NJ Firearms Tips

Warning/Disclaimer:
General informational use only. This is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Laws constantly change and are subject to different interpretations by courts and state agencies.

It was time to put an end to some disinformation floating around and help some local members keep out of jail. I figured a thread may be needed for a state with some of the harshest, hyper technical, and complex firearm laws in the country.

I highly suggest each and every firearm owner in NJ or every person coming to NJ with firearms looks up "New Jersey Gun Law" 2014 edition by Attorneys: Even Nappen, Richard Gilbert, and Louis Nappen. Many of the tips below were paraphrased from their book. It's not cheap, but sure as hell beats worrying about dropping the soap for 5-10 years.


Automobile& Boat Transport:
Unloaded
Contained in a closed and fastened case, or a gun box, or a securely tied package, or locked in the trunk of an automobile in which it is being transported and the course of travel shall include only such deviations as are reasonably necessary under the circumstances.

Tip: In NJ, the “plain view” of a gun case alone could result in a law enforcement search of your truck. Covering your cases with blankets helps prevent theft, as well.

Rifle:
Unlawful to have possession without first obtaining a NJ firearms purchase ID card (long arms permit).

​

• Under NJS 2C:39-6e. & f., exemptions to the above are provided (e.g. Hunting, place of business, residence, target range).

Pistol:
Unlawful to posses without having first obtained a permit to carry (not a purchase permit).

• Under NJS 2C:39-6e. & f., exemptions to the above are provided (e.g. Hunting, place of business, residence, target range).

Storage:
Unlawful to store a firearm where an individual knows or should know that a minor could gain access to it. In order to safely store a firearm under the law, it must be stored in a securely locked box or container or in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure or with a trigger lock.

Tip: Gun safes and trigger locks are exempt from taxation in NJ under “The Secure Firearm Storage Act” (C.54:32B-8.51). Under NJS 2C:58-17 NJ established the “Keep Safe” program, which allows for a $5 instant rebate when purchasing a trigger lock from a retail dealer.

Registration of pistols, rifles, and shotguns:
Not required for rifles or shotguns.
Required when a handgun is acquired in NJ (Not required for handguns lawfully acquired out of state).

Lawful Purchase limits:
Pistol: One gun per month
Rifle/shotgun: None (yet)

Penalties:
Possession of large capacity magazine (15+ rounds) fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine

Unlawful possession of armor-penetrating bullet fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine

Unlawful possession of hollow nose bullet fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine
*Does not mean live load with case (law forbids even bullet tips)

Unlawful possession of silencer fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine

Unlawful possession of imitation firearm fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine

Unlawful possession of sawed off shotgun third degree 5 years prison/$15,000 fine

Unlawful possession of slingshot fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine

Unlawful possession of pistol second degree 10 years prison/$150,000 fine

Unlawful possession of loaded rifle/shotgun third degree 5 years prison/$15,000 fine

Unlawful possession of assault firearm second degree 10 years prison/$150,000 fine

Unlawful possession of BB handgun third degree 5 years prison/$15,000 fine

Unlawful possession of BB rifle third degree 5 years prison/$15,000 fine

Unlawful possession of knife (“per se” weapon) fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine
*Dagger (some dive knifes), gravity knife, switchblade, dirk, stiletto, ballistic knife

Failure to report firearm wound fourth degree 18 months prison/$10,000 fine

Possession of toy gun in school disorderly offense 6 months jail/$1,000 fine

 

"Unlawful possession" means??? Lol

 

Illegal

I get what you're saying. Possession of some of those items is allowed under certain stipulations, but at the same time I'm not going to retype a 500 page book so I just listed them without the stipulations and loopholes. If anyone has a specific question Ill look it up - just wanted to get some general stuff out there last night.

 

Lol... I need to know about bb guns and slingshots cause that funny right there.

 

well, if you dont mind, here is one thing that jumps to my attention…
I noticed that there is alot of is Hollow Point/Nose .22 ammo sold at many distintive FFL dealers in NJ. Are there exceptions where these are ok to have/own/or shoot at shooting ranges in NJ?
thanks in advace!

 

Slingshot possession is prohibited under two NJ laws: 2C:39-5d and/or 2C:39-3e.

Loophole: A knife slingshot may be possessed under 2C:39-5d if it is not possessed "under circumstances not manifestly appropriate for such lawful uses as it may have".

Under 2C:39-1f a airgun is considered a firearm and most of the same laws apply (sawed off/assault/carry/transport/purchase/etc.). Ex. If you want to buy a pellet pistol in state you need to get a pistol purchase permit and it's purchase will be registered. Or you could just drive to a PA Wall-mart and buy one with your drivers license and bring it back.

 

Under 2C:39-3.f possession of hollow nose ammunition is prohibited unless a person is engaged in activities pursuant to 2C:39-6f (target shooting or hunting). Under 2c:39-3 subsection g.2, someone may keep ammo "at his dwelling, premise, or other land owned or possessed by him" and may carry such from the place of purchase to the above locations.

Note: NJ is one of the only states to mandate solid nose high penetration ammo is used. Officers frequently make false arrest concerning hollow point ammo charges because they are unaware of the exemptions. Make sure you are not accidentally transporting loose rounds or reloading slugs when you are not going hunting or going to the range or directly home after purchase. If your going to the range I would schedule an appointment for proof.

Or just don't buy them and skip the bullshit

Tip: Certain full metal jacket expanding rounds "Jersey Specials" are not currently prohibited under the hollow point laws.

 

thanks!!!

 

1) evan nappan is the man!
2) slingshots?... are you *$(#@ing kidding me?...
3) half of that tyranny listed is blatently unconstitutional, given recent scotus rulings; heller, mcdonald...
4) sounds like a criminals paradise
5) stay out of NJ

 

My parents gave me my first rifle at 10yo. and we had a shooting range in our backyard. They were felons.

Skip to now and I keep a aluminum baseball bat in my house for quick protection

 

Wait! You can't have a sling shot and hollow points!? I thought California was bad...

 

Nice write up Boyd, I just went through getting my FID Card a few months ago. This state is so f'd up when it come to gun laws. They are now looking to change the magazine limit to 10 rounds down from 15. So the pistol I legally bought a few months ago with two 14 round mags could make me a felon if the law passes.

 

WTF you talking about? Please just stop.

Same as BB gun thus same as rifle/pistol.

Stop talking shit you don't know and please GTFO out of this thread... you and your speculation of the laws is why this thread is here.

It's not legal at all. It's a crime in the fourth degree and punishable by 18 months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines.

Any magazine over 15 rounds that fits and functions in a semi-automatic firearm is prohibited. Glocks factory 17 round mag was prohibited under Florio's assault firearm ban. This ban turned thousands of law abiding citizens into instant criminals with no way out because any type of disposal of large capacity type mags is illegal. Since initially there were no Glock mags that held less than 17 rounds the Glock became the most expensive single shot pistol. Now 10 round mags are made so the pistols aren't single shot any longer.

NJ doesn't grandfather shit. If guns go down to ten rounds be prepared to get fucked.

Know your rights and vote on protecting them accordingly.

 

I feel bad for you guys. Hope you guys can get some stuff turned around.

 

I chose to only buy pistols with 10 rounds or under way back in the day when they were trying to cut down capacity before the recent shootings. I bought one of the first .40 SA-XD's back in 2000. Now you can't even buy the new XDM because it carry's to much ammo for NJ. So silly.

Oh and yes. You will most likely turn into a felon overnight like Hunters dad is unless people start fighting for their rights. Luckily I was only forced to register one of my pistols and we will leave it at that.

 

Do you know if it's legal to just have the mags pinned to only accept the lesser number of rounds to comply with current legislation? It sucks to have to do it but at least makes the gun functional.

 

You need a permit to buy a gun?

 

A person may purchase a permanently blocked mag legally.

Temporarily blocked mags (pinned mags) are no longer legal. Per NJAC 13:54-1.2 an ammunition mag, which has been temporarily blocked or modified from holding more than 15 rounds, as by a piece of wood or a pin, is still considered to be a "large capacity ammo mag" thus illegal.

 

Si

 

That's messed up beyond belief man!