This goes to Roberta X, Annie, Og, and all the other Hoosier bloggers that I’m sure I’m forgetting right now. Thanks to a reader, I just had this bill that’s kicking around the Indiana house brought to my attention. Apparently, some one (I would be dollars to pesos that it was Orentlicher) thought it would be a grand idea to propose an ammo serializing bill.
I do wish that the alert included some information on the proposed legislations name or number, because a cursory search of the House and Senate archives doesn’t show me any matching legislation from this session. If anyone has information on the name of the bill, please pass it along.
Ammo serialization isn’t quite the same as micro-stamping, but it’s actually even more idiotic. It requires that ammo capable of being used in “handguns” or “assault weapons” to carry a unique serial number in two locations on the cartridge (one on the case and one on the projectile). Of course, if you look at their list of “assault weapons”, you’ll see that the include a number of shotguns on there. How exactly are you going to serialize every round of birdshot?
My gut instinct is that this bill is going nowhere, fast. Right now, Indiana is still a very pro-gun state. I am hoping that I can get some more information on this bill, including it’s status, name/number etc, but I do encourage you to write your state reps and senators and express your discontent with this kind of legislation. Using our tax dollars to create an ammo registry is probably a losing cause in Hoosier land; I’d like to make sure it stays that way.
I’m not a big numbers guy, but isn’t that serial number going to get awfully long pretty fast? Do they have any idea of how many rounds of ammunition they’re talking about?
I’m thinking that they don’t. It’s not exactly smart legislation.
From the link, it has not actually been introduced as a bill. Like you, I wish they would have provided more information on who is seeking support, etc. Until it is officially introduced, you won’t find any information on our legislatures website.
This was just really a heads-up that it is possibly coming down the pipe and the author of the proposed bill is looking for support in law enforcement and other communities.
I wonder what they’ll do about handloaded ammunition.
From the text of this bill, as long as you are handloading for yourself and not cranking out enough to require a federal license, you should be fine.
I’m curious, though. Do police officers who want to practice their marksmanship on their own have to buy their own ammo or can they get it through their department? I see that the bill exempts agencies from the $.05 per round tax but not sworn officers.
I’ve seen this making the rounds from gun forum to gun forum. Those in “the know” seem to think it’s floundering. Thanks for posting about it.
Thanks for the heads up on this. I’ll keep an eye out on this and put the arm on my state representative if it gets legs.
Nice place you have here.