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- The Madera Tribune

Ron Johnson, left, speaks with Rochell Noblett about proposed legislation that will require ammunition manufacturers to put serial numbers on all bullets and sales will be registered with the state.

Rochelle Noblett of Pete's Sports Shop in Madera is on a mission. She is fighting what she feels is "useless and ignorant" legislation from being passed by the state assembly.

State Senator Joseph Dunn was asked by Attorney General Bill Lockyer to carry legislation requiring all handgun ammunition to have a serial number imprinted on the bullet. Consumers would then have to register their purchase.

"This provides law enforcement a starting point for investigations into crimes committed with handguns," said Jim Evans, spokesperson for Senator Dunn.

According to the legislation, each bullet will be required to have a serial number to be laser engraved. Then, after a crime is committed with a handgun, the belief is that the bullet can be retrieved and the serial number traced back to who purchased the bullets. Bullets would have to be sold in boxes of 50 and all 50 bullets would have the same serial number that matches the serial number on the box.

"That's where a problem exists," said Gar Svendsen, director of production and quality service for Federal Ammunition. "We have been told that the machine needed to do the laser imprinting only costs $300,000 to $400,000. What they don't realize is how our manufacturing process works. We manufacture hundreds of thousands of bullets every day. They are all placed in large bins and everything is automated. To accomplish the goal of SB357, we would have to set up several production lines, purchase dozens of the machines, and hire added labor because out automated systems can't do the job. The cost of manufacturing would go through the roof. We really wouldn't have too many choices. Either the cost of ammunition would increase dramatically, and I mean dramatically, for a few cents per round to up to $2 or $3 per round or we would have to forget California as a market."

The prices would also apply to those in law enforcement.

"This legislation will have an adverse effect on the gun business in California," Noblett said. "This law will probably drive ammunition manufacturers out of California and law-abiding citizens who use their weapons legally won't be able to afford their sport. It just doesn't make any sense."

Maderan Ron Johnson stopped by Pete's Sport Shop to pick up a shotgun he had purchased and Noblett took the opportunity to educate him about the proposed legislation, along with other gun proposals.

Other proposed legislation includes Assembly Bill 352 that would require all semi-automatic pistols to stamp their make, model, and serial number on each bullet casing when it is fired.

"The cost for semi-automatic hand guns would rise dramatically," Noblett said. "The firing pin will stamp the numbers on the casing. How will that help solve crimes? Anyone with any knowledge about guns knows you can change a firing pin in virtually any weapon in a matter of seconds."

The cost to the manufacturer is an issue, Evans said.

"We are getting conflicting stories," Evans said. "The manufacturer of the laser engraver insists that it would be very inexpensive but the manufacturers are saying it will cost millions. We are trying to get the two to meet with each other and determine the real costs."

Thomas Millner, president of Remington Arms Company, has written Gov. Schwarzenegger about SB357.

"The domestic ammunition industry, of which Remington is a market leader, produces about eight billion rounds of ammunition each year, and our facilities manufacture, assemble and package millions of rounds daily," Millner wrote. "Serialization of individual cartridges would turn modern assembly lines into early-19th century piece work shops, with individual workers engraving casings and bullets, then matching and boxing them in increments no larger than one or two dozen. This proposal would be prohibitively expensive to implement, without credible evidence that the benefit would come close to the cost incurred to our high volume, low margin industry."

The Sporting Goods and Ammunitions Manufacturers' Institute, Inc. said on its website, www.saami.org, "Manufacturers would be forced to abandon the California market or go bankrupt."

For Noblett, the proposed legislation could mean the end of a part of business that has been in place since 1959.

"This legislation, both SB357 and AB352 will do nothing to prevent or solve most crimes," Noblett said.

Assemblyman Dave Cogdill opposes both SB357 and AB352.

"SB357 is a misguided attempt to solve crimes," Cogdill said. "Furthermore, there is no evidence that this would help solve crimes. Because bullets could easily be switched between boxes to mix serial numbers, it would be impossible and impractical to use serial numbers to identify a criminal suspect. SB357 will only drive up the cost of ammunition for respectable gun owners in California and drive small businesses, such as shooting ranges and sport shops, out of the state."

On AB 352, Cogdill said, "There is no reliable evidence that justifies this requirement and no credible reason to believe it would help prevent or solve crimes. Criminals could easily alter the stamping mechanism, use it to frame another person for their crime or use guns purchased out of state."

"Many hand gun crimes are crimes of passion," Evans said. "The kind where someone gets mad, or learns a spouse is having an affair, and kills someone. Those people are not the gang members and hardened criminals. They are usually law-abiding citizens who have broken the law in the heat of the moment.

"In 2003, nearly half of all handgun crimes were never solved," Evans said. "This bill should help solve those crimes."

When asked how many of the unsolved handgun crimes were thought to be crimes of passion, Evans said he didn't know.

"Crimes of passion are usually the easiest to crimes to solve," Noblett said.

Other gun-related legislation before the state is AB352, requiring that a handgun cartridge have stamped on it the make, model and serial number when the gun is fired.

"We respect the law-abiding citizens who use their guns responsibly," Evans said. "We don't want to place an undue burden on Californians who own and use guns within the law."

Assemblyman Ron Haynes wrote, "The two bills that seem designed to stop the sale of firearms and ammunition in California are AB352 and SB357. Apparently, they were written by someone who has watched too many episodes of CSI."

Noblett is asking residents of Madera to contact Gov. Schwarzenegger and voice opinion on these bills. Contact numbers and addresses are always found on the Madera Tribune opinion page. You can also stop by Pete's Sports Shop to pick up a copy of a form letter.