A young boy discovered an air rifle while playing in east Belfast.
The gun was found hidden in the Pitt Park area on Sunday evening.
It was later removed by a resident and police were informed.
A PSNI spokesman said: "Police were made aware of concerns regarding a suspected air rifle which was found by a member of the public yesterday evening in the Pitt Park area of east Belfast.
"The item has been recovered for further examination and an investigation is ongoing."
PUP representative Dr John Kyle said it was fortunate no child was injured.
"There shouldn't be guns in the community - there's no need for them, they will only result in injury, people being maimed or killed - so we need to find a way to talk," he said.
The East Belfast Action for Community Transformation (ACT) Initiative said there has been anti-social behaviour in the area and the air rifle was "believed to have hidden by a local crime gang".
The find comes after up to 60 masked men were pictured at Pitt Park in early February in a gathering which has been linked by police to the UVF.
