| Gun microstamping is getting publicity of late and | | | | large number of crimes are committed with stolen |
| it's on the legislative agenda in California (AB 1471). | | | | handguns - once again - the law abiding citizen |
| In a recent article (see reference 1 below), gun | | | | would be paying the price for criminal behavior. |
| microstamping was showcased as being a big help | | | | Additionally, everyone knows that liberal politicians |
| to law enforcement efforts to identify guns used | | | | would like to eliminate handguns completely. Any |
| in crimes. Obviously, law abiding citizens would like | | | | legislation promoting flawed ideas - such as gun |
| to see law enforcement officers have great tools | | | | microstamping would be placing a "stamp of |
| to help identify criminals and the guns used by | | | | approval" on a much larger left-wing political |
| them. However, gun microstamping is not the | | | | agenda. |
| answer. | | | | 3) Many handgun enthusiasts choose to reload |
| Put simply, gun microstamping is a technology | | | | ammunition and shoot it again. Used handgun |
| whereby a handgun stamps a very small | | | | casings are readily available for anyone with |
| identification mark on each shell casing when fired | | | | reloading equipment and a desire to reload |
| in that handgun. The idea is that law enforcement | | | | ammunition. The high cost of ammunition drives |
| would be able to collect these shell casings | | | | the reloading market. Put simply, many handgun |
| (complete with identifying information) at the | | | | cartridges will end up with a large number of "gun |
| scene of the crime - allowing them to trace the | | | | microstamps". Identifying the handgun that fired a |
| gun back to the criminal. This sounds ok until you | | | | particular casing could become as complicated as |
| start thinking about it logically. | | | | sorting through a large number of fingerprints on |
| 1) Shooting ranges across the United States are | | | | one doorknob at a grocery store - guessing at |
| filled with shell casings - legally fired from the | | | | which set of fingerprints belongs to the person |
| handguns of law abiding citizens. Most shooting | | | | who stole the apple. |
| ranges require you to collect your "brass" as it's | | | | 4) While it would be nice to be able to use a |
| called - prior to leaving the range. However, as | | | | technology such as gun microstamping to help |
| any target shooter will tell you - there's usually a | | | | reduce criminal behavior - it misses the mark by |
| few shell casings that get away. This means that | | | | putting the focus on the gun - rather than |
| anyone who finds the casings later will be in | | | | focusing on the criminal and the crimes. Less |
| possession of a handgun cartridge legally fired | | | | victims = lower crime? Think about it.... How do |
| from the handgun of a law abiding citizen (and | | | | you lower the number of potential victims? It's |
| that handgun's microstamping). I'm sure you can | | | | widely known that criminals like to target |
| think of a number of things a criminal could do | | | | individuals who look and act like victims. Do you |
| with a shell casing you've fired - which contains | | | | think a law abiding citizen who is legally carrying a |
| your handgun's unique gun microstamping. That's a | | | | concealed handgun - for the purpose of |
| scary thought! | | | | self-defense against the potential of deadly harm - |
| 2) The cost to implement this technology will | | | | would be looking and acting like a victim? |
| significantly increase the cost of handguns. Since a | | | | |