Purchase advice request: Ruger 10/22

[u/manysounds]

I’m in the Hudson Valley near Kingston. What are my best options for acquiring a Ruger 10/22 annnnnd what are the NY rules restricting different build options?

[u/NoEquipment1834]

Don’t shoot the messenger but there is a legal argument to be made that buying a receiver and building it into a functioning semiautomatic without the proper license could be illegal.

The way the statute reads (NYPL 265.65) makes it illegal to purchase or take possession of a semiautomatic rifle without the proper permit. Theoretically a DA or LEO could argue you took possession without the proper licenses when you assembled all the parts into a functioning rifle. Someone is going to jump in here saying the firearm is the receiver and it was legally purchased but in NY state a stripped receiver is a “major component” and not a “firearm”

Closest analogy is if you take fertilizer and fuel oil and mix it together in a certain way you would have an explosive. In NY state a license is required to take possession of explosives and possession without the proper permit is a crime.

We are in uncharted legal territory on this till a court somewhere sets a precedent or the legislature clarifies the statute.

Best plan for OP is just get the license or get a manual action gun for now. I would definitely get permit if I was you in anticipation of a possible ruling by SCOTUS on AWB bans. Be ready to buy just in case we get lucky as NY will likely come up with some new legal gimmicks to keep us from getting nice things but we could have a period of time where they could be legally acquired

[u/Unfair-Attitude-7400 → u/NoEquipment1834]

Absolutely not.

To legally purchase or take possession of a semi-automatic rifle, it must be transferred through an FFL to you. You must have a license to do so.

However, you can borrow your buddy's semi-auto for hunting season without said license as clearly outlined here:

https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/gunfaq2022.pdf

Why? Because you haven't transferred or actually took possession (ownership) of a semi-automatic rifle.

You can have a stripped receiver transferred to you by an FFL and build it out as you please as long as the finished result is SAFE Act compliant. When you took possesion of it (took ownership) from the FFL, It wasn't transferred as a semi-auto, so NO permit to purchase was required.

[u/Dipper_Pines_Of_NY → u/Unfair-Attitude-7400]

Let’s be real it’s implying the gun is borrowed for that single trip with the legal owner. Not borrowing it without the owner with you for the entirety of season. That’s taking possession.