Background
The act was created in response to the Snowdrop Petition following the Dunblane Massacre. The previous Conservative government had followed the recommendations of the Cullen Report on the massacre and introduced the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 that banned "high calibre" handguns, greater than .22 calibre (5.6 mm). This new (No. 2) act further banned the private ownership of all cartridge ammunition handguns, regardless of calibre.
The only handguns still allowed following the ban were:
- Antique and muzzle-loading black powder guns
- Guns of historic interest whose ammunition is no longer available ("Section 7.1" weapons)
- Guns of historic interest with current calibres ("Section 7.3" weapons)
- Air pistols
- Guns which fall outside the Home Office definition of "handguns".
- Notes
Read more about this topic: Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997
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