Can You Gift Someone a Gun For Christmas in New York State?

The Christmas holidays are quickly approaching and many things could be on a loved one's Christmas Wish List. Wait, do people still do wish lists? With all of the changes that New York State has made in the last few years in gun laws, can you do something like get someone a gun for Christmas in New York?

If you can do you have to tell them about it in advance? Or can you bring it home and wrap it, place it under the tree, and then wait for the Christmas morning surprise?

Here is what I found out.

How Have New York State's Gun Laws Changed When it Comes to Transferring Firearms?

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If you have a gun in your possession and you want to just give it to someone, or even sell it to someone you have to go through a licensed NYS firearms dealer. Those people (for a small fee of course) will do all of the paperwork along with the required background check on the person who will soon be the new owner of your old firearm.

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Can You Gift Someone a Gun for Christmas in New York State?

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There are many answers to this question, all of which have more questions before there are answers:

Does your gift recipient already have a gun permit?
Do you have a gun permit?
Are you giving them a gun you already own?
Are you wanting to walk into a store and pick out a gun, walk out with it, wrap it and leave it under the tree?

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Places in New Jersey where you can now carry a legal gun

New Jersey passed its own law in December, trying to ban legal guns from “sensitive places.”

A federal judge found many of those spots to be legally protected on grounds of armed self-defense, noting in her opinion, “Crowded locations are not sensitive places."

As of June, a federal appeals court granted the state attorney general's request to keep part of the law that bars people from carrying handguns in “sensitive places” in effect. The decision means handguns cannot be carried in places such as zoos, public parks, public libraries and museums, bars, and health care facilities. The law bars handguns from being carried in those places as well as schools and child care facilities. The lower court's May injunction did not specify those locations, and the appeals court also didn't remove the prohibition in those places.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt & The Associated Press