I don’t think it matters where you live in New York state, you still need a license/permit to own or possess a handgun. But NY city is even more restrictive.
I was trying to purchase ammo, not a gun. I checked N.Y. state law — outside of NYC, there are no laws (that I could find) requiring a pistol permit for ammo purchases.
The really weird thing is that I’ve purchased ammo in the past at this particular store location. I was never asked for any kind of ID or permit — until today.