ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo wants to crackdown on so-called “ghost guns” by making it harder to buy gun parts or do-it-yourself firearm kits online.
A proposal unveiled by the governor Thursday would require all gun parts to be sold by authorized buyers and have the same eligibility requirements as a completed firearm.
All “major parts” of a firearm, rifle or shotgun sold online would require a serial number and would have to be shipped to a licensed dealer where the buyer could then pick them up in person.
“New York has the strongest gun safety protections in the nation, but every day dangerous people seek to find new ways around them,” Cuomo said. “This common sense measure would ban these untraceable guns and require anyone who wants to build their own firearm to come out of the shadows once and for all.”
So-called “80 percent kits” are available online and allow anyone to buy unfinished gun frames or receivers and complete the work at home.
That leads to an untraceable weapon without a serial number or any history of a gun purchase, meaning people who would otherwise be prohibited from purchasing a gun can easily obtain various components and build a gun at home.
The proposal would also stop individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm, rifle or shotgun from owning a major gun component, creating misdemeanor and felony offenses for those who violate that measure.
Law enforcement officials from across the state have reported an uptick in untraceable DIY firearms being used by criminals.
Similar weapons were reportedly used in recent mass shootings including the California Saugus High School shooting in November.
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