Air gun laws in NYS?

[Celt]

Ive been checking the DEC and NYS websites along with penal law 265 and 400 and I cant seem to find the laws relating to air guns. Ive seen some information that says if it shoots a .17 or larger projectile at over 600fps then its considered a firearm, but not in the penal law.

I know that with powder fired projectiles you need to be 500ft from the road or dwelling, but I need to know if that holds true for a pellet rifle.

Id like to target shoot with my kids on my property, but I have one annoying neighbor I dont trust and Im not looking to get any visits from unwanted visitors.

 

[Blimey]

Good question. I have wondered this also.

 

[1911guy]

IIRC you don't need to be 500 ft from a roadway. But you can't shoot from or across a road.

 

[togmaster]

Check your town ordinances. They may be stricter than state law.

 

[Kirk_STNY]

Air guns are not firearms. I shoot in my back yard. But I'm not sure of the rules where I am.

 

[Saltwater60]

Agree with above not sure on the laws. I’d love to know as well.

 

[Bigfoot]

I was told by a guy that in NY the 500 ft law also applies to bb / pellet guns.
I did not believe him. I did not think that he was lying but just misinformed.

So when I got home that night I checked it out and this below is what I came up with.




"When hunting with a BB gun, you are subject to the same hunting regulations as other hunters using other firearms. You can't discharge your weapon within 500 feet of any school, playground, occupied factory or church. You also can't discharge your weapon within (( 500 feet of an occupied home, unless it is your own home. ))

New York State BB Gun Laws

"The cities of Buffalo and Rochester ban BB guns and other air guns in public places, whether loaded or unloaded. They also require BB guns and other air guns to be stored in a locked case at all times. The city of Yonkers requires a license to sell or possess a BB gun or other air gun. These licenses are issued by the city's police commissioner and are good for one year. New York City also requires a license to sell or possess a BB gun or other air gun. Generally, you must be outside the city or in a licensed gun range to shoot a BB gun."

 

[C3D]

The best rules to follow are the four rules of firearms safety and the fifth unwritten rule: “Don’t Do Dumb Sh!t”

 

[Mosinitis]

You only need 33 feet (10 meters) to practice marksmanship with kids with air guns. Pistol or rifle.

 

[Bigfoot]

During the winter months I shoot my air guns in my basement when the weather sucks to much to shoot the powder burners outside. I have a 40ft range down there. Not as much fun as the powder burners but it works out OK. I enjoy it.

Cheap ammo too... LOL

 

[Celt]

You only need 33 feet (10 meters) to practice marksmanship with kids with air guns. Pistol or rifle.

I do airsoft indoors, and could even do pellet gun in the basement.. but today was a nice day and it would have been nice to set up some water bottles with the pellet gun.

 

[Celt]

The best rules to follow are the four rules of firearms safety and the fifth unwritten rule: “Don’t Do Dumb Sh!t”

Always, but nosey neighbors that have local pd on speed dial is out of my control.

 

[Celt]

Air guns are not firearms. I shoot in my back yard. But I'm not sure of the rules where I am.

I hear that as there is no "fire" involved. But it is ny so who knows.

 

[masterswimmer]

I hear that as there is no "fire" involved. But it is ny so who knows.

No fire in wrist rockets either. Yet slingshots are legal.

Welcome to the republic of nyistan.

 

[Duke]

I would treat them like firearms.....

 

[Acer-m14]

just lit up a chipmonk with this baby on full auto off my friends pourch .. omg it was funny .. didn't hit him but man can that little bugger dance .. LOL .

 

[Bigfoot]

I think that another factor to consider is what part of NY State that someone lives in.
Somewhere down state like Westchester county a LE agency is probably less likely to let small things slide than say a rural WNY county.

Here in Genesee county I do not think that any of the sheriff's deputies would be to concerned about
shooting air guns on your own property. Maybe give a half hearted warning so they can say that they addressed the matter.

I could be wrong about that but I doubt it.

 

[Bigfoot]

This is the pellet gun that I use for starlings.
Semi auto / 16 round rotary mag.
It has a rifled barrel and is surprisingly accurate for this level of a pellet gun.

In the spring starlings wreak havoc on my house and out buildings and I have to do what I have to do.





This one here is a semi auto with a 6 round burst. This one is for blasting cans.
I have a bunch more, like I said, when the weather is crappy I have some fun shooting my bb/pellet guns down in the basement.
By the way, the red dot sight isn't on backwards... LOL ... It seems to work better like that anyway.
I got a laser for the gun just for the hell of it.



The counter top is in the mud room and it's the cats feeding station and no I'm not a slob... LOL

 

[Kirk_STNY]

I would treat them like firearms.....

Agreed, I follow the same safety precautions as with my firearms.

 

[Bigfoot]

Agreed, I follow the same safety precautions as with my firearms.

Yep I agree, like I told my friend you do not want to develop bad habits thinking "it's just a pellet gun."

 

[Bigfoot]

I don't think that a bb gun thread is complete without Ralphie ... LOL

 

[Kirk_STNY]

NY air gun laws and hunting regulations

New York Airgun Laws and Hunting Regulations • AirGunSurvival.com

 

[Saltwater60]

This is the pellet gun that I use for starlings.
Semi auto / 16 round rotary mag.
It has a rifled barrel and is surprisingly accurate for this level of a pellet gun.

In the spring starlings wreak havoc on my house and out buildings and I have to do what I have to do.

View attachment 52561



This one here is a semi auto with a 6 round burst. This one is for blasting cans.
I have a bunch more, like I said, when the weather is crappy I have some fun shooting my bb/pellet guns down in the basement.
By the way, the red dot sight isn't on backwards... LOL ... It seems to work better like that anyway.
I got a laser for the gun just for the hell of it.

View attachment 52562

The counter top is in the mud room and it's the cats feeding station and no I'm not a slob... LOL

What semi auto with 6 round burst is that. I had one and it broke. The company was a sick so I won’t buy Utramax anymore. Looking for a replacement. The dogs have a 90 gram co2 cartridge that’s outrageously priced.

 

[holdover]

Full auto, Big boys toys

 

[Kirk_STNY]

What semi auto with 6 round burst is that. I had one and it broke. The company was a sick so I won’t buy Utramax anymore. Looking for a replacement. The dogs have a 90 gram co2 cartridge that’s outrageously priced.

Mine broke too. Some time ago I found something about how to fix it. Haven't tried. I would have to find the info again if I wanted to fix it. I remember it warmed about springs flying out. And it could be a bent doohickey.

 

[ProgSpear]

just lit up a chipmonk with this baby on full auto off my friends pourch .. omg it was funny .. didn't hit him but man can that little bugger dance .. LOL .

Put some lock-title on the little bitty socket screws that hold the right hand safety lever on. They are not available as a replacement part. I found that out when I was playing the “no accuracy whatsoever but lots of fun” tune. I finally found the lever and one of the screws, so now I have a somewhat floppy safety, as 1 screw =/= 2 screws.

 

[Bigfoot]

What semi auto with 6 round burst is that. I had one and it broke. The company was a sick so I won’t buy Utramax anymore. Looking for a replacement. The dogs have a 90 gram co2 cartridge that’s outrageously priced.

It's a Umarex, Steel Force 6 Shot Burst. The reviews were not that great but I took my chances and went with it anyway.
So far so good. I have had it about 3 years now. In the 6 round burst 5 bb's stay grouped but there is usually 1 flyer.
I don't use it as much as some of the others maybe that's why it hasn't malfunctioned yet. IDK

I get a box of 40 Crosman 12 gram cartridges for around $17 - $18 at walmart. I will usually go through 5 cartridges per session. That would be 2 cartridges per rifle x 2 rifles (which ever ones that I decide to use at the time) and 1 cartridge for one of the pistols. That's a fair amount of shooting so not to bad IMO.

Only the steel bb's are supposed to be run through the Umarex so I stick with that.
I usually use the copper bb's with the other bb guns though.

 

[Bigfoot]

Mine broke too. Some time ago I found something about how to fix it. Haven't tried. I would have to find the info again if I wanted to fix it. I remember it warmed about springs flying out. And it could be a bent doohickey.

Those darn doohickey's ... LOL

They can put a man on the moon but not design a doohickey that won't bend. Go figure.

 

[Celt]

NY air gun laws and hunting regulations

New York Airgun Laws and Hunting Regulations • AirGunSurvival.com

I read that but found nothing about distances from dwellings and roads like a firearm.

 

[Kirk_STNY]

I read that but found nothing about distances from dwellings and roads like a firearm.

I did a lot of reading about the rules when I first started collecting air guns. Never saw anything about distances.