[Troubleshooter]

Emphasis mine...

DOMESTIC FIREARM LEGISLATION

Licencing Requirements: Anyone acquiring or in possession of a rifle or a shotgun must have a certificate issued by the chief of police in the area in which they live. The police must be satisfied that no good reason exists for refusing the grant of a certificate, and that the applicant is not a person prohibited from possessing firearms. Individuals sentenced to any form of custody for a period of three years or more are prohibited from possessing firearms for life. Those sentenced to three months but less than three years are subject to a five-year prohibition from the time of release. (3)

Any smoothbore barreled firearm with a barrel length of at least 24 inches, and which has no magazine or a non-detachable magazine incapable of holding more than two cartridges, and is not a revolver gun and has no barrel with a calibre of more than 2 inches, requires a shotgun certificate. All remaining types of firearms require an Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC), though many also require the authority of the Secretary of State. An applicant must show "good reason" for each firearm he or she wishes to possess. Generally accepted reasons include target shooting, pest control, deer-stalking and collecting. Applications for other reasons must generally be supported by evidence of the stated "good reason". Applicants must nominate two referees to support their application. Ammunition must also be authorized by the FAC, and maximum permitted quantities for acquisition and possession are stated on the FAC. A Firearm Certificate is valid for five years. Applicants must be at least 14 years of age to possess firearms or 17 to acquire firearms other than as a gift. There are currently about 171,000 FACs on issue in Great Britain. (3)

Registration Requirements: Every police force has a firearms licensing department whose task is to administer the issue of firearm and shotgun certificates. Information is kept on the identity and addresses of certificate holders, the number and description of firearms (including serial numbers) and shotguns held, quantities of ammunition permitted, and arrangements for keeping firearms and shotguns securely.

Shotgun certificates, covered by section 2 of the 1968 Act and section 2 of the 1988 Act, permit the holder to possess any number of shotguns, which can include pump-action and self-loading weapons which have a magazine incapable of holding more than two cartridges but excluding large magazine smooth bore guns. The certificate specifies the description of the shotguns including, if known, the identification numbers of the guns.

Records are kept locally of firearms owners and firearms. Any dealer or other person who sells any type of firearm or shotgun is required to notify the police of the sale. In this way the police certification departments have records of the types and serial numbers of all the guns legally held on firearm and shotgun certificates. (4)

Training Requirements: An applicant for an FAC for target shooting must be a member of a firearms club approved by the Home Office, and have completed a 3-month probation.

Storage Requirements: Storage Requirements: Holders of firearm and shotgun certificates are required to keep their weapons securely. The police will inspect the applicant's storage to make sure that it is secure. Usually, the police require separate lockable safes for the guns and ammunition, securely affixed to the residence of the applicant.

Ammunition: Possession of ammunition for firearms requires a firearm certificate (FAC), and the same requirement applies to hold the ammunition securely, i.e. in a locked cabinet. Any change of address must be notified to the appropriate police forces as the licensing authorities. A change of storage location would also have to be notified, as holders of firearms certificates have to satisfy the police as to their security arrangements, and a change of location would change those arrangements.

Prohibited Firearms: Military weapons have been prohibited since 1988. Following the public inquiry into the Dunblane massacre on March 13th, 1996, when 16 primary school children and their teacher were murdered by a member of a local gun club (6), a new law was passed, which banned 95% of handguns and required that the remainder (.22 calibre) be stored at gun clubs. Several months later a total ban on handguns was implemented accompanied with a buy back. More than 100,000 handguns were surrendered. Further proposals are being considered. (10)