When Governor Murphy and the New Jersey Democrats rushed a flurry of gun laws through the legislature last June of 2022, one of the laws rammed through was under the guise of banning guns with no serial numbers.
This law banned millions of rifles, shotguns, handguns, hunting guns, target shooting guns, military surplus guns, and virtually ALL muzzleloaders, black powder guns, antique guns, air guns and BB guns.
There are NO exceptions and there is NO grandfathering. This was the largest gun ban ever passed in the history of the United States.
The law bans ALL firearms with a “…firearm frame or firearm receiver …which is not imprinted with a serial number registered with a federally licensed manufacturer…”
The term “firearm frame or firearm receiver” means the part of a firearm that provides housing for the internal components.
For ANY firearm to be legal in New Jersey, it must now meet two criteria established by this law:
1) the firearm must be imprinted with a serial number; and
2) the serial number must be registered with a federally licensed manufacturer.
Under these requirements, the following types of firearms are now banned in New Jersey with no grandfathering or exceptions:
1) All pre-1968 rifles, shotguns, and handguns without serial numbers. Warning: Prior to 1968, there was no federal law requiring guns to have serial numbers.
2) All modern rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers with serial numbers, but are not registered with a federally licensed manufacturer. This would include most modern imported rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers, plus foreign firearms, and military surplus firearms from countries around the world, if these companies were not federally licensed manufacturers (e.g., Lugers, P-38s, Mausers, Arisakas, Enfields, SKSs, Carcanos, Webleys, Norincos, Mosins, etc.).
3) All BB guns without serial numbers. New Jersey includes BB Guns/Air Guns in its legal definition of a “firearm.”
4) All BB guns with serial numbers but are not registered with a federally licensed manufacturer. This would include most BB guns made, because there is no federal firearms manufacturing license required to make BB guns (e.g., Daisy, Crossman, Gamo, etc.).
5) All muzzleloading/black powder firearms without serial numbers. New Jersey includes black powder guns in its legal definition of “firearm.”
6) All muzzleloading/black powder firearms with serial numbers but are not registered with a federally licensed manufacturer. This would include most muzzleloading/black powder firearms made and/or imported because there is no federal firearms manufacturing license required to make or import muzzleloading/black powder firearms.
5) All antique firearms without serial numbers. Antique firearms are “firearms” under New Jersey law.6) All antique firearms with serial numbers but are not registered with a federally licensed manufacturer. This would include most antique firearms because a federal firearms manufacturing license did not even exist at the time the antique firearms were manufactured.
The penalties for violating the new law are severe and draconian, as with most NJ gun laws:
1) Under N.J.S. 2C:39-3 n. possession of a banned firearm is a crime of the Third Degree which carries a maximum of five (5) years in State Prison and a $15,000 fine.
2) Under N.J.S. 2C:39-9 k. & n. purchase, transport, shipping, selling, or disposing of a banned firearm is a crime of the Second Degree which carries a maximum of ten (10) years in State Prison and a $150,000 fine.
Determining whether your firearm was made by a federally licensed manufacturer is difficult and will require research of each specific firearm. Of course, some guns are obviously made by U.S. licensed manufacturers, such as Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger, Winchester, Remington, etc. Many other firearms, particularly those that were imported, might or might not have federal manufacturing licenses for other models of guns that they make.
Unfortunately, this law is poorly written, and no guidance is given in the law as to how such determinations are to be made. As with most gun laws in New Jersey, gun owners BEWARE.
This new law is an excellent example of how a law is sold to the public as one thing, but its actual effect is something else entirely. It was either intentionally done to give New Jersey the record for the largest gun ban in U.S. history, or it is an example of just how ignorant our legislators are about guns and the law. It’s most likely a combination of both.
About Evan Nappen
Known as “America’s Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Host of the praised “Gun Lawyer” Podcast, author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, weapons history, and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades, it’s no wonder he’s become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry, and national media outlets. Called on regularly by radio, television, and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news, Evan has appeared on countless shows including Fox, CNN, Court TV, WOR-New York. As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America. Visit www.evannappen.com for expert legal assistance.
” the serial number must be registered with a federally licensed manufacturer.”
Wouldn’t this ban every gun once their manufacturer no longer exists?
They don’t care.
This is only one example on how seriously flawed the wording of this “law” affects ALL GUNS in the state of New Joisey. Although the politicians may not have given careful consideration as to how far-reaching this legislation is, when clarified to their royal hignesses they may not care, considering it an inadvertent stroke of luck. If, however, those moronic clowns intended this result……This kind of crap is a prime target for all 2A-supporting organizations (yes, sadly even the watered down NRA) to perform a full court press in the courts.
NO THE nra NEEDS TO STAY OUT of our cons. rights.
If allowed to run its predicted course, only early age revolvers and single load [duck guns] are thought might survive. But opinions vary.
Did you read the article? Those are banned as well.
It sounds like it is time to evacuate the state and leave no one living there except maybe the politicians and gang members.
Every gun owner should boycott spending ANY discretionary money in New Jersey. No trips to their beaches, Statue of Liberty, casinos, or any other attraction or amusement. On your travels, buy your gas in Pa.
The Statue of Liberty is on Bedloe’s Island, in New York Harbor.
I hope the gun owners of the Kommunist State of New Jersey have friends in gun friendly neighboring states (Pennsylvania?) that they can safely store their weapons with.
Otherwise, it may be “that time”, when the “authoritahs” come with the midnight door bust (forget about knocking).
If that time comes, I hope they issue the appropriate response. My family or myself in a FEMA camp or similar environment is not an acceptable outcome.
Don’t count on Pennsylvania to be a “safe house “ for your firearms . It is wavering on Blue now and don’t forget they elected a brain dead zombie, Fetterman to the US Senate. Tells you volumes of where that State is headed.
Your brain dead zombie is a Communist.
Elected NOT, selected Yes.
If these “law enforcement officers” were required to list their home addresses as a condition of employment they would not be so quick to “ just follow orders”.
ANY LAW OFFICER THAT HAS NOT QUIT WORKING FOR A TOTALITARIAN ANTI CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT AND CONTINUES TO WEAR THEIR NAZI UNIFORM IS A NAZI AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS SUCH………..THERE WERE / ARE NO GOOD NAZIS. PERIOD!
I am neither a lawyer nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but this seems like a totally unconstitutional overstep that it will be completely overturned by the courts just as soon as anyone brings a challenge. It looks to me like it was enacted for the, “See, we’re doing ‘something’ about gun control” faction of the socialists in power structure. If it gets kicked to the curb they can then say, “We tried.” Gamesmanship with Constitutional Rights is foolish (at least so far).
They KNOW it would be overturned but they are going to IGNORE the court. The ENFORCERS of this crap will be the major problem. No enforcers, no teeth. So, if you live in New Jersey, either move, OR make plans to see how many ENFORCERS you can take with you. I Just Want to Be Left Alone… “The most terrifying force of death, comes from the hands of men who wanted to be left alone. They try, so very hard, to mind their own business and provide for themselves and those they love. They resist every impulse to fight back,… Read more »
As expected, this extensive, long-winded law effects only law-abiding gun owners. Can you imagine, a perp hearing about this and wondering, “let me check the maker of my rod”?
For what type of kritter?
Four legged?
Or two legged?
It’s time for the people of NJ to get proactive with these politicians. Home Depot has a good supply of rope and nothing deters politicians more than seeing the first few of their ilk decorating the light poles in front of the capitol. As for the NJ State Police, they have acted as willing Gestapo agents of the state government for decades if not more than a century. They can be offered 24 hours to resign or they become no better than the tyrants they take orders from with the same outcome for them. Freedom.
One would have to be a bit crazy to live in NJ.
I’m in NJ – no one is complying with any of the new laws here – no one handed in their 15 round mags a few years ago, no one is going to register any “firearm” without a serial #, and no one is not going into PA to buy stuff you cannot get here and hide it away. Considering the felony penalty and the fact no legal gun owner is complying, all you need to know about people here following the new commie laws.
Now, start organizing, if you haven’t yet and be willing to converge on anyplace enforcers show up to nail someone, and take care of the enforcers. PUT THEM IN BODY BAGS. Isn’t that what the colonists did against THEIR own government enforcers when they came to disarm the militia at Concord Green? Should YOU or any of your fellow citizens of NJ treat any enforcer any different than they did?? Apparently you governor, Congressmen, Senators, Judges and other tax consuming public servants it is without question that they have become unruly, careless, lazy, irresponsible, arrogant, rebellious, wasteful, inefficient, obnoxious, domineering,… Read more »
Are these the same people that constantly vote these Communist azzholes in ? No sympathy here.
Of course we aren’t the ones – people who vote these shitbags in are the inner city folks and the rich white liberals in places like Ridgewood, Montclair, and Princeton. The last governor election was very close – the 1M new gun owners in the state put a dose of reality into the Democratic machine here. My HOR district has a republican representative and a lot of gun stores, which tells you these commies are not welcome here – but the rest of the state seems to not mind.
So you are PRIME FODDER FOR SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT……..you must be so proud and feel so safe
The Commies know that Real Americans will not comply. That is the whole point. Just another set of laws to be used against us to put us away for decades and strip our rights. Rule by Law, not Rule of Law.
SCOTUS needs to repeal every single gun law and background check requirement and disband the FATF in its next ruling.
And they need to throw all the New Jersey legislature in prison
It’s the old theory that if you throw a load of crap against the wall, some will stick.
My theory is the load of crap is the group of politicians that voted for this and it’s our job to vote them out.
fortunately the elections are fair and honest
I’m not sure if you think this or just sarcasm. My opinion is that the election was stolen from Trump by the lying steeling demo craps.
They have been rigged longer than Trump. lol
Secure elections ?
5 TRILLION $
NO EXAMINING Machines when it involves National Security. And how many voters did the DHS fly into the country at night ?
They have been stealing elections for so long with so many different ways of doing it. And trillions of US tax dollars to help them in their endeavors. We the people are screwed until everyone is willing to admit there’s a problem & a complete overhaul in necessary. I was keeping up with Kari & Lara. And I do believe they know what is going on. But it’s hard to prove when the machines are untouchable. National Security is a good way to keep the machines from ever being examined. And they know it.
comment awaiting approval. lol
Kari & Laura have a good idea how they are doing it. On the electronic end of things from what I seen of their past interviews. At least pretty close as to the way I believe they ae doing it. I may not be right. But I do feel I am on the right trail.
2 comments awaiting approval. lol
Democrat party stole the 1960 election when JFK’s daddy bought Cook County Illannoy from the Daley machine. All this liberal crap came into play after JFK’s murder and we’ve been saddled with that legacy ever since. “Never let a crisis go to waste” as the modern dems say.
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
Just another indication of PROOF that the Democratic Party and its minions are THE single biggest threat to American freedoms in these United States.
The words of Premier Khrushchev are getting louder:
“We do not have to invade the United States, we will destroy you from within”.
Ban NJ! Ban IiberaIs!
Defy. Defy. Defy. Defy. Defy. Defy………..F’ em!!!!!!
Fuck New Jersey. Damn communist state. Couldn’t wait to live out.
The problem with your comment is it can happen to any state just one voting cycle away !The anti 2A groups and politicians are going after states due to not being able to pass the infringements on a federal level.Just look at the crap going on in states now.All it takes is one mass incident and they say we must do something and its all over !
How will the next generation of kids learn safe gun handling without BB guns? I guess they will now have to use .22 rimfire. More expensive Ammo and longer range, plus most city ordinances prohibit use of firearms in city limits. The whole thing sucks. Hope the challenges are quick in coming
They don’t want them to learn anything about guns, of any sort. They want to keep young people glued to their phones and game consoles.
MusicMan, if you are ever traveling through St. Louis try the Chocolate Milk Stout from 4 Hands brewery which is highly rated. You might also enjoy 6th Glass from Boulevard Brewing Co. out of Kansas City. It’s a quadruple ale, only 22 IBUs, and my go-to.
Ammoland- why do you make it so difficult to up/down vote ? The buttons don’t register half the time !
He probably was referring to the author.
You would think something like this would be covered more on a site like ammoland. You would also think that one of the plethora of gun rights orgs would be challenging them on this, especially after bruen… What gives? Maybe it’s happening but is not mentioned in this article for some reason? This is the first i have heard of this that i recall and i read ammoland very regularly as well as get newsletters from multiple gun rights orgs that i donate to… This is a strange one…
I wonder if gun rights groups have gone into “triage” mode, similar to Emergency Rooms or Field Hospitals dealing with mass casualty incidents. They may have deemed that certain states are lost causes such as NY, NJ, MD, MA, CA, etc, and are focusing resources on those they feel still have a chance of being saved.
Not saying that it is good or necessarily the right thing to do, but it may be a possibility.
Actually that has been said many times about the pro gun organizations not wasting time and money on a no win state or situation, they have to pick fights they can win.
Then you wind up getting the whining crybaby’s on the various websites like this who then complain that the organizations are doing nothing.
Just being a stupid mouth breather screaming ” mu second amendment shall not be infringed ” does NOTHING as that has never won a court case.
Actually, this has been the strategy of both political parties for many years, to not spend precious resources in states or individual campaigns that have little to no chance of winning. Most time it works, sometimes there are surprising upsets; take the last presidential election for example. Poopy Pants Joe didn’t spend hardly anything from his basement and won more votes than the population of the entire country!
And there lies the problem. Thinking courts GRANT you your rights.
All states are one election cycle from the states you mention This crap can come to a state you live in real fast all it takes is one mass incident or election cycle and you to could be in the same triage state !.
The constitution is the supreme law of the land…..why the F can’t these rogue commie states be forced to comply with the constitution? Where is the accountability for the fundamental unfairness and treason?
And what about all the officers who “swear an oath” to the constitution?
“I swear to defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic”……….unless……and except when ordered otherwise??????
what does that oath mean?
The other to the CONSTITUTION was rewritten under the bamba boy years, as he was also as far left as they could go.
The SATAN WORSHIPPING DEMONCRATS are all about disarming the people as they have already thrown the real CONSTITUTION in the trash, the DEMONCRATS have not followed the constitution in over 5 decades and longer. A few of the DEMONCRATS have already said they no longer follow the Constitution.
Read the last paragraph of this article and notice the word the Lt. uses to refer to his brothers in arms.The militarization of of our local police continues to deepen.
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/woman-says-she-shot-at-person-who-drove-at-her-after-i-94-hit-and-run-police-find-no-evidence-of-crash
We must take our country back or we will be strangers in our own country. We MUST win the Culture War!
Unfortunately, when it comes to 2A infractions that need a good lawsuit, it’s a target rich environment. Our resources are stretched thin.
Wouldn’t hurt if we had our own sugar daddy billionaire, but we don’t so until then we gotta give til it hurts.
We’ve also gotta play the long game and support 2A education for future voters.
I’ve often wondered why the Right, a business and tax friendly, capitalist system, fails to attract the Billionaires that this system made rich to begin with;Elon Musk seems to have seen the light, but the Koch brothers have gone to the Dark Side . Why ?
If you can avoid it , don’t enter ANY state north of Virginia. All of New England has become a foreign country, as has the Left Coast. Driving thru these communist enclaves is playing N. Korean Roulette.
I believe the Carolinas have stricter gun laws than PA. Florida does also. Va not much better. We have open carry in the State of PA excluding a few chitholes I don’t frequent.
LOL Oh no. No way I wont visit Philly or Pittsburgh. I’m on the South Eastern Pa line. Next to the other anti gun State of Moronland. Which I avoid as much as possible. I used to work in Md, Va, DC. Del. I am so glad those days are over.
I can’t see your comment on here. But I did get a email. Hope you make it & safely.
The takeaway in Mr.Nappens bio , is that he doesn’t live in NJ .
They never quit. Liberals chase after guns like hounds chase a fry cook!
There’s a truck load of comments on this one….that’s cool
Fun Fact: The irreplaceable ingredient in any world police state is always THE POLICE!
All those law abiding gun owners are now felons, and after the first felony, they won’t care much about others. Wrong move, NJ. Those citizens are not gonna take kindly to being retroactively criminalized. Put a man in a corner and you will not care for his reaction.
Ban NJ politicians!
Written by a lawyer for lawyers and of lawyers. Since the lawyer is so concerned about the law, why hasn’t he and a group of 2A and Constitutional already moved to strike the entire law as Unconstitutional???? We have Heller, McDonald and now Bruen. Why is the NJ gun ban laws still in place??? Because the LAWYERS are making a fortune off of representing and defending gun owners. If you have to pay to assert your rights, then you don’t have ANY rights. And, yes, New Jersey has turned into the Nazi state we all knew it was under Christie… Read more »
Interesting law… illegal to possess and more illegal to get rid of. I imagine they seethis as a clever way to circumvent expost facto restrictions. Court should toss the law on that basis alone.
ban stupidity… but yet,,, here we are.
Well I guess this law removes the weapons the police use as well, if it doesn’t then there is going to be trouble, also this law will not take the guns out of the hands of a criminal. This is just another way that the politicians are he’ll bent on disarming the population in one shot!hahaha how many new criminals are they going g to make this time around banning everything u Der the sun that is going 5 steps too far. If this gets passed are the politicians going to give up the armed escorts they have or are… Read more »
I always wanted to see New Jersey. Until now.
That state is the last place that should ever be visited, even most smart yachtsmen stay away from that state.