Posted on 10/16/2007 6:13:35 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Arnold Schwarzenegger has angered America's powerful gun lobby by backing legislation requiring semi-automatic handguns to mark bullets with serial numbers to help police identify casings found at crime scenes.
The former Hollywood action hero, who played trigger-happy characters in violent films such as The Terminator, approved the crime-fighting technology despite opposition from the National Rifle Association, which said it could be used to implicate the innocent.
The law, the first of its kind in the US, will require all semi-automatic guns made or sold in California to "microstamp" every bullet fired with the weapon's make, model and serial number.
America's most populous state, parts of which are plagued by gang violence and lead the nation in drive-by shootings, already has some of its toughest gun laws.
The Republican governor, who has broken with his party on issues such as gun control, the environment and stem cell research, has backed previous landmark measures such as a 2004 ban on a particular type of machine gun.
Gun makers and sellers have until 2010 to comply with the Crime Gun Identification Act. The measure was supported by the California Police Chiefs Association, which said it would help them trace the guns used in crimes and connect offences where the same weapon was used.
According to the Brady campaign against gun violence, no arrests are made in nearly half of killings in California because police lack evidence to identify suspects. The group claimed the law "set a new national standard".
Opponents, however, argued that the technology was unreliable, and could be tampered with or used to mislead police. They suggested criminals could sprinkle bullets from another weapon at a crime scene.
The governor, who last week discussed issues including gangs and gun crime with the Tory leader David Cameron, also backed a law banning lead ammunition in certain areas of the state where lead bullets are believed to be poisoning endangered condors.
Shotguns and revolvers will quickly replace the 9mm semi as ganglands weapons of choice. Heck they might even have to learn to shoot.
If it had to have the weapons serial number, doesn’t that limit the number of ammo available and increase the cost?
I now arnold does not care about the tax payer or the cost burden he has saddled us with but he is getting past silly.
Someone hand him the script with the exit line - he’s a lame duck.
Nah, it's a real old one. It's called "Don't Tread on Me."
I’m trying to figure out what ever qualified this fool to be a Republican? He’s not.
It was decided, he was never ‘qualified.’ It was decided by the same people who brought us all the other Rockefeller RINOs. Get with the program.
And what, praytell, will they do with taht info? It’s not going to prevent or reduce crime. Gang bangers will not use these newly updated weapons. This is just more of the socialist/marxist left trying to destroy our second amendment one slice at a time.
Most Americans can’t be bothered with this stuff anymore, but it affects everyone’s freedom. Imagine the outrage if the first amendment was under this type of relentless abuse.
Arnold is a POS sellout. I hope he is local when the a$$ end of that state falls into the Pacific.
The law, the first of its kind in the US, will require all semi-automatic guns made or sold in California to “microstamp” every bullet fired with the weapon’s make, model and serial number.
Hitler is looking up from Hell at His “Boy” Arnold has made him very happy.
Hitler grabbed all the Guns.....
Now Arnold is setting the stage for Gun Confiscation.
Only the Democrat “Brown-Shirts” will have Guns.
Them Austrian Socialists seem to have a knack for dissarming law abiding citizens.
Regards
It still never ceases to amaze me just how many still believe that Arnold is a republican. Or a conservative, for that matter.
Ought to get their collective panties in a bunch. Especially If I gather the spent cases from the LEO's that come out on wednesdays to practice (lol)
No, I wish he was a lame duck.
The fact is he is a very dangerous, liberal agenda signing, gun grabbing, enviro wacko, who is still better than Gray Davids.
California is a lost cause.
No kiddin.
Not only is Arnold's law corrupt, the stupid reporter can't even get it right:
"...has backed previous landmark measures such as a 2004 ban on a particular type of machine gun."
"Machine guns?" I believe she meant .50 caliber rifles and revolvers.
In 1982 California tried to ban handguns by a vote. It was a guaranteed win! HCI and Sarah Brady said so! Two to one for the ban was the polls showed!
After the vote, the gun ban was defeated two to one!
Since that time the legislators in Cali have been working overtime trying to subvert the will of the people by any means possible. This is just another one of those attempts.
A little emery cloth will take care of the microstamp No one will be able to tell if it has been done or not, unlike filing off a serial number which can be easly seen and chemicaly restored.
It's worse than that. They baned the bullet [.50 BMG], not the gun. I am positive that .50 cal hand guns are still legal, so are .50 muzzle loaders and other variations of the .50 calibers. It's just he .50 BMG that they, in their infinite wisdom, banned.
Thanks for the info, because I have a .50 cal flintlock muzzle loader and would like to buy a .50 cal revolver.
I remember that. God Bless the NRA.
Don’t take my hear say word for it. The laws change all the time. Here is the source.
http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/Cfl2007.pdf
and
http://caag.state.ca.us/firearms/
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