I guess the $64,000 question is can you get a C&R FFL, go to a FFL dealer's licensed place of business in, say, Montana for instance, and buy a C&R eligible handgun (say a 1920s era S&W revolver in some obscure caliber for instance) on your C&R FFL, without a NJ Pistol Permit, take possession in Montana over the counter, presenting your federal C&R FFL, and logging it into your bound book, without any NJ pistol purchase permit being present or filled out, without violating any Federal laws.
It would seem that you can. But has anyone confirmed this?
How would NJ law apply there? It would seem to be the same as buying a blackpowder handgun in PA. No federal law preventing it, no NJ state law applying, so the acquisition is legal. NJ state law on acquisition doesn't apply outside of NJ's borders. Just (in that case) Montana, and Federal law.
The Montana dealer can't sell an ordinary NJ resident a pistol in Montana. Federal law bars an unlicensed person purchasing and receiving a handgun from a dealer outside of their state of residence. But the question of whether a dealer in Montana can sell a C&R handgun to a NJ resident, face to face at the dealer's premises in Montana, with a C&R FFL - which allows them to receive it and log it into their bound book (subject to Federal ATF inspection) - that's the question.
Looking for an answer to that one. If no federal law bars that sale and transfer, then it would appear the answer would be yes.
Does anyone know for certain?
And I'm not talking about what anyone thinks might be the case - does anyone actually know? Actually did it, or was told by someone in authority that would be permitted?