Fairfax, VA –-(Ammoland.com)- After Shaneen Allen and Brian Aitken, you’d think that officials in New Jersey would have finally figured out that they need to stop persecuting honest gun owners and instead do their job — targeting hardened criminals.
Well apparently not, at least not in Cumberland County.
72-year old retired teacher and military academy graduate Gordon Van Gilder was stopped by a Cumberland County sheriff’s deputy for a minor traffic violation. When he volunteered that he had an antique flintlock pistol with him, he was promptly arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a handgun, which carries up to a ten-year prison sentence. Van Gilder’s case is currently stalled while prosecutors claim they are doing “ballistics testing” on the 300-year-old, smooth-bore collectible.
For the details of this latest travesty in New Jersey’s relentless assault on law-abiding gun owners and firearms freedoms, watch this hard-hitting story by Ginny Simone of NRA News.
If you’d like to contribute to Mr. Van Gilder’s legal defense fund, you can do so here: https://gogetfunding.com/project/van-gilder-legal-defense-fund
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Charges have been dropped! now there’s a petition to get rid of the sheriff
https://www.change.org/p/calling-for-the-resignation-of-sheriff-robert-austino-cumberland-county-new-jersey-resign
I am glad that I am moving out of NJ between gun laws and taxes.FL looks great.
All states should be like West Virginia. I’m sure most out there saw what happened in the little town of Pinch last week. A Pharmacists pulled his concealed weapon out and shot a robber grave yard dead. All on film and no further investigation needed. And most of all no gun charges. End of story.
West Virginia has the lowest crime rate in the country per capita, and most people have permits to carry and will use them if necessary. Wake up America and smell the gun powder.
Use Jury Nullification and get rid of the BS gun laws.
We should give this state to the stupid liberals and let them take their guns away and sit back and watch what will happen to the defenseless idiots who will surely be ravaged with crime and government tyranny.
When a cop stops you for ‘investigation’ and asks if you have any weapons, kindly remind him that by asking that question he is asking you to waive your Constitutional protections from ‘self-incrimination.
This is what happens when honest citizens meet stupid laws. Why in the world the guy ever volunteered the info during a minor traffic infraction is beyond me. Of course I would never live in a state with such draconian gun laws either.
I live in southern NJ. There is a bit more to this case than is being reported. I suggest withholding comments until all the relevant information becomes available. I wholeheartedly support NJ adopting the federal definition of what constitutes a firearm but this may not be the case to base that desire on.
And how soon might that be? Issues like this will fade and soon be forgotten if not pursued while hot!
I cannot say more but again but this incident involves more than the NRA is revealing. You might want to try googling the local press in Cumberland County, NJ Millville. This is not the case we want to be using to overthrow a gun law, even a foolish one.
All gun laws need to be over thrown. SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED
“Strike while the iron is hot!! Amen it does not matter what other information is not know the base issue is the Un-Constitutional New Jersey Law and any opportunity to bring it to the light of day is sufficient cause.
LMS case plain and simple !
I stopped ‘vacationing’ in New Jersey years ago! It’s because of N.J. Law Enforcement’s lack of discretion in situations like this. These people have a ‘history’.
Not enough information was it loaded and accessible? was it in a case? Did he have a permit or anything?
Unloaded and no flint in the cock. Face it, New Jersy is run by the Democrat Crime Syndicate and their RINO enablers. I hope the exodus from NJ ruins the state and it turns into a haunt of rodents, crows, feral packs of dogs and legions of cats. Put a fence around the ruins and declare it a monument to human tyranny and stupidity.
A fence nothing put a 100 foot high wall around the place and turn it into the largest prison in the country, we can put all the politicians there along with all the other criminals.
Fat BOY Christie wants to be POTUS if that happens we mat as well invite isis towel heads to come on in. We won’t have nothing but slingshots are those legal in NJ. That is one SORRY-ASS state.
Jersey law is not Federal law – that’s the Constitution. Jersey (or any other state) has no right to change that! Lawsuit!
That is what happens when you live in a commie sewer
This whole thing is just so much Male Bovine Excrement.
So where is ’emperor wanna-be’ Christie? If he thinks this kind of thuggery will get him elected…
I live in delaware and i don’t cross the river NJ and it’s laws suck ! ! !
If I recall correctly, NJ has an exemption for antique weapons.
It does not have such an exemption. As far as NJ is concerned a Queen Anne muzzle loading flintlock pistol is the equivalent of a Glock. What mystifies me about this is why the media has been dead silent on this arrest. By the way NJ’s Graves Act will slap this guy with a MINIMUM three year sentence if convicted.
The deputy and the church should both lose their jobs,it seems like the deputy had a hair up his rectum from the word go.
New Jersey can stick just about everything U.T.A. …… What in this world are these people thinkin’ ?… just the place I’d visit……… NOT EVER !
No ex-post facto , it’s 300 years old predates all laws. Cutoff NJ road Federal funding.
The law also says it’s illegal to be an illegal alien and they get away with it
He was my English teacher in H.S. Mr. VanGilder is a good man. This is tragic and unjust.
When is the NRA going to lead the revolt? It’s way beyond time…
You’re too funny Cowboys. No one will ever revolt. Our founding fathers were the only ones with a pair of brass balls. Now we get armchair “revolutionary’s” who preach about how they think there should be a revolution or that they and their friends are just waiting for one so they can solve whatever injustice they feel they have suffered. You know why there will never be another revolution? Its simple cause armchair guys will never get out of their arm chair and start a revolution. They dont want to be the first person to die or be tried and… Read more »
Im sure they said the same thing in Syria, Egypt, and all those other countries that are in turmoil or civil war right now.
They don’t have the NRA convincing them that a Gun Club (NRA) will save them.
I live here in NJ and can attest to the “arm chair” mentality. The only way things will change in NJ is to have a voter revolt. Which will never happen. A lot of the people leaning to towards progressive/liberals believe all of the anti-gun propaganda. I was there at the statehouse at the committee meeting for the 15 to 10 round magazine restriction bill. The pro-gun group was so large that they moved it to a larger room. The pro’s out numbered the anti’s by a significant margin (by my estimation 30-1?). Many people wrote their representatives and yet… Read more »
The NRA wants your Money, not a revolt.
i have one question did he have a purchaser identification card for new jersey? I know new jersey gun laws suck but laws are laws,,,,
Laws are Laws huh?
Federal law states flintlocks are not firearms. But apparently NJ thinks they are considered as such.
Unfortunately, it IS NJ law and the statutes include antique firearms. Not a Federal issue.
Just exactly how is a Flintlock NOT a firearm. If it fires a Metal Projectile using Chemical Combustion from the use of Gun Powder or Black Powder, then IT’S A FIREARM…
The LEGAL terms for Arms and Firearms are not the same – go do some reading of law – old and new.
And just how many rounds can this flint lock fire in one minute, what is maybe 2 or 3 shots. No any other state would have just laughed at the thing. Besides was it in working order? Did he have ammo for it? Was it loaded? Had a crime been committed by someone using a HA HA gun just like it? All the charges should be dropped against this man. Heck IN NJ if you even get caught with a knife they throw the book at you.
if laws are law, which I’m not disagreeing with, then what about the law (rather right, which trumps law) that gives him the unrestricted right to keep and bear arms?
Laws are not laws. The laws passed are overridden by the 2nd amendment and we need citizens to use the power of the jury room to enforce JURY NULLIFICATION. If all jurors refuse to convict because they think the law is wrong it will make the law invalid. As long as one juror will not vote to convict he will go free. Even if it ends in a miss trial another jury can do the same thing. If you determine you get a liberal ass judge, it is easy to tell, do not listen to their instructions. You can vote… Read more »
Its law until its declared un-Constitutional which this one will be. I plan to support Mr. Van Gilder’ legal defense all the way to the Supreme Court. I am petitioning the NRA to fully back his legal defense with its attorneys as well. I would appear that you do not support the Constitution of the United States. the NRA has been waiting for a high profile case to take up the fight with New Jersey’. It is now simply a matter of time.
Ballistic tests on a 300 year old flintlock… pure unadulterated horse pucky! This weapon can only be considered personal property as its’ value is in its’ possession -as a collectors item. This Sherriff should have exercised his discretion, and given his deputy a size eleven -right up the deputy’s back-side! Outrageous!
I am pretty sure that the sheriff is SUPPOSED to be a oath keeper!!!!! seeing as he did NOT keep his oath to protect and defend the Constitution, He and the rest of his ILK can be tried for treason. Since when did the Constitution ever say that A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state the right of the PEOPLE to keep and bare arms shall not be infringed ………………………………………..So long as your guberment officials let you do so. 🙂 Couldn’t find that last part anywhere………………..and I tired to find the darn thing. What… Read more »