how to get your pistol license in XYZupstate county, n.y.

Status
Not open for further replies.

orienteeer

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2008
Messages
105
Location
upstate ny
here's how to get your pistol license in XYZupstate county, n.y. (your experience may vary):

1. in the middle of may, drive to county clerk's office (15 min.)
2. pick up permit application & pistol safety class schedule.
3. call & make appointment to attend a pistol safety class, given about once/month @ different facilities.
4. while waiting for class date, secure 4 signatures from people living in your geographical area who will "attest to your good moral character" (in duplicate).
5. in the middle of june, attend pistol safety class at local sportsmen's club ($30 + 4 hours), & take written proficiency test (i scored 100%!).
6. have your photo taken & attach 3, 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" photos to your application ($ price: variable).
7. go to DMV for an official copy of your drivers license history (i had 1 speeding ticket in the last 10 years)($10 + 50 minutes).
8. have all this attested to & notarized by your favorite notary/banker/lawyer (12 mi. + 30 minutes, $0).
9. call local law enforcement agency to make appointment to be fingerprinted. (side note: i have never been arrested for anything, ever. nothing trivial or serious, no misdemeanors, no felonies. my record will show nothing but traffic tickets.)
10. in late june, go to police station, get fingerprinted 4 times: 1 for feds, 1 for state, 2 for local ($105.25 + 1 hr).
11. learn (to your dismay) that additionally, the local police need a 1-page form filled out by each of your 4 references testifying in greater detail to your good character, so you have to bother each of them again, not only to fill out the form, but to make sure they get their signatures on those forms notarized.:(
12. send the forms to all four of your references, hope they all get completed, notarized & sent back to the local police agency (they can NOT be sent to the applicant).
13. early september, see the cop who got your application going door-to-door in your neighborhood, interviewing your neighbors & your wife about your conduct: is he violent? is he responsible? have there been any incidents of spousal abuse or reckless behavior?:rolleyes:
14. mid-october, go back to local PD to deliver another passport photo, thumb print & sign another form.
15. another week goes by & you get letter in the mail: your application has been approved! drive to the county clerk's office, pay another $10, & the license is yours.:) the judge has seen fit to restrict it to "hunting & target only", but what the heck. i wasn't interested in carrying 24/7 anyway.
16. wonder if the gang-bangers go thru all this to get their glocks? naaaah, prob'ly not.:cuss:
 
Last edited:
license is required to buy, own, or carry a handgun. if your license is unrestricted (unlike mine), you may carry concealed.
 
its just NY period. you cant own a gun with a folding stock just imagine nazi german but in NY. thats about how tight the gun laws are. i called the range on long island and asked if i could bring my dad's handgun and go shooting they said i should slap the cuffs on you now.
 
I lived in the Syracuse area for several years. Moved there from Oklahoma, and brought my S&W mod. 19 with me. I was terrifed the whole time I lived there that the Gun Nazi's would come and haul me away in the night, never to be seen again.

We even lived in the country, and could shoot in the backyard, yet I fired my .357 in fear of the JBT's. AND I was forced to wear a motorcycle helmet!

I was never so glad to move out of a state in my life. It's a shame, it's a really pretty and interesting place. Sure a lot of bizarre people though.
 
In Mass, you can't even buy reloading supplies unless you have an FFL license AND a concealed weapon license.:eek:
 
In NYS its hit or miss depending upon what county you reside in. I'm in niagara county...I recieved a full unrestricted pistol permit in 58 days from application. My wife got hers in a little over 2 months. I have friends that live in erie county...they have restricted (hunting/target shooting only) that took 12-15 months to get!
 
After I had mine for a year I wrote to the judge and asked that the hunting and target restrictions be removed. He had me come to court and questioned me for about 5 minutes. He sent me an unrestricted permit a few days later. It all depends on where you are and who your judge is.

The positive aspect in NY state is that concealed carry is not on anyone's radar, so few places are posted. At least not in my area.
 
WNYCOLLECTOR - you are right on when you wrote:

In NYS its hit or miss depending upon what county you reside in.

JOESHMOE - where are you located?
 
I have found the that the number of hoops you must jump through in order to get you permit increases exponentially with your proximity to NYC:( Most of rural NYS (finger lakes and adirondacks) is very 2nd ammend friendly!
 
Don't forget that without a NYS pistol permit, you can't even hold a handgun legally in New York. If you go to your local gunshop to plan your first purchase, you can look but can't touch.
 
Now the positive

In NYS there are very few restrictions when you do get an unrestricted permit.You can carry anywhere but Federal and County govt and obviously schools. My permit took just over 6 mnths. The process is indeed long. NYC well thats another story.
 
Don't forget that without a NYS pistol permit, you can't even hold a handgun legally in New York. If you go to your local gunshop to plan your first purchase, you can look but can't touch.

Oh man, that used to pizz me off sooooo much.......
 
In Texas we just have to fill out a form. They do an instant background check and 15 minutes later, they're done. You pay for the gun and go home. No license to own a handgun is needed. Of course, carrying one requires a license, but that's not too bad because Texas is a shall-issue state. Sounds like NY spilled some latte on that part of the Bill of Rights. One would think that one of the original colonies would have some perspective about why the Framers included the Second Amendment.

BTW, if you don't mind the heat, Texas is a great place to live, and we don't have an income tax.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top