Update on Microstamping in New York

NSSF is saying:

If S. 6005A passes, firearms manufacturers would be forced to abandon the New York market rather than spend the astronomical sums of money necessary to completely reconfigure their manufacturing and assembly processes.  In addition, this bill could result in hundreds of layoffs for New York workers as firearm factories consider moving out of the state.

And as NSSF notes, Mayors Against Illegal Guns is supporting this bill, which is a de-facto ban on handguns in New York, even if it’s not an explicit ban on handguns. Here’s an article from the Albany Times Union that talks about MAIG’s support of this handgun ban:

The Assembly recently passed legislation to require newly manufactured handguns sold in New York to be equipped with microstamping technology. The legislation has the support of 100 state members of the bipartisan Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition and 83 police departments and law enforcement organizations including the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, the New York State District Attorneys Association, and the New York State Law Enforcement Council.

Good to know what their true colors are when it comes to this issue. Of course, the Times Union loses all credibility when they say:

Microstamping is cost-effective. The proposed legislation ensures that the cost to the manufacturer will not exceed $12 per gun, likely much less. The technology cannot be defeated; the microstamp can’t be filed down, or sandpapered away without potentially making the gun inoperable. In fact, criminals rarely attempt to deface serial numbers. According to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, less than 20 percent of guns recovered in crimes have their serial numbers scratched off.

Are you kidding me? This is utter propaganda, and runs counter to the claims of the people who, you know, actually make guns and understand the business. Also, since when is 20% rare? That’s like saying high blood pressure is rare.

7 thoughts on “Update on Microstamping in New York”

  1. I assume that even though this technology is “cost effective” and will save us all from untold gun violence, law enforcement and government guns will get an exemption.

  2. I wonder if we could get handgun manufacturers to pledge not do business with NY state LEAs if this passes, a la Ronnie Barrett?

  3. It would be nice. I’d love it if the industry could exercise that kind of discipline. Interestingly, though, I don’t see that New York Law exempts law enforcement sales from this, though I might be wrong.

  4. FatWhiteMan, I was thinking the same thing. Manufacturers aren’t gonna do this, which means the guns won’t be legal in New York. So how will New York LEA purchase guns with the technology? They won’t be able to do so, which means they’ll be exempted. That then begs the question, if this is so important than why is law enforcement exempted. Seems it could be challenged in court eventually.

  5. Most criminals acquire guns in such a manner that the serial number is not connected to them. Furthermore, it’s a specious statistic because most police officers would think, “The serial number is filed off, there’s no point in submitting it for a trace.”

    The counter to this is to advocate that all police and military firearms in use in the state be subject to the same restrictions…

  6. Of course, depending on the gun and manner of defacement, serial numbers can be recovered. Sometimes quite easily.

  7. “According to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, less than 20 percent of guns recovered in crimes have their serial numbers scratched off.”

    Much higher than I expected. I’d have been surprised at 2%. One-fifth? Shows that criminals often DO take the time to remove known markings.

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