In Switzerland it is mandatory for every young man to go through a basic military training and when they are done they take their service rifle home. Every man is required to keep a rifle or semi automatic pistol in their home. This is for national defense perpouses and within 24 to 48 hours practically the entire country can mobillize and defend their land.

It is normal for citizens to walk right by the police stations with their rifles or pistols in clear view, or to see people riding the train with a rifle slung over their shoulder. There is a government sponsored shooting event that is the biggest in the world and has over 70,000 participants. The government supplies the contestants with the ammo and the range. These events bring the whole family out and the women and children also participate right alongside the men.  

Switzerland has a very low crime rate and an even lower rate of crime commited with guns. In Geneva it is common for them to go years at a time without crimes involving firearms. Up to 60% of the crimes commited in Switzerland are from foreighners not native citizens.

The Swiss have a long history of these traditions and in the late 1800's to early 1900's the U.S. tried to adopt some of the same policys of the Swiss government in order to promote a better national defense. The government started a program called the Civilian Marksmanship Program and it is still active today. The program is desighned to give civilians the resources to learn marksmanship and to aquire surplus rifles.