Quote Originally Posted by Jim McArthur View Post
So then, 7.1 is for guns who's ammo is out of production: and 58 is for guns who's ammo is way-long-time-ago out of production. This makes sense.

I suppose the legal distinction then, and the reason for the more stringent 7.1 controls, is that, even though a 7.1 license doesn't allow you to buy ammo for the gun, nevertheless there's greater potential for the gun to be criminally abused.

Sell me your .32 rimfire, and it's not likely I can ever shoot anyone with it, even if I feel inclined to do so, since I'll never find ammo to fit it.

Sell me your .455 centerfire, and I can probably find ammo for it if I look around.


Jim
You're right Jim.
Section 58(2) is for firearms chambered for long obsolete calibres, ones that it unlikely that you will be able to find ammo for. It applies to rifles, shotguns and pistols although some rounds are considered obsolete in rifles but not pistols.
Section 7(1) is for pistols that fire ammunition that is probably no longer made but some may turn up. Therefore you have to have the pistols on your certificate, so they powers that be can vet who has them. We are trusted not to obtain the ammo and not to shoot them. The reason .455 and it's lookalikes (.450 etc) are included is that they were our service cartridges and the government don't trust themselves not to have mislaid some. The same for .303. However the big Henry cartridges are 58(2) as they are long obsolete. .38/200 (similar to 38 S&W but with a 200 grain bullet) is not allowed on 7(1).
Section 7(3) has no restriction on calibre (contrary to what some people say, you may have 9mm) and is for pistols only. There is no cut-off date either but it gets harder to justify owning the pistols the newer they are. The only restriction is that you may not have an aesthetic quality pistol made after 1998 as it could have been made especially to beat the ban.
There are modern revolvers and pistols in the collection, all because of technical merit, historical interest or rarity, depending on the pistol.
If your primary interest is in collecting then Section 7 is for you, if you just want to shoot pistols again, it is most definitely not.