A deadly school shooting in Graz has pushed Austria’s gun laws— and its quiet gun culture — into the national spotlight.
A shocking school shooting in Graz has reignited debate over Austria’s gun laws.
On Tuesday, June 10th, a 21-year-old former student entered his old secondary school with two legally obtained firearms and killed 10 people – students and adults, before turning the gun on himself.
The scale of the attack has left the country in mourning, and the public are asking how someone so young was able to legally own and use such deadly weapons.
Austria’s gun culture: a quiet heavyweight
Austria doesn’t often feature in global discussions about gun violence – mainly because shootings of this nature are incredibly rare. Yet, it is one of the most heavily armed countries in Europe.
According to the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based research project, Austria has roughly 30 privately owned firearms per 100 people, as reported by Die Presse. Only a handful of countries in Europe — including Serbia, Cyprus and Finland — have higher rates of gun ownership.
READ ALSO: Austria school shooting: Authorities fear threat of copycat attacks
Official numbers from the Interior Ministry are, however, lower.
As of June 1st, 2025, Austria had more than 1.5 million registered firearms, legally owned by just over 374,000 people. That includes more than 833,000 Category C weapons, such as hunting rifles and shotguns, 542,000 Category B weapons, like handguns and semi-automatics and around 143,000 Category A weapons, which are heavily restricted and include machine guns.
Estimates suggest there may be as many as one million unregistered or illegal firearms in circulation, often inherited, lost in legal grey areas, or traded on the black market.
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How the system works
Buying a gun in Austria is legal, but regulated. The rules depend on the category of firearm.
Category C weapons (e.g. rifles, shotguns) are the easiest to obtain. Anyone over 18 can purchase them, as long as they are not subject to a weapons ban.
Category B weapons (e.g. pistols, revolvers) require a Waffenbesitzkarte (firearms licence), which involves submitting to a psychological assessment and completing a weapons safety course. The licence allows ownership, but not carrying the weapon in public.
Category A weapons (e.g. fully automatic guns, pump-action shotguns) require special permits and are mostly prohibited for civilians.
As explained by gun dealer Markus Schwaiger, in Austria it is “sufficient to be of legal age, have a permanent residence and not be subject to a weapons ban” to start the process.
The Graz perpetrator legally owned a pistol and a long gun, both of which were recovered at the scene. According to police, he had the right to keep them at home — but not to carry them into a public place.
READ ALSO: ‘Incomprehensible’: Austria declares national mourning after school shooting
Even gun sellers say it’s too easy
In the wake of the attack, criticism has come not just from politicians but from within the weapons industry itself.
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On public broadcaster ORF’s ZiB 2, even gun dealer Markus Schwaiger admitted it’s too easy for 18-year-olds to buy firearms.
Youth psychiatrist Paul Plener, speaking on the same programme, said he was shocked by the 1.5 million guns legally held in private hands in Austria. He added that the availability of weapons has a direct impact on both homicide and suicide rates, pointing to Australia’s sweeping reforms after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre as an example of effective restriction.
READ ALSO: What we know so far about the deadly school shooting in Graz
Austrian politics divided over gun reform
In Graz, Mayor Elke Kahr called for a ban on private gun ownership during a memorial service. “This must never happen again,” she said in an interview with ZiB 2.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner defended Austria’s laws as “strict” but admitted that if there are loopholes, “you have to close them.” At this stage, no concrete proposals for reform have been tabled by the federal government.
The Greens, meanwhile, have proposed regular five-year psychological checks for all firearms owners. They also drew attention to a worrying rise in femicides involving legally owned weapons.
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A long tradition but a modern dilemma
Austria has a long tradition of civilian gun ownership, from hunting culture to export-driven firearm manufacturing. The rural nature of the country also plays a part in Austria’s gun culture—it’s not rare to see homeowners in isolated villages who have a “farm gun” at home.
Gunmakers like Glock and Steyr Arms are global players, and for many Austrians, owning a gun is tied to tradition rather than aggression.
READ ALSO: Former student kills ten in Graz school shooting
Hans Wertgarner, a master gunsmith and head of a 200-year-old family business, told Kleine Zeitung that Austria’s numbers may look dramatic, but many newly registered firearms are decades old, including heirlooms and former farm guns.
He argued that most owners are responsible and well-trained, with many undergoing comprehensive hunting exams or sport-shooting certifications.
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Still, even Wertgarner discouraged using firearms for home defence. “There are better alternatives,” he said. “People need to be made aware of the responsibility this entails.”
With three days of national mourning declared and political leaders acknowledging public concern, Austria is now facing pressure to re-examine its firearms legislation.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are the rules in Austria on gun ownership?
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