4 ms·

The [Smart] Guns the NRA Doesn't Want Americans to Get

3 points by foolrush 11y ago

DrScump 11y ago
This is a classic example of "consider the source". It is poorly researched and has some outright falsehoods: 1) "Even though smart guns are widely available overseas..." Really? I'm unable to find a single production centerfire handgun approved for import by Obama's ATF from anywhere in the world. For example, see the references in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_gun https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_gun The lone handgun of any kind with any such a claimed "smart" implementation is the iP1. But what the article conveniently omits (like the similar NYT article from last year omits) is that it is a .22 rimfire cartridge - totally unusable in a police context. There isn't a single law enforcement organization (LEO) in the nation that uses ,22 rimfire as its primary duty weapon. 2) "The palm-reading biometric gun that James Bond used in Skyfall represents the sexiest version..." that is a movie prop, not a production firearm. MJ is seeking to mandate something that doesn't exist... which plays right into NRA claims that such a law is just disguised prohibition. So, let's say such a handgun exists, in an appropriate caliber. What is the immediate, obvious market? Law enforcement organizations. After all, deaths due to perps gaining an officer's gun, or fear that such is imminent, results in numerous shootings and deaths: e.g.: http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lapd-shooting-20150302-story.html http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lapd-shooting-... http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/michael-brown-autopsy-teen-ferguson-gun-report-article-1.1982854 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/michael-brown-autopsy-... http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/cops_gun_stolen_from_hoover_ba.html http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/cops_gun_stolen_from_hoo... http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-01-08/news/9701070463_1_officer-s-gun-sunrise-police-lauderhill-police http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-01-08/news/9701070463_... http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/vancouver/2015/09/14/officer-involved-shooting-clark-county/72262324/ http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/vancouver/2015/09/14/off... http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/police-kill-unarmed-burglar-thief-gun-officials-article-1.852145 http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/police-kill-unarmed... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Kathryn_Steinle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Kathryn_Steinle etc. Yet no LEOs, including Obama's own ATF, FBI, Secret Service, Border Patrol, nor any branch of the U.S. military has manifested any interest whatsoever in even testing such handguns. LEOs are the obvious proving ground for such a technology, if it is in fact mature, safe, and reliable.

3 points by foolrush 11y ago

This is a classic example of "consider the source". It is poorly researched and has some outright falsehoods: 1) "Even though smart guns are widely available overseas..." Really? I'm unable to find a single production centerfire handgun approved for import by Obama's ATF from anywhere in the world. For example, see the references in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_gun https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_gun The lone handgun of any kind with any such a claimed "smart" implementation is the iP1. But what the article conveniently omits (like the similar NYT article from last year omits) is that it is a .22 rimfire cartridge - totally unusable in a police context. There isn't a single law enforcement organization (LEO) in the nation that uses ,22 rimfire as its primary duty weapon. 2) "The palm-reading biometric gun that James Bond used in Skyfall represents the sexiest version..." that is a movie prop, not a production firearm. MJ is seeking to mandate something that doesn't exist... which plays right into NRA claims that such a law is just disguised prohibition. So, let's say such a handgun exists, in an appropriate caliber. What is the immediate, obvious market? Law enforcement organizations. After all, deaths due to perps gaining an officer's gun, or fear that such is imminent, results in numerous shootings and deaths: e.g.: http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lapd-shooting-20150302-story.html http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lapd-shooting-... http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/michael-brown-autopsy-teen-ferguson-gun-report-article-1.1982854 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/michael-brown-autopsy-... http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/cops_gun_stolen_from_hoover_ba.html http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/cops_gun_stolen_from_hoo... http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-01-08/news/9701070463_1_officer-s-gun-sunrise-police-lauderhill-police http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-01-08/news/9701070463_... http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/vancouver/2015/09/14/officer-involved-shooting-clark-county/72262324/ http://www.kgw.com/story/news/local/vancouver/2015/09/14/off... http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/police-kill-unarmed-burglar-thief-gun-officials-article-1.852145 http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/police-kill-unarmed... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Kathryn_Steinle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Kathryn_Steinle etc. Yet no LEOs, including Obama's own ATF, FBI, Secret Service, Border Patrol, nor any branch of the U.S. military has manifested any interest whatsoever in even testing such handguns. LEOs are the obvious proving ground for such a technology, if it is in fact mature, safe, and reliable.