It started with the Pistols Act of 1903. Simple registration and licensing.
Being good British subjects, most people obeyed the law.
The few who didn't were visited by police and threatened with ten-year prison sentences if they didn't comply.
How did the authorities know who had handguns?
The guns had been registered and licensed.
Kind of like cars.
Now our government 'caretakers' want a ban on high capacity magazines, registration and or a ban of weapons.