The enfield is a great old rifle. I suppose for the most part they would be considered a collectors item. In the U.S. you don't need a license to own a rifle or hand gun. You are required to pass a background check to purchase one though. In most states you can get a permit (license) to carry a concealed weapon.

A .30 caliber rifle, be it old as the enfield is, or newer is quite deadly. The thing is here there is game that require a large caliber rifle to take. The attitudes of the UK and US are also very different. I was raised around weapons and my children have been as well, and think nothing of handling a high powered rifle. We were taught gun safety at an early age and hunted with our fathers as kids.

I was stationed in England for 4 years and had this conversation many times, and IMHO it comes down to exposure. In the UK there isn't any big game hunting and people aren't exposed to these types of weapons and generally don't see the need for them. Here hunting is still practiced by a large portion of the population and it is an important food source for many. I have an Old Remington 30-06 that has taken many dear and a few elk and antelope that one of my kids will get when I'm too old to hunt.