Two “smart” gun companies will have products on the market later this year, according to a report. LodeStar Works and SmartGunz, LLC both plan to have handguns with electronic safeties available in the coming months.
The LodeStar Works LS9 is in its third prototype phase, while the SmartGuns model, the 1911 Sentry, a much simpler setup, is just about ready to go into production. The LS9 uses multiple different authentication systems in case one fails, while the Sentry only uses a single system for authorized users.
The LS9 has four overlapping methods of authentication, and will unlock if one of them is activated. It has a fingerprint reader on the trigger face, an RFID token reader, a PIN pad in the grip and Bluetooth capability to interact with a phone using an app. The Sentry uses an RFID reader tied to a ring the user must wear.
In addition to having multiple unlocking methods, the LS9 is a more modern design from a firearms perspective. It’s a double-stack, polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol chambered for 9mm Luger with a 17+1-round capacity. It also has a powered accessory rail for lights and laser sights.
The 1911 Sentry is just that, a 1911 with smart gun grips that house the power supply and RFID hardware. The Sentry has a starting price of $1,795 for law enforcement and the LS9 is expected to retail for about half at $895.
LodeStar says their LS9 is designed for new gun owners on the commercial market, while the Sentry is intended for law enforcement and corrections officers, where restricting access could be considered more important than straight reliability.
Of course, both companies say their systems are entirely reliable, however, any gun owner who has used a card reader, Bluetooth accessory, fingerprint reader or keypad knows that none of these systems are as predictable as a typical handgun.
SEE ALSO: Democratic State Senator Launches a Glove-Enabled ‘Smart Gun’ for $2,495
Smart gun tech is a hot-button issue among gun owners since not only does it complicate firearms, with the strong potential of introducing malfunctions, it is also seen as an avenue for restricting gun ownership. Many politicians have argued in favor of mandating smart gun tech, increasing the cost of gun ownership as well as laying the framework to ban conventional firearms.
If any company comes forward with even a single commercially viable smart gun, gun control advocates are likely to jump on the opportunity to push for more gun control laws. And while most major gun companies today are opposed to developing this tech, there will always be outliers who continue the work.
With that said, there is already a market for smart safes and other electronic security systems for gun storage. Consumers should have a choice when it comes to the safety features they want in their firearms. Including the choice to omit smart tech from their guns.
SOLUTION TO SCHOOL SHOOTINGS
I call on gun manufacturers to invent WIFI-ENABLED GUNS.
All school children can/should be trained to fire weapons and any that pass can be armed with these weapons and carry them to class.
The weapon cannot/will not fire until an emergency wifi signal is issued for the school or specific classroom.
Now, anyone who thinks they can shoot up a school will know an unknown number of students are armed, trained and ready to respond.
Deterrence is the #1st step to prevention.
This program will teach PUBLIC TRUST!
Anyone issued a weapon is recognized as trustworthy.
This goes a LONG WAY to develop charachter.
(There is no greater shame than to violate the public trust.)
PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA
I notice that one of those models use a bluetooth enabled safety.
Dangerous precedent. If all “Smart guns” eventually will be bluetooth or WIFI enabled, it will allow any controlling agency to disable every one with a just a few taps on the keyboard from a single location.
And if states requite all firearms to be “smart guns”… well it doesn’t take too vivid of imagination to tell what will happen with that.
This gun is made for WOKE Liberals only. Will make them feel safe knowing that no one’s else will be able to use it in a emergency.
Get woke, go broke.
I seem to remember an article saying New Jersey passed a law that said something to the effect that if a smart gun made it to the market, that all handguns sold in NJ after that had to be smart guns.
California already has micro stamping law on the books. This will not help.
The automatic electronic locks on my car doors haven’t worked properly since the warranty expired. Even the electronic speed sensors in the wheels feeding info to the speedometer have failed twice. Putting this kind of electronic stuff on a life-saving firearm isn’t just preposterous, it can be deadly for the owner. Smart called are in reality dumb guns.
“a pin pad in the grip” Ha ha ha ha!!! Here’s hoping these guys go bankrupt!
Any gun store stocking this junk should be boycotted.
So triple the price of the gun by adding “features” that make it less reliable, Pure genius.
I will not hold my breath waiting for police departments and the military to adopt such non-sense, because they will not.
I will also not consider any such weapon for purchase, just like I reject any that have the Hillary hole.
This is nothing but a Soros funded tool to be used to violate gun owners’ constitutional rights.
I am wondering if there will be any Military Contracts
connected to these company’s products ?
As I was told , some years ago , a “ grunt “ needs to
keep in mind that his weapon was made by the
cheapest bidder .
They should call these guns the “Edsel” series.
Every “biometric” safe that I have owned has failed….either they don’t recognize my fingerprints consistently or the mechanism just craps out after a couple years. Sorry, but I will pass on this….
Thus far, smart guns haven’t been that impressive. What was that one .22 whose smart lockouts could be overcome by well-placed magnets? These two might not be winners either but that doesn’t mean that the technology never will be good or that research in that direction should be entirely abandoned. Eventually we can figure this out and make safer, smarter guns. Firearm enthusiasts should celebrate this kind of research, not fear it.
The pistol you’re thinking of is the Armatix iP1. I think it looks really cool, I’d love to own one if I could disable the “smart” features but keep the colored led lights.
No fear here, just don’t force me to use it. Federal law enforcement and the military should be the organizations spearheading the use of this new wonderful technology!! After they adopt it and prove it’s value I’ll consider a smart gun for myself. If the big federal organizations don’t want it then that’s good enough for me.
Of course it can be over come by magnets because the safety feature is putting an electro magnetic charge to a metal block to allow the gun to fire. That’s how many things like this work. One thing I know from my last job is these types failed frequently. You can also take the gun apart and just remove that block.