Is it really possible to own a rifle within the confines of NYC?
Brief background - I'm a gun aficionado(it sounds better than the concise "gun nut") who grew up in this beautiful yet disgusting city. Gun ownership has been verboten here, so I wanted to get as far away as possible.
Well, as luck has it, April comes and the best school I get accepted to...is Columbia!(I applied purely for financial and admissions considerations - I had some pull at this place)
So I'm stuck here for four years - good school, good education, horrible gun laws. Cripes!
Anyway, I've been going over the gun control provisions of the NYC administrative code - putting this law library to good use.
Online, it's summarized [url=http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws.asp?FormMode=Detail&ID=56]here[/url]
and part is available
[url=http://www.nysrpa.org/nyc-admincode.pdf]here[/url]
Now, it's common knowledge that it's impossible to get a carry license unless you have good connections or somebody is stalking you and sending you piles of death threats(and even then I suspect it's a crapshoot).
This is because the applicant must show "proper cause" for the issuance of the license.
Fine, I'm not even 21, and I hope to move out close to my 21st birthday, so I don't really give a hoot about the handgun provisions.
But the rifle permit does not require such "probable cause"!!!
Section 10-303
a. No person shall be denied a permit to purchase and possess a rifle or shotgun unless the applicant:
(1) under the age of eighteen; or
(2) is not of good moral character; or
(3) has not been convicted anywhere of a felony or of a serious effense; or
(4) has not stated whether he or she has ever suffered any mental illness or been confined to any hospital or institution, public or private, for mental illness; or
(5) is not now free from any mental disorders, defects or diseases that would impair the ability; or
(6) Unless good cause exists for the denial of the permit.
View Quote
#6 has me worried.
This is really the part I question. Is this clause abused by the PD to deny any and all requests, or is it really possible to own a rifle?
I know there's a few NYPD on this board. Waverunner, can you guys help me out here?
Thanks in advance, it's really appreciated.