Why are there so many steps in purchasing a firearm, and so few in puchasing ammunition?

Question

In order to buy a firearm legally in California you must first successfully complete a firearms safety course, go through an extensive background check, find a licensed firearm dealer and wait out what I believe is a two week waiting period for handguns. But anybody over the age of 18 can walk into just about any major sporting goods chains store a purchase ammunition on the spot. It seems to me that if firearms have serial numbers, then bullets and casings should have some identifying markings as well. Imagine if bullets and shell casings had some some identifying serial numbers laser etched into them. To be able to tie a bullet, to at lot number, to a piont of sale, to a bar code, to a drive's license and maybe to a murder. Something etched on the inside of thr casing and the "tail" end of the bullet itself. True crimminals obtain firearms illegally as a matter of course, but dare I say very few of them load their own amunition. Bullets that could be trace back to the purchaser.

Answer 1

Well I would think after someone went through all that crap they should get free ammo. Besides if what you are suggesting were implemented ammo cost would go through the roof, as if it already hasn't. Ammo used to registered on a federal level, but they found it to be useless. Also Maryland passed a law some time ago requiring a fired shell casing be provided to the state police for every new handgun sold. NO crimes have been solved, and the police want the law repealed.

Answer 2

I've purchased a car and had to fill out a lot of forms and documents. Although my car has never killed or hurt anyone, cars kill and hurt more people than guns do, so I would suggest that in the spirit of helping save lives, we should increase the tax on gasoline, have a mandatory background check for every purchase over 10 gallons and have congress fund a research team to see if we could alter the chemical make-up of each tank of gas to clearly identify the purchaser of the gasoline.

Answer 3

Except it does nothing to actually trace anything...all a criminal would have to do is police their brass at the scene and take empty shells they picked up at the range and drop it at the scene of the crime.

There are reports that show the fallacy of 'ballistic fingerprinting' of ammo because the lands and grooves change with each shot fired.

Answer 4

California could have a new law requiring all semi-automatics after 2010 to use a laser to etch gun information into each bullet fired. Although, is it worth it?

Answer 5

Because if your purchasing ammunition, ya already got the gun. Stands to reason aye?