A newer, smarter bullet [View all]

[Glassunion]

A guided bullet that can strike a target a mile(2000 meters) away. It has been developed by a couple of researchers at Sandia National Laboratories. Both researchers Red Jones and Brian Kast are hunters who came up with the idea while talking about hunting.


That white streak you see is from an LED on the back end of the bullet tracing the actual path the bullet took during flight.

Now I'm sure as development continues and eventually the product hits the market that there will be some legalities that will need to be ironed out. Should it be legal for non-military / non-LEO purchase?

What I am sure of is that there will be a lot of hand wringing over the product by folks who are unfamiliar with the product and how it is used.

Here are some facts.
1. Most likely it will be very expensive.
2. The technology cannot be used in any firearm. It requires a smooth bore and the vast majority of firearms are rifled. It may be worth it to dust off the old flintlock.
3. The projectile itself is 4 inches long so it is impractical for hand guns.
4. It is laser guided, so from the impression I get from the articles is it requires more than one person to operate. One to shoot and another to put the laser on the target.
5. The bullet pitches radically as it is fired and stabilizes the farther it moves downrange. This makes it ineffective at close range.

I'm torn on how I feel about this technology. I can see practical uses for it in our military. I can also see practical uses for hunters. In the end I do not see an issue with civilian ownership. My feelings are that the cost and uses would dissuade criminal use of this new product. This is not some product that will be used for drive by shootings, drug deals gone bad, etc...

How do you feel about the legality of such a product?

http://www.scientificcomputing.com/news-DS-Self-guided-Bullet-Prototype-Hits-Targets-a-Mile-Away-013112.aspx?et_cid=2455514&et_rid=41411654&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.scientificcomputing.com%2fnews-DS-Self-guided-Bullet-Prototype-Hits-Targets-a-Mile-Away-013

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57368488/self-guiding-bullet-could-strike-from-a-mile-away/