Your mum rocked!! Here in the Uk things like that Dont Happen!! We might get a air rifle (like i did) and that started it all off for me!!!
Currently convertiing a Erma E M1icon to real M1 stocked rifle, we cant have M1's in the UKicon as they are semi auto, the limit is .22 rim fire here. Every thing else straight pull or bolt action and no conversion from semi are aloud. No SLR, M1, AR15's etc