By virtue of section 58(2) of the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27) (“the 1968 Act”), antique firearms are exempt from most of the provisions of that Act if they are sold, transferred, purchased, acquired or possessed as a curiosity or ornament. Section 58(2A) of the 1968 Act provides that a firearm is an antique firearm for the purposes of section 58(2) if it meets a number of conditions.

These Regulations make specifications as to those conditions which are set out in section 58(2B), (2C) and (2D) of the 1968 Act.

Regulation 2 together with the Schedule provides a description of those cartridges for which the firearm’s chamber or (as the case may be) each of the firearm’s chambers is designed for use for the purposes of the condition in subsection (2B). These are cartridge types that are obsolete.

Regulation 3 provides a description of firearms’ propulsion systems for the purposes of the condition in subsection (2C).

Regulation 4 specifies as an additional condition for the purposes of subsection (2A)(b), that a firearm must be manufactured before 1 September 1939 in order to be an antique firearm.

A full impact assessment of the effect that these Regulations will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector is available from www.gov.uk. Hard copies can be obtained by writing to the Serious Violence Unit, Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, SW1P 4DF.