The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...

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tracing method for all SALW (contrary to what certain political figures would
have us believe), breaking them down into categories thus becomes a
necessity—and an interesting undertaking.
On a purely technical level, firearms are classified according to the
criteria that distinguish the type of weapon in question—whether it is a
revolver, a handgun, or other type of weapon; its calibre, usually expressed
either in millimetres or an Anglo-Saxon measure, i.e. hundredths or
thousandths of an inch; the number of its barrels and type of bore (smooth
or rifled); the rate of fire and the type of ammunition it uses. The advantage
of definitions based on technical features is that a weapon in a given
category can be classified according to its characteristics, without
necessarily having to resort to a more or less exhaustive list that would
constantly have to be kept up-to-date.
In parallel, the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities
(WFSA) highlighted in a report issued in 2001 certain problems that exist in
relation to the current classification of SALW, and proposed that small and
light weapons be defined as “lethal weapons of war which are capable of
full automatic fire”. 4
Naturally, the definitions of SALW (or in broader terms, firearms) vary
greatly from one country to another, which obviously makes it harder to
decide on a single type of classification. Unifying SALW implies
harmonizing the legislation of the different countries. In Switzerland, the
law (Recueil Systématique—RS 514.54) defines arms in Article 4,
paragraph 1, as:
a. devices that allow projectiles to be launched by means of a propelling
explosion, or objects which can be transformed into such devices
(shoulder-fired or hand-held weapons);
b. devices designed to cause sustainable damage to human health by the
vaporisation or spraying of a substance;
c. daggers or knives with switch blades, collapsible or retractable blades,
flick-knives, spring-operated knives or daggers, or others whose
opening mechanism can be operated with a single hand;
d. devices designed to harm human beings, notably knuckle-dusters,
simple or spring-operated truncheons, throwing stars, throwing knives
and powerful slingshots;