Why won't Cheaper Than Dirt ship to New York?

[SleazyRider]

I don't get it. Their website states:

"Federal law requires firearms to be shipped to FFL Dealers. For an individual to receive a firearm from Cheaper Than Dirt! it must be shipped to an FFL Dealer in your state. You can pick up the firearm from the local FFL Dealer of your choice. Also, you will need to find an FFL Dealer that will accept the firearm and complete the required paperwork."

Fair enough. But I live in New York State---not NY City---and get rifles and handguns shipped to my local FFL for transfer to me all the time. Just not from Cheaper Than Dirt. I call them every now and then to find out why, and their answer is always "We're reviewing our policies and that may change in the future." But it never does.

Contrary to popular belief, aside from magazines being restricted to 10 rounds, purchasing and carrying a handgun in NYS is really not much different than "gun friendly" states. Wonder why they won't sell to me?

 

[InkEd]

Possible that it's some other state law than the aforementioned one?

 

[VP]

Hippies ruin it for the rest of the state.

Pretty simple.

 

[SleazyRider]

Perhaps I wasn't clear on that. Yes, I did contact them several times over the past year or so, and their answer is the same: their policy may change.

I regularly purchase from Bud's, Whittakers, Ozark, etc., who all ship to my local FFL with no fuss.

 

[parsimonious_instead]

Contrary to popular belief, aside from magazines being restricted to 10 rounds, purchasing and carrying a handgun in NYS is really not much different than "gun friendly" states. Wonder why they won't sell to me?

I live in NYS... not in the city. I have to politely disagree with you on this. As far as I know, only a mere handful of states require permission just to buy a handgun to keep at home and take to the range. In fairness to NYS, your "permit to own" is also a "permit to carry with restrictions," but the process of getting this permit seems to be more onerous than any other CCW I've heard of.

Also in fairness to our state, once you get that permit, there are very few legally prohibited places, or posted places.

However, In addition, NYS wants handgun registration, so every time we buy a handgun, we wait until the firearm is added to our permit. Some counties it's same-day, in my county it can easily be a month or more.

And this permit, despite all of the paperwork and scrutiny, is null and void in NYC. We're not just talking about a fine and confiscation, we're talking about serious criminal firearm charges. I can't think of ANY state in which a statewide permit to own/carry is magically invalidated in a particular city.

I don't like New York bashing too much, but as someone who has gone through the process, and continues to go through it every time I get an additional pistol, it IS quite a lot worse than what gun owners go through in other states.

 

[hso]

They don't want to risk dealing with NYC so they blacklist the state as a whole.

 

[SleazyRider]

I live in NYS... not in the city. I have to politely disagree with you on this. As far as I know, only a mere handful of states require permission just to buy a handgun to keep at home and take to the range. In fairness to NYS, your "permit to own" is also a "permit to carry with restrictions," but the process of getting this permit seems to be more onerous than any other CCW I've heard of.

Also in fairness to our state, once you get that permit, there are very few legally prohibited places, or posted places.

However, In addition, NYS wants handgun registration, so every time we buy a handgun, we wait until the firearm is added to our permit. Some counties it's same-day, in my county it can easily be a month or more.

And this permit, despite all of the paperwork and scrutiny, is null and void in NYC. We're not just talking about a fine and confiscation, we're talking about serious criminal firearm charges. I can't think of ANY state in which a statewide permit to own/carry is magically invalidated in a particular city.

I don't like New York bashing too much, but as someone who has gone through the process, and continues to go through it every time I get an additional pistol, it IS quite a lot worse than what gun owners go through in other states.

True enough, but insofar as the shipper is concerned, this is all taken out of the equation when it is shipped to an FFL. Now it becomes incumbent upon the buyer (me) to secure the appropriate permits, and the FFL to perform a lawful transfer. It becomes a matter of time and paperwork. The seller has gotten their money and could care less about a one or two week delay on my end to retrieve the firearm.
Needless to say, I object to doing this just as much as you do, but this is the hand we were dealt and it's unlikely to change anytime soon.

 

[SleazyRider]

They don't want to risk dealing with NYC so they blacklist the state as a whole.

You might be on to something, Hso!

 

[VP]

What type of items are restricted in NYC that aren't in the rest of the state? Or are their any?

 

[hso]

It's all about cost/benefit.

NYC has proven that it will persecute dealer. The market in NYS is not large enough to run the risk of having NYC come after them for some trumped up or real reason. Therefore, NYS won't generate enough income to offset the risk of paying legal fees to fight NYC.

That leaves you and other NYS folks out in the cold until NYC changes.

 

[Bubbles]

Sleazy there are several dealers who will be a "middleman" dealer for buyers in CA and NY where the retailers don't want to deal with the strict laws in those states. Our transer fee is $5, and most handguns ship USPS flat-rate w/ insurance and adult signature for around $25.

So you would order the gun and have it shipped to us, we would log it in and out, and ship it to your FFL. Drop me a PM if interested.

 

[SleazyRider]

That is a very interesting solution, Bubbles, and one that I've never heard of! At present, I have no particular purchase in mind; it's just that when I do shop online for a firearm, Cheaper Than Dirt comes up a lot and I thought it a shame that I can't purchase from them. Come to think of it, it's kind of a shame that good local gun shops are so few and far between here, that one has to shop almost exclusively online in the first place.

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[scaatylobo]

One major problem is that handguns sent to NYS have to be "printed" meaning that they have to fire and keep a bullet in case its used in a crime.

NO CRIME has been solved yet with that costly STUPID law.

And the State Police are slow to get guns back to dealers and none are allowed to be sent to owners UNTIL they are listed on your permit.

Other states have some restrictions and some are even worse than NYS.

But we are bad enough and some of my friends that have a HIGH security clearance from the govt - had to wait as much as a year to get their permits.

All this state has to do is start that b.s. of charging for every gun owned and pay 10 to 15 dollars for EVERY gun owned yearly,THEN it will behoove me to move out of state.

 

[jef2015]

Somewhat related; I ordered a Kershaw knife from cheaper than dirt. The order was refused because it was an assisted open knife which cheaper than dirt said is illegal in Louisiana. It's funny because I can buy the knife at Walmart, Academy, Amazon etc. I guess they can afford to err on the side of caution at the expense of additional sales...

 

[SleazyRider]

One major problem is that handguns sent to NYS have to be "printed" meaning that they have to fire and keep a bullet in case its used in a crime.

I feel your pain, sir, believe me I do. The last handgun purchase I made, however, a Buckmark Camper from Bud's, included the spent casing sealed in a little bag at no extra charge. The police accepted it via my FFL and didn't have to fire my gun. And, or course, used firearms and long guns are exempt.

Cheaper than Dirt won't even ship me a black powder rifle because of my NYS residence.

 

[smallbore]

Schumer & Bloomberg?

 

[SleazyRider]

Schumer & Bloomberg?

Hmmmm ...

 

[langenc]

I was in NYS the day after the election of Schumer from the US House to the US Senate. I didnt realize all the detail about politicians of NYS. I didnt realize Schumer was so anti-gun.

We visited a gunshop across the river from West Point, Cold Springs, perhaps. I am absolutely certain the gunshop owner and son voted for Schumer. They heaped praise on him and the gun laws of NYS?? and how effective they are.

We listened for a while and told them what we thought and left the shop.

Out two US Senators are just the same, but I dont vote for them. Fall 2012 we will have a chance to get rid of one of them. Just hoipe the (R)s offer someone, and support better than the last 6 or 8 Senate elections.

 

[ch45x7]

I've had similar problems with Amazon. There are some things they won't ship to NYS. When I contacted them as to why, they said they were not sure, but the system says to not ship so they don't.

The laws regarding firearms in NYS can be confusing depending on where it's going; and I'm not even including NYC. Different cities have different rules, and the same goes for counties. The basics are 10rd or for magazines (unless made pre 9/94), handguns need a spent shell casing in a properly sealed (documented) bag, and No assault weapons (unless they meet the what can be long and complicated list of requirements depending on your location).
On top of that, cities like Rochester and Buffalo have a whole other set of gun laws of their own.

What this all comes down to is that it's easier for a company to just put a blanket DO NOT SHIP TO NYS clause in their system than it is to keep all the rules straight. They can be held accountable if they break a law even if it was unknowingly done.

Also keep in mind that people who do not live here in NY don't really know where everything is in relation to that evil location of NYC.

 

[Panzercat]

They don't want to risk dealing with NYC so they blacklist the state as a whole.

Bingo. There are several manufactures that just won't deal with Cali on the same level. Why even bother when with such a commerce unfriendly state that is just as likely to try and make an example of you as it is to do business with you?

 

[orionengnr]

Schumer & Bloomberg?

Don't forget McCarthy.
"The shoulder thing ... that goes up".
Idiocy has run rampant in many of our major cities for years, and the elected officials from said big cities now reflects this idiocy.

Register.
Vote.
Encourage your neighbors to do likewise. There is no other answer.

 

[mortablunt]

It's the PRNY. Amazon.com even mandates that police batons sold on its website only go to FFL's who supply police officers.

 

[SleazyRider]

I've had similar problems with Amazon. There are some things they won't ship to NYS. When I contacted them as to why, they said they were not sure, but the system says to not ship so they don't.

The laws regarding firearms in NYS can be confusing depending on where it's going; and I'm not even including NYC. Different cities have different rules, and the same goes for counties. The basics are 10rd or for magazines (unless made pre 9/94), handguns need a spent shell casing in a properly sealed (documented) bag, and No assault weapons (unless they meet the what can be long and complicated list of requirements depending on your location).
On top of that, cities like Rochester and Buffalo have a whole other set of gun laws of their own.

What this all comes down to is that it's easier for a company to just put a blanket DO NOT SHIP TO NYS clause in their system than it is to keep all the rules straight. They can be held accountable if they break a law even if it was unknowingly done.

Also keep in mind that people who do not live here in NY don't really know where everything is in relation to that evil location of NYC.

I think you nailed it, Ch45x7. Your explanation makes a lot of sense to me as a New Yorker.
If it weren't for my children living here, grandchildren living here, terrific job, great recreational and cultural opportunities, and generally bucolic environs, I think I'd say adios to NY and move to Idaho.

 

[rromeo]

That's one of the reasons I don't buy from CTD. The main reason is that their prices really aren't great, so it's not such a big deal.

 

[jbrown50]

One major problem is that handguns sent to NYS have to be "printed" meaning that they have to fire and keep a bullet in case its used in a crime.

NO CRIME has been solved yet with that costly STUPID law.

And the State Police are slow to get guns back to dealers and none are allowed to be sent to owners UNTIL they are listed on your permit.

Other states have some restrictions and some are even worse than NYS.

But we are bad enough and some of my friends that have a HIGH security clearance from the govt - had to wait as much as a year to get their permits.

Maryland has that same stupid law which requires that a fired shell casing be submitted with each new handgun purchased. I have a friend who's an FFL in Maryland. He just recently built a firing pit in his backroom floor so that they can produce the shell casings themselves. Before that, they could only order from a limited number of distributors who would provide a fired shell casing with an ordered gun.