SA amnesty targets illegal guns

South Australians are able to surrender illegal guns without penalty in an amnesty running until mid-2016.

The amnesty, beginning on Tuesday, will allow the owners of unregistered or unwanted guns to hand them in to police stations and authorised gun dealerships.

Assistant police commissioner Philip Newitt says this will help keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

"We see unregistered firearms coming into police possession all the time," he told reporters.

"It is quite a new initiative for the state but one we hope people will respond positively to."

A permanent amnesty will be enacted if a new firearms bill passes parliament this week.

More than 3000 firearms were surrendered during SA's most recent amnesty in 2012.