We’ve talked an awful lot about how New York’s new gun control laws are a problem. We’ve mostly focused on the bigger issues with the law, for what I hope are pretty obvious reasons. The broad strokes tend to be the biggest issues.

But ammo sales, something we haven’t talked much about, are also an issue with the new rules.

And it seems people are less than thrilled.

With New York State’s new gun laws taking effect last week, there’s still plenty of confusion about some of the changes now on the books for gun dealers and their customers. And that includes the updated requirements for the sale of ammunition.

As Dean Adamski checks his shelves of ammunition for sale at his DD’s Ranch firearms store in Alden, he is well aware of some customer frustration since the state of New York is now requiring him under the new law to record information about any ammo purchases. That includes not just the customer’s name, address, date of birth, and type and quantity of ammunition, but also their occupation.

“People question, like, why do you need my driver’s license for ammo?” Adamski said. “I’m 70 years old, and why are you taking all this information? So, I mean, people are apprehensive about it. I mean, most people understand it. You know it’s not me, it’s the state. But you know there are some people that are just they don’t know why, it’s so absurd to them.”

And there are some quirks now, such as getting ammunition for shotguns and rifles that do not require owner permits unless they are semi-automatic weapons.

“Any ammunition including anything, shotgun, yeah the same process,” Adamski said. “You got to take all the information down. How much ammo they bought, what they bought, caliber, gauge. Whatever it is, all the information has to be taken, no matter if its shotgun, rifle, anything.”

Yeah, this isn’t good.

See, there’s no reason for the state of New York to demand that information. At least California is requiring a background check for ammo purchases, which would require all of that. Instead, New York is simply demanding retailers keep a record, and that’s worrisome.

Arguably, it’s more worrisome than California’s regulations.

You see, California’s requirements at least sort of look like an attempt to keep ammo out of the hands of criminals. New York doesn’t seem to make any such pretense. It just demands ammo sales be documented, which feels more like an intimidation tactic and backdoor gun registration than anything else.

After all, you’re telling gun owners–even those with guns lacking a registration requirement–that the state will know what kind of guns they have and how often they’re using them. You have a shotgun? The state will know about it. The same for your handguns and hunting rifles. Nothing you do will be without the state knowing you’re a gun owner.

Requiring an occupation feels like just a way to make sure they can figure out where to find you if they want to.

Further, you’d better walk the straight and narrow because, if you don’t, they’ll know to come and take those guns if you step out of line.

Ammo sales are just a handy vehicle for all of that, something they can claim is about crime but actually isn’t. The bad guys will find ways around it, including stealing ammunition. Again, it’s only the law-abiding who will really be impacted.