Firearms Act 1968

The Firearms Act 1968 (c 27) is a UK Act of Parliament, controlling use and possession of firearms.

Since 1968, the act has been extensively amended. Following the Hungerford massacre, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 extended the class of prohibited weapons. Following the Dunblane school massacre, two acts were passed, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and, after the general election that year, the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997, which in effect banned almost all handguns. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 brought clarity to aspects of the act, following a recommendation from the Law Commission.