Look No Further than Your New Jersey Neighbor for Easy Guns!

By David Codrea

You are Leaving Free America Welcome to New Jersey
Easily available neighborhood guns, next exit!
AmmoLand Gun News
AmmoLand Gun News

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- “Need a gun? Your Manasquan area neighbor could easily sell you a semi-automatic,” Tom Davis of The Patch advises New Jersey readers.

And because of the Patch’s regional business model, the same story is available with area headline modifications for Hoboken, West Depford, Toms River, Middletown, Point Pleasant…

That’s funny—you have to get all the way down to #25 Montclair on this list before you can find “hyperlocal” New Jersey Patch coverage, suggesting a certain preferred clientele…

No matter, because according to Davis;

“In New Jersey, you may be able buy a [sic] one — semi-automatic or otherwise — just by walking next door.

“In the wake of the terrorism attacks that killed or injured scores of people in Paris on Friday, NJcom produced a story Monday that shows how guns are readily available throughout New Jersey – and, in some cases, being sold right from a person’s kitchen table,” Davis breathlessly reveals to us.

“[T]here are 368 federal fireman’s [sic] licensed (FFL) gun businesses in New Jersey, and at least 140 operate from homes,” Davis continues.  “And getting one may be easier than you think.”

Really? Easier than in some of the neighborhoods The Patch does not provide coverage for?

Because if you’re from Manasquan, and you want to buy a gun — legally so that you don’t risk losing your $584,900 median value home — there are a few hoops you’ll need to jump through before the guy next door can exchange that Tec-9 on his kitchen table for a paper bag full of … oops — scratch the Tec-9 (Banned in NJ).

That’s because New Jersey has a lot of what the gun-grabbers call “common sense gun safety laws” and guys like me call “citizen disarmament edicts.” So before strolling over to the neighbor’s house, maybe we ought to examine how “easy” it really is to score a gun. Since Davis and NJ.com brought up the French connection, we owe it to the people of Paris, don’t you think?

Before knocking on any kitchen doors, the New Jersey State Police tell us you’re first going to need to get a Firearms Purchaser Identification Card and/or a Permit to Purchase a Handgun from your local police department. They include a link to a handy list of forms that may come into play, depending on who you are and what you want to do.

“A Permit to Purchase a Handgun must be completed on each handgun transferred in this state,” they continue. “Individuals must be fingerprinted when applying for a Firearms Purchaser Identification Card or a Permit to Purchase a Handgun.”

Fingerprinted? Wait a minute — Tom just told readers all they had to do was walk next door and sit down at the kitchen table, and that everything would be “readily available” and easy. And now we find citizens need to pay $57.50 to something called MORPHO TRAK at the time they schedule a fingerprint appointment?

And this is just so they can eventually have a gun for home protection? If they want a carry permit, there’s a whole ‘nother slew of rules that boil down to New Jersey being a “may issue” state. That means expect the probable outcome being “may not” unless they work in security or can prove a credible threat exists. Or unless they have connections.

Not that the people causing the problems worry about such formalities.

OK, but what about a Patch-covered neighbor with his kitchen arsenal?

Well, after he gets the “all clear” from his local zoning authority and sends it to the NJSP Firearms Investigation Unit, there’s an application package that needs to be completed and returned. Did I mention the trade name certificate, the license application, the consent for mental health records search, the municipal police records check, the criminal history record check, the fee…? I ask because Tom didn’t.

Good grief, there’s so much stuff to cover, you could write a book on New Jersey gun laws.  Fortunately, attorney Evan Nappen did just that, and his comprehensive guide is a must-have for any gun owner who wishes to minimize his chances of winding up subjected to “legal” terror like Brian Aitken, Shaneen Allen and Greg Revell each were when they innocently ran afoul of Garden State gun edicts.

“A gun is without a doubt the most difficult product to legally buy in New Jersey,” Nappen replied when asked to comment for this article. “Nothing else requires a lengthy state and federal application, fingerprinting, background check, mental health records check, letters of reference, payment of fees, a waiting period, and written approval by a Chief of Police before a purchase of a constitutionally protected consumer good can happen.”

You’d think an “award-winning journalist” who “teaches journalism classes at Rutgers University” would know all these things, and maybe even share some of them before presuming to tell his readers how “easy” it is to buy guns from their New Jersey neighbors.

One can only wonder what we’ll be able to expect from the fresh crop of “real reporters” learning from the examples set by such mentors.

David Codrea in his natural habitat.

About David Codrea:

David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.

He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and also posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.

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Trumped

Great job calling out this Bolshevik propaganda.

old salt

your better off going striper fishing off the jetty at the inlet there than reading all this bs. think this tom/ patch moron would make great chum for blue fishing. now that would make for a real party boat adventure, detritus cast out, awesome blues reeled in. now we’re talking. his ass filleted by the school, and they got some teeth. just let nature take it course with these types of f**kers. there is no malice involved , just like they profess. but the result is heart felt and supported by evolution.

SSGRick

Kinda sounds like the religion of pieces doesn’t it?

markinidaho

More of Cordea’s convoluted journalism. Lots of words just to say it is hard to buy a gun in NJ regardless of what Tom from The Patch has to say. Let’s have more steak and less sizzle.

VT Patriot

Great article David. Having been born in and grown up in NJ, I don’t even recognize it anymore. As kids, we all had 22’s and went out plinking in the woods near home. We’d walk the 2 blocks to get to the forest, through our neighborhood, with our 22 single shot rifles, and nobody called the cops. I can’t imagine what would happen if any kid were to get ‘caught’ today doing what we considered just a fun afternoon. It still goes on where I live today, and I don’t even blink an eye. I’ll even contribute a little left… Read more »

Kevin McGonigal

Is there anyway to contact this guy and set him straight on the state’s gun laws. Among other things I would ask him to go to one of these neighborhood gun shops and actually try to purchase a firearm and see what happens.

Janek

I stopped shopping, vacationing, or even setting foot in New Jersey. Now they want to fine you $50.00 if during the course of a vehicle stop a ‘body cam’ wearing cop asks you to turn on your interior and you don’t comply. What if the bulb is burned out or the switch is broke? Just another stop on the road to totalitarianism.

David Codrea

Mr. Stanek– Good eye. Confession: I actually missed that and read right through it–fortunately Editor Fredy Riehl had my back and caught that on his edit and added a [sic] after it.

TEX

Christie is completely full of shit.

Longbow

Mr. Tom Davis doesn’t care, David. It was a propaganda piece and nothing more. They are at war with us. Lies are not only permissible, if they advance the cause they are obligatory.

Alex Stanek

Patch publications are obvious crap. Did anyone else notice his published piece (of shit) says “….NJ.com says there are 368 federal fireman’s licensed (FFL) gun businesses…”. FIREMAN’S businesses!!!!!!! LOL! I love it. What an amateur! I’d like to share an interesting tidbit: I have a customer in the insurance biz. During a firearms discussion, we were sharing statistics and he handed me some great ammo (obvious pun intended). Insurance companies that underwrite homeowners policies (liability, umbrellas,etc) will refuse to write the policy without an additional rider (cost), or flat out decline the request – if you have a large breed… Read more »

Curtiss

And Chris Christy says he is pro second amendment. New Jersey does not honor any other states concealed carry permits, they make it difficult to purchase guns, and he wants to be President?