CHENANGO COUNTY – Firearms sales have dramatically increased in Chenango County since the latter part of last year, and much of the upsurge can be attributed to the impending Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Act of 2013, which goes into effect April 15 and will limit the purchasing capabilities of prospective gun owners.

Along with the dramatic increase in gun purchases, which has swept the nation as a whole, comes a major growth in the number of pistol permit applications in Chenango County. Although it is unclear how the SAFE Act will affect handgun ownership, an increase in the number of permits issued and applied for throughout the county is undeniable. Since January 1, more than 200 new pistol permits have been issued in Chenango County, along with 117 transfer permits, including instances of two people registering the same gun (co-registration), transfers of a permit into or out of the county, inheritance, or possibly the purchase of a new pistol or addition to an existing permit.

In comparison, 298 new pistol permits and 296 transfer permits were issued throughout the course of the entire 2012 year, which was itself a significant increase from 2011, when only 150 new and 206 transfer pistol permits were issued.