Controversy as new TrackingPoint 'smart rifle' which 'cannot miss' hits the market Smart Rifle can turn a novice shooter into an elite long-range marksman in minutes by using precision guided technology A TEXAS company has developed a "smart rifle" that barely needs to be aimed. The maker of the $22,000 gun, being shipped to stores this week, brags that "even a novice shooter can become an elite long-range marksman in minutes." But opponents claim the weapon will turn any "two-bit criminal" into a "highly trained sniper," ABC News in America reports. The company, TrackingPoint, has said its "world's first" long range Precision Guided Firearms (PGF) integrate precision hardware, digital optics, and tracking technology to deliver an unmatched shooting experience. "We're taking centuries old tech, firearms and ammunition, and introducing 21st century technology to it," TrackingPoint CEO Jason Schauble told ABC News. The TrackPoint rifle can apparently turn any novice into an expert. The rifles come equipped with what the company is calling the XactSystem, which uses a network tracking scope with digital display interface, laser tagging to "paint" a moving target, and a guided trigger that only lets the shooter fire when there is a high percentage shot. The weapon is being introduced at a time when the debate over gun control has raised tempers on both sides of the argument. Mr Schauble said safety is paramount with a password which can be set on the gun's scope software. This doesn't render the rifle useless, but it does lock any unauthorized users out of the precision technology. David Chipman, a spokesman for Mayors Against Illegal Guns which lobbies for an expansion of background checks for people buying guns, said the PGF "is not your grandfather's hunting rifle used for sport and recreation this is a weapon designed to kill with precision." The rifle will not fire until it is tracked on to a target. "This technology potentially enables any two bit criminal to operate with the skills of a highly trained sniper," Chipman said. The new gun follows controversy over 3D printable handgun designs appearing on rogue websites. Last week, blueprints for the world's first 3D printable handgun had taken refuge at file-sharing website The Pirate Bay, upsetting a US government attempt to get them off the internet. The gun is causing concern among gun control groups. Read more on the controversial new weapon at ABC America.