Rgrdocstud

Not that I would actually try this, but wouldn't it be legal to drive a hatchback (which has no trunk) with two gunvaults bolted under the dashboard, one containing a gun and another containing loaded magazines? It's asking for trouble, but by the letter of the law it seems legal. For those who would argue that a loaded magazine is against the law, then substitute a revolver with speed loaders. Any thoughts?

Howdy. Can you legally shoot on your property? Check on that first if you don't already know. Barring that, a .22 would work nicely. .223 if you want to make an example of 'em to their burrowing relatives.

Personally, I would have called to check on the status in 3 weeks, not three months. Be polite, but stay on top of them. It's the government, after all.

Welcome!

I'm going to tiptoe onto my soapbox and get serious for just a second. When politicians like McCarthy succeed in banning things without demonstrating any knowledge about them they do so thanks to the backing of voters who also possess zero knowledge and are easily duped by whatever the TV tells them. Fear-mongering has been the trump card of power-hungry politicians for centuries. We fear what's unfamiliar to us and the more people who are unfamiliar with firearms, the more easily the issue can be exploited to gain power. I heard a woman say in a press conference that .50 caliber rifles can fire heat-seeking ammunition. Outrageously, anti-gun politicians aren't held accountable for these false claims because most voters don't know any better. That's why there's nothing more important in preserving our rights than introducing friends and family to firearms and imparting on them a sense of their importance in a free society. Fight ignorance one new shooter at a time.

Welcome

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! I love how the anti-gunners keep trying to ban things without knowing what they are or how they work. The media's just as bad, incessantly referring to magazines as "clips." It's almost as laughable as this: (By the way, that's Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, who is currently pushing for a new federal 10-round magazine ban)

My suggestion is to take a basic marksmanship class, practice, and take more classes. Relax on the accessories. Have you looked into the Appleseed project? That might be a good place to learn that it's the training than makes the shooter, not the bells and whistles on his rifle. I think you'll be much happier with the outcome than if you wasted your money on accessories.

Very sad indeed. But there is a cultural war being waged against gun ownership, and advertising what side you're on can be detrimental when you travel through in the enemy's territory. Metaphors aside, I know an attorney in a DC suburb of Maryland who represented a client who was pulled over and arrested for legally transporting a firearm. It all started because cops saw his "I'm reloading" bumper sticker and decided to check him out. He invoked his rights, denying consent to a search (how dare he!) and they argued that his defiant attitude plus the sticker meant he might be a threat. So he was searched anyway AND arrested. While it seems like the laws are worse in Jersey, the anti-gun culture is much worse in Maryland. Believe me, I'm deeply troubled by the constant need to sneak around while career criminals and hoodlums flaunt their deplorable lifestyles with impunity. But the best way to change the face of gun ownership is to take someone, anyone (a son, daughter, nephew, niece, friend, coworker) to the range every chance you can get, teach them gun safety, and set an example as a good citizen. Most of all, being PROFESSIONAL when it comes to firearms goes a long way towards fighting the stereotype of gun owners as a bunch of trigger-happy fanatics who are compensating for something. That means adhering strictly to gun safety and treating guns like serious tools, not toys (even if they are a heckuvalotta fun). When the public is involved, guns and shooting must be portrayed as a somber activity: Think about how the police handle guns and consider why the public has such unwavering confidence in an armed police force. Now I've met some darned good shooters in law enforcement, but an average shooter at a local IDPA match shoots way better than an average city cop. Yet who would the public trust more to stop an active shooter? It's all about appearances.

Hhmm, interesting question. I always thought that at least with semiauto pistols, only the part of the gun with the grip is considered a firearm. You could buy a replacement slide, barrel, and everything else without an FID or handgun permit, but as soon as you start dealing with the grip portion, it's considered a gun. Yes, it's a VERY good idea to carry your magazines unloaded, but I think that's just a precaution. In addition to jumping through hoops to comply with the letter of the law, it behooves us to take additional precautions against unlawful arrests by officers who themselves don't know the law. You might not get convicted, but spending a night in the slammer with Bubba ain't no fun, 'neither.

Thanks to everyone who replied. I really feel like this issue is much clearer now. Seems like I didn't pay enough attention to the "or" in the above wording. I would have to agree now that walking outside with your gun encased is perfectly legal as long as you're going to or from the range. It's perfectly reasonable too: At least from a distance, I don't think most non gun-owners would recognize a handgun case anyway, so it's unlikely to cause a scene. There would still be potential for getting harassed AND searched by the police, but all of that can easily be avoided, which leads me to my last point: Let me just clarify that the idea of walking with an openly displayed handgun case is just hypothetical. It would be a really, really bad idea to be that obvious. I put my locked case in a bag, preferably one that's as docile-looking as possible. I've heard of people putting their long guns in golf bags, guitar cases, etc. which is simply awesome. I know 99% of you reading this already know that, but I just wanted to clear that up in case there are any noobs (and I mean that in a nice way) who might get the wrong idea. Many thanks to everyone who replied and helped to clear this up.

If you gents who have done it before wouldn't mind sharing, may I ask what makes it so difficult to fly out of Newark with a firearm? I've gotten good reports from friends who've flown with guns before, but I've heard nothing specifically about Newark Airport. Do they handle it differently there?

Interesting replies. I was going to wait before adding another two cents, but I can't help but throw some more wood on the fire. Picture this: A man walks several blocks to a bus stop in a dense urban neighborhood, carrying a padlocked "G L O C K" case with logo prominently displayed. Under his arm is a completely see-through plastic bin topped off with about 200 rounds of .45 ACP hand loads for his range session. He boards the bus and takes his seat, holding the aforementioned items on his lap. Awkward stares ensue. A nearby passenger gets up and moves to the farthest part of the bus, slowly pulling out a cell phone... A little sketchy, I know. But it's plausible. And if it is indeed perfectly legal, then who wants to try it first and report back?

Also, don't person-to-person long gun sales in NJ require both parties to have an FID?

Something I've wondered about lately- the narrow limitations on firearm transport in NJ include transport in vehicles, buses, trains, and airplanes. What about on foot? This could apply in all sorts of situations, from people who don't own cars to those who live close enough to a range/gun shop to justify walking instead of driving. If there's no provision for transporting firearms on foot, then we're all breaking the law just by parking near a shooting range and walking (even two steps) from the car to the front door. I know this sounds anal, but random police encounters can happen when we least expect them. Common sense would dictate that if you happened to be questioned by police you could just say, "Officer, I just parked my car a few blocks down the road and I'm walking over to the shooting range. My gun is cased and locked here in my range bag." I noticed that parking at Bullet Hole has been discussed in another thread, and the consensus was that everyone in the neighborhood knows the deal. But then ask Greg Revell or Brian Aitken if they still think common sense is enough to keep an honest NJ gun owner from getting locked up. Let's discuss the strict legal interpretation, since that seems to be what gets people arrested. As far as I can tell, the law doesn't have provisions for this, and the way NJ law is written, if it's not exempted then it's prohibited. I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.