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.
Arnold Schwarzenegger = Super Genius!
Smart criminals choose revolvers!
Good job arnie, you idiot.
Golly gee willikers, I wonder why Arnold wasn’t invited to speak at CPAC.
The only way he will get into the GOP convention next year is with a ticket.
I think I said they banned the bullet in a previous post, I meant to say they banned any gun that shoots the bullet. So in a way, it's like banning the use of the bullet. Unlike the AK’s or AR's for example, which they specifically banned.
The bullet isn’t banned. People who already owned the .50 BMG rifles had to register them if they wanted to keep them legally. Yeah, it gets the blood pressure up.
Yeah, I know a few people who are grandfathered in. It’s such a stupid ban.
I almost bought one before the ban took effect, but decided it would be a waste of money. It would just sit in the safe.
I remember a poster here named “FairOpinion” (now gone) who was a ridiculously irrational defender of Schwarzenegger. When true freepers complained about the liberal Arnold, he/she/it would often reply with something along the lines of, “Well, here’s a list of all the crazy Democrat things that Gray Davis or Cruz Bustamante WOULD HAVE signed into law: (list of crazy Democrat things)”
Well, Arnold has been signing all those crazy Democrat things into law, one by one.
yitbos
Yes but even reading about a .50 BMG shooting match is exciting much less owning one and getting into one of those matches....um...it’s one of those ‘if only’ kind of things...
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are the birds being shot, or is the existence of lead ammo killing them off? Dear God, the politicians in CA are as dammed dumb as a box of hammers.
Thanks for posting that link. I know a few folks who are irate about this ridiculous excuse for a law.
Passing it on.
No. The law says that the gun must contain the markings inside so that when unmarked ammo is fired and ejected it is marked with a number traceable to the gun which fired it. Still a stupid idea though.
No doubt LEO guns are exempt. At least that’s the way government usually writes “laws”.
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)”
You may have a point. I read the bill AB1471. It does not specifically exempt LEO’s so they will be required to comply. I suspect that this oversight will be corrected but in the short term it should provide some amusement :~)
The law of unintended consequences. No semi-autos sold in CA to LE agencies but if you want a revolver officer that will be ok. I am sure MS13 and the Bloods/Crips will accommodate and step down their firepower. /sarc off
Guess what - data indicates that the gangs can outshoot the cops. Cops go to the range once every 6 months or so (often reluctantly) and go through a box of 50. Since gangs don’t have as much paperwork to fill out, they can go shooting most any day they want to.
Where does Maria keep his testicles jar?
Or did they atrophy, whither and fall off from all of the steroids?
I'm glad I moved from SoCal to north FL.
The plan is to etch the serial number on the firing pin, “stamping” the primer when fired.
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