Hey guys, thanks for all the well-wishes. There has been quite a bit of kindness expressed in this thread.

Mike: I guess you know what you're talking about, if you're in CT also. Maybe I misunderstood. I was on the phone with the CT gov, read some of the CT general statutes, was on the phone with the NY gov, several retail stores in NY, a retailer in CT, and tried contacting the ATF without any answers that led me to believe that I wouldn't have to take the additional course.

Any way, the cost is not $35. At the very least, it's $101.50 according to the DEEP web page. The cost is $35 + fingerprinting fees. If this is all that's required, you're right, it certainly isn't insurmountable. I was of the impression that in addition to applying for the certificate, a course averaging $275 was needed also.

As for several things that were asked/mentioned:
-I had UI coverage. I won't get into the ins and outs of the case, but it was very complex. It was one of those "whatever could have gone wrong, did go wrong" situations that had all sorts of pitfalls including a lawyer that turned out to be a drug addict. Connecticut is the world capitol of insurance companies. Laws here favor them.
Like I say, there was a LOT that complicated the case immensely.

-As for "giving up the right", I agree with you in principle. I had decided in the interim between originally posting and now that I would be getting an air rifle, and would eventually be paying for the right to own a firearm, even if it might take a while.

-You do not need a hunting license to maintain ownership of a firearm. In the past, if you had a hunting license or a pistol permit, you could purchase a long gun by simply walking into a store. If you lacked either license, you needed to wait two weeks. To get a hunting licence, a free course had to be taken. The license was good for a year. If it was allowed to lapse for more than five years, then the course needed to be retaken. I think, though I'm not certain, that currently a license can be allowed to lapse longer than five years without needing to retake the course, since records of having taken the course are now computerized.
-Mike Werner, your post was very kind. I sent you a PM.

Last edited by carved; 04/28/17.