During the initial phase of the Troubles (1969-1972), the Provisional IRA was poorly equipped and primarily used weapons from World War II. Beginning in the 1970s, the Provisional IRA began importing modern weapons from the United States, Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, and arms dealers in mainland Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere.

Since September 1971, ATF has been involved in investigating Irish Republican Army (IRA) gunrunning activities in the United States. Numerous successful prosecutions of IRA "gunrunners" violating the Gun Control Act have resulted.

The two main sources of weaponry for the IRA have been the USA and Libya. The main gun-running network in the USA was controlled by a veteran Irish Republican called George Harrison.

The following is a list of weapons used by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Troubles. See also: Improvised tactical vehicles of the Provisional IRA. During the initial phase of the Troubles (1969-1972), the Provisional IRA was poorly equipped and primarily used weapons from World War II.

As the IRA began to immport guns on a large scale in 1970, a rag-bag collection of different types accumulated in IRA dumps. One of the . most popular of guns was the M1 Garand, a self-loading rifle used by the Americans during the Second World War and in Korea.

After 1969, and the split with the Official IRA, the Provisional IRA gained control of a majority of the stockpiled weaponry still held from previous IRA campaigns. They found that the stockpiles consisted mostly of World War II small arms ranging from Lee Enfield & M1 Garand rifles, to MP40 & Thompson submachine guns (SMG), plus Bren light ...

Oct 13, 2014 · The Projected Recoilless Improvised Grenade (PRIG) was a shoulder fired weapon developed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) for use against lightly armored vehicles. It is perhaps the most ingenious example of kitchen cupboard improvisation to …

Sep 26, 2005 · When Northern Ireland slid into conflict in the late 1960s and the Provisional IRA emerged, it was badly armed, relying on old guns from previous campaigns, commercial explosives and a complete...

IRA weapons: Lee Enfields, Mausers, Webleys, Lewis and Vickers were all used, along with a multitude of shot guns, mills bombs (grenades) and numerous different types of pistols/revolvers. Some British writers would have you believe they used hatchets too, no comment.

IRA members smuggled small arms from America by sea on the Queen Elizabeth II from New York via Southampton through Irish members of her crew, until the network was cracked down on by the FBI in the 1980s.