Gun crime. Gun crime. How do we stop gun crime? Hmm . . . I know! How about we mandate that all guns come equipped with a firing pin that stamps the weapon’s serial number on the cartridge—every time it fires! That way, if anyone commits a crime with the gun, all the police have to do is collect the casings, read the numbers, check their records and see that the gun was stolen from someone at some point. How great is that? If a criminal dares to file down the firing pin, we’ll charge them with weapons’ tampering, just like we do now! OK, that’ll be $30 million dollars please. You can download HR 5667 commissioning a microstamping study here, or consider this quote from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF):
Every independent study to examine the concept of microstamping has determined that it does not function reliably and is flawed.
Well duh. Hang on; what’s this?
The NSSF supports this bipartisan legislation as a means of ensuring adequate research of microstamping is completed, and the concept is proven to work reliably, prior to states mandating microstamping through the legislative process.
Now why would they say/do that? Oh look! In the Bill. It mandates that the feds consult with . . .
entities affected by the actual and proposed uses of microstamping technology, including manu- facturers, distributors, importers, and retailers of firearms and ammunition, firearms purchasers and owners and their organized representatives, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc., the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc., and National Rifle Association; and entities affected by the actual and proposeduses of microstamping technology, including manufacturers, distributors, importers, and retailers of firearms and ammunition, firearms purchasers and owners and their organized representatives, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc., the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc., and National Rifle Association.
Can you say “co-opt?” Seriously, forget all that “fight it from the inside” malarky. Microstamping is an ipso facto non-starter. Although the funding for this Bill is (surprise!) not specified, it’s a colossal waste of money. Your money.
The NSSF points out the perfidy above and decries the idea’s inherent boondogglehood in its microstamping fact sheet:
NSSF and other groups, including major law enforcement organizations, are opposed to this unproven and unreliable concept. The cost of microstamping is a great concern to firearms owners and taxpayers alike. Microstamping legislation in California would not only have forced consumers of firearms to pay exorbitant price increases ― as much as $200 per firearm ― to cover the increased cost of microstamping, but substantially higher taxes for the cost of microstamped law enforcement guns.
“Studying” this concept any further gives it legitimacy. Anyone with a file or a revolver can defeat it in seconds. Too bad the same can;t be said for our pandering pols and their allies in arms.
NSSF thanks Rep. Boren (D – Okla.) for sponsoring this bill and Reps. Broun (R-Ga.), Bishop (R-Utah), Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), Altmire (D-Pa.), Miller (R-Fl.) and Boozman (R- Ark.) for co-sponsoring this commonsense measure.
"“Studying” this concept any further gives it legitimacy."
I must respectfully disagree with the above sentance. Microstamping has been given the patina of legitimacy by the "CSI" Type shows as well as the mainstreammedia and the antis. IMHO any objective look at microstamping will show how it is not reliable, not cost effective, can easily be defeated with simple tools and does not take into account the 100,000,000+ plus guns already present in the US.
Given the widespread myths (if not outright lies) about microstamping I believe that the NSSF is trying to get people to look at the facts about microstamping instead of the myths about microstamping as spread by the media.
As always I could be wrong.
NukemJim
If you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If you're a Congressional Committee looking to see if a concept can work, it can work—with dozens of caveats. They are NOT going to say "This sucks. Forget it." It doesn't matter if the NRA or NSSF are on board. Their opinions will be logged as dissension. Both sides will claim victory. Remember: this is a POLITICAL endeavor, not an independent study.
Again, even debating the technology gives it the imprimatur of legitimacy. The NSSF should say "Microstamping has been thoroughly discredited. Any further study is a waste of taxpayer money." Not to mention THEIR funding.
How much study does it take to realize revolvers don’t eject brass, the stamp is easily filed off, shooters can collect their brass, scenes can be seeded with brass from public ranges, and it doesn’t work with stolen firearms? That’s five effective countermeasures criminals can use, each of which is far cheaper and more reliable than even a study of microstamping.
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