Spain's gun laws: Dream weapons vs. bureaucratic laziness

Dream Weapons: Between Law and Laziness

A surprising fact emerges: in Spain, you can legally own firearms that would require special federal permits in much of the United States. The "Hardballer" from Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger's pistol in the first film, is a 6-inch 1911 with a muzzle brake firing .45 ACP. One dream owner calls it "beautiful," but another argues it lacks practicality "due to portability and weight." The conversation starts with this tension: aesthetic desire versus real utility. It quickly drifts into a catalog of whims that Spanish law allows or bans based on caliber, automation, and licensing.

What You Can Own in Spain and What You Can't

Spanish legislation is more permissive than popular belief suggests. "Here in Spain, few things are banned except certain calibers and automatic actions," one user summarizes. The ceiling exists but is high. With a Category 3 license and an approved safe, buying begins. The hurdle isn't prohibition so much as bureaucracy and, often, sheer laziness. One participant admits wanting a .22 LR rifle but being stopped by administrative inertia. The classic question arises: .22 LR or 9mm? The forum's standard answer trinc: .22 is cheaper with more competitions; 9mm is costlier with fewer ranges. The punchline is ironic: ".22 is for sissies."

The Favorites: From P90 to Sharps

The wish list is broad and eclectic. One user chooses the FN P90 "for design and caliber," the VZ58 as the Czech evolution of the AK47, the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum (4-inch), and the Sig Sauer P226. Another adds the Steyr AUG, "the first successful bullpup." The list includes the Stg 44, Degtyarev PTRD, MG 42, and even a bolt-action .22 for 300-meter precision. At the opposite extreme, someone asks for "a nuclear warhead," and another replies "two." Irony runs through the thread: one requests "the power of the Force, Jedi-style," while another settles for a Zeppelin Type X, Captain Peter Strasser's L70, sunk in August 1918. "Roaring hard with its 7 Maybach engines," he writes. "But I don't use it because it's illegal."

.45 ACP and the Terminator Legacy

The discussion returns repeatedly to the .45 ACP caliber. A user explains that both the Hardballer and the pistols in Terminator 1 and 2 honor this cartridge. Linda Hamilton's weapon in the sequel is a Colt Gold Cup, while the other is a 1911 with an extended slide and muzzle brake attached to the barrel, antiestéticaturing a 6-inch slide. "These are big guns that captivate Americans," he asserts. "Switching them to 9mmP pissed them off." This anecdote introduces a technical debate on recoil and grip design. One participant argues the grip shape makes recoil feel more violent by dispersing the linear vector. The skydiving comparison is inevitable: landing in a "starfish" position disperses impact across hips and legs.

.45 LC Recoil and Black Powder

The debate shifts to black-powder revolvers and the .45 LC. A user describes the recoil of a .45 LC loaded with black powder as "a slap in the palm." Another clarifies that modern revolver loads operate at different pressures, noting that a .45 LC with 35 grains of black powder and a 250-grain bullet reaches 260 meters per second and about 53 kgm of energy. The conversation turns to the Colt Walker, which with 60-grain loads and exceptional weight could withstand the recoil. A user cites a 1972 Shooting Times article by Skeeter Skelton to debunk the myth that .44 Magnums are "brutally painful." Technical discussion mixes with personal experience: one confesses shooting a .357 Magnum, noting "the problem is the time between shots."

Gettysburg Anecdote and Carlist Sharps

Among the curious facts shared, one stands out for its brutality. After the Battle of Gettysburg, over 27,500 rifles were recovered, nearly 24,000 of which were loaded. About half contained two charges, a quarter had three to ten, and extreme cases involved up to 22 or 23 accumulated charges. This data illustrates combat panic and lack of training. Another participant mentions a Sharps veteran of the Third Carlist War with US Civil War markings, held by a municipal police officer in Sagunto. The thread also touches on the German FG42, whose flash hider and muzzle brake allowed emptying the magazine without losing sight, though "if you dump a 20-round mag in full-auto, your sights go haywire."

Conclusion: The Gun-Cartridge Pair

Finally, an experienced user summarizes the philosophy behind the wish list. "True satisfaction comes from your chosen pair. The gun and the cartridge. But in the end, they're all the same." Intense dopamine, he says, comes from "pressing your cheek against the stock" and feeling the shot. Spanish law allows more than many believe, but laziness, cost, and bureaucracy stop most whims. Is the paperwork worth it for a gun used once? As always, the answer depends on your wallet and your will.