Looking at the old cases, I saw a sticker saying "No shell enclosed for MD & NY". Is this a choking hazard in those states? Seems "Not a Toy" sticker would have worked better. Anyone know the story behind this?
I am a bit behind on the history, but MD and NY used to require that fired casings be included with all handguns sold new. The sticker you saw, I suppose, was so wholesalers would not ship to those states. I wrote "used to" because I think MD rescinded their law, but I am not sure.
Don't new guns all come with one fired case now days? The sigma my cousin just bought had one in it, I think the Glock that another guy bought had it as well. Is this not a requirement?
I think the S&W's I have came with a casing and Kimbers did not. Sticker was on a Kimber case, the S&W cases do not have the sticker.
Maryland (I don't know about New York) wanted a fired case from every new gun sold in that state. They then put the ballistics info from that case in their ballistics database. I think they just stopped doing this. So, if you bought a gun in MD, you wouldn't get the fired case. It would go to the state police. Wikipedia has some info: Ballistic fingerprinting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Texas does not require a shell enclosed. New York requires one and I know MD used to. Don't know if they still do. The sticker on the handgun case signifies that a case is not enclosed, so don't sell them in those states.