Firearm seizures on the rise in Qld

More than 200 firearms and related items are being seized in Queensland each month, police statistics show.

Fully automatic machine guns, air pistols, rocket launchers, silencers, barrels, anti-personnel gas and replica pistols are just some of the articles being seized.

The number of seizures has risen by nearly 70 per cent since 2010.

There were 3057 in 2015 and a further 610 in the first three months of this year.

In 2010, Queensland Police seized 1822 firearms and their parts and accessories.

Category A weapons, which include air rifles, rim-fire rifles and shotguns, are the most common weapon type seized.

The statistics do not include firearms voluntarily handed into police - which will be the aim of a gun amnesty being negotiated by the federal government and the states.

More than 19,000 weapons were surrendered to police during a three-month gun amnesty in Queensland in 2013.

But firearms policy researcher Dr Samara McPhedran, of Griffith University, said it was important to be realistic about what amnesties achieved as those who handed in their weapons weren't likely to engage in gun violence.

"While it sounds like a cliche it's true to say criminals don't hand in their guns," she said.

FIREARMS AND FIREARM PARTS AND ACCESSORIES SEIZED BY QUEENSLAND POLICE:

* 2010: 1822

* 2011: 1971

* 2012: 2045

* 2013: 2756

* 2014: 2400

* 2015: 3057

* 2016: 610 (as of March 31)