Hello! Moving to NJ from IN

[WP22 1,558]

It's really a matter of practicality. This might upset some people who might be much more invested in their arsenal than I am, but if we're making this decision solely based on firearms, I'm just not so invested in my shooting that I could justify asking my wife to commute an extra hour each way, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, in rain, snow, ice, traffic, so that the rifle in my safe can carry additional rounds per magazine. I don't know that I would do that to myself, let alone to my wife who does not shoot. And those extra rounds are the only banned item that I personally care much about. (Well, that and concealed carry, which I know there will be zero chance of any kind of carry for me in NJ.)

 

Yes, I absolutely support law-abiding citizens' rights to have access to things that I personally don't need. Yes, I agree these laws seem onerous and misguided while probably having zero impact on crime. And if I can help get rid of these laws through my voice and my vote, I will. But for the sake of immediate practicality, I don't own a single bayonet, nor do I want one. I don't own a grenade launcher, nor do I want one. I like traditional stocks just fine. I never even adjust my collapsible stocks. So is it worth years and years of lost time in a commute from PA to eastern NJ? Not to me, not just for the sake of high cap mags. If I was heavily invested in shooting, competitions, run and gun, etc, then it'd be a tougher choice. I will definitely miss my ability to carry, but since most of our working and social life will be taking place in NJ and NYC, I don't think a PA permit to carry would help me much.

 

There are other factors that have us looking toward PA, like house prices, property taxes and ease of finding a 3 car garage... but even then, it will be a tough sell to add an hour commute each way.

 

Somewhere south or east of Parsippany, probably Morris / Morristown area.

 

Here's a new question. If I arrive at my new address in NJ with all the guns and ammo I will ever need, can I go shoot at a rifle or handgun range without getting one of those ID cards? Assuming that I never need to buy more ammo or another gun. There's no reason I *can't* get a card if I need to, I just hate the idea of being on one more registry of gun owners. If I can go shoot at ranges without a card, it might be worth it to just stock up on everything before I leave Indiana. Whereas if I need a card to go shoot basically anywhere, then there is not much reason to stock up before leaving and I'll just resign myself to getting the ID card.

 

That's, certainly, a well thought out rationale for moving to NJ instead of moving to PA.

 

And, as others have said, you only need a FPID to purchase long guns, transporting long guns without restrictions (mostly) and purchasing handgun caliber ammo. Purchasing .22LR also requires a FIPD.

 

Having said that, if I were to move to NJ from a free state, I would buy as many guns I could possible afford, need and want. Buying guns in NJ, especially hand guns, is a major pain in the balls. And every handgun purchased in NJ gets automatically resisted to you.

 

Ammo can always be bought out of state. Some online places still ship to NJ without a FPID on file. 

 

Anyway, good luck with your move. 

[HoosierDog 1]

Having said that, if I were to move to NJ from a free state, I would buy as many guns I could possible afford, need and want. Buying guns in NJ, especially hand guns, is a major pain in the balls. And every handgun purchased in NJ gets automatically resisted to you.

 

That's pretty much how I'm looking at it. Since I can't change the laws and probably can't change where we will move to, I tried to find a silver lining and use this as an opportunity to finally clean up the safe, consolidate my collection, get rid of those things I never shoot anymore, those guns that always seem to vex me but I hadn't gotten rid of yet, or those project guns that were probably never actually going to be finished. I've been able to consolidate down to two calibers of handgun ammo, one caliber of rifle ammo, and one gauge of shotgun ammo. (I was even tempted to match my handgun and rifle ammo but decided against it.) I'm in the process of selling everything I don't absolutely love, I'll leave everything else that's not NJ legal with a relative for when we visit, and put my new money toward some new pieces that are NJ legal from the factory, new compliant magazines, and plenty of ammo. Then I might never have to buy guns or ammo in NJ if we only stay a few years. And if I do end up needing the ID card, it's probably not a big deal, I just need to get used to the idea. You all seem to be functioning fine over there. I just need to acclimate to the climate.

 

Sorry that this introduction thread turned into about 5 other topics! Is there a thread about why I can't pump my own gas?

[HoosierDog 1]

Welcome to NJ. I lived in Terre Haute for a few years, but that was so long ago I was able to keep guns and a reloading press in my dorm room.

I grew up not far from Terre Haute, closer to Greencastle, out in the woods and corn fields. Greencastle meant "going into town" and Terre Haute was going to the Big City. LOL

[HoosierDog 1]

Welcome Hoosier! I'm from Parsippany and know the area really well. If you ever have any questions about Morris Co.... fire away!

Thanks Joe. My wife will be working in Parsippany so that's where we started our search. After three days of spiraling out from Parsippany looking at towns and houses for sale, we decided that Morristown is a pretty great compromise for us. It's not as rural (or flat) as I might like, but the town seems great. It looks like a big town (by my standards) and yet everything felt really close, friendly, and the word "charming" kept getting thrown around. Plus it'd be a 9 minute commute for the wife, all on interstate. Our other favorite property was way out by Hope, which is practically PA, where we could finally find some acreage and plenty of garage space, but the hour commute up and down icy switchbacks seem pretty daunting. We're going to keep looking along the border of PA, maybe right off of 80, but unless something AMAZING shows itself, we'll probably be headed to Morristown. I can't think of any questions about it right now, but I'll let you know if I do. And it's nice to see there are some ranges close by (thank you, guy who posted that, whose name I can't see right now).

[WP22 1,558]

I have done the "eastbound commute in morning and westbound in the afternoon" on Rt80 for the past 15 years or so. You don't want to that.  It's a thing of nightmares; I lose a piece of my soul everyday on that highway.

I would look in places like Morristown  for a more hip,happening town or  whippany, East Hanover (stay away from RT10 too) , Boonton. Or look east of Parsippany.

[Oakridgefirearms 224]

If you want someth

 

Thanks Joe. My wife will be working in Parsippany so that's where we started our search. After three days of spiraling out from Parsippany looking at towns and houses for sale, we decided that Morristown is a pretty great compromise for us. It's not as rural (or flat) as I might like, but the town seems great. It looks like a big town (by my standards) and yet everything felt really close, friendly, and the word "charming" kept getting thrown around. Plus it'd be a 9 minute commute for the wife, all on interstate. Our other favorite property was way out by Hope, which is practically PA, where we could finally find some acreage and plenty of garage space, but the hour commute up and down icy switchbacks seem pretty daunting. We're going to keep looking along the border of PA, maybe right off of 80, but unless something AMAZING shows itself, we'll probably be headed to Morristown. I can't think of any questions about it right now, but I'll let you know if I do. And it's nice to see there are some ranges close by (thank you, guy who posted that, whose name I can't see right now).

If you want something ruralish near Parsippany you should look at Boonton Township (although prices are high), Rockaway Township (although property taxes are high) or Jefferson Township (but getting a little farther away), Randolph has some areas that are also rural like but also getting farther out. None of these towns are particularly flat, but nothing in North Jersey is. As others have mentioned, the highways all have traffic headed toward Parsippany in the morning and away in the evening - doesn't matter which direction you're coming from. It can take a half hour or more to drive from Rt 15 (exit 34) to Parsippany (exit 42) on Rt 80 in the morning rush hour, if short commute time is most important to you, stay close.

[gleninjersey 2,139]

Welcome to the forums. Once you get here order yourself a porkroll, egg and cheese on a roll for breakfast. One of NJ's few positive things. Just kidding, NJ isn't as bad as many make it to be (they're watching me and I had to say that). Just kidding again.

 

You'll like Morristown. Lot's of restaurants, bars, a small music hall that has concerts, comedians, etc. Morris county is more republican and conservative than a lot of NJ. They have a "First Nignt" and nice St Patrick Day parade.

[HoosierDog 1]

Welcome to the forums. Once you get here order yourself a porkroll, egg and cheese on a roll for breakfast. One of NJ's few positive things. Just kidding, NJ isn't as bad as many make it to be (they're watching me and I had to say that). Just kidding again.

 

You'll like Morristown. Lot's of restaurants, bars, a small music hall that has concerts, comedians, etc. Morris county is more republican and conservative than a lot of NJ. They have a "First Nignt" and nice St Patrick Day parade.

thanks. we were able to spend a couple of days in morristown, really liked it, everything you mentioned, even the little green space park in the middle of downtown. should be ok, just got to adjust a little bit (the price, the laws, god forbid I pump my own gas, etc)

[WP22 1,558]

Hey, you are welcome to come to NJ. But don't screw with our right to have our gas pumped for us.

 

Edit-and btw it's taylor ham. Pay no attention to those heathens.

[gleninjersey 2,139]

NJ HAD some of the least expensive gas in the country until about a month or so ago. Then we had a twenty five cent a gallon increase in the gas tax.

 

Now we are something like one of the top ten most expensive

 

Before I didn't mind as much not being able to pump my own. Sometimes it was frustrating waiting but we did have some of the least expensive gas. Now even if I wanted to find a local "pump your own" station to try to save a little bit I can't. Becuase pumping your gas is illegal in NJ.

 

Sorry, didn't mean to complain. NJ could be a great state but the politicians muck it up!

 

Hopefully you both have short commutes.