Handle Pistol at Gun Shop

sircodealot

New member
Hello everyone. I'm a new poster on this forum from Saratoga county. I've had trouble answering this question for myself doing research, so I figure I'd ask here.

I am currently in the process of obtaining my pistol license in Saratoga county. I am basically waiting for background checks to complete at this point; my paperwork is handed in, my fingerprints have been taken, and I have completed the required safety course.

I walked into a local gun store this afternoon to shop. I have already purchased a handgun that I entered on my initial paperwork, but I am looking for another that I can add shortly after I finally get the license in the mail. I found one I liked, and asked the employee of the shop if I could take a look at one of the guns in the case. He informed me that he could let me look at it out of the case, but I could not handle it, and that it is a misdemeanor in NY state for me to handle the firearm. He also said that if I brought in proof that my pistol permit application had been submitted, that I could then handle it in the store.

I have done a lot of research trying to find information on this to no avail. The other gun store I visited let me handle the pistols I was interested in purchasing for my permit without question. I understand that in NY you must be licensed to possess a particular firearm, but does that truly apply to pre-purchase handling? If that is the case, how am I supposed to tell if the gun I was interested in is something I would buy if I cannot handle it? I also don't see the correlation between me having a permit (or proof that I submitted an application to get a permit) and being able to handle the pistols in the case, as I am *still* not licensed to possess that particular firearm.

I am beginning to think the employee was just jerking me around (this place has a reputation for poor customer service unless you are in the armed forces or an LEO). If anyone cares to shed some light on this, it'd be much appreciated.
 
That's pretty hardcore.

The last firearm I decided to buy they not only let me handle it, they let me do a detail teardown and clean it. I lubed it up well as I was putting it in layaway.

Now, I'm from Michigan and we do things differently, but I can't imagine that kind of restriction. :mad:
 
That's pretty much the norm down here in Ulster County. No permit, no handling the guns. They will not sell you ammo or anything. If you have a permit, some stores will not sell you ammo if a particular caliber is not listed on your permit. There was a great deal on 40 S&W at the local walmart, and the employee refused to sell as I had not yet purchased the firearm, so it was not listed on my permit.

He then proceeded to tell me that we should need notarized forms to buy ammo swearing we would not give the ammo to anybody else. I informed him he was extremely uninformed and gave him by business card. Hopefully I can make a convert out of him yet! :hang3:
 
That's pretty much the norm down here in Ulster County. No permit, no handling the guns. They will not sell you ammo or anything. If you have a permit, some stores will not sell you ammo if a particular caliber is not listed on your permit. There was a great deal on 40 S&W at the local walmart, and the employee refused to sell as I had not yet purchased the firearm, so it was not listed on my permit.

He then proceeded to tell me that we should need notarized forms to buy ammo swearing we would not give the ammo to anybody else. I informed him he was extremely uninformed and gave him by business card. Hopefully I can make a convert out of him yet! :hang3:

I thought things were bad here in PRHI. They tried passing a law that would restrict ammo sales, but it didn't get very far.



gf
 
Okay, so we've established that there are similar rules in other counties. Now, does anyone know if this is really a misdemeanor in NY state? That's the part that made me angry. It's fine if you don't want me to handle the gun because I don't yet have my license, but don't lie to me and tell me it's against the law. I'd have rather him tell me it's company policy.
 
When I see a post like this it makes me wonder what country we are in?! I have to pinch myself to see if I'm dreaming. This is the USA, right? The fact that you have to have a permit from the government to even own a gun is amazing to me. I guess to the shop owner you're not a legitimate customer until he sees that nanny state permission slip. So he figures why should he let you deposit your oils and salts on the firearm? Why don't you vote with your feet and move to a more liberal jurisdiction? I'd suggest Texas as your best bet but PA isn't as far and it is still better than that. And in case anyone thinks I mis-spoke, I meant "more liberal". What we call Liberals are not liberals at all - but fascists - it's just not fashionable to wear the arm band any more.
 
Okay, so we've established that there are similar rules in other counties. Now, does anyone know if this is really a misdemeanor in NY state? That's the part that made me angry. It's fine if you don't want me to handle the gun because I don't yet have my license, but don't lie to me and tell me it's against the law. I'd have rather him tell me it's company policy.

If you do not have your permit yet then technically they could be held liable and lose their license for selling firearms for allowing you to handle one of their guns. You on the other-hand can go to jail for handling a firearm in NYS without a permit. I dont know of any Show Me Your Papers Loophole on this law though. I have only seen places like Gander MTN go out of their way to not allow you to handle a pistol if you tell them that you are in the process of getting your permit. I say F*CK GM anyway, so take your business elsewhere.
 
Hello everyone. I'm a new poster on this forum from Saratoga county. I've had trouble answering this question for myself doing research, so I figure I'd ask here.

I am currently in the process of obtaining my pistol license in Saratoga county. I am basically waiting for background checks to complete at this point; my paperwork is handed in, my fingerprints have been taken, and I have completed the required safety course.

I walked into a local gun store this afternoon to shop. I have already purchased a handgun that I entered on my initial paperwork, but I am looking for another that I can add shortly after I finally get the license in the mail. I found one I liked, and asked the employee of the shop if I could take a look at one of the guns in the case. He informed me that he could let me look at it out of the case, but I could not handle it, and that it is a misdemeanor in NY state for me to handle the firearm. He also said that if I brought in proof that my pistol permit application had been submitted, that I could then handle it in the store.

I have done a lot of research trying to find information on this to no avail. The other gun store I visited let me handle the pistols I was interested in purchasing for my permit without question. I understand that in NY you must be licensed to possess a particular firearm, but does that truly apply to pre-purchase handling? If that is the case, how am I supposed to tell if the gun I was interested in is something I would buy if I cannot handle it? I also don't see the correlation between me having a permit (or proof that I submitted an application to get a permit) and being able to handle the pistols in the case, as I am *still* not licensed to possess that particular firearm.

I am beginning to think the employee was just jerking me around (this place has a reputation for poor customer service unless you are in the armed forces or an LEO). If anyone cares to shed some light on this, it'd be much appreciated.

I am from Saratoga and have had my permit for more than 2 yrs. now. I've been to most of the gun shops in the Capital Region and looked at/handled guns i've been interested in. I've never had that happen. I remember from the training class that it was technically illegal to handle (shoot/carry) another persons gun
that isn't on your permit. Regardless i've never had a sales person at a gunshop pull that on me yet, and i'm a fairly young guy, and look younger than i actually am so i'd figure i might run into something like this. I'm curious to know what shop it was if you wouldnt mind pm'ing me. I've purchased 7 different handguns from different shops in the area from the small to the big stores. Sounds like the sales guy was jerkin you around.
 
Just one of MANY reasons I moved from NY to Florida..
Flights to Florida are pretty cheap from NY and they will let you handle any gun you want down here..
Maybe you can drive down to PA?? Based on the earlier post, maybe that is a good option for you..
 
That's pretty much the norm down here in Ulster County. No permit, no handling the guns. They will not sell you ammo or anything. If you have a permit, some stores will not sell you ammo if a particular caliber is not listed on your permit. There was a great deal on 40 S&W at the local walmart, and the employee refused to sell as I had not yet purchased the firearm, so it was not listed on my permit.

He then proceeded to tell me that we should need notarized forms to buy ammo swearing we would not give the ammo to anybody else. I informed him he was extremely uninformed and gave him by business card. Hopefully I can make a convert out of him yet! :hang3:
The ammo thing is BS...they are trying to keep the ammo out of the wrong hands and are just infringing on your rights...there is no law in NYS (IANAL) that says you need to have a gun for any ammo you buy...18 years old and the money should be all you need.....Happened to me in Newburgh...I straightened THAT manager out right away.....22 ammo...handgun/long gun? 9mm..handgun or long gun? 45LC ....see where I'm going with this?
 
Feel sorry for you poor blastards up there. Why in the world anyone would want to live in such a place in a mystery to me.
Probably the dealers are just terrified because the law prohibits you from possessing a firearm. I think that is really overboard, checking it out prior to buying really isn't "possessing" it in my opinion.

This is a good case of interpreting the law too literally rather than understanding the spirit of the law, which is to prevent anyone from ACTUALLY possessing a firearm, not handling a firearm.
 
All Gander Mountain stores in NY State do the same thing. They will not let you touch a pistol without showing them a permit first. They won't even take one out of the glass case if you can't show them a permit. This is a store policy and is NOT law. Also, I have a 44 magnum lever action RIFLE. Gander Mountain will not sell me ammunition in this caliber unless I show them a valid NY Pistol permit.

I went to a full service Gun Store and they let me handle all the pistols I wanted. There is no law in NY that says I can't touch a pistol in a store. The pistol ammo thing is gaining some steam in NY. It's getting harder to get 44 mag ammo for my lever action rifle these days. Even WallyMart asks if you have a permit then if you plan on using it for a rifle or a handgun. I've experienced this in both Niagara and Erie county.
 
If they won't let you handle a gun you are interested in, go bring your business somewhere...it is that easy, you know...
 
I will be putting my app into the sheriifs office in the next week or two. I will taking the pistol safety course. once i have that i am going to have to go into Connecticut to look at different guns. I will be able to rent them and try them with my safety class certificate.
 
Fyi

I will be putting my app into the sheriifs office in the next week or two. I will taking the pistol safety course. once i have that i am going to have to go into Connecticut to look at different guns. I will be able to rent them and try them with my safety class certificate.

If you are near Norwalk, CT. Check out Forest & Fields. They actually rent Wilson Combats and Nighthawk Customs!!
 
Do they rent all the different brands there? That sounds closer than any of the other places i was seeing on the net. i will check them out.
 
Pretty much like that in Jefferson county
Pretty much like what?!?
In Jefferson county I have handled multiple pistols without providing proof of a permit while in a gun store(also in St Lawrence County). I have also purchased ammo without showing a permit in several stores in Watertown. Not sure what you meant by "pretty much like that".
 
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