Austria firearm registrations increase by over 42,000 in one year

The number of registered firearms in Austria increased by more than 42,000 within a single year. According to data from the Central Weapons Register (ZWR), the count rose from 1,531,963 on September 1, 2025, to 1,574,520 on September 1, 2026. The Austrian Ministry of the Interior confirmed these figures.

This increase occurs despite recent tightening of gun laws following a school shooting in Graz. New regulations, which were implemented in stages between October 2025 and April 2026, aimed to restrict access by raising the minimum age for certain weapon categories. For example, the age requirement for Category B weapons (handguns and semi-automatic firearms) was raised from 21 to 25, and Category C weapons (rifles) from 18 to 21.

While the number of firearms grew significantly, the number of weapon owners increased at a much lower rate. There are currently approximately 380,000 weapon owners in Austria, representing an increase of nearly 5,000 individuals holding permits or ownership cards.