Tracking guns

[SgtMaj]

You know how the FBI already has that database of ballistic fingerprints with bullets from past crimes? Well I got to thinking... why don't we have a law that states that the gun manufacturers must test-fire each gun off the line, and enter that bullet into the database and link it to the serial number of the firearm? That way if a crime is committed, they can match the bullets to the serial number of the firearm via the database, and then use the serial number to look up the firearm sales records which would go a long ways toward tracking down the gun.

I'm just thinking out loud here, but does anybody see any problem with that? I mean other than the bit of extra cost associated with the manufacture of guns, which might add maybe $10 to the price, which isn't so bad when you consider that most guns cost more than $300 anyway... what's another $10?

It just seems to me like it would be a cheap way to crack down on gun crimes without infringing on our rights.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Tracking guns

present it to your congressman.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Tracking guns

That's what I was thinking about doing... but I thought I'd better make sure I wasn't overlooking something, because the last thing we need is more bad legislation.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Tracking guns

It certainly would not be 100% correct. Private sales of guns would not be registered. Barrels do wear, which changes their characteristics. And it you wanted to disquise your barrel markings, all you need to do is alter the inside of the barrel.

In other words, real criminals would be able to get around that.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Tracking guns

Shotgun??? smooth bore.......

Just as Aspeck said "altered barrels" can be created and some just happen.....

There are very few manufacturer's in the USA as compared to surplus and South American stuff.

It leads us right back to the beginning...... it's the good people who would follow the rules and the bad guys will ignore them.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Tracking guns

Ayuh,....

What you propose has already been offered up by a few Liberals,....

Problem is,....
It's Unconstitutional, Illegal,+ amounts to nothing more than Backdoor Gun Licencing.......

Canada did it a few years ago,..... Supposed to cost them a couple Million,....
The price tag is now well over a Few Billion,+ is Still Not Done.....

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Tracking guns

Yep tons of problems with this, the main one being tracking the sale of guns. Someone buys a gun, shoots someone with it, and sells it to you. Now, PROVE you didn't do it.

I don't like the idea one bit. Anyway, as has already been mentioned, a small piece of metal will alter the inside of the barrel just enough to alter the bullet's signature. Not to mention it's been shown that after 500 rounds a guns bullet signature can be altered enough that it isn't recognizable, even if it hasn't been purposely altered by the user.

Easily defeatable. Sorry, the idea was good, but in practicality it's useless.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tracking guns

And does nothing to address where most real criminals get their guns. Most are stolen or imported illegally with the drugs they are smuggling.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Tracking guns

Problem I see is knowing this crooks will "alter" the barrels. We need harsh enforsed gun laws more. If caught with an illegal weapon =hard time in jail first offense. crime with a weapon=20 years hard time first offense....sure it will require more jails but we have the money for them. We need to increase our jail space by 500%.......get these people away from us.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Tracking guns

Is the premise here that criminals buy guns from the gun store so they can be tracked?

I am sure most thugs get their guns from an alley somewhere.

How about instead of inventing new gun laws we just focus on enforcing the ones we have?

 

[Mike722]

Re: Tracking guns

I believe Maryland or one of the Eastern States does a fired case kept by the state.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Tracking guns

I think Bond-o's own New York does for handguns.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Tracking guns

Its too late to start trying to track the guns but not to late to enforse SEVERE penalties to anyone breaking the law with one..Im talking PUNISHMENT here, something like the county jail farm as seen in 'cool hand luke"

 

[DJ]

Re: Tracking guns

Its too late to start trying to track the guns but not to late to enforse SEVERE penalties to anyone breaking the law with one..Im talking PUNISHMENT here, something like the county jail farm as seen in 'cool hand luke"

Sheriff Joe's "Tent City" comes to mind. The lowest recitivism rate in the nation.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Tracking guns

Ive heard of the tent city, Great idea . Here in NC we have plenty of beans needin picked along with apples etc so they can earn their keep. I do say some old wooden building (no AC) like in cool hand luke would work well. We dont need no friggin million bucks to build a few kennels for these criminals.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Tracking guns

Best solution is to keep the criminals where criminals belong , IN THE JAIL .
Put them to work while they are there , work them like the old chain gangs , and , see how much time and energy they have left for gang activities .

If they commit crimes with firearms , keep them in prison untill they are physically incapable of using a firearm ever again .

If they murder someone , with ANY weapon , strap em in and plug em up .
NEXT! THAT solves recitivism problems .

 

[v1_0]

Re: Tracking guns

Depending on how the supreme court rules, this discussion may be moot:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080318/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_guns;_ylt=AkguL3q023eHDOYnv04eeyis0NUE

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: Tracking guns

Best solution is to keep the criminals where criminals belong , IN THE JAIL .
Put them to work while they are there , work them like the old chain gangs , and , see how much time and energy they have left for gang activities .

If they commit crimes with firearms , keep them in prison untill they are physically incapable of using a firearm ever again .

If they murder someone , with ANY weapon , strap em in and plug em up .
NEXT! THAT solves recitivism problems .

I agree completely,but I think the ACLU would be jumping all over it.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Tracking guns

This IS about enforcing the gun laws we already have. It's not about restricting guns or anything like that, it's just one way law enforcement might be able to solve crimes. In the case of altering the barels, yes, that can happen, and will happen, oh well, so you can't catch them all. DNA evidence doesn't catch them all... doesn't mean it should be thrown out. Also, it's not a method of proving guilt, in fact, it wouldn't even be admissible evidence as it would absolutely fail to meet minimum evidentiary standards. What it might do is give cops a starting point from which to begin tracking the gun. It wouldn't be difficult to prove you didn't do it if you bought the gun after someone was murdered with it by the way, since you didn't have posession of the firearm at that time.

However, Just the thought of cops using that as a method to gain search warrants that would probably be executed forcefully on good people who sold their firearm years ago, is more than enough to kill the idea for me.

Thanks for the input guys.

PS - the suppreme court is finding in favor of gun ownership, so score one for the good guys.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Tracking guns

This IS about enforcing the gun laws we already have. It's not about restricting guns or anything like that, it's just one way law enforcement might be able to solve crimes.

Ayuh,.....

If you actually believe that statement, even for 1 minute,......

You're either Extremely Gulible,.......... Or a Liberal.........