The Conservation on 21st September carried an article saying that antique guns are increasingly cropping up in violent crimes due to a lack of control around the sale, transfer and ownership of firearms made before 1939. Antique weapons are exempt from the Firearms Act 1968 – though at present there is no clear definition of what constitutes an antique. Instead, the Home Office provide guidance on what should be considered “antique” based on a number of factors. There is also the additional requirement that an antique firearm must be held as a curiosity or ornament. As antique weapons are exempt from firearm legislation, there is no need to hold them on a firearms licence. They can be transferred and sold freely for cash – and there is no requirement to record any details of the transaction. A government consultation in 2017 aimed to clearly define what the term “antique” means and provide a cut-off guidance date for manufacture. The feedback received from this consultation is currently being analysed.
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