NIST 'Standard Bullet' fights gang violence

I've always wondered, is it not possible to change a weapon signature. Surely a gun's firing pin, rifling, breech face and ejection mechanism signature markings can be changed with a needle file a hone and some diamond paste.

If someone commited a really serious crime with a gun, it could easily be cut up with Oxy-Acetylene, or melted into a lump of metal.

There is a process of imbedding microscopic ceramic or glass beads in gunpowder and by the color and chemical composition, to encode a batch, date, manufacturer, and other data into the powder. This data could be traced more easily and readily than a gun.

You cannot recall a bullet once fired, and a small amount of powder residue clings to the case and projectile, and also to a person's clothing and hands.

So why aren't the manufacturers using this technology?

would it not be possible to "tag" the amunition itself- either the charge or the bullet for better identification. This way ammunition sold could be registered, in addition to or instead of the weapon. It would be a quicker and more fool proof way of tracking illegal users. As in switzerland, all bullets are registered, and if the owner "loses" even one, he or she is serious difficulty. tomackcon

All that needs to be done is start enforcing the gun laws that are on the books and putting the criminals away. 98% of violent crime is committed by less then 5% of the population. If we follow the example of many areas, who have adopted the NRA project exile, crime rates would drop and we would not have to place more cost and burden on law abiding citizens. Which is all new gun laws do.

A law abiding citizen has never commited a crime with a gun.So go after the criminals, and enforce the existing laws to the max.

A certain county in Georgia REQUIRED all residents to HAVE A GUN. Liberals decried that crime would increase as a result of all those guns.

The opposite turned out to be true.Crime decreased.

If you were a burglar, would you rather rob someone's home where you know they have a gun, or where you know they do not have one?

A real no-brainer.