Not quite exactly true that the guns need to be kept in an approved steel cabinet; just that some Police Forces try to say that it is. What the law says is that the firearm, when not in use, should be stored in such a way that it is not readily accessible to an un-authorised person. Unfortunately, if you have over a certain number of guns the Police will refuse to issue the certificate if they consider the security is not good enough stating that if they can be easily stolen you may be considered a risk. If you do not take 'reasonable steps' to prevent the theft you may be prosecuted yourself. Don't forget that there are plenty of types of guns that a person in the U.K. can own that do not require any form of certificate at all and you can store those as you like. It's all very complicated here and a book could be written on the odd vagaries of U.K. Firearms Law. Odd things like the fact that a youngster (with appropriate certificate) can go out deer stalking on his own with a high power rifle at 14 but cannot go rabbit shooting with a shotgun on his own until 15 and then again can't go out with a low powered air gun (which requires no certificate) to shoot tin cans until 17. What's more he can't buy a toy cap gun until 18 but, if he has the money, can buy a deactivated machine gun or pistol at any age and in fact even a .577 Elephant Rifle (classed as an obsolete calibre firearm) provided he no ammunition for it and yet can't at any age regardless buy a blank firing pistol unless it is brightly painted. Don't try to apply any logic to it; there just isn't any. Lagopus.....
