Re: Moving to NY...
Don't bring your handguns into the state until your pistol permit application has been processed (currently around 9 month waiting time for my county). Once your permit is processed you will need to register each gun on your permit. The CCW permit is all part of the same process. You also will not be granted a pistol permit until you are a resident of the state (bring utility bills with you when you apply). The application fee varies by county. I believe I paid around $200 for mine (including fingerprinting, etc.). Your permit is NOT valid in NYC. Yes, you have a NYS pistol permit but you will be breaking state law should you choose to bring a pistol with you to NYC. Get used to it. NYC gets special treatment on everything (you can't even buy a long gun in NYC without a permit).
Other laws to keep in mind:
1) No magazines greater than 10 rounds (unless pre-ban). You cannot hunt with a magazine with more than a 5 round capacity.
2) NYS has an AWB. If your semi-automatic rifle has a pistol grip and the ability to accept high-capacity magazines then you can't have any other "fun" stuff on it (bayonet lug, flash hider, folding or telescoping stock, threaded barrels, etc).
3) If you plan on hunting while here you should be aware most of the counties around Niagara are bow , muzzle-loader, and shotgun only. You will have to drive south or east if you plan on using a rifle. For me, I have to drive an hour east to get into rifle territory and I'm an hour and a half east of you already.
4) NFA restricted items are strictly prohibited. Leave your silencers and machine guns at home.
5) NY has a duty to retreat law. While there is a limited castle doctrine in the home, in any public location if you draw and shoot someone--regardless of whether your life is in danger--you will be charged with manslaughter if the DA can prove that you had the ability to extricate yourself from the situation and chose instead to engage.
6) There is no open carry. Period.
7) If you are carrying concealed with a permit and are pulled over and you inform the police officer that you have a handgun (which you should) expect to be treated like a criminal regardless of the fact you were within the confines of the law.
8) Gun shows tend to suck in NY. The Rochester Gun Show is probably your best bet.
9) There is a good chance you will be the only person on your street with a firearm at your house. I'm not sure what the NYS gun ownership rate is but in NYC, Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany it is incredibly low.
10) Local ordinances can supersede state laws. This is because NYC doesn't like listening to the rest of the state. Therefore, you will need to become familiar with the carry laws for each county that you wish to carry in. Most of Western NY is uniform, however, so it isn't as bad as it sounds.
11) There is no waiting period for long gun purchases nor is there a limit on how many you can purchase at once (we finally got something right).
All that being said, welcome to NY. If you want to get an idea of how bad the laws are in NY, I'm now stationed in CA at Camp Pendleton (although presently deployed to Afghanistan) and I can walk into any gun store in CA and purchase a handgun (minus the 10-day waiting period). It took me until 10 months after I turned 21 to be able to legally own or purchase a handgun in NY... It's sad when the People's Republic of Kalifornia beats out NY.