Bristol man jailed for 3D-printing sub-machine gun and posting it

Luke Fortune, a 23-year-old unemployed armourer from Longwell Green in Bristol, has been jailed for manufacturing and distributing firearms. He was sentenced on Friday, November 6, after pleading guilty to multiple offences related to the conversion and sale of weapons.

Fortune operated from the garage of his family home on Mapstone Rise. He purchased tools and equipment to turn blank firing guns into lethal weapons. He then sold these converted firearms for profit. His primary client was Gerard Dagnall, a 33-year-old criminal from Norris Green in Liverpool who had previously smuggled eight handguns from Belgium.

The National Crime Agency initiated an investigation that led to Fortune's arrest in July. Officers cited the purchase of 35 top-venting blank firearms, three antique guns, and over 1,000 bullets. The probe also uncovered a 3D-printed sub-machine gun that Fortune had manufactured. He was arrested a second time in January 2026 while on bail. Avon and Somerset Police found two handguns, including a Glock pistol and a revolver, hidden in a bush in Longwell Green.

Digital records revealed that Fortune brokered deals for Dagnall to sell guns to other criminals. In one exchange, Fortune mailed the 3D-printed FGC9 sub-machine gun to Dagnall and attached a video of himself test-firing the weapon in a wooded area. Dagnall responded with a photo of the package next to his passport, writing, "I can’t believe you sent me a machine gun through the post." The two men also discussed plans to travel to Thailand and Belgium to smuggle more firearms into the UK.

During a raid on Fortune's home, investigators found blank bullets, cartridges, cases, and primers in various stages of conversion. Bank records showed he spent several thousand pounds on blank firearms between 2022 and 2024. He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing firearms, two counts of possessing ammunition, converting a firearm, manufacturing a firearm, selling firearms, and conspiracy to import firearms.

Andy Lawton, a senior investigating officer for the NCA, described Fortune as a dangerous offender who disregarded the potential devastation his weapons could cause. He stated that protecting the public from firearms threats is a principal priority for the agency and its partners. Nigel James, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, noted that prosecutors used messages, financial records, and physical evidence to secure the convictions.

The NCA and the National Police Chiefs’ Council recently organized amnesty schemes to collect blank firing guns. Approximately 4,300 top-venting blank firearms were surrendered during two amnesties in 2025 and 2026. These efforts targeted specific models, including four Turkish-made guns and five types of Italian-made Bruni blank firers.