Proposed bill would put limits on ammo purchases



As President Obama pushes gun regulations at a national level, there is a push for a controversial new bill in New York State.



State Senator Roxanne Persaud and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon from downstate are proposing ammo restrictions, limiting the number of bullets people could buy. But one gun merchant says it would do more to harm to legal gun owners than it would to stop the criminals.



The legislation would limit the amount of ammunition a gun owner could buy to twice the gun's capacity every 90 days.



"We have people that come down, easily put 100, 200 rounds in their firearms and like to practice," says Brandon Lewis. "It's a sport like any other."



Lewis opened "The Firing Pin" about two years ago in Bergen. It's a gun and ammo store and a firing range -- business has been brisk. He doesn't understand this proposal and says it's misguided at best.



He says, "I would say it would be the same as if you want to curb DUIs by limiting the amount of gas people could buy in their car. If you have a 20 gallon gas tank you can buy 40 gallons a month and that's supposed to stop DUIs. That's just ludicrous; it's not going to happen."



The aim of the measure is to limit the violence on our streets and prevent terrorists from being able to stockpile weapons and ammo. Gary Pudup is the head of the local chapter of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. He says strong gun laws do make a difference.



"Those states with stronger gun laws have less violence and less gun deaths than those states with weak gun laws," says Pudup.



Pudup says the New York SAFE Act already has a provision that he thinks would be more effective -- a statewide database.



"We have databases in New York that shows who has warrants for them, we have databases that show who has felony arrests, we have databases that shows who has an order of protection on them," says Pudup. "Those are the people we don't want to have guns; those are the people we don't want to have ammunition for their guns."



The database has yet to be created by the state. If this ammunition bill becomes law, a violator could be charged with a Class E felony with up to four years in prison.