UPDATE 12 MAY 2016: After posting this, we were made aware of some misinformation.

Read the corrections here.


 

10 May 16

“Being knowledgeable… blurs dissenting views until they are no longer visible, thereby transforming data-collection into bias confirmation, and self-deception into self-assurance.”

Michael Shermer

Put another way:

“Don’t cross the stream to find water.”

Norwegian Proverb

“Smart” Guns?

Mossberg is the latest voluntary victim of this fatally-flawed notion. They have announced that they are going to try to resurrect this dead dog, applying “new technology,” but provided no “due date”. Like all before, Mossberg, after pointlessly squandering millions, will have to reluctantly admit that it was a stupid idea to begin with.

As noted, many have tried before, and even so much as a workable prototype has yet to be produced. The closest to success was the long-gone “Magna-Trigger,” which only worked on revolvers and required the operator to wear bulky magnetic rings, on both hands. A few were sold, but the problem was, of course, people forgot to wear their rings!

More recent attempts have involved electronics, but they all, of course, require a power source. And, the smaller the power source, the more expensive and less reliable. The Armatix Pistol, manufactured in Germany, for example, was designed to be used in conjunction with a wireless activation system camouflaged as a wristwatch, worn on the wrist of the hand that is holding the gun. When held in any other hand, the gun would not fire. This pistol was available only in 22LR caliber.

And, (1) electronics involved were never tested in temperature extremes. (2) Electronics can be jammed, interfered with, and countermanded! (3) Every adult in the family, or in the entire department, must wear watches, on both wrists. After all that, (4) the ensemble (gun and only one watch) was priced in excess of 2k, and that was two years ago.

Armatix displayed this dubious gimmick at the 2014 SHOT Show. It was received with what could be called an “enthusiasm vacuum.” No distributor, nor retailer, wanted it. It flopped ignominiously. None were ever sold, and the company shortly went belly-up.

Several years earlier, Colt bought-into the same delusional fantasy. They also squandered millions and never even came close to producing anything remotely eligible for acceptance in the market. They also eventually grew weary of the cash-hemorrhage, gave-up on the idea, and walked away.

This identical self-inflicted psychosis will now devour its latest victim, Mossberg.

“Smart” guns can never be made reliable enough to be accepted in the American market. No one will ever trust them, and therefore all marketing, no matter how clever and “trendy,” is doomed to rejection and failure.

When asked, “Would you want your family’s lives to depend on one of these?” American consumers will say, “No way!”

“Smart” guns are a stupid idea, and all who invest in the concept lose money… and respect!

Naive gun-company executives may foolishly think that leftists/liberals, who hate their guts, will suddenly “like them” when this fraudulent dogma is embraced. They are self-deceived dupes, and they are doing their companies, and our Art, no good service!

“The worm that destroys is the temptation to seek approval from your critics.”

Anon

/John