Project Insight Research Report: Types of Firearms Used in Violence in the European Union

The types of firearms most frequently used in violence vary across European Union (EU) countries (for example, the use of short firearms, such as handguns, or long firearms, such as rifles).

In some cases, national authorities were able to record data on “other types” of firearms (such as craft-produced and rudimentary firearms, 3D-printed firearms, unlicensed copies, replica and imitation firearms, deactivated and converted firearms, modular firearms, concealable firearms, and firearms kits). In these cases, these firearms constituted a significant percentage of the total number of firearms recorded.

Not all EU countries shared data on the types of firearms used in violence. Data provided showed differences in the amount of detail available, and differences in categorization of types of firearms.

Open sources and media articles can provide complementary data sources to improve understanding of the different types of firearms used in violence, and to enable a better intelligence picture when data cannot be collected or is not available through official channels.

Dr Andrea Edoardo Varisco is an associate senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and an independent consultant on arms control and disarmament issues. He was the director of the SIPRI arms transfers programme and the acting director of the SIPRI dual-use and arms trade control programme. Andrea worked as head of analytics for Conflict Armament
Research and has undertaken field research in conflict-affected countries in the Middle East, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.