To put today’s announcement that Biofire Technologies is finally raising the curtain on the Biofire Smart Gun into context, you have to dial the Wayback Machine all the way back to 2014. That’s when we first noted the news that a bunch of Silicon Valley tech types had cut a kid named Kai Kloepfer a check for $50,000. What had young Kai done to deserve all of that cash? He managed to put a biometric sensor — a finger print reader — into a pistol.
The big brains behind the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation hailed the achievement as the dawn of a New Age of Gun Safety™. Investor Ron Conway announced that he was looking for the next “Mark Zuckerberg of guns” and thought Kai might just be the real deal.
A couple of years later, Conway and Kloepfer thought they had the bugs worked out enough that their startup company, Biofire, was, they said, just a few months from producing a live-fire prototype. Conway pronounced that the fruits of Kloepfer’s genius would not only save lives but would also save America.
That was back in 2016.
A lot has happened in the intervening years. Conway and Kloepfer have largely stayed out of the news while they apparently kept working on their design. The ballyhoo’d Armatix “smart gun” was shown to be the steaming pile of useless garbage most of us assumed it was.
Also, the state of New Jersey finally repealed its disastrous Childproof Handgun Law that mandated the sale of “smart guns” once they were commercially available. That single piece of legislation did more than anything else to stunt research and development into so-called smart gun technology.
Now, in April of 2023, Biofire has reemerged from the mists of time and hype to announce that they’ve finally come up with a design they think is ready for prime time. The Biofire Smart Gun is a 9mm pistol that they say heralds the dawn of “a new era in firearm safety driven by ambition and optimism.”
OK then.
Just to repeat — for the umpteenth time — the position of most gun owners when the topic of “smart guns” comes up is, if a company wants to produce them and there are consumers who want to buy them, more power to them.
It seems safe to say that the majority of gun owners and buyers want nothing to do with a biometrically-dependent electronic system that introduces a range of potential failure points into a mechanical devide on which lives depend. But hey, as long as no one such as, say, a bunch of ignorant, hoplophobic politicians in a benighted northeastern state mandates their sale, let the market decide.
If you believe what Biofire is now saying, the dawn of the age of the “smart gun” is now here. Here’s Biofire’s press release . . .
Today Biofire Technologies unveiled the Biofire Smart Gun, a 9mm handgun that uses fingerprint and facial recognition biometrics to ensure only authorized users can fire it. Designed for home defense, the Biofire Smart Gun enables firearm owners to defend themselves against external threats while preventing unauthorized access and misuse. The shooting experience is seamless: authorized users can simply pick the gun up and fire it. The Biofire Smart Gun is the first and only biometric firearm on the market.
“Biofire’s approach is totally novel: we’ve applied high-precision engineering principles to make a meaningful impact on preventable firearm deaths among children. No one had tried that before. As a result, Biofire is now offering the most technologically advanced consumer firearm the industry’s ever seen,” said Kai Kloepfer, CEO and Founder of Biofire. “The Biofire Smart Gun shoots like any high-quality firearm, but it also feels like you’re holding the future in your hand. This is a new era in firearm safety driven by ambition and optimism, motivated by the idea that we can in fact help save people’s lives.”
Always locked. Instantly accessible. Protect what matters most with a #BiofireSmartGun. Welcome to the future of firearm safety: https://t.co/7EvGMdDL8H#unlockBiofire #security #futuretechnology #firearmsafety #homedefense pic.twitter.com/chP5clNGUg
— Biofire (@BiofireUSA) April 13, 2023
Firearm-related accidents, homicides, and suicides are now the leading cause of death for American children, taking thousands of lives every year. According to one study, more than forty percent of American children whose parents believe their guns are secured said they could access those guns within two hours. One in eight middle and high school students in Colorado say they can access a loaded firearm within 10 minutes. Millions of children live in households with loaded, unsecured firearms.
“The Biofire Smart Gun was designed specifically for real gun owners who want a quality home defense firearm that cannot be used by children or criminals,” said Mike Corbett, Biofire advisor and former member of SEAL Team 6. “In a few years, I believe that the head of every household in America who wants a home defense firearm is going to choose this Smart Gun.”
Led by the belief that focusing on gun owners’ needs is the best way to drive innovation, Biofire conducted interviews with thousands of gun owners to inform the Biofire Smart Gun’s design. Engineers who developed the Smart Gun prioritized reliability and speed, informed by their backgrounds in military ballistics, high-precision weapon-targeting systems, and other technical defense roles.
“The Biofire Smart Gun shoots like a gun—there’s no delay. If it weren’t for the futuristic look, you wouldn’t know that it isn’t just a regular mechanical pistol,” said Ian McCollum, the firearm technical expert behind Forgotten Weapons, a YouTube channel with 2.5M subscribers. “That’s very appealing to people interested in a home defense firearm, which is a significant market segment. I’ve come away from the opportunity to fire the gun myself pretty excited and impressed by the system—so far, Biofire has done it right.”
Key Biofire Smart Gun Features
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- Biofire’s Guardian Biometric Engine integrates state-of-the-art capacitive fingerprint identification and 3D infrared facial recognition systems that independently verify a user’s identity – whichever recognizes the user first, unlocks the firearm. It works in a wide variety of conditions, including if a user is wearing gloves or a face covering. Customizable LED indicators show when the gun is armed.
- Users’ biometric data never leaves the firearm, which has no onboard WiFi, Bluetooth, or GPS.
- The firearm immediately locks when it leaves an authorized user’s hand. Integrated IR sensors in the grip keep the firearm armed while an authorized user is holding the gun, removing a need to continuously authenticate their biometrics.
- Solid state, encrypted electronic fire control technology ensures it’s impossible to modify the Biofire Smart Gun to circumvent its biometrics or to convert it into a conventional handgun. While it’s a system commonly seen on modern fighter jets and missile systems, the Smart Gun is the first handgun in the world to operate with “fire-by-wire”.
- A rechargeable, removable, high-endurance lithium-ion battery powers the firearm. The battery lasts for several months with average use and can fire continuously for several hours.
- A secure, portable Smart Dock provides an interface for the owner to add and remove trusted users via the high-resolution touch screen. The Biofire Smart Gun and Smart Dock together are a closed system that protects personal information with defense-grade data security.
- At time of launch, customers can personalize their firearm, choosing from 64 unique combinations of polymer, trigger, and magazine release colors.
- Available in right-handed and left-handed models, and with customizable grip-size options.
For owners of home defense weapons, conventional methods for securing firearms force them to choose either speed or security – unlocking a firearm or taking it out of a safe costs valuable time when seconds matter. As a result, millions of gun owners store their firearms loaded and unsecured, with nearly half citing the belief that locks prevent quick access in an emergency. Some owners opt to secure their guns in their locked cars, but as gun thefts have soared in the last several years, cars parked outside residences are now the leading source of gun thefts.
“The Biofire Smart Gun finally provides firearm owners with a highly accessible and reliable personal security device,” said Lt. General Guy C. Swan III (ret.), a member of the Biofire board. “After firing the Smart Gun with my own hands, I am convinced this is going to satisfy a significant unmet need from the consumer market at this critical time. This product will save lives while safeguarding the rights of all Americans.”
Since the infamous New Jersey smart gun mandate was repealed in 2019, Biofire has raised $30 million to develop the Biofire Smart Gun. It is the first and only venture capital-backed firearm technology company in the United States, with its 2022 Series A led by Founders Fund. Other investors in Biofire include highly respected VCs, family offices, and strategic investors including 10X Capital, Draper Associates, Liquid 2 Ventures, Cathexis Ventures, Crosstimbers Ventures, Break Trail Ventures, Grant Park Ventures, Structure Capital, Service Provider Capital, Gavin de Becker & Associates, Gaingels and Will Manidis.
The Biofire Smart Gun has been undergoing extensive durability and live-fire performance tests to optimize for manufacturing, so final specifications are subject to change. The Smart Gun will ship to customers through the same legal ATF transfer process required of all traditional firearms. Biofire will begin fulfilling customer orders in early 2024, in adherence with all applicable state and local regulations. It is now available for pre-order on smartgun.com with a refundable $149 deposit, total price of $1,499.
The best things about my gunz is they AIN’T affected by “biofire”. Or EMP.
This part sounds like BS:
“Solid state, encrypted electronic fire control technology ensures it’s impossible to modify the Biofire Smart Gun to circumvent its biometrics or to convert it into a conventional handgun.”
I’m sure you can open the gun up, rip the electronics out and engineer a mechanical bypass.
… usually found in modern jet fighters, it uses the latest Pentagon level security technology….
You mean the same Pentagon that was hacked by a 21 year old reservist who put top-secret files on a gaming site, where they went unnoticed for over a year ?
THAT Pentagon ? I think I’ll keep my old pre-WW1 tech thank you.
As an electronic engineer I can confirm, there is nothing they can do I wouldn’t be able to bypass
Maybe I would have to yank out the electronics and make a custom PCBA for it to work if it’s an electronic fire control, but that’s not hard if you just want to have it be press button go bang. Any electrical system that does one mechanical thing “encrypted” or not can be bypassed
If they really thought that was true, they’d give a sample to the Lockpicking Lawyer. They haven’t, so I assume it’s 100% BS.
There isn’t a device ever in existence that couldn’t be by-passed and defeated. I did taxes for 8 years and the number fo ways people invent to get around taxes is truly amazing. The more complex the tax code the more ways there are to defeat it. Same with any security system. The more sophisticated it is, the more ways there are to circumvent it. I will buy a biometric gun when all the cops in the Yew Ess of Aye are carrying them and the Yew Ess Armie has them on order.
Maybe this is their plan to price is out of the market
*us
Ok. When the Secret Service starts using them …and FBI…Army…then maybe
Interesting toy at this point.
Yea. Until then, whole lotta nope.
This is one thing being an early adopter of won’t pay off.
Still, kind of not cool at the same time. How long before stuff like this is “required”… like Def fluid.
“Ok. When the Secret Service starts using them …and FBI…Army…then maybe”
‘Bruen’ scores again!
Thanks to ‘Bruen’, any current or new laws requiring guns to have bio-metric locks of some sort is now a hard *no*… 🙂
Assuming we can get the Bruen decision enforced.
Lately, the Rule of Law is just simply ignored by those in power .
Not ignored just delaying and playing legal games with. Next few months we should see if they mean anything.
Bruce might turn out to be a not so a good deal in the long run.
First up every democrat controlled big city police department gets them. And make a two year mandatory first run.
And the cops are forced to turn in all of their other guns. And no personal guns allowed on duty.
They can just “work thru” any “bugs” that may come up in those first two years.
To be fair, its target market is specifically people who want a nightstand gun, rather than a daily carry or duty gun.
I don’t believe them. And you should be very cautious when a firearm’s company develops a gun, for the civilian Market. That the government has been asking for.
Don’t believe what? That’s clearly the target market for this model, even if they must be planning for the tech to grow into other uses later.
Obviously I haven’t examined one myself, but they’re at least talking the right talk WRT securing your info and keeping it off the internet. I don’t say that lightly – they clearly have experts consulting on the design.
Yep, when they are tried and tested in the field*, then it is ready for consumer use (if they so choose).
*Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Spaceforce, all other federal TLAs (FBI, ATF, etc.), all state and local police forces, etc.
After they are comfortable with the usability, durability, suitability of the above, then, AND ONLY THEN should the technology be made available to the consumer market.
If you watch Ian’s video, you’ll learn that these aren’t intended for field use or for every day carry. They are designed solely for a specific niche: People who want to be able to have a gun sitting out on their nightstand that unauthorized persons cannot simply pick up and fire. I wouldn’t choose it (or any handgun for that matter) as my primary home defense weapon, but if I had to keep that rifle locked up because of children or whatever, I would consider a system like this for protection while I open the safe.
Personally, I would rather depend upon a machete as a backup until I got the safe open. Nothing electronic to go wrong, works every time. No complicated series of levers and maneuvers to get it into action. Can be applied either in a roundhouse swing or a push. Unlike a gunm, grabbing hold of the blade is self-destructive. Reading about defense with a machete, it seems to me people have more innate fear of a bad than they do a gun. I remember one report where the perp was armed with a machete but upon the homeonwer producing his own machete, the perp fled like the roadrunner.
Should sell like hotcakes, toad flavored hotcakes. All 7 liberal Commiefornian’s who still believe in self defense will be excited to see these. Nobody with any common sense would even consider a firearm powered by a battery that might be dead, so you are then too… yeah, great idea. NOT.
Forgotten Weapons has a 20 minute video on a pre-production model. Interesting. Probably expensive as heck with an infrared camera, fingerprint sensor, two “laser” grip sensors, accelerometers, etc. Its use case sounds more realistic than other fantasies, but it’d have to be out for years with no reports of failures for me to trust it.
An answer to a problem that doesn’t exist.
Then, our super helpful government decrees that this is a necessary safety feature. Sort of like airbags and back up cameras on your vehicle.
A hard no from me.
what’s wrong with back up camera ??
They can be useful, but they are expensive to repair, and most of our customers who have them, have forgotten how to use mirrors. The farther we get from basic skills, the less likely we are to survive whenever technology fails.
Definitely, especially with it being their own from-scratch gun design as well as the circuitry. Hopefully they’re at least smart enough to get Mec-Gar to make the magazines!
Not at those prices. NFW for something that I need to make sure the batteries are good to defend my home.
Ian McCollum can kiss my Irish-American @$$… Won’t be patronising any of his “Forgotten Weapons” videos or any companies that support him.
Did you actually watch his video on it? FW is about firearms technology, not politics, though they clearly state in the beginning that with NJ laws off the books, the gun can be looked at on its own merits instead of how it will affect the political landscape. The designers are very clear that this gun was designed as a nightstand gun for people with kids, and I can respect that sentiment as one of the few worthwhile options for this kind of technology. It was not designed as a carry or duty gun, and it has no remote access for “authorities” to shut it down whenever they feel like it. At least from the video, the company seems very aware of people’s 2A concerns with this kind of technology, and they seem to have addressed the big ones. I have no interest in this gun myself, but I can understand why some people might.
^Well said.
Very well put. I have no desire for a smart gun, and have had enough delays into getting into my own smartphone with fingerprint recognition to understand and agree with the potential failure points. That all said, if this technology is perfected, it might be a great option for families with children, or places where it’s difficult to secure a firearm – say a hideaway piece in a mom and pop convenience store.
Our current laws tend to stifle any creativity in gun design, nice to see there’s still room for innovation, as long as it doesn’t become mandatory.
This super duper gun still wouldn’t be legal in Washington State now, since it’s a standard capacity model.
Night with kids? That would still be illegal in states like CA and MA. MA “safe storage” laws require that a firearm be unloaded and locked in a safe and ammo locked up in a separate safe. The police there arrested a guy for safe storage violation because he had a heart attack while cleaning his guns and he did not secure the firearms before calling 911.
As a 30yr Tucson Local Yokel… and Ian McCollum being one of the seminal “superstars” of the Golden Age of Guns ushered in by modern internet social media… notwithstanding that he 100% is a man of integrity and impeccable bona fides through years of demonstrating it… nobody is gonna throw shade on our beloved boy without some hard justification, and we’ll probably still stick up for him because, well— what the heck have YOU ever done for the 2A, ya dope….
Why crap on Ian? Exactly what is the point there? Untold hours of video exist to tell anyone with half a brain exactly where Ian stands on firearms and 2A civil rights. And his “lane” and wheelhouse isn’t even gun politics— it’s the historical evolution of the engineering and design of firearms. It would criminal if he *didn’t* talk about the Biofire, and give his honest assessment, as this pistol is, for better or worse, apparently now a landmark design in the history of modern firearms.
So, for starters, Ian is supposed to be talking about this gun… that is his job, his profession and purpose here. Even still, so he dared say something positive (read: objective) about the weapon… this idiotic knee-jerk reaction to throwing away our allies, representatives, and social “figureheads” in the online gun community simply because they dare to harbor an “unabsolute” dopey opinion about firearms, any aspect of them, is just so ludicrously stupid… it’s hard to believe it’s a real opinion, and not just some dummy trolling.
But if it is a real opinion… do us all a favor, Irish— just vote the right way, and do shut up. Like your Mama probably told you, but you were too dumb to listen: If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t bother opening your trap. And to be clear, by “nice” we mean, “constructive” and contributing to the conversation outside of just pissing on someone because they have an opinion. The Second Amendment’s the second one because there is a First one before that… and we’re supposed to use it to share worthwhile ideas and thoughts with one another, so we can make a better country for us all. Something Ian McCollum works hard at doing everyday. You could learn a thing or two from him.
If this has all been an overreaction to a known troll… well, like I said, Ian has friends everywhere, and we’re easy to rile up. Can any of us true firearms enthusiasts seriously imagine a world anymore *without Forgotten Weapons*? I think we all know that, honestly, Ian McCollum’s contributions have been truly invaluable to our our 2A firearms world… and that is a hard “No,” none of us would be better off without Ian and his hard work today.
Thanks for reading. Mort/AZ (actual)
Reminds me of the court reporter who got interested in sound recording. He marketed a tape recorder that cost taxpayers untold thousands of dollars in various jurisdictions testing a system that didn’t work despite all the glowing reports of how wonderful it was. He eventually got into voice to print computer programs. You can see how wonderful they are when you watch simulcast. How many times do you say to yourself “WTF”?
Zero interest in a gun that won’t work
I suspect it also reads the minds of the authorized users so the gun won’t fire in a suicide situation??
That 65 movie in theaters now features a biometric gun. It failed when needed.
I’m sure this will sell just a well as that gun with the watch. Or the fleet of electric Fords the company just ate a billion $ loss over.
Harsh winter makes for fun charging problems.
“…I believe that the head of every household in America who wants a home defense firearm is going to choose this Smart Gun.”
i believe that they will not.
“…10X Capital, Draper Associates, Liquid 2 Ventures, Cathexis Ventures, Crosstimbers Ventures, Break Trail Ventures, Grant Park Ventures, Structure Capital, Service Provider Capital, Gavin de Becker & Associates, Gaingels and Will Manidis.”
i believe that these investors are going to lose money. especially willy manidis.
If somebody beats your face before you reach your gun, it (the gun, not your face) may not recognize you.
And my new Microsoft computer died after getting a new update today. Electronics in guns will be an owner killer by default. Just what the government would love.
I am surprised that there won’t be a mandatory exchange program introduced by the dimocrats.
I remember the original press releases from 2014 and 2016. They were spewing poop then and the new long, repetitive, not informative, high claim no game, press release is just another steaming pile. As a medically retired California State Police Lieutenant of the ’90s who is a security tech expert now… I wouldn’t recommend this product to anyone.
That’s at the top of my list of things to squander my money on. Right behind an electric car.
I’m right there with you. If they think they have a market that will keep them in business, more power to them. I’m a retired gunsmith, I’ve built more than a few firearms from the ground up… ANYTHING requiring a battery and having enough “protection” built in so that it cannot be made to fire OR be used as a firearm WITHOUT the biometric “unlocking”, it’s just a problem waiting to happen. Overcomplicated things tend to be able to create issues that are never imagined in “laboratory” or other testing conditions.
I wish them the best, I simply have no need, want or desire to have one.
Will the sensor work if it or your hand are covered in water, mud, oil, or blood?
Needs real world testing outside the lab cleanroom.
It has a facial recognition sensor, so it will unlock with either. I think it’s going in the right direction in trying to cover all the angles of concern. But at least for me, as someone who wears glasses, if I grab this in the middle of the night after waking up without my glasses on, I wonder if it would work.
My new iPhone has very fast facial recognition, which has yet to fail in any situation. Eyeglasses or not, angular view of my face, bright or dim light – I’ve actually been pretty impressed in it’s capabilities.
My Kindle works hundreds of times flawlessly, except every once in a while it has to be rebooted for some unknown reason. That is merely an inconvenience in a Kindle. It just might prove fatal in a self-defense device. In addition, if I stick it in a drawer and go away for protracted period of time when I come back the battery is near depletion just sitting in a dark drawer with the device turned off. So you stick the wonder gun in the drawer and three years later when your front door is being kicked in you find the batteries in the wonder gun have drained sufficiently that it won’t turn on. What will you do? WHAT WILL YOU DO?
I went to the site to see what it looks like….looks to me like a Sig 320 and and a Taser X26 got drunk and had a one-night stand with this as the bastard result. Absolutely no room on the pistol for optics or a weapon light / laser. No info on site regarding magazine capacity (pretty sure it is 10 or less to qualify under the Communist States of America (CSA) mandates).
Built in laser.
I think it’s 15 rounds. Weird gun, but more interesting than people are giving it credit for in these comments I think.
Still can’t find capacity figures on their site.
Hmmm, at 15 rounds capacity they would lock themselves out of most Blue State markets…the same people “mandating” this type of “security”.
Was looking up some ammo in the Browning site and found this info…I guess it justifies the use of 9 mm in the BloMeFire.
Look carefully at the 9 mm v 10 mm figures in their comparison chart.
https://browningammo.com/Products/Ammunition/Handgun/X-Point-Defense
Designed in 1926, built in 1964, on my hip since 1008, has worked flawlessely every tme, initial cost $400. Good carry thingie another $125. Total investment about 40% what this thing costs.
Mine fits my hand perfectly and has never hesitated, let alone failed. Nor has it ever (at least not since I got it) ever hurt anyone lse.
I’d say that’s a “good gun”. Best part? Its already here.
Eh, I wouldn’t mind owning one – at a much lower price, and in addition to my real guns.
I’m not really into all their depictions of a dude leaving his gun lying around all over the house regardless of its safety features, though.
Whoops, that was supposed to be a reply to the main article, not your comment.
It was on your hip before it was made? Interesting
Electronic firing mechanism? I’m VERY VERY curious what the ATF will say about that in the long run. Seriously, I was under the impression that was a no go on a semi auto because you could “convert” it too readily.
Exactly what I was going to say. A “fire by wire” AR trigger pack would be very simple to create, but for the fact that it would likely be classified as a machine gun because it could be reprogrammed to fire FA or bursts.
But these days, BATFE is just making it all up as they go . . . .
Oh, and they got some big names to shill for it. I’ll be curious if they’re right or not.
I can’t wait to sue them into oblivion based on their marketing after the system fails.
So, lemme see . . . the idea is to take a mechanical device, which can be somewhat finicky to begin with, and add an EXTRA layer of complication, possible failure points, the risk of a dead battery, etc.? That’s a hard pass from me, kemosabe. I like my Kimber and my Ruger GP100 just fine the way they are. I was actually worried about my Kimber, because of their reputation for being very finicky about what they eat (mine isn’t; it’s stone reliable – I would estimate I’ve put well over 5K rounds (probably closer to 10K) downrange, and I’ve had a grand total of three jams/FTF/misfires). At this point, I trust it utterly. As for my GP100, I’ve never had a misfire, a jammed casing, or anything resembling that.
I never want to “need” one of my firearms, but IF I do . . . I want the damn thing to work, first time, every time. Take your idiot “inventions” and stick them where the sun don’t shine.
Likely useful for some, however I see it having a narrow window of practicality for the many. If the manufacturers contemplate profit within that narrow window, well girls, knock yourselves out.
I don’t see it happening.
The jury of public assessment has yet to determine if “everyone will want one”. IF it works as advertised through various real world trials and still retains reliability, I have to say, it’s not a bad idea…if the idea of only the owner being in control of the electronics is respected. I say that because in a sci-fi story from the 1970s, guns like these were used, however, because of the built-in electronics, the government could disable anyone’s firearm with what amounts to a mouse click. That’s the absolute last thing we need, to have my weapon disabled right before law enforcement accidently makes a mistake and raids my house in the dead of night…or worse.
They specifically mention that it is not on a network, there is no remote access. While I am dubious of it’s economic viability in today’s market, the creators seemed to be very cognizant of people’s 2A concerns with it.
There’s no remote access, but how hard would it be to come up with a jamming device that has a 100 yard signal radius? Heck, I would not be surprised if there is a built-in backdoor for exactly this purpose.
Another worthless fix for a problem that doesn’t even really exist. Statistically speaking.
This thing just makes me want to stock up on actual firearms that work. Heading on over to Bud’s now …
I’m predicting the first “Bio-FtF” linked death will bring a lawsuit big enough to sink this company. And, rightfully so.
Facial recognition and fingerprints, nice.
The last time I went to jail it took the jailer 45 minutes to get my fingerprints.
Just thought of something, if you did get this you’d have to place your finger in the right spot every time. In a panic situation that wouldn’t be so good.
The spot to touch is where your middle finger goes when you take a normal firing grip. I haven’t figured out where the IR facial recognition is, but I suspect that it is on the docking station.
It’s on the back of the gun. By the time you have it in firing position, it has scanned you and is ready to go (at least in theory/demos).
(to napresto) its not on the back of the gun, its clearly visible on the side, all that’s in the back is the ‘IR sensor’ that makes sure the gun doesn’t turn off when your grip shifts.
I’m getting my info from Ian’s video. I believe he said the camera for facial recognition was on the back. But I have no direct experience with this firearm obviously.
That assume an average finger length. No allowance for shorter or longer fingers. No backstrap adjustments for grip size. My wife has very long fingers.
Not ambidextrous either so if the husband is left handed and the wife is right handed, they must by two different gun at >$3K.
Every pistol in my house can be handled well by my wife and me. Several are full ambidextrous.
As long as it’s not mandated by law and consumers have the choice, I’m all for seeing innovation in firearms.
But what about all those 500 million plus dumb guns out there?
This is 2023. we can’t say dumb guns, it will hurt their self esteem. Say guns that identify as smart.
So what’s the on-board ammo capacity? Will it fire any 9mm ammo up to and including 147 gr HCLN +P ? Is it optics ready? What about the ergonomics? Can you drag it thru the mud and the blood and will it still function? Will the electronics hold up against Hoppes #9 ? Is it easily disassembled for cleaning? And last but not least, is the thing reasonably accurate? I expect A LOT for $1500 and change. Get back to me when you boys have it all figured out.
There is no information I see about the mechanical aspects of the gun other than the built in laser. It almost looks like it is blow back operated. Very thick on the muzzle section,very high bore axis. Between the two I’d have to assume a lot of muzzle flip unless the battery under the barrel has enough weight to keep things in check.
This is designed as a home defense gun. To address battery issues, it has a docking station that charges it at rest. To address potential fingerprint failure, it has an infrared camera backed by an infrared light and facial recognition software.
It’s not designed to be a duty weapon or an EDC weapon. It’s also not for me, not at that price. But it’s an interesting first run.
So, it is useless in any situation where one might have to fire at a criminal before one can raise the pistol to face recognition level.
Only the wealthy virtue signalling dweebs will be buying this. Then they will find out that they still have to keep it unloaded, locked inside a safe with their ammo locked in another safe to comply with their deep blue state’s “safe storage” laws.
“Users’ biometric data never leaves the firearm, which has no onboard WiFi, Bluetooth, or GPS.”
So it has to be ‘programmed – how? What stops a thief from reprogramming it? “Left or right handed?” Grab it with the wrong hand – oh shucks. One gun, one person? How ’bout the wife? “Buy two of them.”
If/when 50% of the LEO’s in the country carry such a weapon, I just might think about it. (By that time my EDC will probably be a home-made crossbow.)
Well, found one answer over at “Bearing Arms”. It can be programed for more than one person.
The gun has a stand alone docking station. Adding users requires the docking station and the owner’s biometrics to be confirmed. The gun has both right and left handed models, but is not ambi “although, I suppose the facial recognition feature might work still for a wrong handed person”.
Thanks for the info Tim. I’m not “up” on all this new stuff – I still carry a ‘flip-phone’, and ignore about 90+% of what’s on it. (82 this year)
Seems a little late for an April fool joke!
Great!! Lets put these on knives, ball bats and hammers so they cannot be used to murder too.
A neat conversation piece at the range, but not $1500 neat.
How about we let Beto O’Rourke take one and test in Democrat run hell holes?
Anybody willing to bet the lives of their kids and family on this crap?
Seeing as my phone all the time fails to unlock using those same biometrics, and has had the tech for much longer, there is no way I am going to trust my life with that.
My work iPhone’s biometric sensor only works if my fingers are completely dry. Even a small film of water on my fingers is enough for a false reading. Will the finger sensor of the gun be as sensitive?
it is still powered by a battery source. So, if there is a natural disaster and you’re power is not restored for weeks, will it be able to be charged by a power pack or solar battery recharger?
I prefer the old mechanical device that does not require power.
How are you Alan? I thought of you today.
So, do you point this at your face for recognition before loading it or afterwards.
Old Guy, this thing might be a thing and all you’re concerned with is if you can hang a light/laser/gadget on it? And how many rounds it holds? Who gives a shit? This idea needs to be buried where it was born.
It has a laser.
I was pointing out the lack of information on the Official site. My point regarding the ammunition capacity gives the stink to their BS. A 15-round capacity would remove it from consideration by many Blue states…the same people who are hollering for this technology.
I agree that this technology presents a very slippery slope to firearm ownership. Sadly, we live in times wherein Congress has abdicated their responsibilities to nameless, faceless, unelected bureaucrats and the President is legislating by E.O.
I watched the forgotten weapons segment today and it does seem viable. I wouldn’t touch it personally but there is a large contingent of folks who might. I encourage progress in guns in all forms so let the market decide and let’s see.
It’s inevitable anywho.
Remember the “new” Remington R51? Don’t be a company’s unpaid beta tester.
“Today Biofire Technologies unveiled the Biofire Smart Gun, a 9mm handgun that uses fingerprint and facial recognition biometrics to ensure only authorized users can fire it. Designed for home defense, the Biofire Smart Gun enables firearm owners to defend themselves against external threats while preventing unauthorized access and misuse.”
Yeah…no.
First. fingerprint only works if finger squarely on the sensor which is not a sure thing in that imminent moment or if you are already injured.
Second. Facial recognition doesn’t work well in low light scenarios when most home defense situations take place. Plus it also doesn’t work at all unless the gun is aligned perfectly with the head in an axis as shown in the pics in the article, so the more common imminent threat close contact use in home and other self defense is out of the question because there is simply not the time needed to let the facial recognition work or to align perfectly for the facial recognition to work..
In short, this gun will get you killed when you need it the most.
“It is now available for pre-order on smartgun.com with a refundable $149 deposit, total price of $1,499.”
$1,499.00 !
Are you kidding me?
There are literally hundreds of tried and true guns available for less than half that price … that will not get you killed (see my post above) when you need it the most.
For $1,499.00 …right now I can literally buy at least two guns, pistol or AR or shotgun, used that are in like new condition entirely suitable for self/home defense, plus if they break I can fix them my self and don’t need the added cost of shipping back through an FFL back to the factory to get the electronics fixed.
.40 cal,
For $1499, you don’t even have to buy used – there are plenty of guns, with a history of solid performance, available for $750 or below.
Forgetting the technology and reliability issues, I would expect a “top of the line” gun. This isn’t. I’m all for choice, and if anyone wants one of these, go for it. It’s a hard pass from me. I wouldn’t buy it at half that price. For that price, I could buy a Beretta 1301, or a Daniel Defense AR, or a Staccato 9mm. Paying that kind of money for some untested, overcomplicated, possibly-failure-prone POS is something an idiot would do. So, apparently, their target market is MajorLiar and dacian the demented. Neither of whom could pay the freight.
That’s true, I was thinking high end with bells and whistles and some accessories and extra mags.
Clarification for (because I didn’t say it well): “Facial recognition doesn’t work well in low light scenarios when most home defense situations take place.”
This “gun” uses a “3D infrared facial recognition system”
Basically: This means it uses an infrared light source on the back of the gun, the light from which ‘bounces’ off your face and that specific reflection is used to “recognize” you. It only functions properly if your face is aligned squarely with the back of the gun in a direct zero axis (+/- one or two degrees). This is why in the article pics you see the gun raised to face level and with looking down straight at the gun back. If you tilt the gun down or up or left or right such that the back in not in line with your face the “3D infrared facial recognition system” doesn’t “recognize” you which means the light source is lower on your face thus (what I meant) ‘low light scenarios when most home defense situations take place’ because most close quarters self/home defense scenarios take place using ‘instinctual’ shooting in which the gun is not squarely in line with your face (as in sight alignment). This is why 90% of people in self/home defense situations never even remember seeing their sights or the red dot when they fire, because they don’t as its very close quarters ‘instinctual’ shooting in which the gun is not squarely in line with their face.
Absolutely right. BTDT.
The minimum person recognition time for the ‘sensors’ is ~2 to ~3 seconds for the gun to be enabled to fire (from grip to ‘unlock’). Most self/home defense uses when the decision to fire becomes imminent (as in needed right now or else you will die or be seriously injured) is around 1 second for the average person, having to wait ~2 to ~3 seconds will get you killed and then if it doesn’t ‘unlock’ the first time due to not being squarely on the finger print sensor or lined up with the face squarely it means try again and even more time wasted.
Then there will be that time when the battery is simply dead. The battery lasts for “months” according to the hype (that’s until its dead, not until it simply does reliably power any longer). Yeah, that’s ok but… its on all the time which means its continually being depleted which means there will be a point where once its under load (when you pick the gun up and the sensors become active waiting for ‘input’) that even though not completely dead it will not be able to sustain operation of the electronics reliably with means a failure point which means the gun will ‘lock’ and maybe when you need it the most.
@.40 cal
My Samsung phone fingerprint reader crapped out a few months ago. Tried everything to get it functional…no go. I now use a different form of security on my phone. If a phone’s fingerprint sensor can die so can the one on this abomination of a “safe” firearm. Everything electronic is subject to gremlin infestation and other related failure points. Imagine your gun displaying a BSOD message.
It will remain a hard pass for me.
for the facial recognition: think that first time you used a red dot on a pistol. you maybe ‘hunted’ for the dot, you moved the gun and head around until you saw the dot. while you were doing that where was your focus? it wasn’t on the target all the time now was it. so as you practiced you built up the skills to bring the dot in line with your sight and target
you will need to do that with this gun too, except you will be aligning the rear of the gun with your face … now the clincher, no matter how much you practice you will need to do the ‘hunt’ each time watching for the green led to come on indicating its unlocked and while you are doing that guess where you are not going to be focused? you will not be focused on the threat and that extra small amount of time may cost you or a loved one death or serious injury.
so, you can’t use it in your opposing hand, and it uses a standard biometric scanner which probably won’t work well when wet, and uses an infrared sensor to stya armed, which means no cold hands…
correct. if you are injurered and need to switch hands its not going to unlock for you.
This gun is a perfect match for the new Huff & Puff gun safe.
https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2023/04/13/new-gun-safe-requires-breathalyzer-test-for-access-n69445
if you have that much of a problem you should probably not own a gun, or a car for that matter.
There’s no question that biometrics are getting better. My Pixel7 has the finger print reader IN THE SCREEN, and it works 98% of the time on the first try. My Surface Pro uses a depth of field IR camera to unlock by facial recognition and will absolutely work in the pitch dark at almost any angle, if I wait up to 5 seconds.
2% of the time, my new phone would get me dead if it were a smart gun, and that’s much worse than my PPQ, which hits it on the first time, every time.
5 seconds is a lifetime when a potentially armed intruder is in your house, if my SurfacePro were a gun, the intruder would have an even larger head start.
This is interesting to me. I think it’s cool. But there’s no way in hell or on earth I’d reach for it in the dark.
If they’re so ready, why aren’t they at the NRA membership meeting going on right now?
because they are busy kissing the asses of the anti-gun faction to get momentum behind it publicly so it will be ‘mandated so they can make $$$ for a product that will get people killed.
LOL. Your comment reminded me of the Pfizer / Moderna vaccine business model.
Well, this “feature” caught my eye
“It works in a wide variety of conditions, including if a user is wearing gloves or a face covering”
Most biometrics don’t work well when fingers are excessively dry, wet, oily… older people have finger prints that are not as pronounced and even some diverse groups around the world seem to have more issues with biometrics… can’t image how this can work if someone is wearing gloves, don’t even get me started on wearing a mask
I worked in Medical Device Mfg for 19 years and all of our machines had biometrics and NONE were completely reliable nor fast. Hey Sally, I can’t log in, can I borrow your finger so I can get Mr. Smith his vitamin…
Note the “or.” If wearing gloves, it will need to read your face. If wearing a mask, it will need to read your fingerprint. If you’re a bank robber who wears gloves and mask, you’re plumb out of luck. Tie a string to it, so that when you throw it, you can retrieve it for another “shot.” Maybe it can be programmed to read your face with the mask in place, but don’t let the mask slip, or you’re back to manual, rock throwing mode. Hmm, a thought–maybe this is the goal?
If you’re a Sci-Fi fan you’ll recognize that the entire concept of “smart” guns was originated by A.E. Van Vogt in the ‘Weapon Shops of Isher’ ( pub. 1951) which takes place in the far distant future.
Y’all notice who was shilling for this…wonderful, fabulous, amazing, state of the art…thing. Mike Corbett, Biofire advisor and former member of SEAL Team 6 and Lt. General Guy C. Swan III (ret.). Sounds like they were cut from the same cloth as Gen. Milley: We know what’s good for you, trust us, we’re experts (and you’re not).
I don’t think so.
When these things have been through 2 world wars and numerous real world conflicts and uses I’ll consider them. Not really a fan of the ballistic tupperware as it is. Still prefer to old solid designs we all know are going to work each and every time.
Well the overall consensus of the panel is a thumbs down.
“Firearm-related accidents, homicides, and suicides are now the leading cause of death for American children” – if they’re willing to lie about this, what else that they claim is false?
That their marketing materials use that propaganda study that says the #1 cause of death for children is guns (assuming you throw in the majority of inner-city gang violence by including 18 and 19 year olds as “children”), tells me they’re willing to make things worse for the overall 2A community if it better lines their pockets.
I’m open to new ideas and technology if they provide a real benefit (not sure this does), but my general skepticism will be even harder to overcome when such things come from deceitful people.
The list of investors is hardly a who’s who of pro-gun money. Ron Conway, in particular, is a very fervent antigun billionaire activist. My suspicion is that they want a foothold in the market so they can prove this “works”, then use that as leverage to make biometrics mandatory in firearms.
If it works as advertised it would make a good addition to the collection, with the other guns safely locked up you would have one available that could not be used by your attacker. Its not perfect, but someone else could not turn it on you with ease.
Rest assured that any and all “Smart Guns” will have a hardware as well as a software backdoor that will enable our absolutely trustworthy government to render them inoperable. They might even advertise it as a feature rather than a bug that will enable the police to remotely disarm violent criminals. Unfortunately; it will also be exploited by Al Gore and the other acolytes of Anthropogenic Global Warming Theology. Anyone who actually pays attention to what the high priests of AGW Theology understands that their dogmatic belief is that the global population must be reduced by about 75% to 99% by about the year 2030 to save the planet. Since their Covidvirus plague fizzled and the vaccines have not been as lethal as intended, our elites will have to take more direct action. The ability to remotely disarm “Smart Guns” will enable the self annointed elites to disarm all Americans (except the police and the exempted classes) when they begin rounding us up to be transported to the extermination camps.
wow; several hours of battery life from a tool I’m depending on to save my life.
I’d consider one, if FJB can operate it without fail.
Still a non-starter in CA, no micro stamp.
If it has an interface, or any software control, it can be hacked, doesn’t matter how secure the encryption is.
I can see “owners” leaving it unsecured as the thought would be, “Its safe” along the same lines as Tesla’s auto pilot.
Too expensive
Good luck.
Microstamping will soon be history. In the two cases challenging the Roster restrictions, the AG has not defended microstamping to the point that when it requested a stay of the trial court decision striking down LCIs and mag disconnects, it did not ask that the stay extend to the microstamping requirement.
I won’t buy this. But I won’t bash it either. They’ve attempted to fix the shortcomings of “smart” guns and I think have addressed or made progress towards mitigating most of what I’ve seen.
A docking station will keep the battery fresh for a home defense gun. Redundant recognition systems will eliminate some (not all) reliability issues. It’s not too worried about the size and weight since it’s not a carry or duty weapon which SHOULD help them use more reliable electronics.
They’re still going to have an uphill battle and like I said earlier, it’s not for me. But an interesting first start. Vastly better than any other prototype I’ve seen for the concept
Ian at Forgotten Weapons get’s hands on with it:
I can’t get these security features on my Cell phone to work! They think I would buy this POS gun They are out of their ever loving MINDS……….
Shit. Another thing Sacramento will be foisting on us Californians.
When will these companies realize this is a solution to a nonexistent problem
When Biometric guns are made mandatory for all Law Enforcement personnel (no exceptions), and especially for those assigned to guard politicians and other mouthy wealthy people, I still won’t trust one.
ok, $1400 for a smart gun OR $550 for a gun I can keep out of the hands of children and criminals by exercising some common sense?
I have worked it the tech world for 25 years and with many biometric devices. I can assure that tech does not work right all the time, that is why I have a job. Good luck trusting your own life with “tech”
Operating temperatures impact on battery?
Operating temperatures impact on performance?
Humidity?
How many charges before battery degrades?
MTBF?
+P Rated
No Red Dot option? who wants a Red Laser?
Can it be “blinded” with Infrared Flood?
Is there Firmware on board?
Does it Float or sink? Waterproof?
Fire by wire? so EMP will make it unusable? My motorcycle helmet has a rechargeable battery, I’m about to ask for my SECOND replacement since it only lasts 10 minutes on a charge now and my life does NOT rely on my being able to listen to the radio.
I’ll bet that the “facial recognition” sensor is found in the muzzle. Just look into it and squeeze the trigger. There fixed it for the leftists worry warts.
I’ll definitely buy one, as soon as it makes the C&R list. Hopefully the ATF will put it in the exempted bunch without waiting for 50 years.
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