California Senate Passes Microstamping

In one of the most recent legislative examples of "don’t confuse me with the facts," the California Senate passed AB 1471 just before this issue went to press. This bill would require that firearms sold in California include a patented, sole-sourced technology known as firearms "microstamping." In this process, a firearm’s make, model, and serial number are laser engraved on the tip of the firing pin. In theory, that information would then be imprinted onto any cartridge casing fired in the gun.

In passing this bill, the California Senate ignored the findings of a recently released state-funded study done by the University of California at Davis that called firearms microstamping a "flawed" technology. The study concluded that: "At the current time, it is not recommended that a mandate for implementation of this technology in all semi-automatic handguns in the state of California be made. Further testing, analysis, and evaluation is required.

The Senate’s vote, largely along party lines, not only contradicted recommendations of California’s university experts, but also a peerreviewed study published last year that demonstrated the technology is unreliable and can be easily defeated in seconds using common household tools.

The author of that study, Professor George Krivosta, concluded: "Certainly this research has shown that implementing this technology will be much more complicated than burning a serial number on a few parts and dropping them into firearms being manufactured. Last May, the California Assembly passed AB 1471, despite mounting concerns that firearms manufacturers would stop sales in the state rather than bear the astronomical costs necessary for microstamping.

Manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson, Glock, Beretta, Sig Arms, and Kahr Arms, have sent letters to California legislators warning them that microstamping would force them out of the Golden State. Industry officials estimate microstamping would add $200 to the retail price of a firearm. "Compelling the use of this unreliable patented sole-sourced technology will dramatically reduce the product selection available to law-abiding consumers in California," said Lawrence G.

Keane, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) senior vice president and general counsel. "Many manufacturers will choose to abandon the California market rather than incur substantial costs associated with complying with microstamping legislation, which would include purchasing (at monopolistic prices) very expensive equipment and patented technology and completely redesigning their manufacturing processes, plant, and equipment.

Officials from NSSF have promised to bring the issue of microstamping up to the Governor. "Yesterday’s vote did not make this unreliable technology work any better," added Keane. "We will continue to educate the Governor’s office on the failures and dangers of microstamping, and we remain confident that, in the end, science and common sense will prevail over anti-gun politics. ation on the facts concerning microstamping, please visit Editor Keith Lawrence Technical