Bad Ballistics

$2.5 million spent on "ballistics fingerprinting" for guns in Maryland has apparently done no good whatsoever--as our Jacob Sullum predicted in 2002--says a report from Maryland state police. (Maryland and New York are the only states with such a program.) The fingerprinting "has not aided a single criminal investigation and should be repealed," the report argues, says the Associated Press account.

Comments

[Gary Gunnels]

Well, given that "real" fingerprinting is something that verges on junk science...

[Gary Gunnels]

That and handwriting analysis ... which is about useful as phrenology. 🙂

[SPD]

This money could have been better spent helping Texas Republicans get drunk last night!

[NoStar]

But, but, but...It's for the children.

[Ayatollah Usoe]

I'll add one piece to Jacob's analysis. Balistics are useful when applied to a small universe. A shoot out involving two cops and one citizen, where a bystander is shot, is such a small universe. With a universe of three guns, recently fired, science can tell which gun sent the bullet into the bystander. 230 grain would be from the .45, and 180 grain from the .40. this can be determined with, say 97% accuracy.

Now expand the universe to 200 million guns. 97% accuracy means potentially six million false positives. Six million leads doesn't help in police work.

A few of my recent gun acquisition came with a spent case, presumably what remains after the bullet was fired and sent to the database. Funny, the primer dimple and extractor marks on the case may be more unique than the spent bullet, but that didn't make it to the database.

[Gilbert Martin]

"Six million leads doesn't help in police work. "

Since when has the grandstanding that politicians do about guns and crime ever actually had anything to do with helping policework?

[Hydroman]

Like my old Daddy always said "pick up your brass"

[sage]

I just bought a .45 ACP which came with one of those spent cases. I can see why Ruger did it-to avoid accidently running afoul of a state law where one might exist. Knowing that the weapon is somewhat traceable back to me, I'm going to make sure that it is only used by me or by someone who has my permission. But I would have done that anyway. Besides, if someone wants to use a firearm illegaly and get away with it, they would probably use a shotgun anyway.

[kmw]

You can buy a new 1911/45 auto barrel for $60. Suddenly, there's no more useful data on file.

Just one example of the stupidity of the "ballistics fingerprinting" idea.

[Brendan Perez]

Ballistc "fingerprinting" is really a misnomer.
I can't alter my fingerprints nor replace them as easily as I can the "fingerprints" of a gun.

In a pinch, I can run a carbide drill bit down my barrel and change the markings enough to introduce some reasonable doubt.

With a tiny amount of planning, I can obtain a new barrel and extractor, which would dramatically change the markings. Not to mention the wear that comes from simply firing the gun. Considering that guns wear and people complain of barrel wear and having to replace extractors and sears, it's reasonble to assume that the first round and 5000th will be significantly different.

During the sniper shootings, I remember Wayne LaPierre argiung with Schumer(?) and saying that the cartridge would be the equivalent of baby pictures. That concept kind of stuck with me.

As for comparing casings for unique markings, that's dumber then comparnig the bullet markings. I can go to any range, reach down and pick up all the spent cases and plant them at the scene if I was so inclined.

I too received a baby picture with my gun and look forward to watching it grow up...

Aside from the easy ability to taint the scene and the difficulty in matching fragmenting ammo to a gun, the federal govt. seems to have trouble just maintaing databases of just text data.
I seem to remember several reports where the ATF admitted that they didn't have accurate and complete NFA records.

If they can't maintain records of a much, much smaller segment of weapons, what possible chance do they have in maintaining a database, complete with (high-res) pictures, of the much more plentiful non-NFA weapons?

[joe]

sage, brendan, and kmw, while I don't doubt that you are correct that determined, savvy criminals could get around the "fingerprinting" in the ways you describe, most shootings aren't committed by determined, savvy criminals. A guy who buys a stolen gun for $30 to keep da Crips from steppin in his hood probably isn't going to keep a shotgun in his wasteband, or buy a 1911/45 auto barrel, or run a cabide drill bit down his gun's barrel.

He's also probably not going to fire the thing 5000 times before hitting somebody.

[kmw]

So, Joe... You're saying this law only works on criminals? Who make a routine habit of breaking any law they feel like anyway?

Just checking.

[joe]

kmw, since the purpose of the law is to make it easier to catch criminals, your point isn't really relevant.

And how is a criminal going to violate this law anyway - hold up a Smith and Wesson plant and force them to pack guns in crates without firing them first?

[sage]

"most shootings aren't committed by determined, savvy criminals. A guy who buys a stolen gun for $30 to keep da Crips from steppin in his hood probably isn't going to keep a shotgun in his wasteband, or buy a 1911/45 auto barrel, or run a cabide drill bit down his gun's barrel."

They probably aren't going to get caught by ballistic fingerprinting either, but by getting caught red-handed doing something else, or fucking up some other stupid way.

[sage]

And besides, the point is that there are too many ways around this scheme to make it an effective crime-fighting tool that can convince a jury to convict with.

[kmw]

Joe,

I assume you've never been into a gun store. Buying a new barrel is as easy buying ammunition. Probably easier... you don't have to show ID.

And since, ultimately, this "ballistics fingerprinting" law affects only law abiding citizens, it's a useless law.

But based on the DNA collection discussion, I'm forced to conclude you support this law wholeheartedly. And I applaud you for your logical consistency. I disagree, of course, but everyone's entitled to their opinion.

[Max]

Seeing as John Asscroft made the tracking of gun purchases essentailly illegal- isnt this sort of a waste?

[Isaac Bartram]

Max

Gun dealers have to keep detailed records of sales and purchases which must be opened to ATF inspectors on demand. If the dealer sells out the buyer of the business has to keep those records. If the dealer retires he has to turn his records over to the BATFE.

All Ashcroft did was render an opinion that the government could not keep a record of background checks after they had been approved.

[Isaac Bartram]

In other words the feds can track any firearm pretty much from the factory to the last purchaser from a licensed dealer.

So, if you sell a gun privately or have one stolen you'd better have your ducks in a row. ie know your buyer or report the theft promptly. Because if a gun you owned is used is used in a crime your going to get a lot of unwelcome attention from everyone from the feds to the local constabulary.

[Isaac Bartram]

The advocates of these laws believe they will save them the step of finding the weapon to get the serial number.

[Douglas Fletcher]

I say keep the law on the books, even it is ineffective. Who knows, someday the solar system may travel into an intergalactic zone where liberal fantasies like this law actually do work, and then finally life on earth will magically become what so many believe it should be already.

[joe]

kmw, if a large portion of gun crimes were committed by libertarian gun fanatics, then I'd agree with you that the ease of chaging barrels would render the law useless.

But the people committing most gun crimes don't log onto H&R and argue about the stopping power of variously-weighted .223 rifle rounds, know what I mean?

[NoStar]

I am not an expert machinist or gunsmith, but changing the barrel (and incidently the caliber from 9x18 to .380) on my Makarov requires little more than a vise.

I love the irony of protecting myself and my freedoms with a Soviet designed, Bulgarian made pistol. And all of it's parts are interchangable with Makarov's made in Russia, East Germany, Hungary and China (the chinese model is called the Norinco.)