Modular Firearms Old Technology - New Problems · Modular firearms - old technology - new problems Modular firearms are not a new phenomenon. Modular firearms are those assembled

Modular Firearms Old Technology - New Problems

Meeting of Government Experts

June 2015 - New York

Modular firearms - old technology - new problems

Modular firearms are not a new phenomenon. Modular firearms are those assembled with major interchangeable components by the manufacturer. Some countries legislate that all of these major components are serialized with the same unique number at the time of manufacture. These major components can be separated from and interchanged between similar make and model firearm variations. This activity creates firearms with mismatching numbers. The compulsory tracking of serialized major components will be problematic.


Modular firearms are not a new phenomenon. Modular firearms are those assembled with major interchangeable components by the manufacturer. Some countries legislate that all of these major components are serialized with the same unique number at the time of manufacture. These major components can be separated from and interchanged between similar make and model firearm variations. This activity creates firearms with mismatching numbers The compulsory tracking of serialized major components will be problematic.


Modular firearms are not a new phenomenon. Modular firearms are those assembled with major interchangeable components by the manufacturer Some countries legislate that all of these major components are serialized with the same unique number at the time of manufacture. These major components can be separated from and interchanged between similar make and model firearm variations. This activity creates firearms with mismatching numbers. The compulsory tracking of serialized major components will be problematic.


Modular firearms are not a new phenomenon. Modular firearms are those assembled with major interchangeable components by the manufacturer Some countries legislate that all of these major components are serialized with the same unique number at the time of manufacture These major components can be separated from and interchanged between similar make and model firearm variations. This activity does creates firearms with mismatching numbers The compulsory tracking of serialized major components will be problematic.


Key Points


Modular firearms are not a new phenomenon. Modular firearms are those assembled by the manufacturer with major interchangeable components. Some countries legislate that all of these major components are serialized with the same unique number at the time of manufacture. These major components can be separated from and interchanged between similar make and model firearm variations. This activity creates firearms with mismatching numbers. The compulsory tracking of serialized major components will be problematic.








Major components of interest are; • Frame/receiver • Barrel • Handgun slide • Serialised trigger group/assembly







• P-08 pistol (1900-1945) • FN Automatic 22 rifle (1912-) • Auto-Ordnance M1 sub-machinegun (1942-1944) • FN P-35 Hi-Power pistol (1935-) • Ruger Mark 1 pistol (1947-) • Colt AR-15 rifle (1958-) • H&K Model 4 pistol (1968-1984) • Sako P04R Quad rifle (2006-)


• P-08 pistol

Receiver

Frame

• FN Automatic 22 rifle

Serial number on barrel

Serial number on receiver and trigger group

• Auto-Ordnance M1 sub-machinegun Serial Number on upper receiver

Lower frame not serialised

• FN P-35 Hi-Power pistol

Serial Number on barrel

Serial Number on slide

Serial Number on frame

• Ruger Mark 1 pistol

Serial Number on receiver

Frame

• Colt AR-15 rifle

Serial Number on left side of lower housing

Receiver

• H&K Model 4 pistol

Each of four barrels have a unique serial number as does the frame of the pistol.

• Sako P04R rifle

Each of four barrels have a unique serial number as does the receiver of rifle.

Modular firearms – registration/resources

Semi Automatic Pistol Slide

Frame

Barrel

Qty Frame Barrel Slide Register

1 1 1

1 1 1 1 3


20000 1 20000

20000 1 1 1 60000


Problems ??

Slide

Frame

Barrel


Problems ??

Slide

Frame

Barrel


Rifle Bolt Action Repeater

Frame


1 1 1

1 1 4 5


1000 1 1000

1000 1 4 5000

Four Barrels

Modular firearms – registration/education

• Requires education in firearm identification • Requires education in component identification • Requires commitment to service


• Requires resources to create and maintain records

• Identify accurately what the component is • Identify the import date and if possible the manufacture date of that component • Identify the factory/allocated unique serial number of that component • Link and record the movement/associations of that component • Identify accurately the descriptors of the destroyed component

The record for any one accountable component shall

Modular firearms – destruction

• Failure to identify accurately what is being destroyed creates confusion in future tracing activities and may hinder future prosecutions.

• The destruction process must allow for the recording of the serial number (if present) of all accountable components.

• If one accountable component has its serial number obliterated then it shall be recorded as such and not identified by the serial number of any other accountable component

Modular firearms – diversion involvement • Unaccountable major components have been used in conjunction with illicit

manufacturing of receivers to assemble illicit firearms

• Failure in some instances to identify the accountability of frames or receivers, particularly when involving certain makes and types of firearms.

• Failure to identify and record exactly what is destroyed creates confusion in future tracing activities

• Illicit serial number transfer between registered and unregistered components has facilitated diversion of firearms.

• IBIS systems in general relate to components.

Australian Crime Commission https://crimecommission.gov.au/publications/intelligence-products/crime-profile-fact-sheets/illicit-firearms Australian Institute of Criminology http://www.aic.gov.au/ Bureau of Crime Statistics New South Wales http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/cjb57.pdf

References:

https://crimecommission.gov.au/publications/intelligence-products/crime-profile-fact-sheets/illicit-firearms