Firearms

[Boyd]

It just blows my mind that a BB gun would be considered in the same category as a hunting rifle. When I was a kid, we considered it a birthright to get a BB gun on our 12th birthdays. I guess there was the occasional accident, but I never remember hearing about anything serious. Is it actually illegal today for a minor to own a BB gun?

I guess this is another facet of the same mindset that brought us the zero-tolerance laws where 10 year old kids get suspended from school and sent to a psychiatrist for bringing a nerf-gun to school.

 

[Gibby]

New Jersey is a nanny state. It is illegal for a minor to possess a firearm, that is how the law is written. A BB gun is considered a firearm and you need a FID card to purchase one. If the BB gun is a pistol, a pistol permit is needed as well. What make it even worse is technically if I purchase a BB gun and give it to my child, it is a straw purchase which is a felony. The gun laws are strict in New Jersey and at times even hard to abide by. For example, a suppressor is illegal on a rifle but if the manufacturer labels it a muzzle brake it isn't, but if either threads on to the end of the barrel it is illegal, but if it is permanently mounted on the barrel via pinning or welding it isn't illegal. See how confusing laws can be in New Jersey.

 

[46er]

New Jersey is a nanny state. It is illegal for a minor to possess a firearm, that is how the law is written. A BB gun is considered a firearm and you need a FID card to purchase one. If the BB gun is a pistol, a pistol permit is needed as well. What make it even worse is technically if I purchase a BB gun and give it to my child, it is a straw purchase which is a felony.

There are a lot of minors that hunt in this state, and use firearms purchased by their parent. Mine did. I am not sure that means the parent has commited a felony. When my sons came of age, the firearms they used were transferred to them.

Unfortunately, the only firearms safety classes offered by the state are the hunter courses. Only the private clubs and ranges offer firearm safety classes and they are not very well advertised. Any parent that is a firearms owner or just wants to get their kids involved with firearms, owes it to his kids to find such a class and have them attend. One of the better ones near me is the Central Jersey Rifle & Pistol Club in Jackson.

http://www.cjrpc.org/

 

[Chrisr]

New Jersey is a nanny state. It is illegal for a minor to possess a firearm, that is how the law is written. A BB gun is considered a firearm and you need a FID card to purchase one. If the BB gun is a pistol, a pistol permit is needed as well. What make it even worse is technically if I purchase a BB gun and give it to my child, it is a straw purchase which is a felony. The gun laws are strict in New Jersey and at times even hard to abide by. For example, a suppressor is illegal on a rifle but if the manufacturer labels it a muzzle brake it isn't, but if either threads on to the end of the barrel it is illegal, but if it is permanently mounted on the barrel via pinning or welding it isn't illegal. See how confusing laws can be in New Jersey.

Agreed about the nanny state. I got a great deal on a Sig 556 rifle. Never fired, 10 round clip (cause anything more is illegal in NJ) a "Muzzle Break" not a flash supressor, a green laser dot aiming device (illegal only if it's attached to the rifle) and a scope for $700. Aint no way I was letting that slip by me!! It was a private sale too, all on the up and up with the appropriate paperwork filled out.

Gibby, thanks for the info on the 1911's. I'll check them out and let you know what I find.

 

[RednekF350]

There are a lot of minors that hunt in this state, and use firearms purchased by their parent. Mine did. I am not sure that means the parent has commited a felony.

Not only that but in NJ, a yoot can legally hunt by himself or herself with a firearm at the age of 14. I did it, my kids did it and it is legal.

 

[Gibby]

I was just giving an example, 46er, of how "grey" and open to interpretation our gun laws are. I used my father's guns to hunt with as well until I was old enough to buy my own guns. That being said in New Jersey, when a person has the legal right to purchase a firearm and does so for the purpose of providing that firearm to a person who does not have legal right to purchase a firearm, it is a straw purchase. It isn't the intent, it is the act and technically it is a felony. Many people don't know the gun laws because the laws aren't clear. That is a large problem here. In theory many things gun owners do are illegal, but in practice likely not. It can be difficult at times.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Agreed about the nanny state. I got a great deal on a Sig 556 rifle. Never fired, 10 round clip (cause anything more is illegal in NJ) a "Muzzle Break" not a flash supressor, a green laser dot aiming device (illegal only if it's attached to the rifle) and a scope for $700. Aint no way I was letting that slip by me!! It was a private sale too, all on the up and up with the appropriate paperwork filled out.

Gibby, thanks for the info on the 1911's. I'll check them out and let you know what I find.

That's not true. Fifteen rounds is the legal limit in NJ for rifle and handgun. I forget the limit on shotguns, but it depends if its semi-auto or not.

 

[RednekF350]

That's not true. Fifteen rounds is the legal limit in NJ for rifle and handgun. I forget the limit on shotguns, but it depends if its semi-auto or not.

A semi-auto shotgun with magazine exceeding 6 rounds makes it an assault weapon by NJ standards.
http://www.njsp.org/info/pdf/firearms/062408_title13ch54.pdf
see page 4 of 37

 

[Chrisr]

That's not true. Fifteen rounds is the legal limit in NJ for rifle and handgun. I forget the limit on shotguns, but it depends if its semi-auto or not.

Thanks for the info, Nascar. I was always under the impression 10 rounds was it for a rifle. I guess because the next size clip for my rifle is a 20 round. See, you do learn something new everyday!! Thanks again.

 

[GermanG]

That’s the nice thing about doing all your deer hunting with rifle that loads from the muzzle……..no magazine laws to have to interpret.

 

[this_is_nascar]

Something I learned a few back (don't know the exact details) has to do with not being able to use a .22LR for hunting or something like that. I'm not a hunter, but what wrong with using a .22lR for that purpose?

I have several .22LR pistols and rifles. My next purchase will probably be a 9mm handgun. I've been focusing on the Glock 19 Gen-4 and the Ruger SR9. The Gen-4 has/had some issues, but Glock is handling them. That SR9 is really growing on me from what I've read and seen.

 

[46er]

That being said in New Jersey, when a person has the legal right to purchase a firearm and does so for the purpose of providing that firearm to a person who does not have legal right to purchase a firearm, it is a straw purchase. It isn't the intent, it is the act and technically it is a felony. Many people don't know the gun laws because the laws aren't clear. That is a large problem here. In theory many things gun owners do are illegal, but in practice likely not. It can be difficult at times.

Not to beat a dead horse, but then the state itself would be complicit in commiting a felony when they provide firearms to youths taking the hunting test, which they do. If what you suggest were the case the anti's would be all over this with lawsuits galore.

 

[46er]

Something I learned a few back (don't know the exact details) has to do with not being able to use a .22LR for hunting or something like that. I'm not a hunter, but what wrong with using a .22lR for that purpose?

I have several .22LR pistols and rifles. My next purchase will probably be a 9mm handgun. I've been focusing on the Glock 19 Gen-4 and the Ruger SR9. The Gen-4 has/had some issues, but Glock is handling them. That SR9 is really growing on me from what I've read and seen.

See page 26 of the regs at the link.


http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/2011/dighnt11-no_map.pdf

 

[imkms]

Something I learned a few back (don't know the exact details) has to do with not being able to use a .22LR for hunting or something like that. I'm not a hunter, but what wrong with using a .22lR for that purpose?

I no longer hunt, but when I was a kid I used to go with my father and hunt for Ground Hog and rabbit and we used a 22 rifle then. At that time there was a special license referred to as a varmint license which allowed the use of this type rifle for specific hunting, the idea being that you only would use it to shoot animals on the ground (ground hog, rabbit, etc) so if you missed, you just hit the ground. If a 22 was used for a larger animal and you missed, the projectile could fly for a mile or more. Don't know if this license is still available in NJ, but I do know 22s are used in other states for hunting.

 

[dogg57]

You can hunt with a .22 but only if trapping or for woodchuck and NO .22's on any WMA's. You can hunt with a .22 if you have access and permission to hunt on private property for woodchuck. And don't forget you need to take the course and procure a rifle permit.

 

[GermanG]

The exception to using .22 rimfires on WMAs is when target shooting at official ranges, such as the one at Stafford Forge WMA, located on Rt. 539. The availability of that range to use .22s is what prompted me to acquire a rifle years ago that my children have had many fun target sessions with, long before they were able to handle a shotgun. It also gave me reason to fulfill a childhood dream of owning a levergun. When I first brought it home, I felt like Ralphie, in “A Christmas Story” . It is too bad handguns are not allowed there, but the range’s existence is justified for allowing practice with weapons allowed for hunting in NJ. Spent casings indicate the no-handgun rule is occasionally broken however.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I haven't shot a gun in a long time. I'd love to go pinking some cans again with a .22 one of these days.

 

[Boyd]

See, that's all I want to do also, like I first did with my dad at age 10 or 12. But the permit process seems designed to discourage you, almost as though considering you guilty until proven innocent.

 

[Gibby]

If anyone just wants to go shoot for a few hours, many shooting ranges rent handguns and rifles. Two that I know off hand that do are Shore Shot in Lakewood and Bob's Little Gun Shop in Glassboro. 46er there are exceptions to the law for possesion of firearms by youths. The four are: supervision by an adult, military drills, hunting, and target shooting. If you go and buy a firearm, knowingly for someone else, it is illegal and you have also falsified a federal document by checking no on question 12a of ATF Form 4473, both felonies under the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Brady law. I'm not discussing lending a firearm , I'm discussing buying one. I should have been clearer on my point.

 

[Ben Ruset]

I've shot at Shore Shot before, but I thought you had to go in with a member. I also remember it being somewhat expensive.

I'd go again, but I'd want to go with someone.