CA Microstamping: Hopeless, Unattainable But the Anti-Gunners Don’t Care

It’s been said that a half truth is a whole lie, and boy is that evident in the world of politics.  This is particularly true when it comes to the 2nd Amendment since the anti-gunners have turned manipulating facts into an absolute art form.

Take the microstamping boondoggle, for example.  Just this week David Maccar from Range 365 delivers a solid legal and technological rundown on what’s happening in California’s microstamping world, while providing a valuable and historical perspective.

Two firearms groups have filed a new salvo of lawsuits against California’s gun laws, specifically its microstamping requirements, saying that what the decidedly anti-gun state government wants simply isn’t physically possible.  The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) have argued to the state supreme court in a filing last month that the state’s 2007 law requiring new semi-automatic handguns sold in the state to have the capability to microstamp shells is something that cannot be done.  It wasn’t possible in 2007, and it’s not possible in 2017, the filing says.                          -Range 365

Gun Owners waged battle against microstamping from the minute it raised its ugly head ten years ago, courtesy of former Democrat Assemblyman-and-anti-gun-zealot Paul Koretz.  Currently a member of the LA City Council, he brags about his glory days in the Assembly where he introduced over 70 bills to “protect” the people of California.  (During his legislative tenure, some joked he would have mandated we all be bubble wrapped before going to the bathroom, in fear that the toilet would somehow eat us – all that flushing water, you know).

…the state has reduced the number of handguns allowed for sale in the state to the point that the industry has lost $183 million annually since 2013 in missed gun sales to California residents…The state’s current roster of approved handguns lists just 504 models of semi-automatic pistols, compared to 867 in early 2014.  This is what the state has been doing: older models are continually decertified, but new models, which, of course, lack microstamping capabilities, are not approved, so the list steadily shrinks.                                                                                -Range 365

Fighting tooth and nail against microstamping legislation, Gun Owners offered a first-hand look at how the technology would not work – even inviting legislators to a range to prove what happens to primers when shots are fired – how they can smear, be double-struck or flattened – whether the strike is heavy or light.  None of them took advantage of the invitation…big surprise there.

GOC also demonstrated how very easy it is for anyone to replace the firing pin, which was not illegal to do under the legislation.

And then Gun Owners Executive Director went even further – taking a basic emery board from his wife’s purse to show the ease of which one could file the pin and remove any microstamping, which is engraved at 1/26 the thickness of a human hair.

These facts were all provided, but the naysayers simply weren’t interested. In other words, “Don’t confuse us with the facts.”

It’s akin to legislators passing a law that says all new cars must be capable of battery-powered flight by 2020, without consulting even one engineer to see if such a thing is even possible to build let alone mandate.                                                                                 -Range 365

Thus, in 2007, the microstamping mandate was passed as part of a package of anti-gun bills.  This initiated the litigation and even though the case was dismissed in 2015, in the waning days of 2016 a three-judge panel found on appeal the plaintiffs (NSSF and SAAMI) have “a right to present evidence to prove their claim.” Last spring, California’s Supreme Court decided the case was to be reviewed – kudos to NSSF and SAAMI for their unrelenting legal pursuit of this critical issue.

 NSSF and SAAMI contend that there is no expert that can be found “to show that dual placement microstamping technology can ever be developed for semi-automatic pistols.”  All of this amounts to a piece of legislation that only serves to limit the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

  “It is not the wisdom of the legislative goal, but rather the impossible method [emphasis GOC] the Legislature has chosen to achieve that goal, that lies at the heart of this case,” the filing says.  

                                                                                                -Range 365

 To read David Maccar’s article in its entirety, click here. To stay ARMED AND INFORMED, click here.

2 Comments

  1. Craig Roberts on November 12, 2017 at 10:56 pm

    Why has this idiotic law not been challenged in the supreme court? It’s amazing how the liberal left states that climate change is happening right before our eyes because scientist have unequivocal proof of it’s existence (junk science for their own financial gain), but engineers that have unequivocal proof that such things as microstamping on semi auto firearms won’t work. Just because they pass a law that says it will make them think it will. What ignorance and arrogance. Nothing angers me more than liberal politicians that take the position that if you don’t ascribe to my ideals of the way things are or the laws I pass then you must be lying to further yourself financially or your some deranged nut when it comes to firearms and the 2nd A. It assaults my intelligence to it’s core.
    I call on all firearm owners in California. We have a big election coming up in 2018 and the only way we are going to turn this state around is to vote in the primary elections. Everyone of us and we need to make sure that our friends and neighbors do also. The deck is stacked against us with the open primary system but if the voter turn out is huge on our side in the primaries we just might have a chance. We have a lieutenant governor that thinks all he has to do it phone it in he’ll be the next governor. He’s polished, slick and good looking. He uses that to fool a lot of people. If you think Governor Brown is bad just watch what happens if Newsome gets elected. Please heed this warning. If you stay home he will surly get elected and he’ll only have to run against another democrat in the general election. That is how Kamala Harris won Boxer’s seat. Conservatives stayed home in the primary election.



  2. Robert Cooley on January 13, 2019 at 8:00 am

    We have to many apathetic gun owners in this state “California” that hear the warnings, but rely on others to protect their gun rights. It won’t be until it is too late that the “the left, socialists, and communists” will usurp our rights. These “Socialists” are counting the rest of us to keep our heads buried in the sand. They are depending on our apathey. I am not some kind of nut. I am 63 years old and have lived most my life in Northern California and I can personally vouch for the fact that our freedoms are being taken from us on a daily basis and just like the “frog in the frying pan” we are going to wake up here in America and not recognize the world we live in! Don’t take my word for it…just take a good look around. Remember the things we used to be able to do that we can’t anymore because it’s illegal, or is being controlled by one government agency or another.