Last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta dropped a bombshell report that will change how handguns are sold in the state.
The Department of Justice has declared firearm microstamping technology “technologically viable.” That finding clears the path for California’s 2028 mandate requiring all new semiautomatic handguns sold by licensed dealers to be equipped with microstamping components.
What the Report Says
The DOJ’s Bureau of Forensic Services tested engraved firing pins in semi-auto pistols. According to their report, the pins consistently left microscopic imprints — “microstamps” — on spent cartridge casings. Even when the stamps weren’t perfect, the DOJ claims partial codes could still be used as investigative leads, similar to partial fingerprints or license plates.
The report concludes:
- Microstamped firing pins can reliably mark casings across many firearm models and ammo types.
- Wear and sustained use didn’t fully erase the microstamp data.
- Incomplete stamps could still provide “useful leads” for prosecutors.
What This Means for California Gun Owners
The groundwork for this policy was laid in 2023, when Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 452, amending California’s Unsafe Handgun Act. That law required the DOJ to study the tech and set performance standards.
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Now that DOJ has declared microstamping viable, the clock is ticking. Starting January 1, 2028, all new semi-auto handguns sold by licensed dealers in California must be microstamping-enabled — assuming DOJ also determines the components are commercially available at “reasonable prices.”
This is not just a state report. It’s the regulatory trigger that could lock the handgun market in California into microstamping compliance — a system widely criticized for being unreliable, easy to defeat, and expensive.
The Bigger Picture
Gun rights advocates have long warned that microstamping is less about solving crimes and more about restricting handgun availability. If manufacturers decide it’s not worth redesigning pistols to meet California’s unique requirements, it could effectively ban the introduction of new handgun models into the state.
And there’s another elephant in the room: criminals don’t buy their guns legally. Gang members and drug traffickers aren’t heading into FFLs to pick up a microstamped pistol. This mandate, like so many California policies, is likely to impact only law-abiding gun owners while doing little to curb violent crime.
What’s Next
This fall, the DOJ will issue performance standards for microstamping components. Early next year, the agency plans to begin licensing entities to produce compliant firing pins and related parts. Unless stopped in court, the microstamping mandate will take effect in 2028.
Gun owners nationwide should pay attention. California has a history of exporting its gun control experiments to other states. With DOJ now calling microstamping “viable,” anti-gun lawmakers elsewhere may try to replicate the model.
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