It seems as though we hear about smart guns every year or so, after intense public debate surrounding proposed gun control laws.

Now that President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in to law, smart guns are making their way back to the forefront of the gun control debate.

Why Anti-gunners Favor Smart Guns

Smart gun proponents frequently say the technology allows law-abiding Americans to own guns while preventing negligent discharges and firearms accidents.

The idea is simple: the gun owner programs his or her biometric data into the gun. The only way to unlock the firearm is with the programmed fingerprint, limiting who can fire the gun.

Smart gun proponents argue the technology protects children, especially in homes where firearms are available for quick access.

About Smart Gun Technology

Ginger Chandler, a former Remington and Smith & Wesson employee, started the smart gun manufacturing company LodeStar Works because of her passion for firearms safety. Her product, however, is unlike anything else on the market.

Instead of relying solely on biometric data to unlock a firearm, the company gives gun owners three options. In addition to a person’s fingerprint, the firearm can be unlocked with a PIN pad or through the mobile app, NPR reported.

The Problem With the Technology

Smart guns are great in theory, but horrible in practice.

Think about it…

If you’re in a scenario where you need to pull a firearm for self-protection, you’re in fight or flight mode. Your heart is racing. Your palms are sweaty. And your focus is on getting out of the situation you’re in. The last thing you need is to worry about whether or not your firearm will function in a pinch.

A smart gun relies on biometric data, meaning skin-to-product contact. Even though LodeStar Works offers multiple ways to unlock the firearm, they all share one thing in common: the need for dry palms to unlock the gun.

The other problem? If smart gun technology advances and gains momentum, it will only be a matter of time before legislators force firearms manufacturers to shift to smart guns. It’s no longer optional. And that means it’s likely that every firearm in circulation would suddenly become illegal.

We can’t give anti-gunners the benefit of the doubt on this one. Anytime we give them an inch, they take a mile.