My dear American friends,
You do not know how lucky you are, in Australia, deactivated (and replica) handguns are subject to the same level of control (and safekeeping requirements) as a modern handgun.....
Antique handguns that have any form of ignition system post-flintlock are subject to the same level of control as a modern handgun......
At the start of this year, my collection included a 1917 Arty, a 1917 P08, a Browning M10, a Mk 1 Enfield, plus about ten others. My Uberti Colt M62 Copy had my name engraved and the backstrap nickle plated as a engagement present from my wife (married 15 years last September, 2 Girls). All this stuff is now gone, my collection now consists of a pinfire, a .25 Auto, and a percussion pistol.
As for levels of armed crime, it continues to rise, and the anti-gun lobby continue to call for tougher laws on the private ownership of firearms, and the government continues to listen to them........ <img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[soapbox]" title="" src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" />