HP air-rifles.
Do you know what’s the legality of bringing my guns from the US to Croatia, I live in California and im planing to relocate to Croatia next year, right after my son finishes school (June) I also have several powder burners but I want to focus on my beloved airguns.
I understand hunting with airguns is ilegal over there, what about plinking or target shooting on my property? What about airgun clubs? Really love Croatia, specially the Adriatic Sea cost.

Renz
 
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I had several conversation in a Serbian airgun Forum, and this what I had learned from their laws:
They have a registration process in effect for all - and each air "guns" that exceed a predefined speed (the speed and energy level is pretty much as per EU standards) but no need below that limit?
In contrast to what we have in Canada, we must have a PAL/RPAL license for purchasing and using an unlimited number of guns and airguns that exceeds a predefined speeds.
So in Southern Balcan importing or purchasing in-house each PCP airgun will be registered and that is your responsibility, a process that usually need about 10+ days - for each SN.

My side story...
I had in my plans to travel this Fall to Balcans also to Hungary, with in mind when I am there to apply for a gun Permit in both countries... But as I learned that is working different over there... registering a Serial Number...
I don't know how that would work with my FX Impact, I changed the Rear Block 2-3 times ;)
 
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