Firearms regulation in Switzerland allows the acquisition of semi-automatic, and – with a may-issue permit – fully automatic firearms, by Swiss citizens and foreigners with or without permanent residence. The laws pertaining to the acquisition of firearms in Switzerland are amongst the most liberal in the world. Swiss gun laws are primarily about the acquisition of arms, and not ownership. As such a license is not required to own a gun by itself, but a shall-issue permit is required to purchase most types of firearms. Bolt-action rifles do not require an acquisition permit, and can be acquired with just a background check. A reason is not required to be issued an acquisition permit for semi-automatics unless the reason is other than sport-shooting, hunting, or collecting. Permits for concealed carrying in public are issued sparingly. The acquisition of fully automatic weapons, suppressors and target lasers requires special permits issued by the cantonal firearms office. Police use of hollow point ammunition is limited to special situations. The applicable federal legislations are SR 514.54 Federal Law on Weapons, Weapon Equipment and Ammunition (, , ) of 20 June 1997 (current edition of 15 August 2019), and SR 514.541 Ordinance on Weapons, Armament Accessories and Ammunition (, , ) of 2 July 2008 (current edition of 15 August 2019). The Weapons Law recognises a qualified "right to acquire, possess and carry arms". Swiss gun culture has emerged from a long tradition of shooting (tirs), which served as a formative element of national identity in the post-Napoleonic Restoration of the Confederacy, and the long-standing practice of a militia organization of the Swiss Army in which soldiers' service rifles are stored privately at their homes. In addition to this, many cantons (notably the alpine cantons of Grisons and Valais) have strong traditions of hunting, accounting for a large but unknown number of privately held hunting rifles, as only weapons acquired since 2008 are registered. However, in a 2019 referendum voters opted to conform with European Union regulations which restrict the acquisition of semi-automatic firearms with high-capacity magazines. A permit for semi-automatic firearms equipped with high-capacity magazines is issued to anyone fulfilling art. 8 of the Weapons Act under the promise they will show after five and ten years that they're members of a shooting club, or that they used the weapon at least once a year within that five and ten years period or to weapons