In response to the passage of the New York Safe Act, the state police has posted a list of weapons classified as “assault weapons” to its website at http://troopers.ny.gov/firearms/nys_safe_act/. The list includes variants on the AR-15 rifle, the AK-47 rifle, several semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and tactical-style shotguns.

Under the new law, restrictions have been placed on the ability to purchase these weapons or to transfer them to another person. Those who lawfully possess any of the listed weapons prior to the enactment of the law must register them by April 15, 2014. Current owners of these now-banned weapons may transfer them only to a firearms dealer or to an out of state buyer.

According to the new law, “assault weapons” are defined as semiautomatic guns with detachable magazines that possess one feature commonly associated with military weapons. For rifles, this includes foldable or collapsible stocks, pistol grips that protrude conspicuously beneath the action of a weapon, bayonet mounts, flash suppressors or barrels designed to accommodate a flash suppressor, and grenade launchers.

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