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Laser Etching ID Proposed For Handgun Ammo
"Inside News" Firearms Marketing Group | October 2004 | Denny Fallon

Posted on 10/29/2004 9:29:52 PM PDT by Travis McGee

LASER ETCHING IDENTIFICATION PROPOSED FOR HANDGUN AMMO

If a proposal from the California Attorney General's Office is enacted, all handgun ammunition possessed in public or sold or imported into the nation's most populous state will be laser etched with an individual serial number.

TRhe high-tech tracking system would require all cartridges in a box packaged for retail sale to have matching identification numbers. The package would be scanned and the information linked to the identity of the purchaser.

The micro-stamping system used to etch the serial numbers was developed by Seattle-based Ravensforge Inc., whose technology was subjected to a successful torture test supervised by Randy Rossi, director of the firearms division of the California Dept. of Justice.

"WE TRIED TO PROVE THIS DOESN'T WORK."

Two hundred rounds were fired at close range into automobile doors, wood and concrete walls, ballistic vests, rubber matting and gelatin blocks simulating the density of human tissue. Of the 181 slugs recovered, including soft lead bullets that flattened upon impact, the etched code numbers were identified on all but one round by a standard electronic microscope.

"We tried to prove this doesn't work," said Rossi. "To have it work virtually every time, I was very surprised."

The calibers tested included 9mm, .38, .40 and .45, but not .22, the most popular sporting caliber in California and throughout the nation.

Rossi and his colleagues believe by tracking ammunition they will have a powerful and accurate weapon in identifying the source of criminal use of firearms.

"THIS WON'T SOLVE EVERY CRIME, BUT IT WILL SOLVE A LOT OF CRIMES."

Rossi emphasized that the proposal would exempt sport shooters who reload their own cartridges.

"We could get some gang bangers who all of a sudden take an interest and study reloading, but I hardly think so," said Rossi. "These are the same people who won't even bother to put a glove on when they're committing a crime. This won't solve every crime, but it will solve a lot of crmes."

GARY MEHALIK, the marketing director for the NSSF, warned that until the technology could be applied to .22 caliber ammunition it would be far from universally effective. Coupled with the estimated cost of one cent or less per etching, Mehalik was skeptical of the technology's practicality.

"We'd have to analyze teh costs," said Mehalik, "but I can tell you that it would create a logistical nightmare inside the current production systems."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: amendment2; ammo; ammunition; bang; banglist; bloat; bullets; cali; california; cw2; enemywithin; fmcdh; guns; laser; lasertag; miltech; wcii
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To: Travis McGee; anonsquared; flashbunny; Squantos; Joe Brower

The gun-grabbers will never run out of new ideas for tagging and tracking gun owners. One fine day, they believe, this will help them to collect our finally outlawed equipment.


81 posted on 10/30/2004 6:29:28 AM PDT by risk
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To: Travis McGee

Ravensforge's main line of business appears to be anti-skateboarding thingys to put on rails and benches.

They seem to be in the business of making life difficult. Let's see what we can find out about the people behind this business.


82 posted on 10/30/2004 6:29:59 AM PDT by eno_ (Freedom Lite, it's almost worth defending.)
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To: Travis McGee

I want my ammo numbered sequentially, so I can hand it over one at a time in an orderly fashion. :)


83 posted on 10/30/2004 6:32:09 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (I want to have fanatical henchmen when I grow up.)
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To: BenLurkin

"It's a gun, Marge! Isn't it great? This end is the handle, and you point this end at whatever you want to die!"

84 posted on 10/30/2004 6:33:19 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater ("You're so money and you don't even know it!"--Vince Vaughn in "Swingers")
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To: Travis McGee
Thanks for the ping.

This would totally eviscerate the 2nd amendment, and is wrong for many reasons (violates 2nd, presumption of guilt, perverted view of relationship between people and gov't, etc....)

It would be a total nightmare if it passes.

Eventually, it would lead to having to go through an FFL to buy ammo. Private sales would be banned, and "pre-ban" ammo transfers would be illegal.

85 posted on 10/30/2004 6:34:14 AM PDT by Mulder ("The price of freedom is the willingness to do sudden battle anywhere and any time"-- Heinlein)
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To: gr8bigdude
If a person is proud to responsibly stand up and have the world know where his own ammo ended up being lodged in, then he shouldn't have a problem.
86 posted on 10/30/2004 6:42:39 AM PDT by Cultural Jihad
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To: Tijeras_Slim

Just hand it over by caliber .17, .22, .270, 30.06, .454, 456. 460, .50 .......


87 posted on 10/30/2004 6:43:01 AM PDT by B4Ranch (´´Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; They are our teeth for Liberty)
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To: B4Ranch
Just hand it over by caliber .17, .22, .270, 30.06, .454, 456. 460, .50 .......

"Nah, you can't surrender! I'm only up to my stash of .218 Bee! See if you can hold out atleast to .41 Rimfire."

88 posted on 10/30/2004 6:47:02 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (I want to have fanatical henchmen when I grow up.)
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To: Anti-Bubba182

Very true. The UID aka 2-D code is lased into the INSIDE of the shell bottom. I am in the laser business and was approached by several companies about this process in which I declined.


89 posted on 10/30/2004 6:56:36 AM PDT by NYKbyD (Never Forget)
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To: ozzymandus

A serial number INSIDE every shell. Trust me I know about this stuff


90 posted on 10/30/2004 6:57:31 AM PDT by NYKbyD (Never Forget)
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To: Travis McGee

If they can account for the ammo as it is sold and bind it to an individual, which they would, then they can selectively ask that it be returned. For example, if they ban a class of ammo ("armor piercing"), they can say you must turn it in. Then if they subsequently find spent ammo, you are toast. Also any such plan would require legislation to prohibit off the record, interpersonal transfers.

GIVE THEM NOTHING, not one inch!


91 posted on 10/30/2004 6:59:20 AM PDT by Liberty Ship ("Lord, make me fast and accurate.")
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To: Travis McGee

In an effort to defeat this and add confusion and render this impotent, we just start a trading network. Once the ammo has changed hands ten to twelve times the authorities will have wasted so much time in the investigation...


92 posted on 10/30/2004 6:59:28 AM PDT by CAfraudPI
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To: Squantos; Tijeras_Slim; Travis McGee; wardaddy; Mulder; glock rocks; Jeff Head; Joe Brower; ...
As I write this there are 93 posts. One doesn't fit in.

Can any of you find it??

Squantos will send everyone with a correct answer a copy of his new best selling book, "Kill'em All and Let ME Sort Them Out!".

; < )

93 posted on 10/30/2004 7:34:30 AM PDT by Eaker ("He's the kind of guy who would fight a rattlesnake and give the snake a two-bite head start.")
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To: Travis McGee
Thanks for posting this TMcGee! If I was in California I'd be real nervous about this. Sounds just like the kind of "sexy", hi-tech gun-control law that Ahnold would love to sign.

BLOATS, BLOATS, BLOATS, before this piece of tyrannical crap becomes law.

94 posted on 10/30/2004 7:38:08 AM PDT by Hat-Trick (Do you trust a government that cannot trust you with guns?)
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To: Travis McGee

First, let them test it with the cops. Every gun owned, possessed or carried by every cop in CA must have this code, and be fully registered (10 years for violations.)

Let's let that run for a while, and have random pat-down audits of cops to make sure thet they haven't forgotten any "throw-down" guns.

Let me know how that works out.


95 posted on 10/30/2004 7:38:58 AM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (Your Friendly Freeper Patent Attorney)
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To: Eaker

What a way to start the weekend... baffled by Eaker. :(


96 posted on 10/30/2004 7:40:01 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (I want to have fanatical henchmen when I grow up.)
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To: Joe Brower

Etch this ~ Bump!


97 posted on 10/30/2004 7:41:57 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: Eaker
This one?
98 posted on 10/30/2004 7:43:18 AM PDT by Flyer (Prosecute Vote Fraud! [68%])
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To: Anti-Bubba182
Save your Brass! CYA!

Collect Your Ammo?

99 posted on 10/30/2004 7:47:54 AM PDT by coloradan (Hence, etc.)
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To: coloradan

Lol! that too.


100 posted on 10/30/2004 7:49:59 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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