On the front page of ANJRPC, we find New Jersey is considering a sweeping gun ban:
On Thursday morning, June 12, the New Jersey Assembly Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider legislation that would ban the purchase, transfer, and inheritance of many popular hunting guns, historical American firearms, and large bore target firearms, based on alleged public safety concerns.
Touted as a ban on .50 caliber and larger firearms, A2116 assaults New Jersey sportsmen by banning dozens of models of popular hunting guns, including traditional .50 muzzle loaders with synthetic stocks, fiber optic sights, or scopes in lieu of sights. Such guns with sights not actually made of iron are also in question due to A2116’s unclear wording. The bill also bans many modern safari rifles and hunting handguns.
A2116 also bans hundreds of historical American firearms and replicas, including from the Civil War and Revolutionary War eras. A2116 is a slap in the face to collectors, historians, and the patriots who used these firearms to win the very freedoms this legislation now seeks to take away.
A2116 also wrongly demonizes the .50 bmg rifle, which is not used in criminal activity, but which is regularly used by law abiding citizens for precision target shooting, competition, and collection. The legislation makes the fundamental mistake of banning guns based on the size of the hole in the barrel rather than punishing criminal behavior.
Please immediately email, call, and/or fax the members of the NJ Assembly Judiciary Committee, and urge them to oppose A2116!
If I recall, muzzle loaders are the only type of firearm that’s legal to hunt with in New Jersey, so this would essentially outlaw hunting with anything other than an antique. New Jersey hunters organized and defeated some anti-gun and anti-hunting representatives last fall. Consider this to be paybacks from Bryan Miller to you. He’s trying to show that he can keelhaul New Jersey gun owners, and that we’re powerless to stop him. Follow the link to ANJRPC and call your representatives.
Why not just sign back on with Britain as one of the Thirteen Colonies? It’s obvious this is where they want to be.
I think challenging NJ gun laws ought to be Robery Levy’s next target after incorporation. It would seem the best place to establish what class of arms warrant Constitutional protection.
Shotguns are legal for hunting, if I remember correctly. Rifles aren’t permitted (not sure about muzzle-loaders, though).
actual bill linkage:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A2500/2116_I1.HTM
It appears that the introduction of such bills as this one is just SOP for the anti-gun rights advocates.
I do know for a fact that gun control groups from different states work together on bills, find willing state legislators and throw them against the wall which are the various states in the hopes that some (or even one) sticks.
That is why we saw numerous similar bills introduced around the country, such as the lead ammo ban bill, the microstamping bill, and the various .50 cal and semiauto ban bills.
It’s just standard protocol. There is no scrutiny required to introduce a bill. Thankfully there is at least a little required for them to pass out of committee, or off the floor. This is where I am hopefull Heller will be helpful, at least eventually. We hope that standard, if any is outlined, will do nothing but raise the scrutiny bar higher than it is now.
But, the only thing that’s good for us is that it takes political capital even to introduce a bill … even if it has not a snowflake’s chance in hell of going anywhere.
It seems that some of them never learn.
I just read the legislation Thirdpower linked to and saw this.
“Ballistic knife” means any weapon or other device capable of lethal use and which can propel a knife blade.”
Anyone know where I can find one of these, sounds cool.