You could not legally own a hand gun without a police investigation and a doctors certification that considered you were of sound mind and every year reviewed you are only allowed to hold what weapons you apply for and thier use (So I had two Wembley 455 one 1896 to be used in historic competitions the other 1916 used in classic pistol competitions) the licencing rules were very strict
I was a registered firearms dealer I could not sell a weapon to anybody without a firearms cert and the weapons required had to be approved already on the cert. Not like a shotgun licence
Also all private hand guns had to be locked away in a safe separate from ammo and ammo was regulated to a certain number of round specified on the cert. It was all tightly controlled
Nearly all hand gun crime were and are committed with illegal weapons some the rounds used don't match the weapon.. You are only allowed to take guns to and from the range or club in a safe locked container in the car or carried..
The same for dealers or if like me you have to take weapons to the nearest proof house if you have made them and notified the police in that area.. Of course was offered many weapons across the counter by somebody surrendering them but it has to be referred to the Police with number type and calibre then checked on the then data base and if clear I Could buy it from that person..
You can not get a firearms licence unless you belong to a club and they autherise you application.