Time to cut "Ammunition Accountability" off at the pass?

[Green Lantern]

I guarantee I'm not the ONLY "Tarheel" that was dumbfounded that these guys didn't get a bill introduced in "progressive" NC too...

Before I get ahead of myself, a primer on them if anyone needs it:
http://www.ammunitionaccountability.org/

In a nutshell, all the cries you hear about "microstamping" ammo? Look to THEM for the source!

I see their bills have got a decent spanking in several state legislatures, I was thinking while they were on the ropes it might be a good time to go on the offensive and start a writing campaign against their little harebrained scheme - esp. in States that haven't had bills introduced on it YET!

At any rate, this is going to them, and forwarded to my State and Federal reps as well:

First of all, neither gun owners nor true privacy advocates are willing to stand for the notion of "de facto" gun registration by registering every purchase of ammunition made and storing it in a database.

Secondly, we're in enough of an economic crisis without the government having to compensate citizens for the hundreds of millions of rounds of non-coded ammunition that your legislative lapdogs are calling for us to hand over and/or destroy. I assume we WOULD be compensated for them, right? Otherwise...well, last I checked, taking someone's property without permission, consent, or compensation was called robbery. We don't take kindly to thieves in my parts, and no where else in the United States for that matter.

Third, only a fool would think that this will be a great boon in fighting crime. You may not be aware of it, but there are handguns called "revolvers" that do not spit out spent brass with each shot...it must be manually removed. Also, it might interest you to know that there are long guns that require a manual action (working a bolt or a pump for instance) to eject spent brass. What kind of moronic criminal would then choose to eject and leave the brass at a crime scene?

I guess you get what I think of you and your little idea by now, hmm? If you'll pardon the pun, anyone capable of rational thought can "blow holes" in your theories that this will actually be a great help in fighting crime. In my opinion, you're nothing but a bunch of CON MEN, trying to peddle a very modern version of snake oil to gullible state governments, in return for a false promise of being able to catch every criminal that uses a gun. I'm sure that the fact that $100-a-box ammunition will all but destroy the Second Amendment means little to you as well. To say nothing of all the poor, deluded folk that may be lulled into a false sense of security in any area with a legislature incompetent enough to pass the ammo ban you seek. It's honestly a textbook example of a "feel-good" law.

I see you've suffered several legislative defeats so far, but I somehow doubt that will stop your pursuit of this "con" to the fullest. Know that I and millions of others like me will not stand idly by and allow you to defraud our government and our people!

[igpoobah]

You are slightly confused I think. This new thing isn't microstamping. They are actually encoding the base of the bullet, not the case.

[armoredman]

The idea was both the base of the bullet and the inside of the case. The beauty of it was police could confiscate ALL your ammo to "check" it, which of course destroys it all. Not to mention all "uncoded" ammo was supposed to be destroyed inside 2 years, IIRC. This bill flopped BADLY when introduced in AZ Jan of this year. Will flop worse if comes in in '09, added more conservitive congresscritters, and getting a Republican governor soon, too.

[Green Lantern]

You are slightly confused I think. This new thing isn't microstamping. They are actually encoding the base of the bullet, not the case.

Ahhh...

The idea was both the base of the bullet and the inside of the case.

Ah, well then I guess complaints about the stupidity of relying on spent brass are still somewhat relevant.

In any case...my email to them BOUNCED, said their box was full. I'm guessing it ain't from people telling them "good job!" either!

[armoredman]

Nope, one company trying to force the nation to use thier flawed tech nobody asked them for.

[JWeeks]

After doing a bit of checking, I found the following web site:
http://www.ammocoding.com/index.php

Interestingly enough, they have exactly the same address as http://ravensforge.com/ so they are the company that owns the technology and is pushing for its adoption.

The company points out on their website that there are approximately 10 billion bullets sold in the US annually, so obviously if they could get this legislation passed, it would be a big boon for them. Their website makes the following statements:

What are the costs to manufacturers?

There are several well known manufacturers currently producing a significant portion of the current commercially available ammunition in the United States. Each ammunition producer would be required to purchase at least one, if not more, laser engraving machines and ammunition material handlers to produce ACS coded ammunition. There are several manufacturers who can design and build this equipment. Reliable estimates for a complete set of engraving/material handling equipment range from $300,000 to $500,000 each. A licensing fee for each bullet sold would also be required. However, since approximately 10 billion bullets are sold in the United States alone each year, equipment costs, once amortized over the number of bullets produced and sold are not significant.

What is the impact on retailers and consumers?

Ammunition retailers will also have some minor administrative costs. These costs, like other costs associated with doing business will most likely be passed onto the retailer purchaser. We estimate that the entire ACS process can be implemented without dramatically increasing the purchase price to the end user while maintaining an effective crime fighting system paid for almost exclusively by user fees.

They claim that the equipment costs are not significant when amortized over a large number of bullets, but the licensing fee for each bullet along with the cost of laser engraving each bullet and each case is far from insignificant.

Might I suggest that we, all, send this company an e-mail and specifically ask for details on what their licensing fee will be and what the estimate the engraving cost will be for each bullet. Their e-mail address is info@ammocoding.com

[p2000sk]

A simple rejection is not enough, the U.S. Patent office should reach out and slap someone. What is next, oxygen reserved for the worthy?

[theotherwaldo]

I like their other products - the ones from RavensForge.com. Trip-strips that you attach to rails, curbs, and such, so that skateboarders and other kids are guaranteed to do face plants and injure themselves seriously.

Talk about a liability nightmare!

[IllHunter]

I think not.....

A licensing fee for each bullet sold would also be required

I just concieved (and patented) a process to microstamp all hamburger wrappers. Each vendor would be required to mark every wrapper and keep records and pay "license fee" to control these damned litter bugs!

[cambeul41]

I just concieved (and patented) a process to microstamp all hamburger wrappers.

Nah! microstamp the hamburgers.

[bigfatdave]

cambeul41, this thread wants BRAIIINS!

But I do keep this picture around for threads on these silly technologies ... I don't have a source, sadly, just the "demotivator builder" stamp.

[1911Tuner]

But I do keep this picture around for threads on these silly technologies

They're all over that, too. The gradual phasing out of lead-based wheelweights has already started.
Do you really think it's about protecting California Condors and the children?

They can read the gun boards just like we can...and they know what we do with those wheelweights.

[bigfatdave]

Turn them into tinfoil hats?
Sorry, but lead is a bit overly plentiful for a wheel-weight change to do more than drive up the price a bit.

Remember, a dedicated criminal only needs ONE cast projectile to commit a violent felony, please feel free to point that out publicly in response to ammunition control legislation, particularly around election time for your local, state, and federal elections this year.
Expose the authoritarians and idiots for what they are, and change them out for new idiots, if nothing else.

"Politicians are like diapers; they need to be changed often and for the same reason."

[kcshooter]

The good news here is although this legislation was introduced several times in several states, it has been shut down over and over again.

So far.

[1911Tuner]

Sorry, but lead is a bit overly plentiful for a wheel-weight change to do more than drive up the price a bit.

But it's a start. You can probably look for legislation to make lead a closely controlled substance...possibly forbidden for the rank and file to possess in ingoted form, and available only to licensed plumbers and to the people who use it in the manufacture of lead based products...like auto batteries.

No tin foil hats here in my abode. Just makin' a prediction based on the propaganda surrounding such toxic substances as lead...and tobacco...and guns...and sugar...and fast foods, etc.

Liberties aren't taken in one gulp. They disappear a nibble at a time. Death from a thousand tiny cuts.