Firearms conversion—mechanically altering an accessible replica firearm to function as a ‘real’ weapon—has been widely used by those wishing to circumvent legislation that restricts access to firearms.
Rifles, including assault rifles, have constituted the bulk of military small arms production in the 20th and 21st centuries, and are manufactured widely throughout the world.
There are thousands of companies, from some 100 countries, that produce small arms, light weapons, and their ammunition.
During the 25-year period from 1986 to 2010, US-based firearms manufacturers produced over 98 million pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns for domestic sale (excluding those produced for export).
Ammunition marking—including all the marks applied on individual cartridges and their packaging, containing information crucial for their identification—facilitates accounting for ammunition use, safe transportation, storage, and quality control. Within the international arms control community there is an ongoing debate about how useful marking is in helping to trace transfers of ammunition from one user group to another.
Craft production of small arms usually involves fabricating weapons and ammunition largely by hand, in relatively small quantities. Small arms made this way range from rudimentary single-shot pistols to advanced assault rifles. Craft-produced light weapons include man portable rockets and launchers, mortars and their munitions, as well as grenade launchers.
The marking of small arms is a necessary component of record-keeping, linking a specific small arm to a unique record for that item. A robust record-keeping system provides the means to trace small arms and investigate the illicit trade, thus helping to limit the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
It is not difficult to find evidence of Brazil’s high levels of armed violence. The proof is in the grim statistics of the country’s hospitals, morgues, and prisons. This Special Report looks at two aspects of this problem. First, it explores the thriving Brazilian small arms industry, which, together with international trafficking networks, contributes to control failures and fuels small arms violence. Second, it maps out weapons holdings—by weapon type, holder, and location.