Statutory Instruments
1997 No. 1537

ARMS AND AMMUNITION
The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 (Firearms of Historic Interest) Order 1997

Made
18th June 1997

Coming into force
1st July 1997

Whereas it appears to me that firearms of the description specified below were manufactured before 1st January 1919, and that ammunition for firearms of that type is not readily available:

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 7(2) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997(1), and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf(2), I hereby make the following Order:

1.  This Order may be cited as the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 (Firearms of Historic Interest) Order 1997 and shall come into force on 1st July 1997.

2.  Firearms of the following description are specified for the purposes of section 7(1) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 (exemption of specified firearms of historic interest if part of a collection), that is to say any firearm falling within the description of a prohibited firearm in section 5(1)(aba) of the Firearms Act 1968(3) which is not chambered for any of the following types of ammunition, namely:

.22” rim-fire
9mm Luger/Parabellum/9×19mm

.25” ACP/6.35mm
.38 Smith & Wesson

.25” —20
.38” Special

.32 ACP/7.65mm
.38” —200

.32” —20
.44” Special

.32” Smith & Wesson Long
.44” —40 Winchester

7.62mm Soviet Tokarev
.45 ACP

.38” 40 Winchester
.45” Colt Revolver

.380 ACP/9mm short

Jack Straw
One of Her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State
Home Office
18th June 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order specifies the description of firearms, the possession, purchase, acquisition, sale or transfer of which is, if the firearm was manufactured before 1st January 1919 and is held by virtue of a firearm certificate subject to a condition requiring the firearm to be held as part of a collection, exempt from the prohibition of large-calibre handguns by section 1 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997.


(1)
1997 c. 5.

(2)
Section 13 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30).

(3)
1968 c. 27. Section 5(1) (aba) was inserted by section 1(2) of the 1997 Act and prohibits any firearm which, disregarding any detachable, folding, retractable or other movable butt stock, has a barrel less than 30 centimetres in length or is less than 60 centimetres in length overall. There are exceptions for air weapons, small-calibre pistols, muzzle-loading guns and firearms designed as signalling apparatus.