GRIZ

Make sure it locks up tight. No wobble when action is closed. The release lever should operate smoothly. Check for dents in barrel (same as any shotgun). These are easier to find by shining a light down the bore while checking for corrosion. To make sure the gun will fire put a small piece of masking tape over the firing pin hole and dry fire. The firing pin will dislodge the tape.

I'm not a fan of the 40. Never owned one, never will.

If you want to turn someone off to shooting a small frame, lightweight, short barrel 38 is the way to go.

I have about 9 or 10 different calibers of handguns. Different calibers for different things. A 357 Magnum is about the best do it all caliber IMO.

I am well aware there is no Federal AWB or magazine limit. You're wrong about a prolonged court battle being the only way to do away with AWBs and magazine limits imposed by states. These two issues, concealed carry in all states, and other issues can easily be remedied by attaching them as a condition to receive Federal funding. This can be attached to funding for anything. That would put the onus of repealing these laws on state legislatures. I think Democrats like to spend money more than hate guns.

All of this conversation will be academic when Trump makes all the AWBs and magazine limits go away.

If it's in a locked trunk it doesn't have to be in a case. Refer to NJSP.or firearms info.

Marijuana is still illegal under Federal law. Gun has moved or might be moved in interstate commerce. Feds can make marijuana use of any type disqualifying to buy a gun at a FFL.

J frame of any caliber is controllable if you're willing to take the time to learn. It isn't just recoil but short sight radius which puts more emphasis on trigger control that makes J frames a bad idea for new shooters. A K frame is not that big.

J frames are the worst thing to give a new shooter and expect them to hit something.

No stigma attached to guns. You need to know how they work though. When you say no training that means here's a gun and ammo figure it out yourself. If someone is interested in their own self defense it would seem logical to get at least a few hours of training. Easier to learn how to use a gun than getting a black belt in some martial art.

Sounds expensive.

I like the 6 shooter on the motorcycle.

A few hours training is not hard to take. Giving a gun to someone who has no knowledge of guns is inviting disaster. Just not knowing what it feels like to shoot a gun before using one to defend oneself is enough reason to not give one to the untrained. How much training? My youngest daughter had no interest in guns...until she became a Mom. I gave her a pick of a variety of handguns hoping she would pick the 4" M10 S&W. That included discussion of how they work. She picked the 4" M10. That was follower by about an hour of discussion including dry fire and sighting. The first 6 rds she fired double action at 7 yds were maybe a 6" group,not exactly centered but it most certainly would attract the bad guy's attention. After about 100 rds of wadcutters she was shooting 5 out of 6 in 3" @ 7 yd. The one round might make it 4 or 5 inches. I take it you're a newer shooter (like 40 or under). I say this because you talk of the difficulty of firing a DA revolver. Millions of us old farts learned on a DA revolver. It's not that hard. After that everything else is easy. Take your time. Take a rest if your hand gets tired. A DA revolver has a easier manual of arms. Stay away from j frames for a new shooter. Teach them how to decock safely. Ask me if you don't know how.

I have a light on my 45 Hi Point. Can't see why other accessories wouldn't fit.

Okay strike my couple of hours for the 301 route. Try Carney's Point using your 78 route. The rest of my comments still stand. If you insist on leaving bright and early you will have rush hour traffic no matter which way you go. Leave later, mid day traffic is not bad.

That adds a couple of hours to the trip. Not worth it for the one in several million chance IMO. You stand a greater chance of being struck by lightning.

That may be okay if you live near 78 but is somewhat laborious if you live in Carney's Point like the OP. One bad experience vs the millions of people transporting guns on I95 through the Baltimore tunnels every year does not seem worth adding hours to the trip. Don't kill yourself take 2 days to make the trip on I95 if there's only 1 driver.

Not as long as you notify AMTRAK and do what they say

I've always maintained adequate stocks of ammo and reloading components since the primer and powder scare in 1992.

^^^^ This

There are states, Montana and Idaho I think, that passed state laws saying guns made in their state are not subject to Federal regulation if they don't leave the state. By these state laws you could legally build a new full auto and it would be legal for anyone to own. However, these guns might move on interstate commerce which would make them fall under Federal regulation. "Might move" is the basic logic of the SCOTUS decision I mentioned in my post above. Those state laws are really feel good laws and I don't know of anyone that has tested them. The state laws can't supercede Federal law. If this state laws had any real meat to them everyone in say Montana would be buying full auto weapons at the hardware store.

IIRC the original case involving interstate commerce involved a farmer growing wheat. He maintained fields where the wheat was used only to feed his family. The crop never left his farm. SCOTUS ruled "it might" leave his farm and could be introduced to interstate commerce. This is why all thor state laws saying guns made in the state are not subject to Federal regulation. Even if you built a gun that was totally made from materials sourced from that state they still would be subject to Federal law.

I believe the "loaded magazine" thing started when someone was arrested in another state (not NJ) for having one. They were convicted on carrying a "loaded weapon". It was overturned on appeal. Courts rely on common definitions if something is not specifically denied in the law. No where is a loaded magazine defined as a weapon. This only way you can hurt someone with one is to hit them on the head. Nappen doesn't really impress me. He created his image as a "gun lawyer". Most of the things someone can be arrested for concerning guns do not require a "gun lawyer". You need a good criminal defense lawyer. Nappen's advice to not transport loaded magazines is over cautious with no basis in law. Ask him how to avoid getting a speeding ticket in a 65 mph zone and he'll tell you drive 50 mph.

Stay off school property and any Federal property. That would include the parking lot for the post office. If the post office is in a strip mall that would not include the common parking lot for all the stores there. If it's a parking lot for only the post office you should park your car on the street and not in the lot. This is what you'd have to do to be in full compliance with the law.