County aims for gun registry

Syracuse Post-Standard ^ | 6 September 2003 | Tasha Flournoy

[45Auto]

Oswego County will run a gun amnesty program this month that allows residents to register unregistered pistols without penalty.

The County Clerk's Office, sheriff's department, and office of County Judge James McCarthy started the program to reach out to people who don't know how to register their weapons.

McCarthy, who serves as the permit licensing officer, said the group was concerned about families who inherit wartime souvenirs brought home by veterans that were never registered.

"If you've got guns out there that aren't registered, it's better to have them on a permit than unregistered," McCarthy said.

The county developed the program during the summer and figured September was a good time to conduct it.

"People are getting involved in their kids going back to school and might be looking around and digging through items," said McCarthy. "It's a more appropriate time because people are getting things organized."

Residents should bring their unregistered guns to the Public Safety Center in Oswego, where the sheriff's department will perform a records search to ensure the gun is not wanted in a crime. If it isn't, a permit will be issued. If it is, the gun will be confiscated.

About 12,000 county residents are pistol permit holders, said Loren Preston, pistol permit officer in the county's clerk's office.

Each county has individual permit regulations. But if residents have a weapon registered in another county and move to Oswego County, they can call to have their records transferred,

Preston said. He said people are afraid to ask about their guns because they're afraid the county will take them away.

As long as residents have a valid and current pistol permit, they're fine, Preston said, unless the sheriff's department discovers the gun has been stolen.

Keeping an unregistered handgun can have consequences. Police who find such weapons can charge the gun owner with criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor or felony charge, depending on the severity of the case. Possession of a stolen handgun can lead to even more serious charges.

"We have people come in all the time and ask, 'How can I make this gun legal? What do I do with it?' " Preston said. "This opens the door for them to bring them in."

[45Auto]

All gun laws are unconstitutional. Welcome to the Police State.

[Sloth]

As long as residents have a valid and current pistol permit, they're fine, Preston said

Herr Preston added, "As long as that Star of David is sewn on your clothes, you're fine, nothing to worry about."

[szweig]

Simply ignore any "regs" like these that want you to register any weapons. If you let 'em know where they arethen sooner or later you'll have a knock on the door...SSZ

[Sender]

We just want to know where they all are. For your safety. Yeah, right.

[drypowder]

"People are getting involved in their kids going back to school and might be looking around and digging through items," said McCarthy. "It's a more appropriate time because people are getting things organized."

It's so unfortunate that this sucker is for real! Makes it sounds innocent and peoples will submits. Dumb enough to comply with this @%$@ you shouldn't have a gun, you'd be too dangerous.

[onedoug]

...that allows residents to register for their Bill Of Rights permits without penalty.

[pabianice]

A friend's great-aunt has her father's 1898 bolt action rifle issued to him in the Spanish American War. I doubt if it is registered. I also doubt if there is either any ammuntion available for it, or if she could figure-out how to load it if her life depended upon it. Just the sort of "public menace" Liberals wet their pants over while crime runs amok. Liberals really ARE destructive morons.

[MineralMan]

"A friend's great-aunt has her father's 1898 bolt action rifle issued to him in the Spanish American War. I doubt if it is registered. I also doubt if there is either any ammuntion available for it, or if she could figure-out how to load it if her life depended upon it. Just the sort of "public menace" Liberals wet their pants over while crime runs amok. Liberals really ARE destructive morons."

Very likely, it is a .30-40 Krag-Jorgensen, standard Army issue for the Spanish-American War, and modern ammunition is readily available for it. However, the rifle no doubt needs a serious cleaning before it is operational.

[Joe Brower]

[MineralMan]

Re: .30-40 Krag-Jorgenson. FYI, you might expect to get between $500 and $1200 for the rifle, depending on condition. Just informational.

[pabianice]

Looks like it...

[Richard-SIA]

The better response would be for the states gun owners to get the registry law repealed ASAP!

[Richard-SIA]

The better response would be for the states gun owners to get the registry law repealed ASAP!

[MineralMan]

"Looks like it..."

Pretty much a certainty. Take a good look at it, and see what sort of condition it's in. It's worth taking to a gunsmith and having it checked, then cleaned and put back into operating condition if possible. It's a shame to let an old military rifle die of neglect, and keeping it maintained honors your grandfather and his service. If ever needed, you can easily sell it. Not many are on the market at any one time, and it's a desirable item, since it was a standard-issue weapon in the US Army.

Just a suggestion.

[Eastbound]

"The County Clerk's Office, sheriff's department, and office of County Judge James McCarthy started the program to reach out to people who don't know how to register their weapons."

Luv those gummint 'outreach' pogroms . . . programs, don't you?

[jdege]

"If you've got guns out there that aren't registered, it's better to have them on a permit than unregistered," McCarthy said.

Nonsense.

If you're worried about being legal, store them out of state.

[RogueIsland]

As long as residents have a valid and current pistol permit, they're fine

So for long as Ye Peasant possetheth a valid Decree from His Lordship, Ye shall suffer no penalty under His Lordship's benign and just hand...

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

So for long as Ye Peasant possetheth a valid Decree from His Lordship, Ye shall suffer no penalty under His Lordship's benign and just hand ...

Very true.

"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." -- George Washington

"For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security." -- Thomas Jefferson

[supercat]

Not many are on the market at any one time, and it's a desirable item, since it was a standard-issue weapon in the US Army.

And IIRC there are no federal restrictions or paperwork required for any type of sale of pre-1899 firearms, correct?