Accident in Carinthia

“Gas pistol can become a deadly weapon”

The fatal accident involving a CO2 pistol in Grafenstein illustrates the danger posed by this freely available weapon. In this case, the shooter should not have fired it at all!

According to Section 45 of the Austrian Weapons Act, no official authorization is required for firearms in which the projectiles are propelled by compressed air (compressed air weapons) or gas pressure created using carbon dioxide. This means that anyone over the age of 18 may purchase a gas-operated pistol without a gun ownership card. However, there is a significant, little-noticed addition to the paragraph.