Succor for NYS gun owners?

[vaskidmark]

Trying to figure out a business plan.  Want to keep it out of Poly-ticks if at all possible.

I'm trying to figure out how to set up a business to offer to NY State gun owners, so that they can store all their now-banned items in safe storage, to be held there until the laws change so they can get them back, or they relocate to some part of Free America where their firearms are still welcome.
 
This will not be a transfer of ownership program. Owners will have to bring their guns in person - no proxies or couriers. Just sort of like a bonded warehouse where they can bring their toys to a place where they will be guarded and protected (as best it can be done) from theft and fire. No individual lockers, just huge rows of gun racks (long guns and handguns) with claim checks that need to be cross-matched to ID and the original storage contract.

And none of that "I'll hold it for you - 'course I just might shoot it a bit while it's here" stuff!
 
Run it as a non-profit to keep the monthly fees as low as possible. Locate it in a state where the liklihood of similar laws being pased is very low. In order to offset the expense of travel that would be required they could claim it as a deductable education expense if they take their kid(s) with them to learn what you have to do to protect your Constitutional rights. (If they don't have a kid of their own they could borrow one.)

Anybody have ideas that need to/should be addressed beyond the basic rental agreement, liability insurance issues, and do they get a secret decoder ring to use in order to get past the front gate?

stay safe.

[Balog]

Security for a place like that would be a nightmare. You'd need a number of well armed guards. If it was one or two guys walking a beat with a revolver it'd be no problem for thieves to kill or take them hostage then make off with the guns. Not to mention the chance of fraud etc.

[AmbulanceDriver]

I think the NY law is written in a way that they have 1 year to "get rid" of their "banned" items.   So I imagine that during this time frame the law will be challenged, and hopefully overturned.   

Of course, knowing how our courts move, it could very well be that they need the offsite storage facility until it is resolved....

[vaskidmark]

Security for a place like that would be a nightmare. You'd need a number of well armed guards. If it was one or two guys walking a beat with a revolver it'd be no problem for thieves to kill or take them hostage then make off with the guns. Not to mention the chance of fraud etc.

A man after unemployment insurance checks!

Of course those issues exist.

I'm more worried about all the volunteers folks signing up to be security staff drooling on the guns than not being able to provide adequate security in layers.

Fraud?  I am not too worried about not being able to prevent that.  Getting out will, for staff, make going through TSA look like a picnic.  Not that I would expect anybody on staff to even think of helping some poor, lonely firearm walk away.  (Trust everyone, but verify. )

stay safe.

[zahc]

Put it in a concrete block building and put a safe-door(s) on it. fill the floor with racks (not just around the outside) to maximize space.

[drewtam]

I think its a good idea skidmark; I had the exact same idea this morning.
I suspect that many will have friends and family in other states; but many will not.

A trigger lock can be applied to the stored firearm, and the legal owner is the only one with a key. This will keep unprofessional security from getting too familiar with the arms. The arm could also be strapped to the rack through the receiver or through the trigger guard, with the site manager having a master key. Magazines, bolts, and scopes may need to be stored in below rack lock boxes to keep from wandering off.

The site needs are maybe a couple thousand square feet, windowless, thick walls (brick/concrete block vs sheet metal), secure doors. Shouldn't be too hard to find; internal secure doors would have to be retrofitted. Maybe a few thousand, but the monthly lease is going to be roughly equal to that anyway.

I understand Vermont has fairly good laws and is right next door. I'm not sure what their commercial/light industrial property prices are like.

I see the theft risk as being less than a typical specialty indoor auto storage site. [autos are easier to strip and fence, more difficult to transport, but also worth more]. I'm not sure how insurance would handle it, but I expect it wouldn't be too difficult to work out.

[Jamisjockey]

Would be best joined to a gun range, IMHO, so that they could come, take their toys out and shoot.  Cleaning tables, too.

[Frank Castle]

I just talked to a battle buddy of mine who lives upstate NY. He got out of the Army in 09.

He said, #%% THEM (&% )*ARE NOT GET  MY *$%*& FAL AND OTHER GUNS ! I'M GETTING THE @%# *_ OUT OF New York!!!!!


He's selling the house in NY and he''s moving back up to Alaska.

[Lee]

Interesting idea. I would worry that one of your customers might be convicted of a crime, lose his gun rights, retrieve his guns, and then commit a violent crime. You might then be charged with some type of aiding and abetting charge...or worse.

[vaskidmark]

Interesting idea. I would worry that one of your customers might be convicted of a crime, lose his gun rights, retrieve his guns, and then commit a violent crime. You might then be charged with some type of aiding and abetting charge...or worse.

Not likely, even with a dedicated anti-gun prosecutor.  Covered in the rental contract.   (Yes, I think of those things also.  then how to avoid them as problems in my life.)

All this plan would do would be to provide rental space where a person could store personal property.  As there is no transfer of ownership there is nothing requiring me to verify legal eligibility to physically posses when the owner comes to claim the property in storage.  All I have to do is verify that the property is being taken out of storage by the owner of the property.

Your concern was addressed years ago by auto rental companies who ended up renting to folks with suspended licenses who then went and caused personal injury while DUI.  No requirement for the company to verify the DL is valid, but statement signed by renting driver that DL is valid proves fraud.

stay safe.