Firearms and Ammunition Industry Announce Opposition to Microstamping and Bullet Serialization Legislation

HARTFORD, Conn. – This morning America’s leading firearms and ammunition manufacturers, many of whom are based in Connecticut, held a press conference at the State Capitol to announce a unified industry stand against legislation that would force them to adopt patented, sole-sourced technology to microstamp firearms and to put a unique serial number on every bullet manufactured.

The companies attending the press conference included Connecticut-based Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Marlin Firearms, O.F. Mossberg and Sons, and Sturm, Ruger and Co., as well as Remington Arms Company, Massachusetts-based Smith & Wesson, and two of the largest ammunition manufacturers, ATK-Federal Cartridge Company, and Winchester Ammunition, a division of Olin Corp.  Joining the press conference was the Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association of the firearms and ammunition industry – and the Connecticut Association of Firearms Retailers.

Legislation (Raised SB 607) mandating that firearms manufacturers incorporate the monopolized technology of microstamping would require manufacturers to micro laser-engrave a gun's make, model and serial number on the firing pin of each gun so, in theory, the information is imprinted on the cartridge casing that is discharged when the pistol is fired.  Independent studies have made clear that microstamping is flawed and should not be mandated without further and more in-depth study – a view shared by industry.

"Given the ease with which microstamping can be defeated, the independent studies calling for further review of the ‘flawed’ technology and the understanding that the average age of the Connecticut criminal's gun is over 12 years old -- not brand new-- I am gravely concerned that the real cost of implementing this concept is huge compared to any reasonable public safety benefits that might possibly materialize," said Joseph H. Bartozzi, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc -- the oldest family-owned firearms maker in the USA.

The bullet serialization bill (Raised SB 603) would require ammunition manufacturers to employ a similarly copyrighted technology to laser engrave a serial number onto each individual round of ammunition – a process referred to as bullet serialization. There have been no independent studies on the technology of bullet serialization, and no one has been able to address the practicality of developing and updating a database system for storing markings of each individual round of ammunition.  There are more than 10 billion rounds of ammunition produced in the United States alone each year.

Both microstamping and bullet serialization could result in all sales of firearms and ammunition being halted in the state -- as manufacturers are forced to abandon the market in lieu of paying the astronomical sums of money needed to completely reconfigure their manufacturing and assembly processes.
 
"It is simply not possible for Remington to laser-engrave a serial number onto each of the billions of cartridges we produce every year," said Thomas Millner, president and CEO of Remington Arms Company, the largest firearms and ammunition manufacturer in the world. "If bullet serialization were to pass, Remington would have to seriously consider halting all sales of ammunition in Connecticut."

Also of concern is whether Connecticut-based firearms manufacturers will move their factories out of Connecticut – a serious threat given the increased lobbying of pro-gun states such as Idaho and South Dakota, two of many states where legislators are looking for increased tax revenue and jobs for their constituents.

"These are extraordinarily dangerous bills," said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. "Bullet serialization and microstamping legislation not only threatens law-abiding gun owners but directly interferes with our industry's ability to supply law enforcement officers and the military with high-quality ammunition and firearms.  We are here today to strongly encourage Connecticut lawmakers to vote down these ill-advised bills – a move that would benefit law-abiding citizens and law enforcement while keeping hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenue in a state that is considered to be the birthplace of the firearms industry."

Additional: More on Microstamping

Opposition to microstamping legislation has intensified as firearm manufacturers have indicated that even if they chose to remain in the Connecticut market – something that is anything but certain – the passage of a microstamping bill could force them to raise prices of guns significantly, perhaps as much as $200 per firearm, because the unreliable technology would require a complete reconfiguring of the manufacturing and assembly processes.

Earlier this month a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report commented on the technology of firearms microstamping.  Scientists said, "Further studies are needed on the durability of microstamping marks under various firing conditions and their susceptibility to tampering, as well as on the their cost impact for manufacturers and consumers."

Further emboldening opposition to the microstamping bill is the recent release of a study by researchers at the University of California at Davis proving that the technology is "flawed" and "does not work well for all guns and ammunition."  The authors concluded that, "At the current time it is not recommended that a mandate for implementation of this technology in all semiautomatic handguns in the state of California be made. Further testing, analysis and evaluation is required."

The authors of the study note that "more testing in a wider range of firearms is needed to determine the costs and feasibility" of mandating microstamping. 

The UC Davis study confirms an earlier, independent, peer-reviewed study published last year in the professional scholarly journal for forensic firearms examiners.  That study, by Professor George Krivosta, proved that microstamping technology does not function reliably and the shallow micro laser engraved marks can be removed in mere seconds using common household tools.  Professor Krivosta concluded that, "implementing this technology will be much more complicated than burning a serial number on a few parts and dropping them into firearms being manufactured."

"The NAS report, the U.C. Davis study and earlier peer-reviewed research only serve to further validate our longstanding concerns that this technology is unreliable, that it simply does not work as advertised and can and will be easily defeated by criminals in seconds using common household tools," said Keane.

Additional: More on Bullet Serialization

The NSSF has made clear that serializing ammunition on a mass production basis is infeasible from a practical standpoint and any legislation mandating such action is a de facto ban on ammunition.
"If manufacturers had to comply with bullet serialization, NSSF estimates that it would take close to four weeks to manufacture what is currently produced in a single day," commented Keane. "This massive reduction in ammunition would translate into substantially lower sales and profitability and ultimately could force major ammunition manufacturers to abandon the market.  In turn, there would be a severe shortage of serialized ammunition and all consumers, including federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, would be faced with substantial price increases.  Ammunition will go from costing pennies to several dollars per cartridge."

The domestic small-arms ammunition industry, utilizing modern manufacturing processes and distribution practices, produces more than 10 billion ammunition cartridges a year at already low-profit margins.  The three largest domestic manufacturers (who collectively account for the vast majority of the market) produce an estimated 20 million rounds of ammunition in a single day.  Ammunition manufacturers could not serialize their product without hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment to build the new factories that would be needed in order to meet the requirements of bullet serialization.  At the same time, hundreds of millions of dollars of existing plants and equipment, and decades of manufacturing (cost-saving) efficiencies, would be rendered obsolete.

For more information on the facts concerning microstamping and bullet serialization please visit the NSSF Legislative Action Center or Media Resources Homepage.

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