Up to one million illegal guns are thought to be held in NSW and police are hoping owners take the opportunity to surrender weapons and gun parts to authorities to stop them falling into the wrong hands.

Canobolas Local Area Command’s duty officer acting Inspector Yonneka Hill said many of the weapons which had been handed in were unused.

“It’s a lot of old firearms, mostly rifles, which have been surrendered,” Inspector Hill said.

She added there had been a “consistent response” to the amnesty.

“It’s people that acknowledge they don’t require the use of it and now is as good a time as any to hand it in,” Inspector Hill said.

As well as surplus firearms, a number of unregistered weapons have been surrendered.

Deputy Commissioner for regional field operations Gary Warboys said the amnesty was also a time for people to focus on their responsibilities for firearm ownership and storage.

He said many rural people have firearms passed down through the family or left on a property when it changed hands.

“Now is a great opportunity for those good people to bring their firearms in that they no longer require.”

Penalties for unregistered or banned firearms can attract fines of up to $280,000 and even jail terms.

The national amnesty will run until September 30. Firearms can be surrendered at Orange police station.