Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

This report is the final product of the Committee on User-Authorized Handguns, a group of experts on diverse subjects under the auspices of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The committee’s charge included examining the state of the art of technologies that might be used in the design of a reliable user-authorized handgun (UAHG) and estimating the costs and time required to achieve that goal. The project builds on a 2002 NAE workshop that touched on technical and non-technical issues associated with the development of a UAHG.

In order to make the task more manageable, the committee focused its analysis on two groups of users: those in law enforcement and those who store and intend to use their firearms at home. The choice to frame the problem in this way was motivated by the committee’s consideration of design constraints. In the law enforcement case, the firearm may have to operate in a variety of adverse conditions (e.g., involving cold temperature, water, mud, blood), which raises the bar significantly in terms of engineering challenges. In the case of homeowners, the requirements, while still imposing, are less difficult since such firearms would be used in relatively “clean” and uniform environmental conditions. There are, of course, many other categories of handgun user—for example, target shooters and individuals who possess a concealed-carry permit. In most of these cases, the technical requirements will align with those for law enforcement.

The committee hopes its report will inform ongoing discussions about the feasibility of developing handguns that may be less likely than standard-design firearms to be misused. Neither the report nor the committee takes a position regarding the desirability of producing a reliable UAHG.

Lance Davis, chair

Committee on User-Authorized Handguns

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Academy of Engineering. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the findings nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Dale F. Stein, Michigan Technological University (emeritus). Appointed by the NAE president, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

In addition to the reviewers, the committee wishes to extend special thanks to the following individuals who provided particularly helpful input to the committee: Kevin Foley, Smith & Wesson; Donald Sebastian, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Ed Schmitter, FN Manufacturing Inc.; Christopher Miles, National Institute of Justice; Bert Moore, Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility; Larry Keane, National Shooting Sports Foundation; and Mark Behrens, Esq., Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P.