Blank ammunition will save lives!

Blank ammunition will enhance hand gun ownership!

Blanks allow for better family protection while offering greater peace of mind!

The media is reporting the development of a new "smart gun" which will be so hi-tech that it will identify whether the person holding the gun is the gun's owner.  The goal being to reduce household accidents and deaths involving hand guns.

For years I have been advocating a far simpler idea:

     Require that a single blank bullet be the 'next' round in any loaded handgun kept around children.

Now lets break this down so as to avoid any misunderstanding:

• Only applies to hand guns (pistols and revolvers).
• Only applies to hand guns which contain live ammunition.
• Only applies to the very next round to be fired if someone simply picks up the hand gun and pulls the trigger.
• Only applies to hand guns at any site where there is a chance that a child could be in the same area as the gun, including homes, vehicles, hotels, and camping sites.

What are the benefits of using a single blank first round:

• Saves innocent lives.
• It's available today.
• Works with any gun.
• Allows a warning shot to be fired off without concern of damage to surroundings.
• Easy to implement.  Very little special instruction and no modification to the weapon needed.
• Reduces a hand gun owners biggest liability-accidental shooting of self, family, or friend.
• Reduces the NRA's biggest public relations nightmare-kids being killed by their parent's hand guns.
• Enhances the hand gun ownership experience by affording greater peace of mind.
• It's dirt cheap.

This is such a simple idea.  Lately, I've been scheming ways to make a buck on the concept.  I envisioned a business dedicated to selling single blank bullets.  I envisioned the design or modification of hand guns which would require a unique blank round prior to the safety being removed.  My mind was whirling with ideas.  Fortunately, I came to the realization that it's best to keep the concept as simple as possible.

Instead, I encourage the NRA to create a program to distribute blank rounds cheaply, or even for free.  I imagine any number of organizations (insurance, gun marketing organizations, state & local gov't, police departments, private individuals) would see the benefit of sponsoring such a program.

Furthermore, I encourage our leaders to consider legislation which furthers this simple idea.  But as they do consider legislation, I ask that they please consider a "carrot" to positively promote the use of blanks, such as reduced liability to hand gun owners who have a single blank round in place if an accident does occur.

Mike "Blankman" Kimbro

Go to:     Kimbro Home Page             Bill Bradley for President             NRA Home Page     

Check these links out to find sources for blank ammo:

     Joe Swanson's Blank Ammunition      

     Nartron  

     IAR, Inc.:  12 gauge blanks