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Issue with Coliseum

2.2K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  LI Ammo  
#1 ·
I know that thread was locked because it was off topic, but I just wanted to throw in my two cents on Coliseum. Different stores serve different niches. Coliseum doesn't sell semi-auto modern sporting rifles--period, end of story. Even before the unSAFE Act, MSRs were never a significant part of their business. They deal in a lot of hunting rifles, handguns, shotguns and surplus/pre-owned firearms. They also have a lot high end specialty brands that other LGS don't carry--Volquartsen, Tactical Solutions, Kimber. Given their business model, their owners' policy is that no semi-auto rifles are compliant unless they are specifically ok'ed by the state law enforcement agencies. Now, I don't agree with this, but if they are making their money on handguns, shotguns and bolt actions, I can understand why they aren't going to take chances with their FFL's. They will sell semi-auto rifles, but only those models that are specifically on the state's approved list (i.e., sell traditional rimfire rifles, mini-14's and browning BAR hunting rifles, and the kel tec su-16A and B versions). They will not sell or service any AR, AK or the the like. Since they won't sell them, why would you expect they would do a transfer on receiver? If they had a racks of compliant AR's and refused to do a transfer, then I could see getting upset. If it's just a policy of not dealing in MSR's for whatever reason, I could respect their position--even if I don't agree with it.

Putting all that aside, I can still understand someone not being a big fan of Coliseum. Some of the guys there really don't know much about the guns they are selling--even though the pretend they do (although this is a problem with a lot gun salesmen in general). Coliseum's prices are also high on everything--guns, ammo accessories. I have looked at plenty of guns there, but I have found the same guns elsewhere for over much less and even those other places aren't exactly bargain hunters' delights. So, there is good reason to criticize Coliseum, but not because they won't transfer a "compliant" msr.
 
#3 ·
Honestly, I've never really been in there looking at their long guns. To me you hear "gun store" they sell guns. They don't have that gun, maybe hey order them. I honestly has no idea that they did not sell ARs. I also didn't know that it was an issue to transfer a fixed mag ar. I figured as long as it's compliant, and they do transfers, shouldn't be an issue.

In any case, things worked out, people got heated over nonsense.

If I could upload from my daughters iPod, "Let it Go, Let it Go!"
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
Given their business model, their owners' policy is that no semi-auto rifles are compliant unless they are specifically ok'ed by the state law enforcement agencies.
state law enforcement agencies cant give any legally binding approval on anything. they are not legislators. there are a multitude of law enforcement agencies in the state, NYSP, County PD and Sheriff, village PD, MTA police, DEC police, etc... How can you get one to overrule any other?

Maybe your local DA can give approval, by way of a policy to not prosecute certain things, like was done with the consensual sodomy statutes a few years back. but they can always be overruled by the state AG.

Remember how Rice couldnt get Nassau County PD to get involved in that witch hunt, so she got some upstate troop of NYSP to do her bidding. they probably figured they would finally get to do the closest thing to any police investigations that they could ever hope for. i guess it gave them a break from writing summonses to average families on the parkways. she shopped around for an agency willing to subvert the law and violate the rights of a group of business owners who she wanted to crush to make a name for herself. she finally found some hungry group of law enforcement upstate. the point is, just because some agency says its good, doesnt mean another wont see it different. The solution to the problem is with the legislators.
 
#5 ·
I want to clear some things up. Coliseum did sell AR's before the SAFE act. But it is correct to say that it wasn't a big part of their business. Since the SAFE act they only sell rifles like the ARES, Mini 14, Kel Tec and others that are approved 100% by the state. Fixed mag and other so called featureless rifles are still a grey area and they choose to avoid that.

And Troop L that performed the Kathleen Rice raids is from Farmingdale, not upstate.
 
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#6 ·
I want to clear some things up. Coliseum did sell AR's before the SAFE act. But it is correct to say that it wasn't a big part of their business. Since the SAFE act they only sell rifles like the ARES, Mini 14, Kel Tec and others that are approved 100% by the state. Fixed mag and other so called featureless rifles are still a grey area and they choose to avoid that.

And Troop L that performed the Kathleen Rice raids is from Farmingdale, not upstate.
Hey Ed, glad to see you "back". Hope all is wel.
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
And Troop L that performed the Kathleen Rice raids is from Farmingdale, not upstate.
Ok, then, I stand corrected. It was Mike from South Shore who told me it was an upstate crew, back when he was still going through it. He told me that she had to shop around for a willing group of cops, since all the ones from the different agencies on Long Island thought the stores weren't breaking any laws.

I have no other source of information on it, other than him.

Where are you getting your information?
 
#11 ·
Aren't most Mini-14's considered "featureless"? Are they a grey area also?
From the gun shop owner's perspective, I could see that a mini-14 ranch rifle is clearly not an "assault rifle" under unSAFE, but be more cautious about compliant ARs.

First, they might worry that a crazy anti-gun DA might decide to claim a Thordsen is a "thumbhole stock" and the Spur is still a pistol grip. It would be a very, weak claim, of course.

Secondly, the gun shop owners were arrested for selling AR-15s that had been modified to be legal under the old law, so they know what DAs are capable of. Plus, I think we all know that the real target of the antis with the unSAFE Act was AR-15s and AK-47s, so I could understand them not wanting to deal with them in any form.