In the wake of the hastily enacted NY SAFE Act, numerous flaws and inconsistencies were identified.  Recently, the Act was amended to correct several of the most significant problems contained in the Act.  First, the Act was amended to correct  a failure to provide basic exemptions from the Acts provisions for certain individuals such as law enforcement officers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers.  The other major amendment was to change the seven round magazine restriction to a ten round restriction because of the recognition that seven round magazines were largely unmanufactured and unavailable in the firearms industry.

But even with these amendments, the Act remains flawed in the eyes of many.  For instance, filmmakers have expressed concern that the Act prohibits the use of fake assault weapons used in movie and television filming.  Although an amendment to provide an exemption for filming was promised, less than two weeks before the Act becomes effective no amendment has been made leaving New York’s filming industry concerned.

But, while one industry hangs in limbo, it appears upstate New Yorkers can breathe a sigh of relief that Remington and its 1,200 jobs appear to be staying put in Ilion, New York, where it has been located for nearly 200 years.  State and Federal politicians recently announced that Remington will spend $20 million to upgrade the plant and receive an $80 million contract to produce sniper rifles and ammunition in Ilion.

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