NYC has justified its byzantine gun laws by stating that it’s a privilege to bear arms, not a right. I think that a showdown in the courts is near.

D.C. vs Heller ’08. The Supreme Court recognized the Second Amendment right to own and bear arms. The Court stated that the rules violated the Second Amendment, and rejected the policy arguments that one could justify such a ban because of the dangers associated with handguns.

McDonald vs. Chicago '09. The court’s decision stated that the Second Amendment right is a fundamental individual right.