Illegal gun modification devices proliferate, resulting in more deadly rounds in Minneapolis [View all]

They were hanging out late last Tuesday when members had to scramble for cover. Four people were injured when a gunman leaned out of a passing SUV and sprayed the area with what sounded like an automatic weapon — a theory confirmed by witness testimonies and the ShotSpotter.

The incident last Tuesday extended a string of shootings involving ordinary handguns and rifles that were modified into fully automatic weapons capable of firing up to 1,200 rounds per minute.

The conversion process involves illegal devices commonly referred to as "Glock switches" or "auto-sears," which are readily available to buy on the internet or can be made on 3-D printers. Police and crime prevention workers say that these converted guns are showing up at more and more crime scenes.

Quantrell Urman, founder of the street outreach group Turf Politics, said that not a night goes by that he doesn't hear automatic gunfire while making his rounds.

(snip)

While regular semiautomatic guns fire one round for each time a trigger is pulled, an automatic gun will shoot continuously until the trigger is released. Conversion devices like auto-sears can quickly and easily be fitted onto a Glock handgun by removing the polymer slide cover plate, a process that requires little technical expertise.

More..

https://www.startribune.com/illegal-gun-modification-devices-proliferate-resulting-in-more-deadly-rounds-in-minneapolis/600106352/

======

After the shooting in the bar in St. Paul, I was wondering whether metal detectors could help. There and in other places.