Criminal networks across the UK are increasingly converting imitation firearms into lethal weapons, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). These illegal “firearm factories” are adapting props originally intended for amateur dramatics, historical reenactments, and school sports events into fully functional weapons capable of firing live ammunition.
Among the weapons being converted are revolvers, British Bren machine guns, and German MP 40 submachine guns. For the first time last year, incidents involving converted imitation, antique, or blank-firing weapons outnumbered those involving real firearms, with 64 discharges compared to 42. Despite an overall decline in gun crime, the NCA reports a notable rise in raids on these illegal conversion operations.
Graeme Biggar, director-general of the NCA, highlighted the challenges criminals face in acquiring genuine firearms, leading them to resort to conversions. Speaking to The Times (UK), Biggar explained, “Because it’s hard to get hold of guns, people are trying to convert them. This year we tilted over, so that the majority of discharges that we could identify to a weapon were former, converted firearms as opposed to lethal-purpose firearms. It doesn’t actually make them less lethal, but they are often less accurate.”
Authorities are now focused on tracking down 10,000 Turkish-manufactured blank-firing guns imported over the past decade, many of which are deemed “readily convertible.” Imitation firearms with forward-venting mechanisms, where expelled air exits through the front barrel, are illegal in the UK. However, top or side-venting blanks remain legal unless classified as easily convertible. The NCA is initiating an amnesty to recover these top-venting blank weapons.
A recent raid in Newbury, Berkshire, uncovered 20 weapons, including four Glock pistols, nine shotguns, and six long-barrelled firearms. Authorities also seized component parts, ammunition, and 11 imitation firearms, including an AK-47, an MP 40, and nine revolvers. A man residing at the property was charged with violating the Firearms Act 1968.
Biggar pointed to previous cases, such as the 2019 sentencing of two men who ran an illegal gun factory in East Sussex. Their operation was capable of producing up to 120 firearms, some of which were linked to violent crimes in London.
Despite these challenges, Biggar said NCA efforts have been effective in suppressing criminal access to firearms. Firearm-related offences fell by 5% in the year to June 2024, with 5,996 cases recorded. “The justice system as a whole has been successful in making it harder to get hold of original, lethal-purpose firearms,” he said.
