illicit firearm markets of south east asia article draft1.1
TRANSCRIPT
Illicit Firearm Markets of South East Asia (Guns on the doorstep)
By: Steven Pavlovich, Forensic Firearms Examiner. Perth, Western Australia.
Keywords: STG (Seized trafficked Gun), firearm trafficking, fully automatic, firearm
accessories, firearm workshop, pistol, revolver, shotgun, sub-machine gun.
ABSTRACT
This project was developed as a reference article for Australian Police and Customs in
several parts relating to the developing illicit firearm markets in South East Asia and the
identification of workshop made firearms being manufactured in South East Asia. Recently
there has been a strong resurgence in the development of illicit firearm manufacturing
centres in South East Asia producing firearms, firearms parts and ammunition and it has
been reported that the number of illicit firearms in South East Asia could easily be in excess
of ten million firearms. Porous borders within this region facilitate the distribution of illicit
distribution of firearms. This article reports on the types of firearms seizures in Australia that
relate too or have been identified as of South East Asian workshop manufacture with
photographs showing parts and details of manufacturing techniques, materials and
components used where possible. This research has also endeavoured to identify the regional
styles and types of firearms being illegally workshop manufactured in South East Asia with
descriptions of construction methods and materials used and discussing these with
photographs and drawings for reference.
___________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
It is not the intention of this article to discuss the internal political and social situation of any
country in the South East Asian region. I will however endeavour to give a brief background
so the reader might be aware of the circumstances of, or situation within a particular region
being discussed if it relates to the subject at hand.
It is the identification of firearms available within a country or region that will be discussed
together with methods of production or manufacture that relate specifically to the illicit
firearm trade.
First let us define the terms that relate to the illicit trade in firearms;
“illicit firearms trafficking” shall mean the import, export, acquisition, sale, delivery,
movement or transfer of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition from or across
the territory of one State Party to that of another state party if any one of the States Parties
concerned does not authorise it.”1
“illicit firearms manufacturing” shall mean the manufacturing or assembly of firearms, their
parts and components and ammunition:
i. From parts and components illicitly trafficked;
ii. Without a licence or authorisation from a competent authority of the State party where
the manufacture or assembly takes place; or
iii. Without marking the firearms at the time of manufacture.2
‘improvised firearm’ is a firearm intended for personal use, rudimentary and primitive in its
construction and operation. It is not a readily saleable commodity.
‘trafficked firearm shall mean a firearm or major component intended for illegal sale and/or
distribution;
1. a firearm which is workshop fabricated in part or in its entirety,
2. a firearm which is assembled from commercially available manufactured component
parts and/or
3. a firearm diverted from legitimate sources for the purpose of illegal sale and
distribution.
4. A readily saleable commodity.
‘seized trafficked gun (STG)’ is a firearm seized having a drug and/or organised crime
association or so suspected.
‘firearm workshop’ is defined as a small to medium sized area, room or building supplied
with hand operated or basic electrical manufacturing tools such as a drill press, metal files,
bench grinders. Larger workshops will utilise additional equipment and tools in the form of
lathes, a sand blasting cabinet and welding equipment.
‘workshop manufactured firearm’ is defined as a firearm produced in a ‘firearm workshop’.
‘illicit firearm market’ refers to a local availability of firearms, parts or components and
ammunition for illegal sale and or distribution at or from that location.
Illicit firearm markets are created for one main purpose; to generate money. This illicit
market can be achieved in a number of ways:
1. Illicit manufacturing of firearms and or components for local sale.
2. Illegal importation
3. Illegal export
4. Diversion to local illicit market by theft
5. Corrupt licensed dealers
6. Corrupt licensed firearm owners
7. Legislative anomalies
It is natural that the ‘flow’ of illegal goods and services within South East Asia moves from
the countries having the lowest GDP per capita towards those countries having the highest. A
greater ability within any population to purchase such goods can be exploited and targeted by
groups within local and neighbouring “illicit firearm markets.” This is not to say that any
country is worse than another it is just an indication that within this relatively small group of
countries in South East Asia that this is likely be the direction of illicit firearm traffic. There
are of course many other factors which will come into play such as the long regional land
borders such as between Myanmar and India, or Myanmar and Thailand that in this context
may facilitate the land based trafficking of illicit firearms from known firearm markets (in
North East India and beyond) into South East Asia..
It is not the intention of the writer to examine or comment on the firearm legislation in any
country, but to identify and discuss the marketing of firearms and their construction methods
to enable the identification of firearms or firearm components to assist in identifying their
possible origin or place of manufacture.
The term ‘per capita GDP’ (gross domestic product -Table 1) is a measure of the gross GDP
of a county divided by the number of people in a country and is useful when comparing the
relative performance of countries. For example – Australia can be used as a reference point
with $42,000GDP per capita (2012)3.
Country GDP per capita Ranking
Singapore $60,900 6
Brunei Darussalam $50,500 11
Australia $42,000 20
Malaysia $16,500 74
Thailand $10000 113
East Timor $9,500 117
Indonesia $5000 155
Philippines $4300 162
Vietnam $3500 167
Laos $3000 173
Cambodia $2,400 184
Burma $1400 205 Table 1
Southeast Asia (Figure 1) is a sub-region of Asia, which is generally agreed to consist of
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia,
East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore.
Figure 1 – South East Asia
Geographic Factors
The complex nature of the island geography in this region generates astounding lengths of
coastline that could easily be used to facilitate the distribution of illicit firearms, firearm parts
and ammunition, giving the term ‘porous borders’ a whole new meaning. For example, the
Philippines has a coastline length of 36,280 kms, Indonesia 54,716 kms of coastline,
Cambodia 443 kms, Burma 1,930 kms, Thailand 3,219 kms, Vietnam 3,444 kms, Brunei
Darussalam 161 kms, Malaysia 4,675 kms, East Timor 706 kms and Singapore 193 kms. The
total length of coastlines in South East Asia measures approximately 105,767 kms.
When you consider the border protection challenges which Australia has faced in recent years
with a coast line of 25,760 kms with only about half this total regularly patrolled, makes the
resources required to adequately patrol and police a coastline four times longer (which is
most a third of the entire worlds coastline of 356,000 kms, including Antarctica!) positively
daunting. If we now begin to introduce land borders into this equation the figure grows
substantially again, for example; the Myanmar-Thailand land border is 2107 kilometers long,
also impressive is the Indonesia-Malaysia land border at 2,019 kms, which incidentally when
both are measured together is greater than the continent of Australia measured at its widest
point.
Armed conflict in South East Asia
Decades of political and social instability in South East Asia has been a catalyst for the
proliferation of small arms in the region.
The structure of the illegal small arms conduits in this region occurs on several ‘independent’
levels driven by the differing requirements of persons or groups requiring different types of
guns for entirely different reasons.
1. The first and most basic demand for illegal firearms occurs at the most fundamental of
levels-
Fear for one’s own life and the protection of family.
Fear to freely exercise religious and cultural beliefs.
2. Secondly the desirability of firearms by criminals and organized crime.
3. The use of firearms by insurgent forces.
4. Illegal business activity promoting the manufacture and sale of firearms between the
above three groups but having no particular association with any of them.
These factors combine to produce a market for firearms of all types, both commercially
produced and illegal manufactured. The range, type and ‘quality’ of these firearms relate to
the market and to sell guns to persons at a price they can afford to pay.
The most available ‘workshop manufactured firearm’ is the handgun, it is seen as highly
desirable because it is easily concealed on the person and ammunition is readily available. It
can be produced using component parts or a combination of commercially manufactured
parts and workshop made components. The use of handguns in South East Asia for personal
defense seems to indicate a regional preference for centre fire calibers’ specifically, the 9 x
19 mm calibre and .45 ACP calibre firearms. The ability to reload these centre fire cartridge
cases would also increase the popularity. Also there is an increasing trend in the manufacture
small revolvers of simple construction using rim fire .22 calibre ammunition.
The workshop manufacture of firearms in primitive workshops is not new to the countries of
South East Asia. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during the Second World
War, local militia groups manufactured firearms from whatever materials were at hand. These
were known as ‘paltik’ guns, which is a Filipino term for a homemade gun.
Vietnam also has a strong history of producing firearms in primitive workshops, for example
prior to 1955 copies of the FN Browning Hi-Power and the US Colt .45 Model 1911, both
chambered in 9 x 19 mm calibre were produced. It is reported that the finish of these pistols
was surprisingly good4. During this time, Cambodia also produced a pistol similar to the
French M1950 pistol which had some similarities to the US 1911 A15.
In recent times the workshop production of handguns throughout the South East Asian region
is commonly seen and well reported by regional media outlets. However the quality of these
firearms varies considerably and the metallurgy of some is highly questionable.
Wherever you are in South East Asia there is a strong and wide-spread acceptance of firearms
in the community. The exceptions are Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, and Malaysia, although
these countries are still subject to the illegal distribution of trafficked firearms.
PHILIPPINES
The Philippines has a strong connection to firearms as a result of its long history of political
and social upheaval from the end of the 19th
century (Philippine War of Independence),
Japanese Invasion (1941) and post World War II development of non-state armed groups6
such as;
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
Abu Sayaff Group (ASG)
Jemaah Islamiyah
New People’s ARMY (NPA)
Extremists within Australia also have links within the non-state armed groups of the
Philippines as The West Australian7 newspaper recently reported.
Robert Edward Cerantonio, 29, who also goes by the name Musa Cerantonio, was detained in the central Philippine city of Cebu and will be deported to Australia,...The Philippines has a large Muslim minority in the southern region of Mindanao, a hotbed for a decades-old Muslim insurgency and where Islamic militants linked to Al-Qaeda also operate.
A report in The Australian newspaper last month described Cerantonio as a preacher and "one of (the Islamic State's) most influential propagandists", and that Australian police were planning to move against him.
The newspaper said Cerantonio called for the assassination of Western leaders in a Facebook post in December, and that a study had found one in four foreign fighters in Syria followed his Twitter account.
The Philippines has historically developed and maintained strong political, social and
economic links with the United States and these close links are likely to continue into the
long term.
The Philippines has two large firearm manufacturers ARMSCOR and SHOOTERS ARMS
who trade directly to the US private firearms market either by importation or manufacture
within the continental United States. Both these manufacturers also distribute handguns
within Australia through commercially licensed firearm dealerships.
1. ARMSCOR - Arms Corporation of the Philippines8
Armscor manufactures its own firearms (Rock Island Armory (RIA) 1911 pistols) but also
manufactures other companies' firearm lines under contract: Armscor manufactures weapons
using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment.
Armscor is the source of STI's Spartan pistol, Charles Daly and Auto Ordnance 1911
style pistols9.
Armscor manufactures weapons using CNC (Computer Numerical Control)
equipment.
Recently Armscor has set up a manufacturing plant in Stevensville, Montana, USA, and
distribution in the United States by Armscor USA is located in Pahrump, Nevada USA.
In the Philippines manufacturing is centred in Marikina City. See Figure 2.
ARMSCOR marketing under the Name Rock Island Armory have a very strong sales base
within the United States supplying a selection of 1911 pistols in varying configurations for
example the Rock Island Armory range. Reviews of these pistols that I have read lead me to
believe that they are well made and finished to a good standard.
ARMSCOR produces a range of 1911 pistols in many configurations commonly 9mm, .40
S&W and .45 ACP calibres. Bolt action rifle and self loading rifles are also produced
together with a range of 12 Gauge shotguns. The Armscor (Philippines) website carries a full
range of 1911 pistol parts. A good range of rimfire, centre fire and shot shell ammunition is
also produced.
2. SHOOTERS ARMS10
In 2008, manufacturing moved to Mandaue City in Cebu Province which is 25 kms from
Danao City. See Figure 2. As well as firearms its products now include ammunition, gun
accessories an extensive range of 1911 pistol parts.
Century International Arms is the North American importer of surplus firearms and
accessories, marketing 1911 style pistols produced by Shooters Arms.
Shooters Arms manufactures firearms using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment.
There is evidence to suggest that the Shooter Arms range firearms continues to undergo
changes in styles and markings without notice. The Shooters Arms Website is a wealth of
information with exploded view images of firearms that they produce.
Shooters arms produce a range of 1911 Pistols in a number of configurations including,
single stack magazine, high capacity magazine, revolvers, self loading and pump action
shotguns, self loading rifles and a large self loading pistol in a machine pistol configuration.
An extensive range of 1911 handgun parts is available, including M4 upper and lower
receivers.
SHOOTERS ARMS also manufactures rim fire and center fire ammunition in a range of
common handgun calibers. 12 Gauge shot shell and 5.56mm calibre ammunition is also
produced.
PHILIPPINES ILLEGAL FIREARM WORKSHOPS
The term ‘workshop manufactured’ is defined as a firearm produced in small to medium
sized area, room or building which supplied with hand operated or basic electrical
manufacturing tools such as a drill press, metal files, bench grinders. Larger illegal firearm
workshops can also utilize additional tools in the form of lathes, sand blasting cabinets and
welding equipment. The term ‘craft produced’ has been used to describe such firearms but I
believe that the term ‘workshop manufactured’ more accurately describes the build methods.
The Philippines (See Map-Figure 2) has a well-documented history of workshop
manufactured small arms dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century. It is perhaps
true to say that many firearm reference libraries in Police firearms libraries throughout the
world may have at least one or two examples of firearms that have been produced in
Philippine workshops. These would most likely be in the form of a semi-automatic pistol (in
the Colt 1911 style) or revolver (most likely a 6 shot Smith & Wesson copy).
Figure 2 Philippines Regional
The Colt 1911 A1 pistol type and it many variants are produced in Philippines workshops in
the regionally popular .45 ACP and 9 x 19 mm calibres. Indeed this firearm, the 1911 A1
pistol type has a long history in the Philippines (through American involvement) and seems
to be the preferred design for personal use as a self defence weapon, due in no small part to
the excellent .45 ACP calibre cartridge firing .45 calibre ball or lead bullets. Whether as
factory loaded ammunition or reloaded ammunition, .45 calibre ball is a highly effective
calibre and deadly in its purpose.
SHOOTERS ARMS
ARMSCOR
CEBU Province
Now we can discuss the types of guns in which this ammunition is to be fired. It is true in the
history of firearms that gunsmiths working with very basic tools have produced remarkable
firearms as a result of their expertise, the German wheel lock pistol, the Kentucky long rifle,
the early colt percussion revolvers such as the Colt Dragoon and the production of firearms in
the period and surrounding the American Civil War (1860-64) especially in the
Southern Confederate states all indicate clearly what can be achieved by skilled and
knowledgeable gunsmiths using what could only be described by today’s standards as the
most rudimentary of tools.
I have examined a number of firearms that have been produced by the small workshops of the
Philippines, specifically within the province of Cebu. The finish may at times be poor and
crude manufacturing processes have left tool marks which are clearly visible, indicating the
use of basic tools such as hand held files used to create hand made parts and components
such as fixing screws, cover plates and barrels. However, the underlying skill of the village
gunsmith still is evident and should not be underestimated. Danao City, Cebu (Figure 2)
continues to be the hub of illegal gun manufacture within the Philippines. It has been
identified that the firearms manufactured include pistols, revolvers shotguns and machine
guns intended for civilian sale, used for security and self defence but do not include any type
of conflict firearms (military rifles and support weapons).
Workshop Manufactured Firearms -Type 1- THE SELF LOADING PISTOL
The semi-automatic pistol in the full size and compact Colt 1911 format is a popular pistol
throughout the Philippines and this is reflected in the commercial offerings by ARMSCOR
and SHOOTER ARMS who both sell 1911 pistols in many styles. Also many workshop
made pistols are copies of the basic 1911 pistol style, some of which look quite exotic with
chromium finish, under barrel picatinny rail, ported barrel, beavertail safety, front strap
checkering, forward slide cuts. See Figure 3.
Figure 3: Examples: Philippines workshop made copies of a small frame Colt Defender .45 ACP calibre pistol
Note: This symbol indicates that the image was taken from an online Firearm Blog,
Discussion Forum or online auction service (e-commerce) site used to buy and sell items. No
copyrighted images have been used to the best knowledge of the author.
The investigator who does not have a firearms background may incorrectly draw the
conclusion that a Philippines workshop made pistol is a legitimate factory made firearm, as it
usually comes with ‘manufacturers’ markings which can look quite authentic. However,
always keep in mind that these guns are made for general sale or barter and the better the
appearance, the better in the possibility of sale or trade and the higher will be the asking
price. The examination of a Philippines workshop made firearm, shows the skill with which
a fully functional pistol can be made ‘by hand’, without the need for anything other than
basic tools. The example shown in Figure 4 was seized by Police but has never been
identified as anything other than a commercially made Colt Model 1911 A1 in .45 calibre
which is exactly what is stamped neatly on the slide. This designation is of course now seen
to be misleading, a conclusion supported by the following examination:
The semi-automatic pistol serial number 1917327 is stamped ‘United States Property M1911
A1 U.S.ARMY’ and ‘Remington Rand Inc. Syracuse N.Y. U.S.A.’ on the opposite side of the
frame. The barrel is stamped ‘Colt .45 Auto’. All of the stampings seen are counterfeited.
Figure 4 Colt Model 1911 A1 US ARMY .45 calibre copy. (Photos from the author’s collection)
Upon cursory examination this pistol could easily be mistaken for an old gun which has been
chromed to a hard bright finish. This is not an uncommon occurrence and I have examined a
number of commercially made pistols and revolvers that have been so chromed by their
owners in what is usually an unsuccessful effort to improve the aesthetics of an old tired gun.
Close examination and comparison to an original factory made pistol (Figure 5) reveals a
completely different story.
Figure 5 US factory made vs. Philippines workshop made (Photo from the authors collection)
U.S. Factory made
Remington Rand
Model 1911 A1 U.S.
Army
Workshop made
1911 pistol copy
Figure 6 below shows an enlargement of the underside of the slide of the workshop made
copy.
Figure 6 Workshop made 1911 pistol copy.
(Photo from the author’s collection)
The construction is crude and the finish rough, it has been built quickly, but it works. Some
Internet news sources indicate that it might take a Filipino workshop gunsmith about two
weeks, working full time to complete this pistol build. It may surprise some to know that this
pistol has been built from scratch, that is, every component part of this pistol has been
fabricated from raw salvaged materials by hand; frame, slide, barrel, magazine, firing pin,
extractor, wooden grips, even the screws that attach the grips to the frame have been made by
hand (Figure 7).
Figure 7 Workshop made 1911 pistol copy. (Photos from the author’s collection)
Workshop made Copy
shows clear hand tooled
characteristics such as coarse
and uneven toolmark striae
and poor overall finish.
Handmade screws
Hand cut checkering
Figure 8 below shows the underside of the wooden handgrips which have irregular saw tooth
marking indicative of hand sawing.
Figure 8 Workshop made 1911 pistol copy. (Photos from the author’s collection)
Figure 9 shows the side by side comparison to a commercially made pistol. The similarities
of the U.S. factory made original (right) and Philippines workshop copy (left) become
clearer.
Figure 9 Philippines workshop made vs.US factory made
(Photo from the author’s collection)
Of course the big issue is interchangeability of parts especially if firearms are to be illegally
traded or shipped across international borders. In this particular case and with workshop
made firearms generally I do not believe that there would be an interchangeability of parts if
this workshop made pistol was stripped down to its individual components and mixed with
other similarly made pistols, even if the same workshop manufacturer were involved.
Without doubt the individuals who made this pistol knew what they were doing and had a
good working knowledge of how a semi automatic pistol functions but the primitive
Handsaw marks evident on the underside
of the wooden grips
construction methods mean that components such as the slide, barrel, magazine etc only
function acceptably in this particular gun and no other, Therefore it is highly likely that this
particular gun was built with these exact parts, none have been substituted and this gun has
not been built up from parts from other guns.
Figure 10 shows another workshop made pistol that was recovered incomplete and in parts,
what can be clearly seen are the weld porosities and corrosion, out of round pin holes and
clear dimensional variations of the frame slide rails. Interestingly, the pistol did not come
with a barrel, magazine or pistol grips.
Figure 10 Incomplete Philippines workshop made firearm
(Photos from the author’s collection)
The only part of this collection of firearm components that was not ‘workshop made’ appears
to be the hammer shown in the insert photo in Figure 10. It would be my opinion that this
collection of parts was part of a build project using illegally sourced components that are
likely to have originated in the Philippines. The use of some commercially manufactured
parts to complete a workshop made firearms could be a common practice, some anecdotal
evidence by way of internet photos within these illegal workshops seems to support this idea
but more evidence is needed. It could well have been the intention to finish the pistol shown
in Figure 10 and Figure 11 using commercially manufactured components but the
incompatibility of these additional parts to the original workshop manufactured pieces have
spelled the end of this attempted illegal build project.
Figure 11 Incomplete Philippines workshop made firearm-1911 frame.
(Photo from the author’s collection)
A Workshop made copy
showing clear hand tooled
characteristics such as coarse
uneven Toolmark striations
and overall poor finish.
Factory Manufactured?
Identification of workshop made firearms can be difficult when a combination of factory
made and workshop made parts come together in one firearm as is the case of the 9mm
Cobray in Figure 12 below which utilises an original factory upper receiver, bolt and barrel.
Figure 12 Philippines workshop made Cobray compatible lower receiver with factory upper receiver.
(Photo from the author’s collection)
If the workshop made lower receiver had been finished to a higher standard than its existing
form, it might prove difficult to identify it as a workshop made component. I would
encourage investigators and especially Firearms Examiners to closely examine firearms that
have been seized to determine if any seized the guns display the characteristics of a
Philippines made workshop gun or use such workshop made components.
By conducting an internet search using the term “Colt 1911”, I found a gun forum with
images of a pistol described as a 1911 Government Remington Rand (seen in Figure 13
below). The discussion ran along the lines of trying to identify the manufacturer although the
(Filipino) owner probably was well aware of its workshop made origins.
Figure 13: Philippines copy of Colt Government 1911. (Photo from the author’s collection)
A useful exercise for the reader would be to find five or six characteristics on the pistol seen
in Figure 13 which would cause an investigator to look more closely at this firearm and its
possible illegal origins11
if it was to be seized.
The following images show four examples of the unusual characteristics seen on Philippines
workshop made firearms, each highlighting a particular detail which when observed may
indicate illegal workshop manufacture.
Markings such as stampings or engravings
may be uneven, irregular or heavily over
stamped. See Figure 14.
Figure 14 Irregular or unusual stampings and engravings
Pins used on the frame may be oversize
and/or irregular in shape.
See Figure 15.
Figure 15 Irregular pins used.
Irregular Slide cuts, not being machine
made.
See Figure 16.
Figure 16 Non machine made tool marks.
Crude oversize rear sight, without dovetail
cut.
See Figure 17.
Figure 17 Manufacturing shortcuts.
Philippines illegal gunsmiths and traffickers may join online discussions and forums relating
to firearms, asking members to assist with the identification of a firearm in a picture (Figure
18) they have posted. Most purport to be a firearm owner who has acquired a handgun at a
bargain price (which is always mentioned) and needs some assistance relating to assembly or
other gunsmithing matter. During the discussion it is sometimes revealed that the firearm in
question is a Philippines, Cebu or Danao build.
Figure 18
In Figure 18, a number of issues with the parts of the firearm can be recognized. It may be
that this handgun is said to be original commercial manufacture, however there are sufficient
incongruities visible that should raise the suspicions of the experienced firearms examiner.
This image seems to record a straight line of imperfections which also appear to have been covered by the plating process.
There appears to be Chromium plating flaking from the surface of this handgun frame.
The manufacturers stamping should be
using a correctly spaced apostrophe. The stamping seen in the image is not spaced correctly to allow for this apostrophe.
Workshop Manufactured Firearms -Type 2 - THE REVOLVER (i)
The Philippines workshop made revolver of which I found an example in the Western
Australia Police Firearm Reference Library is a copy of a Smith & Wesson Model 10-5 38
special calibre revolver (see Figure 19). This is typical of what was being produced in the
firearm workshops ten or even twenty years ago. The revolvers that are produced now are
more modern in appearance (for example heavy barrels) and may have aftermarket grips. The
.38 Special calibre revolvers are the most common. Build quality will vary considerably
however it is my opinion that the Philippines workshop made firearms can be of serviceable
quality and possess good functionality, similar in quality to the firearms available in the
workshops of Pakistan and India such as in the towns of Darra Adam Khel and Munger.
Figure 19 - Smith & Wesson Model 10-5 Philippines copy (Photos from the author’s collection)
In Figure 19, rough and unfinished surfaces and clear inconsistencies and errors in the
engraving clearly indicate that it is a copy when compared to the crisp and even
Rough finish and weld porosity visible
on the cylinder crane
Rough welds and poor fit visible on
recoil plate
The engravings circled on this S&W
revolver copy are accurate thought
faint and irregular. The S&W grip
medallion though well formed is
inaccurate in its detail.
manufacturers’ markings seen in Figure 20. This evidence indicates that this is a copy of a
Smith & Wesson Model 10-5 six shot revolver originating in a Philippines firearm workshop.
Figure 19 Medallion and engravings on an original Smith & Wesson Model 10-5
This revolver shown in Figure 19 functions well in both single and double action modes and
is capable of being fired (but carefully!).
The workshop made firearms shown in Figure 20 and Figure 21 are excellent copies of Smith
and Wesson .38 special calibre revolvers however the handmade build characteristics of these
firearms can be easily seen by the trained eye as is explained.
Figure 20: Weld porosity seen on hammerless model
Figure 21: Rough and irregular checkering on the end of the ejector rod
Look carefully at the triggers of the revolvers shown in Figures 20 and 21, Figure 20 shows a
trigger which may be an original factory made component and Figure 21 shows a trigger
which has clearly been ‘workshop manufactured’. However in this case I would describe both
firearms as workshop manufactured.
It is not unusual for Philippines workshop made revolvers (of all types and sizes) to have flat
sided barrels (see Figure 22) which are likely to have been designed to speed the construction
process by reducing the number of cylindrical surfaces required in the construction process.
Figure 22 A Philippines workshop made revolver
THE MINI REVOVER (ii)
Another popular Philippines regional favorite is the mini revolver loosely based on the North
American Arms “Black Widow” which can be purchased throughout the Philippines for
approximately AUD $150. See Figure23, Figure 24 and Figure 25.
Figure 23 Figure 24
Figure 25 North American Arms “Black Widow” copy, .22 Magnum calibre 5 shot revolver
Available in .22 WMR and .22 Long Rifle rimfire calibres these revolvers are usually made
with a five shot cylinder (with or without fluting on the cylinder) in single action
configuration with a spur trigger. Commonly these revolvers bear the engraving “BLACK
WIDOW” and “.22 MAGNUM” on the frame or side of the barrel. The quality of these
markings are generally poor and uneven, however the fake North American Arms logo seen
stamped on the right hand side of the revolver in Figures 25 and 27 appears crisp and sharp.
The grip cuts on the cylinder pin are rough and uneven in all examples of this type that I have
seen.
Figure 26 Original North American Arms Figure 27 Copy North American Arms
PUG 5 shot single action .22 WMR 5 shot single action .22 WMR
Engravings in particular may easily mislead the inexperienced investigator, but can greatly
assist the forensic firearm examiner with his considerations regarding the origin of a
particular firearm. Whether the firearm is produced by a well known commercial company or
a small illegal firearm workshop, both have the common desire to market and sell their
firearms for profit and cater to a market in which ‘the right look’ is an important
considerations. It is inevitable that guns manufactured in illegal firearm workshops will vary
in both the quality of manufacture and the quality and design of any markings found on these
guns. It is important for the investigator to realize the important fact that these manufacturers
will change the look and specifications of their firearms on a whim in order to follow trends
or favorites that may appeal to prospective buyers. Factors which influence their design
options are- (1) the need to use cheap and available pistol ammunition calibres, (2) the
minimization the complexity, (3) to facilitate ease and rapidity of construction and (4) to
utilize materials, tools and gunsmithing skills already to hand. Pistol cartridge calibres (both
rimfire and centre-fire) have always been the preferred calibres for most illegally
manufactured firearms in the Philippines region.
Workshop Manufactured Firearms -Type 3 - THE SUB-MACHINE GUN
The illegal workshop made variations of the sub-machine gun has been produced in Australia
for some time, many examples have been seized by Police in Western Australia over the
years and nearly all have been based on the design in the book ‘Expedient Homemade
Firearms’ by P.A.LUTY.12
An example of this design seized by Western Australia Police is
shown in Figure 28.
Figure 28 Workshop made STG (Seized Trafficked Gun).
Fully automatic machine gun, 9 x 19 mm calibre.
(Photo from the author’s collection)
No select fire capability is usually incorporated in the ‘LUTY’ design, which in this instance
(Figure 28) is basic yet functional and will deliver a rate of fire of approximately 1200 rounds
per minute. The detachable box magazine has a capacity of about 12-15, 9 x 19 mm
cartridges. In 2012 a number of ‘LUTY’ workshop made submachine guns were seized by
South Australian Police in December 201213
, see Figure 29 below.
Figure 29 Workshop made firearm seized by South Australia Police.
These South Australian guns were of much higher quality and finish than any Western
Australian seizures and the illegal South Australian gunsmith (who was identified and
charged) had been so pleased with his handiwork that he supplied each gun he produced with
a sequential serial number. It is possible that up to 15 such machine guns were produced
based on these serial numbers.
In New South Wales the recent arrest and prosecution of Angelos KOOTS was reported in
‘The Telegraph’ November 16, 201314
. KOOTS admitted to making up to one hundred
machine guns based on MAC10, 9mm calibre machine gun designs. The news article further
reported…
“The guns, sold with two magazines and a
silencer, were of such quality that during "Mythbuster" style tests alongside a genuine MAC 10 they fired 600 rounds a minute...When police raided Koots' house, police found diagrams, blocks of aluminum and steel, steel offcuts and molds matching the MAC 10 machineguns.
On August 12, 2010, Parkes gave John
one of the weapons, a silencer and two magazines in a shopping bag in exchange for $15,000 in a brown McDonald’s takeaway bag, court documents said.
On September 2, they met again and John bought another machine gun, silencer and two magazines in a pink shopping bag for $15,000.”
Figure 30. The KOOTS Mac10/9mm calibre machine gun
This type of Mac 10 type machine gun build was previously unknown in Australia. As seen
in Figure 30, the firearm has no fire selector switch, safety lever and does not have a shoulder
stock or any apparent facility to fit one. This illegal build does not exhibit any of the
characteristics of a Philippines workshop made firearm, such as ‘manufacturers’ engravings,’
knurling on cocking levers and false serial numbers markings.
This Mac 10 type design is a common and popular workshop made, sub machine gun build in
the Philippines. The Philippines copy of the Military Armament Corporation Model 10, (M-
10) may also resemble later variants such as the Cobray M11/9 in 9 mm calibre, but these
designs have significant internal and external differences from the New South Wales seizure.
Figure 31 Philippines workshop made copies of Ingram and Cobray SMGs.
Figure 31 above, shows two Philippines workshop made SMGs marked ‘Ingram M11’; the
lower gun was imported (smuggled?) into in the United States. The owner of the gun wrote
on an internet gun forum, that “the gun had been chromium plated but the finish was
purposely left rough to reduce to shiny appearance”, though I suspect the real reason for the
chrome plating was to enhance an uneven or rough workshop finish. It was mentioned that
the rate of fire was very high with only a 5 round minimum burst possible and the wire stock
when extended had a tendency to collapse as the gun was fired. This indicates to me that the
rate of fire would be well into the realm of ‘uncontrollable,’ that is 1500+ rounds per minute.
Practical and legitimate uses for such firearms are very restricted, high rates of automatic fire
and rudimentary fixed sights impact upon and limit the effective range to several meters only,
semi-automatic fire (when available) would extend the range a little, but not by much.
However, these firearms become useful within criminal gangs for ‘show’ and intimidation.
As a ‘trafficked firearm’ they become a valuable and tradeable commodity, which will
increase in value over time. In the Philippines it might be possible to buy such firearms in
person for approximately $AUD 400 and upwards to perhaps $AUD 1400 (negotiable) if
purchased over the internet. If it were possible to access such guns within Australia, the black
market value of this ‘trafficked firearm’ would be $AUD 5,000 – 15,000+. The possibility of
obtaining these types of firearms at bargain basement prices and their subsequent increase in
value once in Australia is a point which I am certain is not lost on organised crime gangs in
Australia and their overseas affiliates.
INGRAM M11 CAL.9MM PAR. MILITARY ARMAMENT CORP. MARRIETTA GA. 30062 U.S.A.
Original COBRAY emblem
stamping on a M-11/nine mm,
S.W.D. INCORPORATED
firearm
Figure 32 Philippines workshop ‘COBRAY’ SMG, 9mm calibre copy, seized by NSW Police
Figure 33 Philippines workshop ‘Lang-Lang Mouser“.25ACP calibre
Figure 34 Philippines workshop made ‘COBRAY’ lower receiver copy and original factory upper receiver bolt and barrel.
9mm calibre. Seized in Western Australia (Photo from the author’s collection)
Figure 35 Philippines workshop made ‘COBRAY’ copy SMG, 9mm calibre
Figure 36 Philippines workshop made ‘X9’ copy SMG 9mm Calibre
In Figure 36 the ‘X9’ engraving seen on the left hand side of the lower receiver is intended to
refer to the similar X9 semi automatic firearm produced by the SHOOTERS ARMS factory,
http://www.shootersarms.com.ph/.
This example serves to show that Philippines illegal gunsmiths will make the extra effort to
secure a potential sale by including marking and logos that relate to regionally popular guns
and by so doing can provide firearm examiners valuable information concerning the origins
of these guns.
Figure 37 Philippines workshop made SMG known as KG9 or KG99
Figure 37 shows the workshop made firearm commonly known as the KG9 or KG99. Build
quality can vary considerably but the basic configuration remains the same
Figure 38 A heavily accessorized Philippines workshop made SMG KG99.
Figure 38 is an example of a workshop made firearm that has utilized commercially made
components to facilitate the ‘look’ and sales potential of this illegal firearm. The build quality
and attention to detail appears to be excellent and such a firearm would be extremely
desirable to organized crime elements should it become available as a trafficked firearm
within Australia. This machine gun seems to be a sophisticated unit as it has a ‘red dot’ sight,
a collapsible stock, vertical fore grip, picatinny rails and select fire lever.
Workshop Manufactured Firearms -Type 4 - THE SHOTGUN
The most popular type of workshop made shotgun in the Philippines, is a 12G pump action
without a shoulder stock but fitted with a pistol grip. Typically its intended use would be as a
self-defense utility weapon, strictly short-range (less than 10 metres).
Figure 39 A still from an online video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jvWN3K8pn8 demonstrating a
Danao workshop made shotgun
The pump action 12G shotguns shown in Figure 39 and Figure 40 have a three round
magazine capacity.
Figure 40 shows another of a Danao workshop made shotgun taken from and online gun forum.
This workshop made pump action shotgun does not seem to be produced with any kind of
shoulder stock, all the examples I have seen have been produced with pistol grip only and do
not have any form of fitted sights. Rarely seen on online auction sites this pump action
shotgun design is a favourite of security guards throughout the Philippines. The variations
seem to be limited to a longer barrel usually combined with an extended magazine.
Figure 41 Danao workshop made firearms carried by Philippines Security guards. Images taken from online travel blogs and threads.
Figure 41 shows images of Philippines Security guards carrying workshop made shotguns.
Such guards are employed throughout the Philippines to guard banks, shopping areas, tourist
accommodation/hotels and other business interests. The preference for these ‘paltik’shotguns
would primarily be attributed to the very low cost of these locally made workshop firearms
(estimated at AUD$70-120). Other considerations would be the clear overt presence of a
large firearm, the 12G shogun being widely known though movies and other popular media
to be lethal at short range, a point which I am sure is not lost on potential offenders who may
not otherwise be unfamiliar with firearms.
METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
An examination of the Philippines workshop manufactured 1911 style handguns will reveal
that it has been constructed from smaller flat metal parts and solid square rod that has been
shaped, drilled and welded into the final pistol configuration. Figure 42 is a loose
representation of how these workshops may utilise small easily made metal components by
welding or brazing them together to create the basic frame component of a self-loading pistol.
Figure 42 Individual components that are fitted together to manufacture a self loading pistol frame
Figures 43A and 43B show two images of such a firearm during the construction process in a
Philippines workshop. This method allows construction of the basic slide and frame utilizing
simple tools such as a drill press, hacksaw, hand files and electric welder.
Figure 43A Figure 43B
‘Paltik’ self-loading handgun in the early stages of the manufacturing process
Where necessary components would be welded together using a process known as shielded
metal arc welding or more commonly known as ‘stick welding’. On the workbench in the
background in Figure 43A can be seen a one piece mainspring housing and magazine guide
to suit a 1911 type pistol. Was this firearm part was produced in this primitive workshop or
was it a factory manufactured part obtained from a local black market parts dealer?
Figure 44 Philippine copy of Browning High Power S/L pistol.
‘Stick welding’ is one of the most popular welding processes in the world because of its
simplicity in both equipment required and operation. This process is primarily used to weld
steel.
In Figure 44 (above) and Figure 45 (below) lines of weld porosity (imperfections) are visible
on these Philippines workshop made pistols, which commonly occur in poorly prepared
surfaces, i.e. a failure to properly remove traces of dirt, grease or paint during the
manufacture. The simple chroming process applied to the firearm in Figure 45 was likely to
have been completed at the end of the build to conceal crude manufacturing and to improve
the aesthetics of the pistol and improve its potential for sale. Bright chromium finishes on
scratch built workshop pistols of this manufacture seem to be quite common.
Figure 45. Philippines workshop made pistol (Photos from the author’s collection)
This close-up shows a line of weld porosity, which is a
defect that occurs during the welding process on poorly prepared
surfaces..
The handgun pictured has been built using separate
component pieces.
Red circles indicate areas of visible weld porosity
and welded joints indicated by dotted line
Figure 46 Philippines workshop made pistol (Photo from the author’s collection)
Construction methods will likely vary from gunsmith to gunsmith but the principle of
separate components to ‘build up’ the frame shown in Figure 42 diagram will still be used.
Another manufacturing technique used in the production of these pistols is that of ‘brazing’.
Brazing is a metal joining process which is similar to soldering except the temperatures used
to melt the filler metal in the joint is much higher. Figure 47, shows another scratch built
workshop pistol from the Philippines, the small angled metal piece which is positioned within
the frame acts as a guide for the magazine when inserted into the pistol.
Figure 47 Philippines workshop made pistol (Photo from the author’s collection)
The brazed joint is cheap to produce requiring very little braze alloy to produce a strong joint
and requires only a hand held gas torch as equipment. Manual torch brazing would be by far
the most common possibly the only method of brazing metals in these firearms workshops.
Cheap labour costs, availability of basic tools and a strong market for unregistered or ‘loose
guns’ (the Philippines term for unregistered firearms) has created knowledgeable and
This close-up shows two lines of weld porosity, running
parallel to the red dash lines...
This small metal piece has been fitted
within the frame of this pistol by ‘brazing’
competent workshop gunsmiths who can produce a 1911 type pistol every two-three weeks,
which would be sold for approximately PHP 8000 (AUD $192, possibly as low as AUD
$130.)15
A Philippines online news source ‘The Freeman’16
describes with good detail the contents of
an illegal gun factory. I have added highlighted text in brackets to assist with interpretation of
some descriptions used by the reporter. Figure 48 shows how these parts might be used. ...”Seized from the house of Antonio were five barrels, five revolver cylinders and two slides. Antonio's five other accomplices were also arrested after they were caught making gun parts within the vicinity. Operatives also recovered five lathe machines, two bench grinders, welding rods, several assorted drill bits, a welding machine, three baby butt stocks for an M16 rifle (AR15 adjustable shoulder stocks?) , two hand guards for a CAR-15 (AR15 hand-guards?), two bench drills, a machine grover (groover?...milling machine)? ..production of firearm receivers and slides, firearm components and parts), a radial power cutter, two bench vices, several barrel bushings and other assorted machines and tools with an estimated worth of P 800,000.00 (AUD $19200). A total of thirty-five revolver cylinders, 35 pistol slides and several pieces of flat bars worth P200,000.00 (AUD $4,800) were also seized during the operation including a tricycle with license plate numbers GY 6996. In a separate operation on the same day, authorities arrested Silverio and Villas an in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Cambiohan, Barangay Poblacion, Danao City, Cebu. Both were arrested right after they handed over three barrels and three revolver cylinders to an undercover police operative in exchanged of P300 (AUD $7). Police also confiscate 46 barrels and 21 reverse slugs (Rifling buttons?...are carbide tools for forming the rifling
grooves in gun barrels) from the suspects. PSSupt Patrocinio A Comendador Jr., CPPO Provincial Director said that the confiscation of machines and gun spare parts will greatly affect the loose firearms industry in Danao City. Around 80 to 90 percent of productions were abolished and this is a big blow to the loose firearms production in the city, a big possibility to lessen their production. He added that Antonio Gian can provide 20 different firearms in a day with a total of about 100 firearms in a week”...
Figure 48 Philippines KG9 SMG
Figure 49 shows a Philippines workshop submachine gun with a receiver design and styling
intended to resemble the popular ‘AR15/M4’ carbine. This configuration seems to be another
regional favourite and I have seen several online news articles relating to firearms seized by
AR15 adjustable buttstock
This drawing illustrates the firearm
accessories described in the news
article fitted to a typical Philippines
workshop made submachine gun
commonly known as a KG9 in 9 x 19
mm cal or .45 ACP calibre.
AR15 hand-guards
Barrel rifling
Police showing this pattern with a strong AR15 resemblance due in no small part to the use of
AR15 lookalike parts.
Figure 49 Philippines KG9
In Figure 50, I have coloured the parts of the firearm that have been workshop manufactured
in blue and other components that are likely (arguably) to have been ‘commercially’
manufactured in red.
Figure 50 Philippines KG9
It becomes clearer when compared to the small insert picture of an M4 9mm calibre SMG in
Figure 50. The illegal firearm has been produced for marketing and general sale and if the
prospective purchasers wants to buy a firearm that looks like an AR15 or variant, the
manufacturer of these ‘workshop manufactured’ guns will endeavour to make sure that is
exactly what they will get.
Briefly now I will explore the consideration that within the village communities of the
Philippines in which these firearm workshops are located the production of guns could be
organised to the extent that no one manufacturer produces all the parts and components of the
firearm he is making. Smaller firearm workshops will obtain parts from other workshops that
may ‘specialise’ in the production of a particular part or set of components. I believe it is
unlikely that the workshop that produced the firearm seen in Figure 49 did not utilise;
M4 SMG comparison
1. Genuine, commercially manufactured components that had been manufactured as
‘spare or replacement parts’ or
2. Firearm components manufactured by other illegal firearm workshops and either
traded or sold between these workshops intended to be hand fitted into a firearm.
3. Chemical treatments (i.e. blueing) of firearm components as a final finish on the
firearm.
Interesting articles and posts can be found on internet sites which describes the personal
experiences of travellers in the Cebu province. One such travel story website describes a
‘shop’ which specialises in ‘gun steel’, which did not make guns but rather repaired, fine-
tuned and improved their appearance and resistance to corrosion by immersion in a mixture
of lye17
and hydrochloric acid, a process known as ‘blueing’. The story describes this shop
having a number of disassembled revolver frames, cylinders, pistols and a machine gun18
.
Figure 51 KG9 receivers, suppressor tubes, flash suppressor, vertical grips, bolt and barrel in a Philippines workshop.
In Figure 51, the two KG9 receivers, two suppressor tubes, flash suppressor, two vertical
fore-grips, bolt and barrel all have the same type of finish and this may indicate that either all
these components were made in this workshop or that these parts have been delivered to this
workshop for final assembly (which may explain the duplication of components).
This basic design of the KG9 receiver as seen in Figure 51 can be made to resemble other
‘saleable’ firearm types such as the popular Intratec 9mm pistol design as shown in Figure
53. With a short barrel and in a pistol configuration the KG9 can be remarkably similar in
looks to the commercially made INTRATEC pistol as seen in Figure 53.
There is anecdotal evidence which suggests that the manufacture and assembly are
completed by various workshops which may specialise in a particular aspect of the
manufacture and/or assembly. For example, although there is some evidence to suggest that
‘button rifling’19
is part of the barrel manufacturing process there is no evidence to suggest
that there are many workshops which possess the equipment to facilitate the button rifling
process.
Figure 52 Figure 53
Figure 54 Philippines KG9 marked as Intratec
As can be seen in Figure 50, the components that are ‘firearm workshop’ made can account
for a large percentage of parts making up the firearm. These parts also can be simplified to
accommodate the resources available to the workshop in which it is being fabricated, for
example, an adjustable shoulder-stock can replaced by a simple metal fixed or hinged wire
shoulder stock, the pistol grip can be made from virtually any material to hand, wood or
plastic. The reciprocating open bolt and fixed firing pin typical of simple submachine gun
designs is a relatively simple and uncomplicated mechanism and many workshop examples
show that a functioning submachine gun can be made with simple rectangular steel tube and a
basic knowledge of steel and sheet metal fabrication. But always keep in mind that these
firearm manufacturers will not waste time and effort manufacturing an article that they
cannot sell.
The detail on Figure 54, showing the Philippines KG9 shows a level of sophistication not
seen in any other workshop fabricated firearms I have examined in Australia. The makers of
this gun have engraved the receiver with details of make, model, calibre and serial number,
the style and layout which has been copied directly from the commercial INTRATEC pistol. The genuine INTRATEC and INTERDYNAMIC brand pistol markings are shown in the inserts below:
INTRATEC
MIAM. FL
9 MM LUGER
MOD. TEC-KG9
INTRATEC
MIAMI FLA.
9 MM LUGER
MOD: TEC-9 PATENTS PENDING
INTERDYNAMIC
MIAMI FL.
9 MM LUGER
MOD. KG-9 PATENTS PENDING
Further INTRATEC and INTERDYNAMIC models have been known as DC-9, TEC-9, AB-
10, KG-99 and copies such AA Arms AP-9, although only the KG 99 or KG 9 designations
have been used to describe the Philippines workshop made SMG.
The Philippines KG9 SMG engraving shown in Figure 54 describes this firearm as an
INTRATEC Model TEC-KG9, MIAM. FL. (Note the missing letter ‘I’ in MIAMI.). A serial
number has been added and most interestingly a select fire switch is visible showing SAFE-
SEMI-FULL selections. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to examine the trigger
and select fire mechanism of the Philippines KG9 and am not able to comment on its design.
Some online videos clearly show some of these workshop made guns fire from the closed
bolt position, indicating a sophisticated trigger mechanism and bolt assembly.
Figure 55 Philippines KG9 SMG variant
The INTRATEC pistol fully automatic fire conversion intended for commercially
manufactured firearms is well documented and detailed online instructions provide all the
information needed. However the conversion does not allow any select fire capability. In the
case of the Philippines KG-9 SMG a select fire capability has been developed for this gun.
Figure 56 Philippines workshop made SMG KG9 in 9x19mm calibre configuration.
It is likely that this firearm has a rate of fire in the order of 1200-1300 rounds per minute
which would give the shooter about one second of fully automatic fire (based on a magazine
Basic workshop made KG-9 SMG
receiver component
capacity of 20 – 30 rounds). The workshop made Philippines KG-9 SMG is unlikely to be of
interest to any of the non state armed groups operating within the Philippines. The weapon is
small and likely to be unreliable in field conditions due to its high rate of automatic fire and
limited effective range of only 50-100 metres (if you can manage hit anything in the one
second of automatic fire available to you). Semi automatic fire with pistol cartridges, using a
short sight radius, rudimentary sights and the inherent inaccuracy of the workshop made
barrels is a poor second option. Additionally any breakages would be difficult to repair in the
field since a replacement part would have be made and ‘hand fitted’ into the firearm to ensure
correct function. To this end it would inconveniently need to be returned to a firearm
workshop for such a repair.
Figure 57 Shows a compatible working parts configuration (overlay) as that found in a popular reference booklet available on the
internet.
The pin configuration visible on the receiver (Figure 52) seems to be fully compatible with
the configuration found in the book “Home Workshop Guns for Defence and Resistance –
Volume V – The AR-15/M16” by Bill Holmes. See Figure 53. This particular ‘open bolt’
arrangement of the sear, trigger and disconector allows for a simple but effective two stage
trigger pull. The first stage of the trigger pull allows for semi automatic fire only but when
the trigger is pulled fully to the rear, fully automatic fire is possible.
The Philippines KG-9 SMG is suited for sale to locals who require some degree of personal
self-defence or criminal elements for which intermittent use or ‘show’ of such a firearm
would be the norm...it is a firearm suited to city and street environments or even more
effectively within a confines of a room.
It is possible to watch internet videos that demonstrate the very high rate of fire of the KG9,
for example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scfehfEladY. This particular video shows
this firearm firing from the closed bolt position during automatic fire. This seems to be a
variant of the open bolt SMG trigger mechanism shown in Figure 57.
Internal trigger components
Figure 58 shows an interesting combination of three still images taken from this YouTube
video. This shows a Philippines workshop made KG9 variant with a select fire switch
indicating SEMI and AUTO firing positions. The pin configuration on the receiver is
different from those in Figure 56.
Figure 58 Three stills from a YouTube video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz8IgmuCSZY entitled “Fully Automatic, home-
made AR-15 from Danao, Philippines”
The markings that can be seen in Figure 58 above the trigger read:
COLTS FIREARM DIVISION
COLT INDUSTRIES
HARTFORD. CT. USA.
The further markings on the magazine well of this gun read:
COLT AR-15
PROPERTY OF
U.S. GOVT
THE SITUATION TODAY
The Philippines online news source ‘The Freeman’20
again describes in good detail the
contents of an illegal gun factory.
“CEBU, Philippines - The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 in a raid seized at least 29 firearms in
Barangay Suba, Danao City Wednesday but failed to arrest the gunsmith...
CIDG-7 personnel confiscated from Gian’s makeshift house one KG9 automatic pistol; five pieces of caliber .45
pistol; one caliber .380 pistol; four caliber .357 revolvers; ten caliber .38 revolvers; two caliber .9mm black
widows; and five black widow revolvers.
They also managed to confiscate assorted magazines and gun-making equipment and ammunition.
The operation is a product of the agency’s campaign against loose firearms, Armendariz said.
He added they have received reports of illegal gun manufacturing activity in the area.
Danao City has been tagged as the centre of illegal arms manufacturing business in the Visayas and is
reportedly home to skilled gunsmith operating illegally.”
An article in the CEBU DAILY NEWS dated April 23rd
, 2014 entitled ‘Gunsmith nabbed,
firearms seized in Danao City raid’ by Chito O. Aragon21
, says that despite an aggressive
campaign against ‘loose firearms’ and several recent arrests, Police continued to receive
reports “that illegal gun manufacturing remains rampant in the city.”
Another Philippines online news source ‘The Philippine Star’ dated November 24, 2014,
describes the seizure of guns and drugs in Tuguegarao City, Philippines.
“The raiding team allegedly seized from Rabino’s house 15 grams of shabu, an assault rifle, a 9mm pistol, a
calibre .22 revolver, ammunition and drug paraphernalia.
Early last week, police seized 100 grams of shabu22 with a street value of P660, 000 in a raid in Batangay
Macanaya, also in Aparri.
Arrested during the raid was Larry Mabbun, said Chief Inspector Mina Domingo, town police chief.
The raid also resulted in the seizure of a calibre .45 pistol and drug paraphernalia.”
Although, Cebu is widely regarded by observers as the centre of workshop made firearms in
the Philippines, it is highly likely that these illegal firearm manufacturing activities will
become more decentralised if the ongoing operations by the Philippines Police targeting
firearm workshops begin to have an impact in this province.
These skilled gunsmiths who have for a long time been manufacturing illegal firearms in
Danao city and Cebu province may find their skills to be demand in other regional provinces
and perhaps even in neighbouring or nearby countries. The production of firearms to satisfy
local demand for 9mm and .45 calibre firearms for self-defence and the maintenance of high
powered military style conflict firearms used by of non-state armed groups in Indonesia,
Myanmar and Thailand may result in the development and manufacture of Philippines style
‘Paltik’ designs in these other countries.
FIREARM TRAFFICKING AND SOCIAL MEDIA
The increasing use of social media such as online auction sites, discussion blogs, forums,
YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and many others to facilitate the sale and distribution of
illegal firearms cannot be understated. Figure 59 shows three separate ‘posts’ from the
Instagram site. The three firearms shown are all Philippines ‘workshop made’ firearms.
Figure 59 three separate ‘posts’ from the Instagram site.
The ability of firearm traffickers to utilise social media to stimulate interest and greatly
increase the potential of sale and distribution within their own region while also developing
international markets is a problem that is very new and challenging to Police and Customs
agencies around the world. As Figure 59 indicates, these types of seemingly harmless image
‘posts’, can never the less provide free advertising for firearm traffickers on the global stage.
THE OMCG PRESENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES
It has been well reported that Australian Motorcycle Gangs have and are continuing to
develop their reach and interest within the developing strategic criminal markets for drugs
and weapons in South East Asia. For example the Outlaws MC Philippines homepage
http://www.outlawsmc-philippines.com/, details its contacts at two clubhouses located in
Cebu-City and Cebu South.
Figure 60: Known locations of OMCG chapters in the Philippines and the two major Philippines based commercial firearm manufacturers.
Outsiders MC
Outlaws MC
Mad Dog MC
Norseman
MC Nomads
ARMSCOR
SHOOTERS ARMS
OMCG groups operating in the Philippines (Figure 60) are Banditos MC, Hells Angels MC,
Outsiders MC, Mad Dog MC, Norseman MC Nomad, Vigilanties MC and Independent MC
Gangs. Media reports suggest that the situation between these groups in the Philippines may
be volatile as they each struggle for a share of illegal drug and weapons markets probably in
competition with local established gangs.
Although it is not the intent of this article to discuss the OMCG presence in the Philippines, it
is important to note that the establishment of OMCG chapters in the Cebu Province and near
the capital Manila indicates that a requirement for close access to firearms or firearm
manufacturing facilities may have been an important consideration for these groups when
locating into the Philippines.
1. Hells Angels MC / Independent MC (Chapters in Singapore, Brunei, Philippines,
Malaysia)
2. Rebels MC / Independent MC (Chapters in Singapore, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia)
3. Banditos MC (Philippines)
4. Mad Dog MC (Chapters in Thailand, Philippines) / Vigilanties MC
5. Norseman MC Nomads (Philippines)
A NOTE TO THE POLICE INVESTIGATOR
Firearms trafficking enforcement is almost as old as firearm trafficking itself. Good
techniques of firearms trafficking enforcement do not change as an article (Greco 1998)23
published in a 1998 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin correctly describes;
The identification of a workshop made firearm is not an end in itself but is a piece of
the puzzle and that “each recovered firearm should be viewed as a potential
confidential informant (Greco 1998)’. By understanding how the firearm was
manufactured, the patterns and preferences used by the firearm trafficker can be
identified and this valuable information can be relayed to investigators in the field.
Firearms traffickers are identified as creatures of habit, who establish and maintain
specific patterns in their activities, changing only when absolutely necessary.
These observations and conclusions are still true today but unfortunately it is not always the
case that such sound advice is heard and implemented. It is the hope of this author that this
article may begin to ‘join the dots’ for the police investigator and Forensic Firearms
Examiner alike, so that the bigger picture that makes up the illicit firearm markets of South
East Asia can begin to be seen and better understood.
Styles and regional preferences for firearm design should never be overlooked when
determining the origin of a workshop made firearm, for example knowing that the markets of
the Indian sub-continent have a preference for 9mm calibre and types of top break action
9mm pistols as well as smaller Browning style pistol designs in 7.65mm calibre may mean
the difference between knowing the origin of a workshop manufactured firearm or not.
‘Any opinions outlined in this report are the views of the author and should not be taken as the view
of the Western Australia Police.’
FOOTNOTES:
1United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime “PROTOCOL AGAINST THE ILLICIT MANUFACTURING OF AND
TRAFFICKING IN FIREARMS, THEIR PARTS AND COMPONENTS AND AMMUNITION, SUPPLEMENTING THE
UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME” New York, 31 May 2001
2 Ibid
3 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/CIA World Fact book 2013
4 Edward Clinton Ezell., “SMALL ARMS OF THE WORLD,” 12th Edition, Stackpole Books, 1983
5 Ibid
6 http://www.geneva-academy.ch/RULAC/non-state_armed_groups.php?id_state=171/Geneva academy of international
humanitarian law and human rights
7 “Australian Jihadist supporter arrested in Philippines :police” July 11 2014,
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/world/a/24443542/australian-jihadist-supporter-arrested-in-philippines-police/, last
accessed 12 July 2014
8 http://www.armscor.com.ph/ARMS CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, 17/04/2014
9 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armscor_(Philippines)ARMSCOR PHILIPPINES, 17/04/2014
10 http://www.shootersarms.com.ph/index.php,SHOOTERS ARMS MANUFACTURING, 17/04/2014
11 1. Irregular slide cuts. 2. Misaligned lower screw on grip. 3. Rear sight to large 4. Ejection port flute.
5. Poorly defined manufacturers’ markings 6. Irregular shiny finish. 7. Poor fit on magazine catch. 8. Unusual trigger
configuration.
12 P.A.LUTY, “Expedient Homemade Firearms: The 9mm Submachine Gun”, Paladin Press, Boulder, Colorado,1998
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15 CAMPO, Liv G., “Paltik”, http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2013/02/24/912574/paltik, last accessed 22 Aug 2014.
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19 Button Rifling – is a process by which a tungsten carbide or hardened steel button, essentially a negative image of the
rifling within the barrel. It can be pushed into the barrel or it can be pulled through to create the rifling.
20 Bryner L. Diaz “ Loose firearms confiscated but gunsmith escapes” May 30 2014, http://www.philstar.com/cebu-
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22 Shabu is the term for crystal methamphetamine in the Philippines.
23 Greco J.P. (1998). Pattern Crimes, Firearm Trafficking Enforcement Techniques. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Sep
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