Wisconsin microstamping bill in the works

Our Wisconsin neighbors have a slew of gun-control bills being offered this year. Among those is a microstamping bill, offered by State Rep. Leon Young, D-Milwaukee. At issue: Should 'microstamps' be required on some guns?

Wisconsin would require new semiautomatic handguns sold or manufactured in the state to produce identifying codes on every shell they expend under a bill currently in the Legislature. The bill would require that semiautomatic handguns manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2011 produce codes, known as a "microstamps," on their expended cartridges.

The bill would also require gun manufacturers and dealers who sell handguns that produce microstamps to disclose guns' makes, models and serial numbers to law enforcement agencies when microstamped expended shell casings are collected during criminal investigations.

It would become a misdemeanor crime to alter semiautomatic handguns in order to prevent law enforcement officers from identifying microstamps if the bill passes.

If someone is going to use a handgun in a crime, I doubt packing on a misdemeanor charge would stop them in their tracks. If a perpetrator was smart, they would just "seed" the area from from spent brass at a local gun range. It would also drive up the cost of firearms for little if no benefit.

But then the crooks could just switch to revolvers and there goes the whole tracking system.