SMART Guns: Is Smart really safer?

Most of you know of “smart” technology because it is becoming extremely prevalent in our society. Go into any electronic store and you will see smart TVs, smart phones, even smart paper! Ok well maybe not that last one but it sure seems like it to me. When bringing up gun safety, the idea of a smart gun came into the discussion. The idea was to have some sort of radio frequency in the form of a ring or bracelet that would activate or deactivate the gun. A handful of people believed this was a great idea especially for those who have little loved ones at home.

However, groups like the NRA criticized this new idea because it is seen as yet another way for the government to try and control citizens’ ownership of guns. According to the post on their website, the NRA does not have any opposition against the technology but instead the government mandate that requires a grip with a finger reading technology.

The smart gun has now been made available for purchase in California.

Before we get ahead of ourselves and jump for joy over another smart product, let’s take a look into the pros and cons.

Pros

*Child safety: Having a weapon that can only be activated if it is in a close proximity to its registered device is a really neat idea to help prevent child accidents, teenage suicides, and homicides.

*Will make it harder for stolen guns to be used by criminals.

*Protects law enforcement from having their guns used against them in a struggle.

Arguments against the pros:

*If parents leave a loaded, unlocked gun in an area in which a child can access it, who’s to say the parent doesn’t then leave the watch laying around? I understand that it is an extra preventative step but carelessness when it comes to gun safety will always be a factor. I think even more so if the parent thinks that it is safer.

*It will make it harder for stolen guns to be used by criminals, but for how long? People already know how to hack into phones, computers, tablets, and even rewire a smart car to get it to start without the remote key. It is only a matter of time before it becomes the same way for guns. Not to mention, there will still be regular functioning handguns in the mix. When it comes down to saving your life, would you rather rely on physics or electronics?

*Smart guns do have the possibility of lessening the odds that a gun will be turned against law enforcement during a struggle. However, in a recent test, 1 out of every 10 shots failed. This is not a reliable weapon for neither law enforcement nor for you.

Cons

*Price. A smart gun starts at $1400. Then tack on another $400+ for your special new watch. This could potentially decrease the number of citizens who will purchase a firearm because it is 3x more than a Glock or S&W.

*Your self-defense weapon is now dependent on a battery-operated device. If your watch/ring/bracelet malfunctions, gets hacked, or looses battery power your gun will not fire.

*Unable to use someone else’s gun if you are in trouble. “Honey, shoot my gun! Here take my watch.”

*The watches/rings/bracelets can be recognized by an offender which can take away the element of surprise during an attack. Also takes away the whole point of concealed carry.

Arguments against Cons:

*Price is high now most likely because it is a new item, and the first of its kind. When other manufacturers come into the mix, prices are expected to drop.

*If you have a friend or family member that you trust with authorization to your weapon, you can grant them access by syncing their fingerprints to the grip on your gun if that is the model you chose. If you purchased the watch, it may be more of a struggle for someone to use your gun if needed.

*Different manufacturers can make different models and provide different electronic options to activate your gun. The electronic devices can be concealed if needed.

In conclusion, I feel that the cons are outweighing the pros. One of the main reasons that I am researching what guns would work best for me is because I want something that is reliable. I don’t want a gun that can die, malfunction, get hacked, or stop working if I lose the device. I understand why this could be a good idea but this is not for me.

What do you think about smart guns?

Introduction

Hello everyone!

This is officially my first post of Heels and Handguns! Welcome and I hope you stay!

I have created this blog as a way to discuss all things handguns. One of my main focuses on this blog will be guns for women. I’ve met a lot of women who have never even touched a gun. Why? Fear. People are afraid of guns. Trust me, I’ve been there too and I understand. Guns are pretty scary if placed in the hands of a criminal or someone who doesn’t know what they are doing. All the more reason to know how to protect yourself.

Learning how to protect yourself, especially as a woman, is crucial. There won’t always be someone there to protect you. Growing up, women tend to have it engraved in their minds that men will come to their rescue. I trust my husband with my life but I have to be realistic in the fact that he isn’t by my side at every hour of every day. He couldn’t be even if he wanted to, nor should he be. I want to be able to live my life knowing that if it came down to it I could depend on myself if I were ever in trouble. I’m sure that brings him comfort knowing that as well. You’re probably thinking now that you could just call the police, right?

Why should I get a handgun when I can call the police?

Do you know what the average response time for a 911 call is? 11 minutes. Do you know how long it takes for an intruder to rob/murder/rape/injure you? 90 seconds. Even the fastest response time recorded of 4 minutes would still be too late. This is assuming you even have the opportunity to call 911.

There is this false sense of security that the police can immediately come to the rescue and save the day. You see it in the movies all the time right? Let me ask you something. How does it feel to constantly put the safety of your life in a stranger’s hands? Other than the fact that it is their job, what makes you think that they have any concern for your life over their own? And who would blame them?

You may be thinking now I’ll just hide until they arrive or I’ll use mace. Let me stop you right there. I told you the shortest response time for a 911 call. Now let me tell you that the longest is 1 hour. If the intruder knows you are home, do you really think they won’t be able to find you in an hour? Let’s skip to mace. While mace is painful, it is also very irritating and could anger the intruder further. Just because you spray them with mace, doesn’t mean they are going to fall to the ground in agonizing pain while you run out the door and scream for help. Not to mention, most cans require a close proximity to actually harm the offender.

What do I do now?

I am not saying go out and buy a gun right this second. That would be very ignorant on both of our parts. If you purchase a gun you don’t know how to use, that is about as dangerous as if you walked right up to the intruder. My advice to you at this point would be to sign up for a course. I will be taking an NRA Women’s Only course next week and will walk you through what to expect when/if you decide.

All in all, being a woman gives you more of a reason to learn how to protect yourself, not less of one. Go to safety courses, get educated, and get armed.

Be proud to sport your heels and your handgun. You may need it someday.