I see there is an effort underway to mandate the use of laser-engraved firing pins on all new guns. The idea is that when fired, the firing pin would leave an individual microscopic mark on the shell casings, usually found all over the ground at a crime scene. The police could then examine the marks on the casings and know which gun fired the shots and who owns it even if the gun itself was never found. Cops 1; Bad Guys 0. Sounds like a good idea...on paper.
But nothing in the real world is ever that easy. First flaw in the plan: Revolvers don't eject their shell casings. Only semi-automatics do that. Second, just as people buy and sell things like TVs and iPhones and computers (think Craig's List and eBay), they buy and sell guns, too. Even if there was an ironclad way to document every free-market gun sale the problem of gun violence would still exist. That's because bad guys steal guns or buy them from other bad guys (who probably stole them themselves). They're not too concerned with "paper trails".
Knowing who owned a gun 5 years ago and who used it in a crime yesterday are two very different things. I myself have sold several guns over the years. I was very careful who I sold them to, of course. Most recently when I moved into an apartment I sold several to a Plano police detective. The thought of having to defend myself in court against a crime one of those guns was somehow later involved in sounds very unappealing. And expensive and time consuming, too.
All such a law would do is drive up the price of pre-engraved-era guns on the black market. Naturally the gun-control groups are all for this proposal, and the NRA-types are all against it. While something needs to be done to get guns out of the hands of bad guys, I don't think this is the right plan. Nice try.
Any suggestions on what would work?
S
While you are correct about stolen and sold guns getting unregistered into the hands of bad people (didn't you have to reregister the guns you sold?)A good deal of gun crimes are supprisingly commited by legally registered guns. I have long thought that guns don't kill people, bullets kill people and we should have a way be trace and or register bullits. THis system might be one step towards that. But you areprobably right that it would not be cost effective or practical. Is this an expensive process?
ReplyDeleteJoe, to answer your question...no, individuals are free to buy and sell guns without registering them. Only when buying them from a professional gun dealer is there paperwork/waiting period involved. That's a big bone of contention. Just because a gun was legally registered once-upon-a-time doesn't mean it's now in the hands of the original, properly vetted purchaser.
ReplyDeleteExpensive? The "pro" crowd says it would cost $12 per new gun. The "anti" crowd says $200 per gun. Once set up I can't see how it would cost that much.
And about documenting the sale of bullets....ever hear of "reloading"? Lots of avid shooters (certainly NOT me) collect old shell casings, clean them and reload them with caps, powder, and new lead bullets. So again, the good guys would buy and record theirs, the bad guys would reload or steal theirs. See...an workable answer is very ellusive.
The answer is obvious - let's just go back to muzzleloaders. The Darwin Principle would eliminate a lot of gun-owners right there (including me if I were to try to operate such a gun).
ReplyDeleteMe too, Bug. It would probably blow up in my face. But...umm...about the few hundred million existing guns still floating around out there.... ;)
ReplyDeleteS
Confiscate and melt.
ReplyDeleteWho's gonna confiscate? Somebody braver than me!
ReplyDeleteS
This is all above my pay grade. The police need all the help they can get but you've convinced me this probably isn't the right way to go.
ReplyDelete