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Originally Posted by JMvS
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This might seem odd, seeing as I'm not actually part of that country, but eh.
Despite the large number of firearms in Switzerland, aren't the gun control measures far stricter than it generally is in the States? Far as I know, a permit, a clean bill of mental health, and a blank criminal record are all necessary to purchase a firearm. However, getting a permit in the first place requires demonstrating that you're knowledgeable about gun use and gun laws before you can actually apply for the permit. Even then, the permit limits the number of guns an individual can buy. Military rifles are similarly kept under lock and key in the home, etcetera and so forth.
To my knowledge, the US doesn't come close to this amount of regulation, high gun ownership numbers or not.
ETA: Upon further digging, the rate of firearms ownership in Switzerland is 46 to every 100 citizens, as compared to a rate of 90 for every 100 citizens in the United States. Add in the fact that many people own multiple guns, and the percentage of gun owners to the total population in Switzerland might not be all that high.