Final answer:
Micro-stamping requires firearms to have the ability to imprint unique codes onto cartridge cases, which could help law enforcement in investigations. It does not necessitate a database of gun owners or the codes of their personal guns, which makes option 4, 'None of the above,' the correct answer to the student's question.
Step-by-step explanation:
Micro-stamping is a technology used in ballistics identification by law enforcement. It requires specific features to be present on firearms so that they can imprint a microscopic code onto the cartridge cases they fire. To facilitate the use of micro-stamping does not require a database of gun owners or the codes their personal guns would stamp on cartridge cases. Instead, it involves marking the gun's firing pin or other internal components with a unique code that would transfer to the cartridge upon firing. This unique code is intended to help police trace the firearms used in crimes back to the last registered owner, without necessarily maintaining a list of personal codes belonging to individual gun owners. The code mentioned in the reference relates to the regulation of licensed handguns and the safe storage requirements for lawful firearm owners. These regulations also assist law enforcement but are separate from the micro-stamping process.