Nottinghamshire criminals putting their own life in danger by making their own firearms
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Nottinghamshire Police has seized a number of ‘slam guns’ where metal pipes are used and hammered to discharge a cartridge.
Criminals are also using blank firing pistols such as the Retays, but rifling them out, so the chamber is clear for a projectile.
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Hide AdThe force’s archive and exhibits department handles between 30 to 60 firearms a week.
They work with detectives to build up an intelligence picture and provide a detailed analysis of the weapon seized.
A quantity of weapons seized are found in lofts or sheds after a relative has passed away with no link to criminality or recovered from licensed gun-holders.
But some criminals struggling to get their hands on firearms are making their own known as ‘slam guns.’
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Hide AdOfficer David Richardson said: “They are really dangerous to the user not just the public. There was a suspect who blew part of their hand off using one. Blank firing pistols are also used.
“Criminals rifle them out and make them into viable firearms. We had a spate of them, but it has now slowed down.
“We get a lot of imitation or replica firearms. They look like a viable firearm and fire a projectile like ball-bearings.
“You can still get done by the law for having one and they can be potentially lethal."
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Hide AdSgt Rob Spry, who is in charge of the archive and exhibits department, said: “We have seen a downward spiral of firearm offences in Nottinghamshire.
“We are on top of firearms and made great strides over the last decade - and that is dedication to our police teams.
“Public safety is paramount. Our department fills the massive gaps between seizure and conviction.
“We have a 100 per cent success rate – we determine ‘this is a dangerous weapon, and it is linked to this person, remand them.’
"If you are criminal and carrying a firearm in Nottinghamshire, we will find you and use the weight of the law to put you behind bars for a very long time.”