Gun Store Owners Left with Unanswered Questions
By: Ashley Zilka
Updated: January 17, 2013
There's a lot of confusion at local gun shops. Owners are scrambling to figure out how to comply with New York's new gun law. Many of the products they sell will soon be illegal.
It's been a crazy week for gun shop owner Fred Calcagno who owns American Sportsman in East Rochester.
"No one has told us what we can and cannot sell," said Calcagno.
The state's new gun control law has left him, and his customers, with many unanswered questions.
"We have no clue," said Calcagno.
The law limits the amount of bullets allowed in a magazine to seven. One issue already arising...no such magazines exist. The smallest made right now is for 10 bullets.
"Right now, people with 10-round magazines that were previously legal would be allowed to use those magazines until that manufacturer makes 7-round magazines, but they can only put seven shots in a 10-round magazine, so if they miscount, they are in violation and it's a misdemeanor," said Calcagno.
"Ridiculous. It's the second amendment. You should own what you want to own, whether it's an assault rifle, or hand gun or a shotgun, the number of bullets in a gun shouldn't make a difference," said Craig Becker, a gun owner.
Gun owners believe they are being punished for the actions of criminals.
"Anytime you do something that only impacts the honest citizens, you make the criminals job easier and you make the citizens self-defense tougher. That's exactly what this law does," said Calcagno.
The law also bans certain semi-automatic rifles. Calcagno still has them on his store shelves. He's still not sure what he's supposed to do with them, and some customers wrongly believe that their guns are illegal.
"A lot of older people have come in saying, we don't want these in the house. Apparently, New York doesn't want us to have guns and I think they might be illegal and they are not, but many people who currently have protection are losing it because of the scare for New York State," said Calcagno.
Calcagno says this move was nothing more than a political gain that will hurt the wrong people.
It's been a crazy week for gun shop owner Fred Calcagno who owns American Sportsman in East Rochester.
"No one has told us what we can and cannot sell," said Calcagno.
The state's new gun control law has left him, and his customers, with many unanswered questions.
"We have no clue," said Calcagno.
The law limits the amount of bullets allowed in a magazine to seven. One issue already arising...no such magazines exist. The smallest made right now is for 10 bullets.
"Right now, people with 10-round magazines that were previously legal would be allowed to use those magazines until that manufacturer makes 7-round magazines, but they can only put seven shots in a 10-round magazine, so if they miscount, they are in violation and it's a misdemeanor," said Calcagno.
"Ridiculous. It's the second amendment. You should own what you want to own, whether it's an assault rifle, or hand gun or a shotgun, the number of bullets in a gun shouldn't make a difference," said Craig Becker, a gun owner.
Gun owners believe they are being punished for the actions of criminals.
"Anytime you do something that only impacts the honest citizens, you make the criminals job easier and you make the citizens self-defense tougher. That's exactly what this law does," said Calcagno.
The law also bans certain semi-automatic rifles. Calcagno still has them on his store shelves. He's still not sure what he's supposed to do with them, and some customers wrongly believe that their guns are illegal.
"A lot of older people have come in saying, we don't want these in the house. Apparently, New York doesn't want us to have guns and I think they might be illegal and they are not, but many people who currently have protection are losing it because of the scare for New York State," said Calcagno.
Calcagno says this move was nothing more than a political gain that will hurt the wrong people.
