In the UK, each rifle (section 1 firearm) you own has to be independently authorized for purchase in advance by the licensing authority (police) based on a specific "good reason".
Except, some cartridges are classed as obsolete on account of the unavailability of ammunition for them, and guns so chambered can be acquired freeley as curiosities (wall-hangers) provided no steps are taken to obtain ammunition or to shoot them.
There is a list of obsolete cartridges. Nothing on it is not obsolete, but some obsolete things are not on it. If there is a rationale for this, I have yet to see it.
In most cases (i.e., unless its smoothbore barrels were also chambered for something obsolete, such as pinfire cartridges), this exemption would not apply to a Drilling.
However, a drilling with an obsolete chambering in the rifle barrel might be sold, on account of the consequent inconsequence of that chambering, not as a rifle (section 1) but as a shotgun (section 2). This difference matters because a person with a UK shotgun certificate can buy as many shotguns as they can securely store without requiring a unique authorization for each one.
Thus, had 6.5x58R been on the obsolete cartridges list, I could have bought the drilling to use simply as a shotgun (section 2) without requiring any prior authorization. Thereafter, if it seemed worth sourcing ammunition and using the rifled barrel, I could apply for a section 1 authorization for it.
Last edited by JulesW; 08/07/23 06:33 AM.
