Brooklyn, you can't afford this

Failed Technology 

This is just one more example of how liberals use false hopes and wishful thinking to undermine the ability of Americans to defend themselves, their families, and their home.  And their sole purpose is to make us LESS safe.

Brooklyn kicks off $1 million smart gun design competition (VIDEO):

Adams says the competition has already brainstormed three areas of interest in personalized handguns: a smart phone app to find lost or stolen guns, firearms with fingerprint biometrics and RFID technology such as a ring worn by the user. But he cautioned these initial ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. “Embracing other concepts such as microstamping* and other technologies that are out there, we can create an environment where gun ownership will not be trampled on but the rights of people living in a society free from gun violence will be preserved and protected,” said Adams.

If the "Smart Gun" concept gains credence in America, soon it will be difficult to find a firearm which will be useful in protecting yourself.  You would have to find a "used gun" for protection,  because the 'new guns' are not reliable enough to serve the purpose for which they are intended.

"Smart Gun" Technology:
There are two ways that Smart Guns prevent unauthorized users from using your gun against yourself:

1. Have the gun keyed to the proximity of an RFD device (a ring, a bracelet);
2. Have the gun keyed to your personal fingerprints.

RFD DEVICE:

Antigunners like to say that it's foolish to use a gun to protect yourself/home/family, because they will just take your gun away and shoot you with it.  (The worst of this verminous pack direct their 'bad advice' against Women, because they think that Women are more susceptible to violence, and more likely to yield their gun to an aggressor.)

If they can take away your gun, they can also take away your ring, your bracelet, or other device and use THAT to take your gun away and shoot you with it.

PERSONAL FINGER PRINTS:

This is even worse.

I'm a concealed carry permit holder, and I go to the Sheriff's office every few years to renew my permit.  They always take finger prints.  What's the first thing they do?  They have you wipe your hands so that sweat, body oils, and debris does not mar the perfection of the impression.

So if you have to use your finger-print protected Smart Gun before defending your home, are you going to wipe your hands?

Of course not.  And you'll be sweaty, your hands will be oily, maybe there is lint from your flannel pajamas ... your fingerprints when you are in an emergency situation may not match the prints you 'registered' on your Smart Gun when you set it up.

So your Smart Gun may not function for you, when you need it.  

This is the same thing as having "no defense at all", because ... you haven't!

But wait!  There's MORE!

"... a smart phone app to find lost or stolen guns ...:"

Gee, how does that work?

You would need an identifier to cull your Smart Gun ID   (an RFID TAG) out of the hundreds in your area, and of course you would have already registered that ID with your local police department because it's THEIR job to find stolen property.   Right?

Which implies that they will ALWAYS know where your firearm is.

This is just like the failed effort to implant RFD devices under the skin of people; except that this will only identify Americans who have guns.

There are some issues with tagging firearms (or people) with RFD tags.

If your personal privacy is important to you, RFID tagging might not be an option which appeals to you.

CONCLUSIONS:

Any alteration to the original design may render your firearm less than perfectly functional.

There are many uses for a firearm, and one of them is for home/property/personal defense.
Which implies (strongly!) that your firearm should be always and immediately available in an emergency, and there should be no alterations to the basic design which may impede it's ability to function as designed.

We know how to use guns safely and effectively:

• We've practiced with our defensive firearms until they seem like an extension of our hand; our thumb and fingers automatically access slide, safety, hammer and trigger without conscious thought;
• All members of our household have been trained until their usage is familiar; if you can't get to your gun, someone else will;
• Children have been acclimatized to firearms, and know not to touch them without permission except in an emergency;
• A firearm which is so shrouded in artificial 'safety mechanisms' to the point where it is essentially useless in an emergency, is nothing better than a large rock with which to batter an aggressor.

That's not defense; that's desperation, and doomed to failure.

* PS: MICROSTAMPING

I'm not sure how that bit of failed technology crept into the original quote, but it's a signature which deserves to be stamped out (sorry) immediately.

Microstamping is a theoretical technology which purportedly embosses some unique identification code upon the base of a cartridge when it is fired.  The breech of the gun is 'stamped' or 'embossed' with an unique identifying code, hopefully to be stamped on the base of a cartridge upon firing, and which can (according to theory) be read under a microstamp to identify the firearm from which the cartridge has been fired.

This has been touted as a 'crime-stopping' technology, and has as yet not been proven to be reliable ... or effective, useful, or feasible.  However, it would add so much expense to the process of mass-producing firearms that it would triple (at least) the cost of a firearm.

If you're interested in the many ways that Microstamping of ammunition is Not A Good Idea, you can go to my home page and type "MICROSTAMPING" into the search box on the top left hand corner of the page.  There about 10,000 words debunking the concept there.  Have fun!