Remember when I said I wanted a Rhino? Not any more. Not only are the initial reports of reliability far from promising, but Chiappa has decided to go the RFID route during the manufacturing of their firearms.
Let me say something first about RFID – I don’t have a general problem with it for inventory control. Not having to open and close boxes and to be able to inventory and entire pallet of goods just by walking around it is a technological time and money saver that cannot be discounted. Those price savings can be passed onto the consumer in the way of cheaper goods, and for that the technology is fine.
From Chiappa’s information, it is a single chip, embedded in the grip with a dab of glue, easily removable with a screwdriver. Had their local distributor, MKS, put out a release saying “This is for inventory control and look, it’s super easy to remove”, it wouldn’t have been that big of a deal. Instead, they mock people’s legitimate concerns by saying they should wrap both the revolver and their heads in aluminum foil.
The amount of fail in that PR is generally not seen in anything smaller than the federal government trying to justify the debt ceiling.
Now, they lie when they claim the RFID cannot be read from more than 3”. People have proven that they can set up a scanner in their car or briefcase, walk down the street, and pick up credit card and passport numbers. This is a legitimate concern to gun owners in the US and MKS is flippant about it as if there’s some sort of conspiracy theory floating around. You know, those crazy theories like the US government would actually try to flood guns into Mexico to cause a crises so they could enact tougher gun laws. Crazy!
While I cannot fault any manufacture from using technology that streamlines their processes and keeps prices down, when it comes to firearms, RFID is a touchy subject. Those who’d love to keep the populace disarmed would love to force manufacturers to use RFID so that they could detect a carried pistol from a distance, thus making the exercise of a human right more fraught with peril. Criminals, of course, would not use such technology and would walk around, undetected and undeterred.
If any US manufacturer decides to use RFID for inventory control (I’m betting Kahr is wishing they had something like that right about now), it would be in their best interest to inform their consumers that there is an RFID chip on the firearm and include instructions on its removal. Making fun of their customers will result in a loss of sales, as MKS hopefully will discover shortly as the gun blogs start running with this.
I will refuse, even if it ever becomes against the law to do so, to have a firearm that can be ‘read’ from a distance using any technology like RFID. I understand the manufactures’ needs to control costs, but I’m probably one of millions who don’t mind the extra $5 per firearm it costs to do inventory in a different fashion.
What are your views on this?
Removable RFID for more efficient inventory check is ok, but mocking worried consumer is not.
I don't have a problem with RFID tags as inventory control through the dealer--but they must be disclosed and easily removable by the consumer.
For what it's worth, the press release wasn't sent by Chiappa or MKS, but rather by the PR company employed by MKS. The chain goes like this: Chiappa makes the guns in Italy, MKS imports the guns, and Shults Media Relations sends out the pressers.