On balance, Americans like freedom, choices, and guns. It would seem to follow that Americans would support a free market that gives us an array of choices among guns. Yet some gun rights advocates are pressuring gun dealers not to sell so-called smart guns, which can “recognize” their owners and can only be fired by them. Death threats to gun dealers. This Washington Post story recounts the experience of Andy Raymond, owner of Engage Armaments in Rockville, Maryland, after he agreed to sell the Armatix iP1 smart gun. The gun is a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol that won’t shoot unless it is in proximity to a special watch worn by the owner. If the gun is stolen, or if a child somehow obtains the gun, it won’t fire. (It also won’t fire if the watch battery is dead or the owner forgot to wear the watch that day.) The story notes that Raymond “endured an outpouring of vitriol from gun rights activists who fear the technology will be used to curtail their Second Amendment rights by limiting the kinds of guns they can buy in the future.” Vitriol is an understatement. Raymond received death threats, as he explains in a short and emotional video linked to the article. He has changed course and will not sell the gun after all. A California gun dealer previously had a similar experience. Not a smart choice for self-defense? It’s reasonable to argue that the current crop of smart guns aren’t the best choice for [...]
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