Lemme pop in here and explain some of the insanity we deal with up here, mebbe stick up for this young deputy and such.

Now, young guys like me have the "new" style NY pistol permit. It's a plastic card, like a driver's license, issued by the county you're a resident of (so yes, each county has a different version!). On the back is a listing of all the handguns you own (at least when you got the license). So yes, this means there are guys that have two (or more) cards to fit all their guns.

In some counties--including the one that I presume NYL's buddy lives in, mine--it comes marked either "Hunting and Target" or "Unrestricted". Since the State of NY doesn't differentiate between a "license to own" and a "license to carry", the judges who issue such permits decided to place an "additional restriction" on them. The legality of that is questionable, but since the issuing of permits is at their discretion, nobody's gonna fight them on it. Anyways, a "Hunting and Target" permit means that you can own a pistol, and can technically carry it concealed on your way to or from--you guessed it--Hunting or Target Shooting.

Yes, this means there are a few complete morons that drive around with a concealed pistol, and a pair of earmuffs tossed in the back of the truck. "I'll just tell the cop I'm on the way to this or that range!", they've told me. Sounds like a a great way to treat a cop like he's as dumb as you are, buddies, and wind up with your hat in your hands begging the judge to keep your guns.

Lately around here, and in a few other counties, you can either apply or take a class and apply to get an "Unrestricted" permit. This means that you can carry concealed inside of what NYS allows you--no municipal buildings, no schools, that sort of thing.

Now, if you're a bit older than me (they stopped issuing these, I think, around 2010 or so), you might have a paper license, scrawled with "Hunting and Target". Depending on how many permits your county issues, some are hand-written, and some they went all out and got a stamp for. Anyways, same deal as the new plastic ones. On the back, you'll find a listing of all the guns that person owns. Again--there are a whole bunch of them, one for each county.

Comedy of comedies, when you get a new gun, do you know what they want you to do? Just write it on the back! The hell's the point?

Now, if you're chronologically-gifted, you might actually have a permit that predates the "Hunting and Target" restriction. These permits aren't marked at all, and as such, are an "unrestricted" license. You don't run into too many, since all the guys that have them are getting up there in the years. Old folk get don't get stopped by the cops too much, and old gun-ownin' folk get stopped even less cuz they're a law-abidin' sort. Even fewer carry, so no reason to have to show their licenses.

On top of all this, not every county bothered with the restriction. Some just passed out unrestricted licenses like hotcakes. Hell, some counties hand out pre-signed license amendments so you can buy a pistol and take it home the same day! Imagine that. Most others, you see, you buy the gun or put a deposit down, get the receipt, take it or mail it to the sheriff's, wait two or three weeks, get the amendment in the mail, then pick up your gun.

So yes--I can totally see this deputy not seeing an "Unrestricted" and getting all hopped-up. Mostly, they got better things to pay attention to than checking our licenses all the time, so I'll forgive him. I mean, wouldn't be that hard to wipe the "H&T" ink off an old license. Come to think of it, the only people that have ever looked at mine are the guys that sell me my guns, and Mrs Bowen up at the Sheriff's office.

Even worse, a lot of these guys with the old "grandfathered"...heh, literally...licenses moved to new counties, the nerve of 'em. So now the perennial question is, do I get a new license in my new county like I'm supposed to, and risk losing my "Unrestricted" permit!

And comedy of comedies, the state is supposed to be computerizin' all the records of all the counties, all of which are currently on paper files. GL with that, m8s.