“Microstamping,” a method frequently championed by anti-gun activists as a means to solve crimes, faced skepticism from a prominent House Republican on Wednesday.
In a letter shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation, Rep. Brian Babin, a Texas Republican and chair of the House Science Committee, reached out to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to inquire about the reliability, durability, manufacturing consistency, and forensic usefulness of microstamping. The process involves a firearm using a modified firing pin or device to imprint specific marks on bullet cartridges, which can then be collected at crime scenes.
Babin stated, “Given NIST’s longstanding reputation for scientific objectivity and technical rigor, the committee believes that the agency is uniquely qualified to provide clear, evidence-based answers to these questions.” He emphasized that such information is crucial for informing policymakers and the public about what microstamping technology can and cannot do before considering wider implementation.
Major anti-Second Amendment groups, like Brady United, Everytown, and Giffords, have advocated for legislative requirements to include this technology in firearms. However, only California, New York, and New Jersey have successfully enacted laws mandating firearms equipped with microstamping capabilities.
A bill to require microstamping was last put forth on January 23, 2019, by then-Democratic Representative Anthony Brown from Maryland, but it ultimately did not pass in the House Judiciary Committee. Researchers define a microstamping-capable pistol as one where a microscopic arrangement of characters, identifying the firearm’s make, model, and serial number, is etched into the pistol’s breech and firing pin. These characters are then transferred onto the ammunition casing when the gun is fired.
The firing pin is integral to igniting the explosive charge inside the bullet, propelling it through the firearm. Notably, the law applied solely to semi-automatic handguns that eject spent cartridges upon being fired.
Babin remarked, “Before Congress considers requiring microstamping nationwide, we need clear, evidence-based answers about whether it actually works.” He raised concerns regarding its durability, reliability, cost, and potential for tampering, indicating that NIST’s technical analysis would be highly relevant. “The American public deserves to know the facts, not assumptions, before policymakers move forward.”
Critics, including the NRA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), point to numerous studies suggesting that microstamping is unreliable and easily bypassed. In 2005, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Association (SAAMI) also opposed a proposed bill in California.
Lawrence Keene, the NSSF’s general counsel, testified to the California Legislature at the time that no peer-reviewed research exists from criminologists or forensics experts evaluating whether microstamped firearms effectively reduce criminal misuse.
In an effort to reverse a state law mandating microstamping and other features viewed as necessary for firearm safety by opponents of the Second Amendment, California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa introduced the Modern Firearms Safety Act.
