As I recall, it was claimed that the microstamping wears out after a hundred rounds - especially if the owner makes no effort to keep the primer area free of fine dust and sand.
But, of course, the purpose of the law is not traceability of the brass. It's to further complicate ownership of firearms, and to limit their legal supply. Illegal supplies are not affected - one can drive an 18-wheeler full of firearms across the CA state line.
Additionally, anyone can come to a range and collect as much empty brass as he cares, with all the microstamping, and leave it at the crime scene. The police will happily execute a 3am arrest, in best traditions of Stalin's NKVD, on an entirely innocent person - this will buy the real criminal an extra week.
“Additionally, anyone can come to a range and collect as much empty brass as he cares, with all the microstamping, and leave it at the crime scene. The police will happily execute a 3am arrest, in best traditions of Stalin’s NKVD, on an entirely innocent person - this will buy the real criminal an extra week. “
You have raised the death nell issue with this nonsense. No court is going to allow evidence of a crime via microstamping because there is simply no way to trace the shell casing to the weapon simply because it’s found at the scene. No one could say for certain that it was actually the cartridge case from which the bullet that killed someone came. Cops will have another “throw down” to use to try and convict someone that they don’t like.