See complete article here. npr.org This article was posted on 05/16/2013 Smart rifle decides when to shoot, hardly ever misses target Technology deemed by some to be too dangerous to sell to public A new firearm featuring high-end precision technology went on sale this past Wednesday, and some in the shooting community are calling it too dangerous to be sold to the general public. New rifle features smart technology advancements that allow it to focus on target and only fire when shot is most precise. The gun — a rifle — is called “TrackingPoint” and it is, more or less, a “smart” firearm. The user looks through the rifle’s scope, which features an advanced color graphics display, and when locked in on a target, pulls the trigger. The catch, though, is that the gun does not fire right away — instead, it holds off until it is pointed in exactly the right place, taking into consideration several different variables, including wind, shake, and distance to target. Only when the moment to fire is most optimal does the gun discharge. TrackingPoint is a next generation firearm, designed specifically for the modern-day gun enthusiast. The TrackingPoint rifle includes a built-in laser range finder, ballistics computer, and a Wi-Fi transmitter to stream live video and audio to nearby mobile devices. This allows every shot to be recorded, so that it can either be replayed or otherwise shared to social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, et al. "Think of it like a smart rifle. You have a smart car; you got a smartphone; well, now we have a smart rifle," company President Jason Schauble told NPR, explaining that TrackingPoint was built specifically for hunters and target shooters, especially the younger audience, which interact with the aforementioned social media sites on a daily basis. "They like to post videos; they like to be in constant communication with groups or networks," Schauble continues. "This kind of technology, in addition to making shooting more fun for them, also allows shooting to be something that they share with others." TrackingPoint required a team of 70 people and three years to build. Schauble is proud of the end product, and says that there’s nothing else like it, not even in the military. He says that TrackingPoint will be sold to civilians directly. As it is a high-end, long-range gun, it is priced accordingly — $22,000 for one rifle. The TrackingPoint rifle features top-notch technology, which is reflected in its price. Those concerned about the gun falling into the wrong hands can take comfort in knowing that, since it will be sold directly to customers (as opposed to going through gun dealers), the company will be able to not only vet their customers directly, but keep track of them too. Additionally, there’s a security feature on the gun that will keep it from being used by anyone other than the original owner: "It has a password protection on the scope,” Schauber explains. “When a user stores it, he can password protect the scope that takes the advanced functionality out. So the gun will still operate as a firearm itself, but you cannot do the tag/track/exact, the long range, the technology-driven precision guided firearm piece without entering that pass code," he says. Demand for the rifle has, according to Schauble, been “overwhelming,” and there is a waiting list in place for orders. The demand is so high for the TrackingPoint rifle, a waiting list had to be created. Remington Arms, a fellow rifle making company, is interested in what TrackingPoint has to offer the modern-day gun enthusiast, and plans on offering its own version of a next generation rifle. The company plans to sell their gun for approximately $5,000. Is this a great achievement for the gun industry or is it too dangerous to be in the hands of the general public? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Story via: npr.org By Jeffrey Bausch
i like its potential, in a shoot out you can hold the rifle above your cover and let it do the seeing and shooting instead of exposing your head while aiming..or so I imagine
TrackingPoint precision guided rifles decide when to take their own best shot Self-guided bullet could hit laser-marked targets from a mile away you like that, you will like this.
for defense or military purposes i like it, for hunting it's just crap, what will they use next? drones? no skill required when hunting if using a weapon like this, just too easy
Not cost effective to hunt with. No sport left, unless the idea was for the strangest course, and would require a spotter for the laser. But....would put the fear of God into anyone trying to come over the walls...."Don't run, you'll just die tired". As for me, I don't care for either one.
Strictly a tool for training shooters and evaluating their techniques to put lead on target at that cost.... Neat technology that at some point could be incorporated into military weapons and so on down the line....
Awesome, now the all the latest robotic designs and drones we've read about and seen have a targeting platform that requires zero human intervention. There is a doomsday clock for the end of the world, anyone know if they factor in the theme to every terminator movie?
Looks like a set up to be used with anti-personal radar. Set it up and stay clear, go full auto as needed. AKA as the "Drones on the ground system". YMMV
Put a SAW on an automated turret at a foxhole and a pre-programmed range card with limits on side to side arc- never worry about guards falling a sleep again. The SAW does not need sleep
Well they don't need sleep but man do they eat a lot! Couple a SAWs will eat ya out of house and home!
I would like to see how effective this system would be after an EMP. A significant one. Or when the batteries run out and you don't have any more. Or when the scope gets damaged and the shooter doesn't have the assist. Or the software gets hacked over the wifi connection and targeting errors introduced. Or someone comes up with a way to spoof the laser. All this will turn your "sharpshooter" into an ammo-wasting-can't-hit-a-barn-10-feet-away shooter. While the tech sounds really neat and I would like to give it a try for fun, nothing substitutes for good marksmanship training and skill development through practice.
The big limitation seems to be the crappy rangefinder on it, a not uncommon limitation given that there's really no such thing as a mid-range rangefinder. They pretty much all go from "consumer grade" at $1,4000 or less and virtually all of the consumer models are incapable of doing legit and consistent 1600 yard ranging, versus stepping up to "military grade" where you can get legit several thousand yard ranging, but at a price point of $5,000 and beyond (e.g. Vectronix). I'm not real sure, but I suspect the big hang-up in rangefinder technology is government limitations which probably relate to FDA regulations on output power for "eye safe" lasers which caps the output (and hence to a large degree, the ranging potential).