Almost 300 weapons have been handed in so far under the Government's amnesty.
According to the Department of Justice, with the two-month amnesty due to end on October 31st, 226 firearms, 43 knives and six swords have been surrendered to gardaí.
A further 18 weapons, such as replica firearms and a grenade, have also been handed in.
A department spokesman warned yesterday that anyone with an unlicensed weapon was now on a "last chance" before new gun laws were introduced next month.
These provide for terms of imprisonment of between five and 10 years under the Criminal Justice Act 2006 for gun offences.
Such offences will include possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, or with criminal intent, or with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, or while hijacking a vehicle, or use or production of a firearm to resist arrest.
The spokesman said while many of the weapons surrendered were relatively old, the haul included some "pretty modern stuff" capable of inflicting lethal damage.
The weapons collected include a musket and a theatre pistol used on stage, starting pistols, air pistols and a stun gun. The collection also includes 11 crossbows and a can of mace spray.
The grenade handed in in Cork was of Civil War vintage but turned out to be live.
All the weapons will be forensically tested by gardaí before being destroyed to ensure they were not used in crimes.
While people surrendering illegally-held guns will escape prosecution for not having a licence, the amnesty does not offer immunity from prosecution for more serious gun crime.
Each weapon handed in at a Garda station will be examined by ballistics experts. If it has been used in a crime the person who surrendered it will face questioning about the gun's history and possible criminal prosecution.
Weapons can be surrendered at any Garda station. Some were collected from owners by gardaí.
Further information on www.weaponsamnesty.com
