Posted on 06/01/2007 10:08:10 AM PDT by rellimpank
The California state Assembly Tuesday voted to require all new semi-automatic pistols sold in the state to automatically stamp information on shell casings that could help police track down violent criminals.
The California measure, which still has to pass the state Senate, marks an intriguing new development in the war against crime because, unlike some gun-control measures, it doesn't restrict law-abiding citizens' ability to own or carry firearms. Instead, the measure would require that all new semi-automatic pistols sold in California after 2010 contain a microscopic laser etching that will stamp the gun's make, model and serial number on at least two places on the shell casing of a bullet every time the weapon is fired
(Excerpt) Read more at denverpost.com ...
And there’s always brass catchers for automatics, semiauto and full-auto rifles.
Like I posted in another thread on this, I’m gonna do a line of designer firing pins.
Gang Bangas everywhere will flock to my store.
They can send all kinds of messages to the homies.
Trust me, it will be against the law to do anything other than to keep these systems funtioning properly.
This will be an easy one to bypass. Get on the Internet and buy 10 additional barrels via the Internet from manufacters outside CA.
Otherwise, be sure to pick up your brass or just buy a 6 shooter with several autoload magazines.
First, the firing pin will not leave a stamp as the primer is not soft material like the shell casing.
Second, if you try to put it on the bolt-face in order to make an impression on the head of the shell, it will be distorted by the manufacturer's headstamp.
If you make it so deep to leave some traceable mark, it will result in stuck cases and malfunctions.
No fooling! But Hey, how do you enforce that? They catch you with a filed piece:
Cop: you filed this piece.
Me: no I didn’t
Cop: yes you did.
Me, No, I bought it legally in Nevada.
End of interogation.
Never mind the fact that in the course of normal usage, the stamps will wear down to the point where they’ll be useless.
I’ve actually shot a barrel out on a semi-auto pistol, to the point where the lands and grooves were just suggestions and the chamber was getting loose. And it took surprisingly few rounds (less than 15,000).
Actually it will leave a stamp on the primer. Remember - ballistics can match firing pins to expended shells due to the unique tool marks.
As a gunsmith I can say that there are multiple problems with this.
The first problem is that chambers need to be smooth for feeding and especially extraction. Once the case is pressure formed/imprinted on the “carbide code dots” will it extract reliably and will the extraction process obliterate the code by dragging? This would not be an issue in shouldered cartridges as the code could be on the shoulder and therefore free from drag-by, but on straight-walled cartridges how would this work?
Second problem is that ANY semi-intelligent knuckledragger with the proper reamer and file could defeat this expensive requirement in about 5 minutes.
This is just another bad idea to deny gun-owners the Constitutionally confirmed RIGHT to keep and bear arms without state interference. Shame on Colonfornia.
And how are they going to enforce the law when it comes to aftermarket firing pins?
I buy a stamped piece, I send it to a custom gun smith, In Oregon, he sends me back a souped up hotrod for IPSIC, with ALL NEW TITANIUM PARTS! Completely legal and very common.
Whoops, there goes their ID.
Revolvers will make a comeback.
Yes, if you have the firing pin and the casing to make a comparison.
Those types of toolmarks are too shallow to be reliable over time. In order to leave a serial number, you will need deeper markings that will result in problems.
If you do not use deep markings, they will wear away with moderate use.
Seventh, criminals will use revolvers.
As an “anti-litter” law, I think it is perfect; as an attempt to convict stupid criminals, I think it is overkill.
Those microstamped markings? Yeah, they’re shallow by definition.
And yes, that means that they will wear off eventually. This isn’t even a well-reasoned bill, technologically. Of course, crime control isn’t the actual objective of this bill.
I read an article on this several years ago, I think it was Popular Mechanics or Science or whatever.
The one way that this MIGHT be successful is if the OEM just did it and told no one but the ATF.
It would take awhile before the cat got out the bag, but in the meantime they could pile ups some convictions.
The technology is there and it does work. The article pointed out though, like most here, that it really is impractical.
“Revolvers will make a comeback.”
Woof,
In my case, just like my sideburns, I hung on them so long, they are back in style again!
Shooting competition with a revolver is not for sissies.
Now THAT’S gonna get me flamed but good fer sure.
Well, they’ve had the predecessor to this, the ballistic fingerprint system, for about a decade now, and it still hasn’t resulted in even ONE conviction of a citizen who was using his own gun in a crime.
It has, however, proved embarrassing for a number of police officers, though.
Shooting competition is one thing.
What do you do in combat when there’s more than three (if you have to double tap) or more than six (if you’re a pistol god who sleeps with Lady Luck to be able to put a man down with one shot every time)?
And no one will buy them.
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