“Smart” handguns designed to limit who can shoot are expected to hit the booming U.S. gun market this year, targeting a surge in shooting deaths at a time when federal lawmakers remain deadlocked over any new restrictions.
Questions about reliability and political battles have dogged the technology for decades, but proponents say it’s an opportunity to prevent children, criminals or people considering self-harm from pulling the trigger.
Whether these lethal weapons will be accepted by buyers, perform their intended role in real life, or deliver on their promises to improve gun safety, however, will likely take years to finally be answered.
“I don’t have a crystal ball to judge whether it’s well-balanced, poorly-balanced, or ends up being like other smart guns of the past — kind of silly,” said Adam Skaggs, chief adviser and policy director of gun control advocacy group Giffords.
The system from entrepreneur Tom Holland’s SmartGunz company uses RFID chips — similar to the transmitters many people use in their cars to pay for tolls — installed inside the ring.
When the shooter holds the gun with a hand wearing a special ring, the safety mechanism unlocks, allowing the gun to fire.
The Netherlands sees an application to protect police officers who may have their pistols stolen by suspects. Or parents worry that their kids will find their guns.
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