Issue Brief 10: From Replica to Real – An Introduction to Firearms Conversions

While national firearms regulations often restrict the types of firearms civilians may legally own, such regulations do not necessarily eliminate demand. Prohibitions on handguns in particular have led some parties to devise new means to acquire these or comparable firearms. One common method involves mechanically altering an accessible replica firearm to function in a similar way as a restricted firearm. This process is generally known as a firearms conversion, and has been observed worldwide. This Issue Brief offers an overview of illicit firearms conversion. Firearms conversion poses a challenge to current efforts to control small arms as it enables individuals to manufacture a functioning firearm, unfettered by government regulations. Firearms conversion is also a product of the same control efforts in that the more difficult it is to obtain real weapons, the greater the appeal of a converted firearm. To combat the proliferation of converted firearms therefore calls for an understanding of why and how such weapons are produced. Significant findings in this Issue Brief include the following: