Putin Signs Bill on Raising Age of Purchasing Hunting Weapons to 21
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill increasing the minimum age of purchasing hunting weapons and long barreled guns for self-defense purposes from 18 to 21 and also introducing new grounds for refusing to issue licenses.
The document was published on the official legal information portal on Monday, TASS reported.
The age increase won’t concern individuals, who served or are serving in the army, members of state military organizations, having military ranks or special ranks or justiciary class ranks.
In the previous version of the law, the minimum purchasing age of 21 only concerned civil firearms.
However, indigenous small-numbered peoples, professional hunters and staff of private security firms and other legal entities with special tasks will preserve the right to buy hunting weapons since the age of 18. Besides, individuals above 18 will be able to purchase smooth-bore barrels or long-barreled hunting weapons for doing sports.
The bill also imposes additional grounds for refusing to issue licenses for buying weapons. Earlier, the list of such reasons included outstanding convictions for premeditated crimes or grave crimes with the use of weapons. Now Russians with two or more former expired criminal records won’t receive such licenses. Besides, a temporary ban is imposed on persons caught drink-driving.
