Smith & Wesson to End Most CA Sales Due to Microstamping Regulation On January 22nd renowned gun maker Smith & Wesson joined Sturm, Ruger, & Co., by announcing it would cease California sales of its semi-automatic pistols due to microstamping requirements that went into effect last year. Ruger made the same announcement earlier this month. Microstamping is a requirement that each firearm be fitted with a special firing pin that leaves a fingerprint on a bullet casing which differs from the fingerprint of every other firearm. In other words--every one of the wildly popular Smith & Wesson M&P .45 semi-automatic handguns would have to be manufactured in such a way so that no two of them left the same mark on a shell casing. The cost of doing this would be incredibly high to manufacturers, and would be a cost they would have to pass on to consumers in higher prices. Moreover, the result of doing this would be yet another gun registry--every gun sold that met microstamping requirements would have be to registered so that the government knew who owned the gun that left that fingerprint. On top of these things,micropstamping doesn't even work--and least not all the time. There are proven problems with the durability of microstamps on firing pins. So The Washington Times reportsthat Smith & Wesson is just going to stop selling guns in CA for which microstamping is required. Smith & Wesson president and CEO James Debney said his company "will continue to work with the NRA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) to oppose this poorly conceived law which mandates the unproven and unreliable concept of microstamping and makes it impossible for Californians to have access to the best products with the latest innovations." Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter@AWRHawkins
Good for S&W and Ruger. They aren't forced to make a useless, expensive change to meed the requirements of an ill-conceived, useless law. Too bad for California residents but frankly, if I have a family member that needs a gun, I'll buy it for them as a gift and they can pick it up when they come to visit. If they just happen to purchase a gift for me that costs roughly what I spent on their present...so be it.
I am thankful that all of my family has left California....not one of us remains in that state and all have vowed to never return.
It's a bassackwards way to eliminate firearms, but clearly works for californicnation. Make an impossible manufacturing requirement so that none can be made, thus not sold. Both Ruger and S&W are to be commended for refusing to bow to the idiots, but still --
Is the same requirement imposed on weapons owned by the cops? Cost of buying for the police just went up...again. (Shakes head) Must be something in the water.
What if S&W pulled a Ronnie Barrett and refused to return all the sidearms sent in for servicing because they did not conform to California law? I bet that would get someones knickers in a twist...
I wonder if Glock has started installing these special Firing Pins in their Weapons, or whether they will follow S&W and Ruger. Since MOST of the Commiefornia Cop Shops use Glocks, that would put a Mighty Dent, in their Pistol acquisitions....
That is the crucial factor, whether firearm mfgs will refuse to sell CA police any guns without microstamp firing pins.
Would have been a greater statement if they stopped sales of all firearms they manufacture.. Also, how will this impact the movie industry?? (Edit) I Should clarify that the no sales should have specified Commifornia..
@NWPilgrim Would you not think that the cops would be restricted from buying anything that didn't meet the state laws? (Sure I would, and be wrong in thinking that way. There is sure to be an exception enacted as soon as the "legislature" realizes it screwed up. They would then be faced with attributing a shoot, righteous or not, to cops since there would be no way to ID the gun used. Gad.)
If you buy a new Glock they come with 2 fired casings for states I hear that Maryland is one who keeps them so they can try and use them to link up with crime scenes. You just can't make the next stupid thing up for the the anti gunners. With the Glock casings there is no chain of custody so you could have 2 from yours or 2 from other pistols and have the cops at your door for some sideways shooting gang banger murder...
Simple answer: the cops don't need guns. All the Brady bunch wi point to the Bobby's in England. I am sure the cops in the watts district will be happy to give them up
Commiefornia. Ha Ha Ha. They have shot themselves in the foot again. Why am I not surprised. Commiefornia is going to have Big lipped, bodacious boobied Barbie bobbies bereft of those bad bang bang Guns. I love it. Hopefully what happens in Commiefornia stays in Commiefornia.