Smart guns arriving in US after decades of controversies, firearms market may see shake-up

• LodeStar priced its smart gun at $895, and integrated fingerprint, PIN pad, and NFC chip

• SmartGunz to sell its product at $1,795 for law enforcement and $2,195 for civilians, which uses radio frequency identification

Smart guns that allow only verified users to fire may finally become available to U.S. consumers as two companies are hoping to release their products commercially this year.

While LodeStar Works unveiled its 9mm smart handgun for shareholders and investors in Boise, Idaho, a Kansas-based firm, SmartGunz LLC, said law enforcement agents are beta testing its product.

After two decades of questions about reliability, these products can usher in a new wave of government regulation, as smart guns authenticate a user’s identity with biometrics and can disable the weapon if anyone else tries to fire it.

The technology can render lost or stolen guns useless, offer safety for law enforcement officers who fear gun grabs, and reduce suicides and unauthorized uses.

Stalled innovation

There have been several events that stalled innovation in the industry for decades.

Smith & Wesson got hit in 1999 with the National Rifle Association-sponsored boycott after the company signed an agreement with the U.S. government to enforce safety and design standards, like locking devices and magazine size restrictions.

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In 2014, Armatix, a German company, developed a gun that would only fire in the presence of an electronic bracelet. The company was forced to pull its weapons from stores after a hacker demonstrated a way to remotely jam the gun’s radio signals by using magnets and firing it when it should have been locked.

Moreover, New Jersey passed a law in 2019 which would require all gun shops in the state to offer smart guns after they become available.

The legislation replaced 2002’s ‘Childproof Handgun Law’ that would have banned the sale of any handgun except smart guns, which raised the wrath of defenders of the Second Amendment.

Skeptics have argued that smart guns are too risky for a person trying to protect a home or family during a crisis or for police in the field.

Technology around smart guns

Although LodeStar co-founder Gareth Glaser said there would be challenges for large-scale manufacturing, he told Reuters that he feels the company is ready to go public.

Glaser expressed confidence that after years of trial and error, the technology was advanced enough, and the microelectronics inside the gun are well-protected.

LodeStar integrated a fingerprint reader, which unlocks the gun in microseconds. If under any adverse conditions, the fingerprint reader does not work, the user can use the PIN pad to unlock the weapon.

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The gun also has a near-field communication (NFC) chip to unlock the weapon as users open the app on their phones.

LodeStar is aiming to sell its smart gun to first-time buyers for $895, and Reuters reported that it has video footage of a successful test-firing.

While SmartGunz did not disclose which law enforcement agencies are testing its weapons, the company said its weapons are secured by radio frequency identification.

Tom Holland, a Kansas Democratic state senator who co-founded the company in 2020, told Reuters that the company developed a model selling at $1,795 for law enforcement and $2,195 for civilians.

Picture Credit: Reuters