Market Hunter, you are part way there. With firearms in the U.K. the age is not the issue. A 12 bore shotgun over 100 years old would still not be classed as an antique because it can shoot conventional readily available ammunition. The cut off date is actually pre 1939 and referes to 'Obsolete Calibres' and includes 10 bores with short chambers, 8 bores, 4 bores , 14, 24, and 32 bores and rifles and pistols for which ammunition is no longer 'readily available' AND is not intended to be used but kept as a curiosity. It comes under section 57 of the Firearms Act 1968 and later Home Office guidance. If the Holland & Holland was still a .295 Rook Rifle it would be classed as an obsolete calibre and could be freely purchased and owned by anyone; a five year old could, in theory, just walk into the shop, buy it and walk out into the street with it without committing any offence. It would only require to go onto a Firearm Certificate if the owner intended to use it. If only owned as a curiosity then there is constraints. However, this one has been converted to .410 so now it needs to be held on a Shotgun Certificate and is NOT classed as an antique because of its calibre irrespective of its age. I own and shoot Rook Rifles. I will sometimes just buy one with no paperwork and then deceide to use it and so have it included on my Firearms Certificate. No one makes ammo for them so it is a do-it-yourself excercise. In the U.K. previous conversion to shotgun reduces the value to about 1/3 what it would have been if left original. A great many were converted some years ago because they became of little value as ammunition was no longer available. Whilst in the U.K. it would not be an antique; however, when it gets to America its status may change. Hope this sheds a little light on our odd Firearms legislation. Lagopus.....
