That law was meant to protect competitors that were travelling to competitive shooting sports venues.
In this damned State: "self-protection" is a bit of a tough activity to define, and you'd definitely be left to explain a whole lot about yourself...
If you don't have a New York State Pistol Permit: leave your guns at home.
If you get stopped, and they find it: I guarantee that you'll wish you hadn't entered the State...
I agree: this sux!