

Bullet tracing technology a growing controversy

Updated: 1/27 8:15 pm
ORANGE PARK, Fla. -- Imagine if every bullet could be traced back to the gun it was fired from and the person who owned it. Some say that would help law enforcement solve crimes, but not everyone agrees.

Every time a trigger is pulled and bullet casings fall, microstamping could engrave a microscopic marking at the tip of a firing pin. Gun expert Gary Belson says the new technology won't help solve crimes.

"A person could sell his gun and the ammo that's in his name if you get my drift, because of the stamp type thing and a person uses that in the wrong way or somebody steals his gun - guess whose going to get charged with a crime?" said Belson.

A new microstamping law in California aggravates gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson so much, it says it may stop selling guns there.

Local gun range manager Damon Gray understands why.

"We typically purchase things from distributors manufactured by firearm manufacturers. So therefore, what they send us, we will sell and the customers would have to do their research at that time to determine if that's what they want or not," said Gray.

Gun owners that Action News spoke with say when they load their weapon and take aim, they don't want to worry about breaking the law if microstamping technology comes to Florida.

"Because it's an actual violation of our Second Amendment right and it's an intrusion on who we are," said Belson.

Three other states considering microstamping technology are Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. Legislation focusing on microstamping has not been raised in Florida.

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ExNuke - 1/28/2014 7:50 PM
0 Votes
Over 400,000,000 guns currently owned by people are not microstamped, most of them have a service life in excess of 75 years. How many lifetimes are you willing to wait for enough microstamped guns to be in use to actually be useful for your imaginary law enforcement purpose? Why does law enforcement demand to be exempt from the requirement? Why does law enforcement demand to be exempt from the "smart gun" farce? They know both are bogus attempts to progressively ban guns and that it would put THEM at risk. By the way Eviltwin Ruger and S&W have both said that they are out of the market in the Peoples Republic of California. We'll see.

Mike the Limey - 1/28/2014 6:35 PM
0 Votes
One stroke with a sharp file is all it takes to defeat firing pin based microstamping, or just buy a new firing pin from out of state. Microstamping chamber? Nothing a moment's careful application of a Dremel abrasive stone can't fix. Add to that the less than 10% success rate at reading microstamp marks & the whole exercise is shown up for the waste of effort it really is. I guess actually locking up real felons convicted of firearms possession is too hard for these idiot legislators to comprehend.

BHirsh - 1/28/2014 2:45 PM
0 Votes
Heh-heh. Want to drive revolver sales through the roof? Just pass this idiocy. I'm sure Ruger, S&W, Colt and Taurus would just LOVE it!

eviltwinmorgan - 1/28/2014 6:41 AM
0 Votes
If your gun is stolen, report it immediately. Smith and Wesson will never stop selling anywhere. The second amendment is designed to protect me from tyranny with a well ordered militia of non-gov't personnel whose right to bear arms is sacrosanct.
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