Lies from the other side

Over at Huffington Post, anti-gunner Paul Helmke takes another shot at spreading misinformation. See here. He's praising the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownerships annual scorecard that rates sates by how many silly gunlaws they pass. VA is number 14 with 18 points out of 100 possible. My main concern is microstamping which Kalifornia just passed into law.

Basically, a serial number is machined onto the firing pin to stamp the cartridge when the gun is fired. This law is bad for the law-abiding because:

1. The law-abiding pay the cost when they buy a gun
2. They can potentially be felons when the number wears out (altered serial number)
3. What happens when the firing pin breaks? Do you have to order a new one from the factory? Who pays for this?
4. A firearm registry is kept on the gun owners

Now, this technology is easily defeated by:

1. Changing the firing pin which takes minutes and costs about $7.00
2. Removing the number with a file or sharpening stone
3. Picking up shell casings from the crime scene
4. Dropping shell casings previously picked up from a shooting range on the crime scene
5. Using a revolver

I left a comment but I don't know if it will make it onto the board. I hear they moderate the comments to push out the opposition, but there seems to be a pretty strong voice as of right now. Updates to follow.

Update: It seems my comment did make it after all.

Definitely an old argument but what I find interesting is why we are still having it. Paul thinks microstamping is going to help land bad guys in jail. Paul doesn't know the first thing about how microstamping works and just takes it at face value. Regular law abiding folks are the only ones affected by this law. When that little serialized number on the firing pin wears out, which it will quickly, the owner of the firearm will be a felon just as if they removed the number with a file. Criminals will either not use a microstamped gun, file off the number, replace the firing pin for $7.00, pick up their casings from the crime scene, drop fired casings they picked up from a range, or just use a revolver. Meanwhile the 'law abiding citizen' will pick up
the tab for the extra cost of the gun and suffer the consequences of a silly law.