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Bullet Serialization Threat in Rhode Island

Legislators in the Rhode Island General Assembly have introduced legislation (HB 7834) to mandate the microstamping of firearms. This ill-advised bill is slated to be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, April 24 in Room 205.

NSSF, the trade association for the firearms industry, is encouraging all sportsmen, hunters and firearms enthusiasts to contact the Chairman Donald J. Lally Jr. and members of the Judiciary Committee immediately, urging them to strongly oppose microstamping.

Microstamping (HB 7834) -- requires that manufacturers micro laser-engrave a gun's make, model and serial number on the firing pin so, in theory, the information is imprinted on the cartridge casing that is discharged when the pistol is fired. Microstamping is a patented, sole-sourced technology that independent studies have proven a failure. If passed into law, microstamping would increase the average cost of a firearm as much as $200. Worse yet, microstamping could force manufacturers to abandon the Rhode Island market, rather than spend the astronomical amount of money it would take to completely reconfigure their entire manufacturing and assembly processes. Learn more about microstamping by viewing the NSSF Microstamping Fact Sheet.