New Smart Gun Survey Confirms – No Body Wants Them

By Elizabeth McGuigan

Smart Dumb Gun Electronic
New Smart Gun Survey Confirms – No Body Wants Them

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- A newly released survey shows gun owners aren’t opposed to the idea of authorized user technology in firearms. But only 5 percent would be very likely to purchase one themselves due to their concerns about reliability and cost.

About 70 percent said they were very or somewhat concerned about the reliability of the so-called “smart guns.”

Does this sound familiar? It should.

In 2013, NSSF hired a noted polling firm, McKeon and Associates, to field a national survey on authorized user technology to see what the general adult population knew about the technology, and what sort of demand may be seen in the marketplace for these still-hypothetical guns. The results showed that only 14 percent were very or somewhat likely to purchase a “smart gun.” When told that such firearms would incorporate biometric or radio frequency identification (RFID) with an activation system that would rely on battery power, 74 percent of respondents said that these firearms would not be reliable at all or very reliable. Only 16 percent thought “smart guns” would be very or somewhat reliable. Some 10 percent responded, “don’t know.” Gun owners overwhelmingly (84%) believed a smart gun would not be reliable, while a clear majority (60%) of non-gun owners also believed they would not be reliable.

Unrealistic Expectations

Of course, the new report on a survey, run out of the Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, makes no effort to hide the authors’ gun control agenda. They even include a note that smart guns are “of concern” because their advent may encourage non-gun owners to purchase firearms for the first time. Gun control advocates such as the Violence Policy Center have made this argument against authorized user technology in the past. The limitations discussion also admits that the price points asked about in the survey are “substantially lower than the current expected cost,” which “is likely to lead to the sample overestimating the desirability of personalized guns among current gun owners.” That issue, combined with the fact that an online survey tends to be answered by more technologically savvy individuals than a broader phone survey, means the 5 percent of gun owners “very likely” to purchase a smart gun overstates actual consumer demand for this sort of product should it ever actually come to market.

Industry’s Response

Gun makers are keenly aware of the market for their products, as any manufacturer must be in order to remain in business. In a recent shareholder report, Ruger stated;

“Like many successful manufacturers of consumer products, our understanding and recognition of what consumers want has been critical to our growth. Over the years, we have interacted with and canvassed firearms consumers to learn what is important to them when selecting a firearm. This “voice of the customer” feedback has enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of consumer demand and the market generally. One thing we know for certain is that consumers demand reliable and durable firearms. We also know from experience that firearms are price sensitive and that a firearm that sells well at a particular price point may not sell at all for $100 more…There is very little interest in UAFs [smart guns] among firearms consumers…”

Another manufacturer, American Outdoor Brands Corporation, addressed consumer demand in a February 2019 shareholder report. According to the report, the company, “does not believe that current authorized user or ‘smart gun’ technology is reliable, commercially viable, or has any significant consumer demand.”

Law Enforcement Standards

We know other surveys have been released in between the 2013 NSSF survey and the newly published poll. In 2016, a different survey out of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health was briefly covered in a journal editorial. The limited results that were discussed in the opinion piece suggested a vast market for authorized user technology, and attempted to take issue with the design of the NSSF survey. One gun control group even co-hosted a “Smart Gun Symposium” in Seattle, Washington in 2015. Even during this carefully choreographed event, Sheriff John Urquhart of Washington’s King County said that smart gun technology “is not ready for [his] officers yet. If it worked 110 percent of the time, [he’d] be interested.”

Law enforcement has a longstanding and understandable reluctance to adopt firearms so equipped that that may prevent officers from being able to discharge a firearm under duress or adverse conditions. The Fraternal Order of Police agrees that technology is unproven and unreliable: “Police officers in general, federal officers in particular, shouldn’t be asked to be the guinea pigs in evaluating a firearm that nobody’s even seen yet,” said James Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police. “We have some very, very serious questions.” Even former President Obama’s Department of Justice couldn’t find a smart gun that met basic criteria for safe operation and instead released guidance on what factors such a firearm would have to meet.

Real Solutions

As our own research showed, the skepticism extends beyond law enforcement to the larger gun owning community. Gun owners already store their firearms to prevent their access by those who should not have them. They follow safe handling and storage practices, which are set forth in the owner’s manual provided with each firearm. They don’t see a panacea in smart gun technology, nor should proponents or policymakers.

There are highly reliable ways to prevent unauthorized access to firearms ranging from locks provided by manufacturers with new firearms purchases and cable-style gun locks by NSSF through Project ChildSafe® to various types of lock boxes, secure cabinets, and safes. And, retailers are required by law to provide a locking device when they transfer a handgun and to make locking devices available for their customers to purchase.

Neither the industry nor NSSF have ever opposed the research and development of authorized-user recognition technology being applied to firearms. If an individual decides that an authorized user technology equipped firearm is the right choice for them, they should be free to purchase it. If “smart guns” do enter the marketplace, it should be consumer choice, not government mandates that drives their acceptance.


About NSSFNSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 13,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit nssf.org.

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Alan

The fingerprint scanned on my $3,000 dollar laptop can’t read the print in 3 tries more than half the time and you want to to trust my life to this junk. Forget it.

USA

Those Chicom chips have been bringing down military aircraft since Trump was elected and is why DOD ordered all Chicom chips replaced a couple years ago. Last thing you want is MORE Chicom chips than you already have in your hand now and since the Chinese are buying 2020 right now you should be able to easily see where this all goes. Biden is China and the fight for America is now on. China/Biden/Clintonista canal against Trump to steal 2020. Chicoms can probably make chip gun shoot you right in the face without ever lifting a hand. Hillary sold them… Read more »

USA

Somebody should inquire to Trump on the Like Line about what he thinks of them after all he might like them and apparently it matters what he likes and dislikes. Could get you thrown in jail for having stuff he doesn’t “like” and he doesn’t “like” stuff so heads up.

willyd

The only thing about these smart guns go to people that are uneducated and need something smarter than them to get them to work, hopefully they will put themselves out of their own pathetic life! I still like the Get Smart gun and James Bond guns that fired backwards Free to good Demo-Rats, thin out the brainless!!!!!!!

rich z

The only SMART gun you should have is one where the FINGER is attached to the BRAIN.

Pete

And when they fail…?

John A Jameson

Micro stamping on the brain of a supporter of “smart guns” would look like a billboard on a BB.

USA

Hahahahaha.
That is a real good one.
Loooool.
Good job!

DAVID GROSS

THIS IS ONE OF BIG BROTHER’S OTHER GUN CONTROL METHODS, TRACK YOUR PIECE ANYWHERE YOU GO. MIGHT JUST HAVE A MIC IN IT TO, THIS SHOULD NOT BE MANUFACTURED FOR SALE TO ANYONE. BESIDES WHO CAME UP WITH THIS CRAP ANYWAY, THE LIBERAL GUN NUTS LIKE BLOMBERG, HE HAS THE MONEY……

Wild Bill

@David Gross, If the blue prints were online somewhere, the Chinese would not even bother to steal them.

RayJN

I believe the government will coerce the manufactures to include a kill switch that they can use anytime.

HankB

For politicians who think smart guns are such a good idea, isn’t it incumbent upon them to assure that law enforcement – local, state, and federal – receive the benefits of this technology FIRST, ahead of the general public? In fact, passing a law requiring law enforcement to switch exclusively to smart guns is really a common sense gun safety measure. Executive protection details ought to be first, with all other armed Federal, state, and local officials to follow immediately after, right down to the Chicago aldermen who carry.

It’s the right thing to do!

rick r beatty

No it should be tested on their security forces first, then in ten years it should be scraped but the security still must use them.

Michael J

Hollywood would make you believe that this technology readily exists. In theory, a gun only usable by the programed owner would keep a weapon from being used against themselves from a bad guy. These depictions are to prepare the way to make fiction appear as fact and democrats have used this premise in California already. By imposing future restrictions on the importation of guns sold by requiring micro-stamping each spent casing to identify what gun it came for. This technology has not been perfected but cadoj doesn’t care. If a stolen cell phone can be hacked, why not a stolen… Read more »

SGT_Wombat

The Sylvester Stallone movie Judge Dread. The weapon works only for the intended user and the bullets are even DNA encoded when fired. Was also select fire capable and had explosive and gas rounds.

Wild Bill

@MJ and SGT W, Legislation based upon scripts from Hollywould…how very … libtard.

Vlad

Another wrinkle – smart guns, like computers, will utilize wi-fi. This could create “safe zones” wherein the smart gun cannot function, all switchable by government “authorities”. So, imagine this – the gun would need to be within range of an “enabler” signal, so it would only function at the range, or in your home, and nowhere else. A “disabler” signal could be turned on any time, any place and your gun is useless. Nice and contained.

Wild Bill

@Vlad, any company manufacturing a product this stupid would have to be subsidized by the government.

Edieu

All smart technology can be controlled by someone or base unit like cell phones, computers etc. Which means that at the decision of any anti gun or political group CAN have your device / gun turned off & rendered useless at will. Tracking & usage etc. Will monitor the every move the gun owner makes.
This is the other part of the technology no one is thinking about. Whether or not this has the ability now, it will have it in the near future.

Spurs6

Issue “smart” guns to Secret Service and all of the gun toting bodyguards of the elitists. If this technology can save just one psycho at the expense of one ( or two or ten) libtard(s) then I’m all for “them” using it. Lead from the front, Pelosi.

Get Out

Concur with your suggestion to arm all anti-gun supporters bodyguards and such with smart guns, bet the security details will be the first ones to balk at that nonsense. Why, because their lives will now depend on unproven and unreliable technology.

Paul Kersey

Issue this to Police. If it saves just one cops life….

scott

I like your attitude!
scott