Contact who now?

Ale GOlem

New member
I'm currently waiting to hand in my paperwork to get a Saratoga county hananddgun permit in NY. In the meantime, since I can't even hand it in until February 2013, I'm doing research and taking classes. I made a call to the man running the Saratoga handgun safety class, advised him that I will be attending an 8 hour long NRA pistol safety and training course in VT and inquired if I may substitute that in place of the 4 hour long NRA course in Saratoga. He advised to write a letter to the judge after taking the class to see if I may get the local course waived as the VT course is better in all possible regards. After thanking him and looking around online I can't figure out whom to write to, is there only one judge in the area or is there a few people I may contact regarding the matter.
 
Can't give you any help, sorry, because the people I knew are all either dead or retired. Wish I could help. My father and some friends set up the first of the training classes in Saratoga county when they became required, back in 78, I even helped him write some of the material for the class. He had been an NRA hunter safety instructor for decades befoe that. Sadly, he passed away in '03, and I don't recall any of the other people involved nowdays, or if they are even still with us.

I was a Saratoga county resident until 1979 (when I moved out of New York), and got my permit there in 75. I know things have changed a lot, but I'm curious, why the restriction about handing in your paperwork until 2013? What is up with that?
 
44 AMP he may not be of age until 2013 and just wants to get a start and be ready when the day comes.

As far as writing a letter to a Judge about waiving one class for another...I have no clue on which judge to contact about this, but since you are in Saratoga County, perhaps contact the clerks office there, and inquire about which Judge you need to contact, and how do to so. Please forgive me, as I wish I could more clear advice, but unfortunatly on this I am at a loss.
 
AleGoem:

I suggest you call the county pistol office (listed in phone book I'm sure) and ask them to whom you should write the letter.
 
44 AMP said:
I know things have changed a lot, but I'm curious, why the restriction about handing in your paperwork until 2013? What is up with that?
I have to be a resident of the county for a year before I can hand in the paperwork, we just moved here a couple months ago. I'm 28 and just got an urge to learn to shoot about a year ago, my girlfriend and I have lived in three separate counties since then for various school and work related reasons but have finally settled here for the next few years. Wish I'd done the paperwork in Albany when I lived there for 3 years as I've heard some horror stories about registering here.

Fishing Cabin said:
...perhaps contact the clerks office there, and inquire about which Judge you need to contact, and how do to so.
I was hoping to avoid the clerks office, they seemed confused when I called them after moving in to request the proper paperwork be sent to me. They weren't sure what paperwork I was talking about and had to put me on hold for a while while they asked someone what I meant by requesting paperwork for a handgun permit. Oh well, c'est la vie.
 
If there's a local gun rights advocacy group they might be able to suggest someone or refer you to a gun rights lawyer who might know. Often information on local gun rights advocacy groups can be found at places like bulletin boards at local ranges or gun shops.
 
Ale,

You may want to post your question on a New York specific firearms board. They may have more local resources, and local members that can help you through the process. The main one that I am aware of is www.nyfirearms.com

Forgive us for not being of more help to you.

Enjoy your day!
 
Fishing Cabin said:
Ale,

You may want to post your question on a New York specific firearms board. They may have more local resources, and local members that can help you through the process. The main one that I am aware of is www.nyfirearms.com

Forgive us for not being of more help to you.
That's a really good suggestion, I didn't even know that site existed. You've officially been super helpful. :D
 
Now that I think on it a bit....

Something else you could check on, There used to be a group called the Saratoga County council of Fish and Game Clubs. I attended a couple of meetings way back then, when my father was a member of the Snookill Fish & Game club.

This was NOT any kind of offical govt agency, but a meeting board of folks who represented the different fish&game clubs in the county.

If they are still around, getting ahold of them, or any fish&game club, shooting club, or even the boy scouts might be able to put you in touch with someone local who has been through the process and knows the people involved. Guys who still give Hunter safety classes are often well informed.

Get to know some people, and let them get to know you. New York, as you most likely now is NOT a shall issue state. Ultimately, your approval is entirely up to the judge who issues the permit.

You say you have your paperwork ready to hand in? Just curious, mind you, but what does that entail these days? When I got my permit, it included 3 character references (who I believe could not be relatives, and had to be county residents), 4 photographs, and 5 sets of fingerprints, and of course, the investigations.

This was, however, well before the computer age. And here's a tidbit for you,might make you understand how seriously somebody back there takes the permits. I moved out of NY in 79, and around 2002 or so, they sent me a letter, informing me that since I was no longer a NY resident, they wanted their permit back. And they wanted to know where the guns listed on it were.

I don't know what kind of physical permit they issue today, but back when I got mine, it was a green paper embossed with the state seal, with a portion of the embossing passing through one of the passport size (b&w) that you provided. (the rest you never saw again, in some files, somewhere). And the picture was simply stapled to the paper. You couldn't lamintate the permit, if you ever wanted to add any more pistols to it, because the gun's information was typed on the back of the form. Make, caliber, barrel length, & serial number. And the requirement was that, as long as there was space, any additional guns information had to be typed on the permit.

If you haven't already, find out a bit about your local judges. 35 years ago (the past is, however as they say, "a different country....") there was one judge who would only approve a permit for "hunting and sporting purposes". Another one would approve permits for "personal protection" and disapprove everything else.

Trust that if you are anything but squeaky clean in the legal system, it will be found out. But the system, being what it is, anything, no matter how minor or how resolved can influence the decision of the judge. After all, they don't know you personally, now do they? So if you have anything that shows a pattern of what the judge might cosider questionable judgement, be up front about it.

Something as "small" as a series of traffic fines speaks loudly in judge's ears, sometimes. Or at least, that's the way it was.....
 
I just received contact back from one of the offices I contacted, they said if I want to contact the Saratoga county judge I can write to the following.


Richard A. Kupferman
30 McMaster Street
Ballston Spa, NY 12020


Now I just have to take the class and hope that a copy of the certificate of completion with a well reasoned request will sway his opinion. I hope this is useful to others as well.

44 AMP said:
You say you have your paperwork ready to hand in? Just curious, mind you, but what does that entail these days? When I got my permit, it included 3 character references (who I believe could not be relatives, and had to be county residents), 4 photographs, and 5 sets of fingerprints, and of course, the investigations.
I need four character references, none of which may be related to myself, whom reside in Saratoga county. There's only one spot for a photograph and no instruction regarding fingerprinting, I'm assuming that will be done when I turn in the paperwork. Everything needs to be notarized and I need to include the appropriate information regarding the firearm I have purchased, this second part is a bit aggravating because if they deny me then I have a gun that I can't even pick up from the store. I can't think of a reason they would deny me but it is a bit irksome.
 
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this second part is a bit aggravating because if they deny me then I have a gun that I can't even pick up from the store.

If they deny you, the store will return your money. You cannot physically posess "your" gun until you have the permit in your hands to show the shop.

OF course, it is irksome. But it is supposed to be. No gun control law or bureaucratic regulation anywhere was ever created and enforced for the convenience of the law abiding gun owner or prospective buyer.

If at any point the process becomes too "irksome" and the applicant decides it just isn't worth it, and abandons the idea, that counts as a win for the anti-gun movement. After all, their mantra is the fewer people who have guns, the better off we all are.

They are wrong, but don't waste your time trying to tell them, they know better.

Good Luck, and let us know how it goes.
 
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