California Gun Law Assailed as Back-Door Ban in Court - Smith & Wesson, Ruger to End Handgun Sales in California

Gun World co-owner Joseph Ferrero is telling customers it’s their last chance to buy some semiautomatic handguns including a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson M&P or a 9 mm Ruger LC9 because “California has effectively banned” them. The guns, which will remain legal for sale in other states, are being snapped up as enthusiasts at his Burbank store try to get ahead of tightening restrictions that firearms makers say amount to an indirect and unconstitutional ban in the largest U.S. state. California is the first to bar retailers from selling new models of semiautomatic handguns not equipped to imprint the weapon’s make, model and serial number on the cartridge when a bullet is fired. While microstamping technology is popular with law enforcement to help deter or solve crime, manufacturers Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (SWHC) and Sturm Ruger & Co. (RGR) say they won’t use it even if it means their guns can’t be sold in California. Bloomberg

And Fox News reports:

Smith & Wesson (SWHC) said it will no longer sell many of its semi-automatic handguns in California, following a new law in the state that mandates the use of microstamping technology. The decision follows a similar move by rival gun maker Sturm, Ruger (RGR), which recently announced that its handguns would be dropped off the list of approved firearms in California. The law, signed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007, was approved for implementation in the Golden State last year. It requires that gun manufacturers add microstamping capabilities to all new or updated semi-automatic pistols. Microstamping is a technique whereby the firing pin doubles as a stamp, etching an identification code onto the primer. The code, which would theoretically help law enforcement trace rounds to the gun’s owner, is also engraved on the casing. Firearm makers like Smith & Wesson have argued that microstamping is cost prohibitive and won’t deter crime. The company said it will not include microstamping in its firearms. The law, signed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007, was approved for implementation in the Golden State last year. It requires that gun manufacturers add microstamping capabilities to all new or updated semi-automatic pistols. Microstamping is a technique whereby the firing pin doubles as a stamp, etching an identification code onto the primer. The code, which would theoretically help law enforcement trace rounds to the gun’s owner, is also engraved on the casing. Firearm makers like Smith & Wesson have argued that microstamping is cost prohibitive and won’t deter crime. The company said it will not include microstamping in its firearms.