What are the records I need to keep regarding handguns in NJ?

For example, let's say, hypothetically, police stop me on the way to an NJ range with 4 handguns locked in my trunk and for some reason it becomes known to them and they find it. I have an FID. Obviously, for an NJ resident to buy or receive as a gift a handgun, he must get a handgun permit for that particular acquisition. Does that mean that if police find, say, 4 handguns in the person's trunk, whereas the local PD/State police only has records of 3 handgun permits ever being approved for me, does that get me into legal trouble by virtue of me being unable to prove how I legally acquired the guns?

Nothing needed. Live your life and don't sweat the what ifs.

 

2 minutes ago, PK90 said:

Nothing needed. Live your life and don't sweat the what ifs.

 

In other words, a gun in my car or my house is presumed to be my legally acquired property by virtue of being in my physical possession unless something direct exists to prove it is illegal, like a 15-round mag, witness testimony that I stole that specific gun, etc...?

3 minutes ago, jasonx said:

What are the records I need to keep regarding handguns in NJ?

For example, let's say, hypothetically, police stop me on the way to an NJ range with 4 handguns locked in my trunk and for some reason it becomes known to them and they find it. I have an FID. Obviously, for an NJ resident to buy or receive as a gift a handgun, he must get a handgun permit for that particular acquisition. Does that mean that if police find, say, 4 handguns in the person's trunk, whereas the local PD/State police only has records of 3 handgun permits ever being approved for me, does that get me into legal trouble by virtue of me being unable to prove how I legally acquired the guns?

If that 4th gun was purchased in Newark on the streets and used in crimes... yes you may have an issue.

In general, if you legally purchased a gun, you are fine.

Some people will drive around with a copy of their pistol permits in the case, others will not.  But there are plenty of people who acquired guns while living in other states and then moved to NJ.

1 minute ago, Maksim said:

If that 4th gun was purchased in Newark on the streets and used in crimes... yes you may have an issue.

In general, if you legally purchased a gun, you are fine.

Some people will drive around with a copy of their pistol permits in the case, others will not.  But there are plenty of people who acquired guns while living in other states and then moved to NJ.

Right, I'm not talking about a specific gun which can be traced to a specific bullet used in a murder. Just whether or not I have to have a gun permit copy or a "story" for each handgun that exceeds the number of handgun permits ever issued to me.

3 minutes ago, Maksim said:

But there are plenty of people who acquired guns while living in other states and then moved to NJ.

And don't forget about inherited guns... There is no legal requirement in NJ to register guns you inherit, including handguns.

1 minute ago, dajonga said:

And don't forget about inherited guns... There is no legal requirement in NJ to register guns you inherit, including handguns.

Yes, there's that plausible deniability. I was just curious if police would ever bother to go:

1. The person never lived outside of NJ.

2. The person never had a gun-owning relative die.

Therefore...

etc...

1 minute ago, dajonga said:

And don't forget about inherited guns... There is no legal requirement in NJ to register guns you inherit, including handguns.

As of TODAY, you're right.

But once the a'holes in Trenton vote tomorrow, that will change.

4 minutes ago, jasonx said:

Right, I'm not talking about a specific gun which can be traced to a specific bullet used in a murder. Just whether or not I have to have a gun permit copy or a "story" for each handgun that exceeds the number of handgun permits ever issued to me.

If you are legally purchasing a firearm in NJ, you should have a pistol permit for all of the guns that you bought.

In either case, if one of them was lost at some point, pistol permits have 4 copies... 1 for state, 1 for buyer, 1 for seller and 1 for your town.

Even if all 4 are lost, that gun is logged in your FFL's log book.  There is a paper trail for all guns there.

2 minutes ago, njJoniGuy said:

As of TODAY, you're right.

But once the a'holes in Trenton vote tomorrow, that will change.

Really? Didn't know that was on the table. I thought it was smart guns?

3 minutes ago, Maksim said:

Some people will drive around with a copy of their pistol permits in the case, others will not.  But there are plenty of people who acquired guns while living in other states and then moved to NJ.

In this state, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Sure, you can just drive with them, but to possibly eliminate any headaches, I recommend carrying a copy of the COE in your range bag too, so you can instantly prove ownership. If the guns were bought out of state, some sort of receipt should be carried. Yeah, I know... in a free state...

Six pairs of identical bills are on the voting agenda in the Assembly and Senate tomorrow.

A1016 / S101;   A3696 / S2240;   A5452 / S3876;   A5453 / S3879;   A5454 / S3897;    A5455 / S3898

Once these all pass (an almost forgone conclusion given the super majority the Dims hold in Trenton), total firearms registration is the next logical step in their plan to finally disarm us.