1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Antique Firearms Regulations 2021 and come into force on the twenty-first day after the day on which they are made.
(2) In these Regulations “the 1968 Act” means the Firearms Act 1968.
(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland but regulation 3(d) applies only in England and Wales.
2. The description of cartridges specified for the purposes of section 58(2B)(b) of the 1968 Act are set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.
3. For the purposes of section 58(2C) of the 1968 Act, the following descriptions of firearms’ propulsion systems are specified—
(a)any propulsion system which involves the use of a loose charge and a separate ball (or other missile) loaded at the muzzle end of the barrel, chamber or cylinder of the firearm and which uses an independent source of ignition;
(b)any propulsion system in a breech-loading cartridge firearm which uses an ignition system other than rim-fire or centre-fire;
(c)any propulsion system which involves the use of rim-fire cartridges (other than .22 (5.58mm), .23 (5.8mm), 6mm or 9mm rim-fire cartridges) in a breech-loading firearm, or
(d)any propulsion system for an air weapon.
4. For the purposes of section 58(2D)(b) of the 1968 Act, the firearm must have been manufactured before 1st September 1939.
Kit Malthouse
Minister of State
Home Office
1st March 2021