The practice of keeping arms at home was once a core part of the country's defence strategy, which was in part aimed at deterring invasion with the threat that its citizens are combat-ready at any sign of trouble.
According to official data, about two million firearms are in circulation in this Alpine country of about seven million inhabitants. But there are an estimated 240,000 more unregistered weapons.
Xavier Schwitzguebel, an officer in the Swiss army when he is on compulsory military service, pointed out that gun culture is a tradition here.
"If the yes goes through, it really risks destroying the country," he warned ahead of the vote.
Swiss society is built on trust between the citizen and the state, he argued.
"If we take away the weapon, which represents this trust, that means that we are breaking the sacred union between democracy and citizen."
A referendum, launched by a coalition of non-governmental groups, religious authorities and centre-left parties, sought to get the weapons stored in armouries instead.
The initiative also wanted to abolish the practice of allowing those on military service to keep their government-issue assault rifles even after they leave the army.
For any initiative to pass, the twin support of a majority of citizens and of cantons is required.
Just two hours after polls closed, 22 out of 26 cantons returned final results, with a majority of cantons - 17 - voting firmly against the move.
ORIGINAL SOURCE
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