Guns in Taiwan

Legal General Legal Matters
1

As I understand it, only police and military are allowed to have firearms in Taiwan. So it seems strange that “replica” firearms are readily available! Even in the US they require toy guns to have “non-realistic” colors, but I saw ads in Taiwanese magazines advertising guns that have the look and feel of the real thing.

Apparently, these are actual firearms with non-functioning barrels. Is this some kind of goofy loophole? I mean, it should be relatively easy to install a real one.

Is this why gangsters don’t have any problem getting firearms?

2

“Actual firearms” they are not. They are “models” (i.e. replicas) with some moving parts. Also too there is a market for paintball guns, many of which are modeled after “real guns”. They however work off of CO2.

As to the gangsters, how they get their guns is by bribing the ROC Customs Service which is proudly carrying on their tradition of being the single most corrupt law enforcement/adminstrative agency in Taiwan. They pride themselves on being the heirs to the old Qing Dynasty Customs Service in all its Imperial corruption. I am not kidding about this either.

Mandarin Bri-An
Grand Imperial Customs Agent for San Chung River Port
(cash, check or certified money order; please, no credit cards for Honorable Hong Bao)

3

I was once invited to attend one of those ceremonies where the Taiwan Customs Bureau rolls over with a steamroller a huge pile of counterfeit products confiscated by Customs.

We arrived earlier than expected and saw the pile of fake goods prepared outside for the steamrolling (and individual dignitaries were given special hammers to smash the goods that the steamroller missed.

So, a bit early on arrival, we decided to walk into the Customs Bureau office building. I guess we caught them by surprize and off gaurd. There on the floor was a smaller pile of fake goods to which the Customs agents were helping themselves… stuffing bags of the fake watches and CDs into their sacks and upon seeing us, litterally scattering away.

It was a rather embarrassing situation for Customs… but, nobody offered any explanation. I guess one wasn’t really needed.

1 Like
4

[quote=“brianlkennedy”]“Actual firearms” they are not. They are “models” (i.e. replicas) with some moving parts. Also too there is a market for paintball guns, many of which are modeled after “real guns”. They however work off of CO2.

As to the gangsters, how they get their guns is by bribing the ROC Customs Service which is proudly carrying on their tradition of being the single most corrupt law enforcement/adminstrative agency in Taiwan. They pride themselves on being the heirs to the old Qing Dynasty Customs Service in all its Imperial corruption. I am not kidding about this either.

Mandarin Bri-An
Grand Imperial Customs Agent for San Chung River Port
(cash, check or certified money order; please, no credit cards for Honorable Hong Bao)[/quote]

Add incompetent to corrupt…and I think your post is right on the money.

5

Brian, I have the greatest respect for you, but in this case you are incorrect. A great many if not most of the firearms used by gangsters in Taiwan are in fact made from the replicas Fatty mentions.

The barrels are simply rebored with the precision machine tools that Taiwan manufactures for the world. Simple and easy.

6

Gun barrels and magazines are the hardest parts to make on a gun, so I think they would need an proper armourer or get them imported.

7

What I don’t understand is if Taiwan is serious about gun control, why are these “replica” guns sold openly? It seems strange they can be made fully functional by replacing a couple of parts. Is this loophole crafted by these gangster legislators?

I would assume the barrels from the real thing are banned, right?

Even though I doubt these reconstructed guns would be very safe or accurate, it seems like gun control in Taiwan is a joke.

8

digua: Real gun barrels are bored with the same machines that gangsters use to rebore the barrels. Gun borers are actually a big business in Taiwan.

The replica air gun barrels are probably not really safe, but they work reasonably well.

9

I’m curious as to just who is allowed guns in Taiwan.

The police and military obviously.

What about other agencies like customs?

Private security guards? I thought I’d seen them with guns.

Can private citizens get gun licences?

Brian

10

[url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/article/0,13673,501040809-674823,00.html][b]

Up In Arms - A rash of gun crimes strikes Taiwan[/b]
[/url]

[quote]Taiwan has some of the toughest gun-control laws in the world. Private ownership of firearms is largely outlawed; people convicted of illegally making, transporting or selling guns can face the death penalty. But several high-profile shootings - including a June 16 gun battle between police and suspected kidnappers in Taichung City that left two cops dead, and the March 19 assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian - have prompted a crackdown on illegal firearms. Over the past several months, more than 90 people suspected of illegal possession have been detained and more than 100 weapons seized. Lawmakers also plan to boost penalties for homemade firearms. (Police say Chen may have been wounded with a homemade pistol.)

Last month, authorities began a three-month amnesty program, promising not to prosecute those who turn in firearms before Sept. 30. So far, 145 guns and a grenade have been handed over. But few expect the grace period will do more than convince a few civilians to come forward - Taiwan’s gangsters won’t be participating. “Most gang members say there are only two things that matter in the Taiwan underworld: money and firepower,” says Ko-lin Chin, a Rutgers University professor who has written extensively about Taiwan’s organized crime. “They won’t hand over what they need for their survival.” True enough. When police in southern Taiwan closed in on fugitive Chang Hsi-ming and three members of his kidnapping ring last week, they were attacked with assault rifles; the criminals held off as many as 1,000 officers for five hours. Four cops were wounded. Chang, who ultimately escaped, was last seen forcing a hostage into a getaway car, toting an M-16 and wearing a bulletproof vest.[/quote]

11

[url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/07/09/2003178238][b]

Cabinet reviewing draft amendments to tighten gun law
[/b][/url]

[quote]The Cabinet is considering pressing for tighter gun-control regulations following violent incidents such as the March 19 shooting of President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu.

According to a Cabinet official who asked not to be identified, the Cabinet is scheduled to review the draft amendments to the Statute Regulating Firearms, Ammunition, Knives and Other Deadly Weapons today. The proposed changes would increase penalties for those possessing homemade or remodeled firearms – or even toy guns.

The draft amendments would impose sentences of up to life imprisonment to those manufacturing, selling or transporting firearms or remade firearms. Under the current law, those manufacturing, selling or transporting firearms are subject to prison terms of up to five years and fines of up to NT$10 million.

Those intentionally using or providing firearms to others for criminal purposes are subject to sentences of up to seven years in prison and fines of up to NT$10 million.

The Cabinet is also considering revoking an article punishing career or elected civil servants who fabricate evidence in order to falsely accuse others of manufacturing, selling, transporting, possessing, hiding, loaning or transferring ownership of firearms, ammunition or deadly weapons.

The draft would also extend the regulations to toy guns. Under the draft, law enforcement officers would be authorized to conduct inspections in toy stores.

Government agencies concerned should make public a list of toy guns with external features, color, structure, materials and firing mechanisms similar to those of real guns. Possessors of such toys would be required to report to authorities.[/quote]

12

[url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/07/09/2003178238][b]

Cabinet reviewing draft amendments to tighten gun law
[/b][/url]

[quote]The Cabinet is considering pressing for tighter gun-control regulations following violent incidents such as the March 19 shooting of President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu.

According to a Cabinet official who asked not to be identified, the Cabinet is scheduled to review the draft amendments to the Statute Regulating Firearms, Ammunition, Knives and Other Deadly Weapons today. The proposed changes would increase penalties for those possessing homemade or remodeled firearms – or even toy guns.

The draft amendments would impose sentences of up to life imprisonment to those manufacturing, selling or transporting firearms or remade firearms. Under the current law, those manufacturing, selling or transporting firearms are subject to prison terms of up to five years and fines of up to NT$10 million.

Those intentionally using or providing firearms to others for criminal purposes are subject to sentences of up to seven years in prison and fines of up to NT$10 million.

The Cabinet is also considering revoking an article punishing career or elected civil servants who fabricate evidence in order to falsely accuse others of manufacturing, selling, transporting, possessing, hiding, loaning or transferring ownership of firearms, ammunition or deadly weapons.

The draft would also extend the regulations to toy guns. Under the draft, law enforcement officers would be authorized to conduct inspections in toy stores.

Government agencies concerned should make public a list of toy guns with external features, color, structure, materials and firing mechanisms similar to those of real guns. Possessors of such toys would be required to report to authorities.[/quote]

13

The aborigines can carry rifles for hunting

14

I thought in the US, the only requirement was a red-tipped barrel? I’ve seen plenty of places in the US that sell Airsoft guns that look exactly the same as the real thing. I guess this is how small-time gangsters go about modifying them to work like real things.

Of course, smuggling is also another way to get the real thing. With probably the world’s largest weapons market just across the Straits, a AK-47 is just a fishing boat trip away.

15

Bobdobba, you are right about firearms, when I said guns I was not being very exact. What I meant by guns were factory produced brand name guns. I view the firearms that many of my good neighbors sport around town as zip guns, i.e. the locally made Saturday night specials. The local products are often based on the replicas.

Fatty Chicken Skins, in my professional opinion the Taiwanese government is not serious about anything except two things; for snivel servants, keeping their jobs and for elected officials buying/stealing the next election. The foregoing is not a joke. It is what I really think.

One other group that can have access to guns is skeet shooters. I remember years ago up in Shihlin somewhere was a skeet range. If you could pass your police check and get another member to sponsor you you could join. You had to keep your skeet gun at the range however. So you could not drive around town with your Easy Rider Rifle Rack with two 12gagues in the rear window. Too bad.

I have never looked into it but I am told that citizens can get concealed weapons permits from the cops. According to what I was told you had to have a verrrrry good reason and (as always here on Fantasy Island) have the right connections.

We should form the Taiwan chapter of the NRA and fight for a constitutional provision in the new constitution for foreigners having the right to keep and bear arms.

Take care,
Brian

16

I know they can make functioning guns out of the repicas but they would wouldnt be even close to as powerfull as the real thing. I would also tak morethan replacing just a couple of parts.

for instance, a replica 9mm conversion would need a proper barrel ,slide ,locking lugs and firing pin in addition to other things. I suspec that most if not all of the replica conversions are very underpowered. we could do the math and figure it out but there are too many unknowns because I’ve never actually seen one.
I suspect that they are nothing more than 'bottle rocket launchers"

has anyone actually seen a replica conversion. I bet it would be easier to make a proper gun by sctratch than to make a proper one from a replica.

17

Nobody needs to make actual guns out of toy guns in the US… you can easily get 80% receivers, as that’s the only part considered “gun” and buy the rest of the parts to have a functioning firearm. Gangsters typically straw buy (get someone without a criminal record to buy for them), steal, or buy from the black market. My understanding is most crime guns are very low quality (they want a cheap gun they can use and toss), but making 80% guns costs more than most gangsters would care… That’s why universal background checks are completely useless… because even if it’s illegal to buy second hand without a background check it’s not like criminals are going to follow the law.

A 9mm isn’t exactly a high pressure round… one could be made from steel pipes if necessary (there’s a certain army manual telling you how to do it). Of course in Taiwan the challenge is getting the rounds…

18

I know this post a from a while ago, But I just want to share my insights on this topic as it seems like a lot of people on this thread has got the wrong idea about legal/illegal firearms in Taiwan.

Legal Firearms for civilians:

Aboriginal populations are legally allowed one single-shot. breach loaded firearm for hunting purposes. (cannot be semi or fully automatic. no fixed or detachable magazine. in other words one shot per load.)

It is also possible for Taiwanese citizens to legally purchase shotguns (Over-under or Side-by-side break barrel action) for sporting purposes. there are actually quite a number of skeet shooting range in Taiwan. However this is very expensive and there are a lot of paper works required. These firearms must be stored at the local range or club at all times and cannot be stored at home. Special application are required every time you need to transport it for competitions.

Illegal Firearms:

Some criminals commit violent crime with firearms smuggled from overseas. These can come in the form of semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, SMGs, shotguns and even assault rifles. These can sell for a lot of money in Taiwan. (Sometimes up to a million NTD for a select fire automatic weapon) Therefore these are usually only found within violent crimes within larger gangs and organized crime groups. Sometimes it isn’t hard for financially capable gangs to out gun the law enforcement.

The more common “guns” found within street thugs or usually what we call modified weapons. contrary to popular belief and media coverage, Airsoft guns are almost never used to do this due to almost completely incompatible internal mechanisms. It would be easier to make a gun from the ground up than to convert one from an airsoft. Blank guns are usually used to do this as the internal mechanisms are much closer to real firearms. with some reinforced parts, bored out (or even new) barrel is all it takes to make it shoot. However, these guns can be dangerous to operate or prone to failure depending on the quality. Ballistic performance is usually inferior to that of a real firearm too. But for point blank murders and gang violence it proves to be more than enough. Afterall, Taiwan is a very industrialized country with vast resource for CNC machinists and manufacturing capability.