NRA Concerned Peralta Bill Would Limit Availability of Semi-Automatic Handguns

The introduction by State Senator Jose Peralta of a bill requiring microstamping on all new semiautomatic handguns prompted the National Rifle Association yesterday to caution that, if passed, the availability of such firearms in New York “will be in serious doubt.” 

On its website, the NRA’s lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action, added, “Make no mistake, this is a gun ban and it must be stopped.” 

Senator Peralta welcomed news of the NRA’s challenge to the bill. 

“The NRA’s opposition will, hopefully, serve to strengthen the resolve in Albany to get this done,” Senator Peralta said. “In about half of all gun homicide investigations, a spent cartridge casing, but not a handgun, is recovered at the crime scene. Microstamping technology would allow police to match casings to the weapons that fired them, helping law enforcement lock up murderers and other violent criminals.” 

“We owe it to the more than 1,000 victims whose murders in New York over the past six years remain unsolved to pass this legislation,” Peralta added. 

The microstamping process uses lasers to create a unique alpha-numeric or geometric code that is stamped onto a cartridge case when fired. The code identifies the make, model and serial number of the pistol.