Flintlock from 1700s could land elderly NJ man in prison

Regardless if Christie is a Republican our state legislature has been Democratically held for a very long time.

originally posted by: beezzer
Chris Christie is as conservative as Michael Moore.

(and they trade pants)

Yeah, I am still waiting on my property tax relief jackwad promised me.

It has gone from $14,000 when he took office to over $20,000.

originally posted by: beezzer
If he was an illegal alien and had a loaded 9mm on his lap with a dead teenaged hooker in the trunk, he would have gotten off with a stern warning.

Nah. He'd be dead and the cop would say they felt threatened and they'd have a go fund me page already at 2M.

a reply to: FalcoFan

gun hating liberal oligarchy

Word salad!

Can we please not derail the thread by page two? Lets keep the discussion on-topic, and not political in-fighting.

ON-TOPIC:
How is this flintlock pistol equivalent to a semi-automatic handgun that requires almost zero brain cells to operate? To load and fire this pistol takes no less than 8 manual steps. And I'll wager that 90% of the population does not know what those steps are, let alone is in a position to use one.

Zero tolerance == Zero thought

originally posted by: Krakatoa
ON-TOPIC:
How is this flintlock pistol equivalent to a semi-automatic handgun that requires almost zero brain cells to operate?

Obviously nothing other than, if you are lucky with the antique, the ball will come out straight and kill someone.

I would rather throw it at them and make a hasty retreat.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Sounds about right in todays 24/7- fear driven- paranoid post 911- take control over your made up enemies- CULT-ure

Be surprised how close to the truth you are about the Drac part of Draconian.

More subtle than what David Icke has explained and possessions don't really go down like Hollywood portrays. Some just can see lower and higher frequencies. Probably few 100 million world wide.

Kinda hard to fight or defend from rather what you cannot see.

originally posted by: Krakatoa
Can we please not derail the thread by page two? Lets keep the discussion on-topic, and not political in-fighting.

ON-TOPIC:
How is this flintlock pistol equivalent to a semi-automatic handgun that requires almost zero brain cells to operate? To load and fire this pistol takes no less than 8 manual steps. And I'll wager that 90% of the population does not know what those steps are, let alone is in a position to use one.

Zero tolerance == Zero thought

That's a tough ask....

Also, I saw your post pre-fix. I was like uhh...did he/she...um...wait...let me read it 12 more times....

Still completely agree though. This is ridiculous. How'd they even know he had it?

a reply to: Shamrock6

He was stopped for a traffic violation, and I think (not sure) he was asked if he had any firearms in his possession. How else would they know it was in his glove compartment, wrapped in a cloth, unloaded, with no flint.

All the story say on that aspect is.........

Van Gilder readily acknowledged the unloaded gun was in his glove compartment and wrapped in cloth when he was pulled over for a traffic violation in Cumberland County in November 2014

I'm pretty sure, as a professor, he wouldn't just blurt it out as an offering to the police to search his vehicle without a warrant. But then, I could be wrong...

originally posted by: Krakatoa
a reply to: Shamrock6

He was stopped for a traffic violation, and I think (not sure) he was asked if he had any firearms in his possession. How else would they know it was in his glove compartment, wrapped in a cloth, unloaded, with no flint. I'm pretty sure, as a professor, he wouldn't just blurt it out as an offering to the police to search his vehicle without a warrant.

But then, I could be wrong...

Here is the link to the story from the NRA.

More Jersey Injustice

The thing that bothers me the most here isn't that the regulations and laws in this particular case are so far out of whack that it's absolutely insane.


The thing here that bothers me the most is that the officer who pulled this guy over didn't take one look at the flintlock, realize that the law SHOULD NOT APPLY, and make the call then and there to let it slide.

The fact that this has reached the level of "news" (or in the case of Fox, news-tainment) means that the people in charge of law enforcement are inept at so many levels that it is absolutely clear to me that it needs to be completely erased.
Blank slate.
Clean cup, move down.

Idiots. Every single one of them.

I like how the rule of law crowd are quick to denounce enforcement of a law that actually sits on the books.

originally posted by: daskakik
I like how the rule of law crowd are quick to denounce enforcement of a law that actually sits on the books.

And that is the crux of the problem. This law was too broad, and I'll bet it was on purpose, to encompass the widest interpretation of the law possible. Now, a man is facing felony weapons charges, charges that are no different from those used to arrest gang-bangers or illegal weapons trafficking. This is a prime example of a chance to change a badly written law. A law, IMO, that should never have been passed as written. But then, I am not a resident of NJ, so I do not know how long this bad law has been on-the-books in that state.

I do know, Massachusetts (one of the most restrictive gun law states) went through this in the mid 1990's. They had to retroactively add an exception for original or reproduction firearms prior to 1890, which includes pistols as well. If NJ, passed this law after that time, then why didn't the legislators learn from that mistake? Unless, it was intentional...and ignored.

Isn't this considered a Curios or Relics and how does that relate to the New Jersey gun laws? In hindsight, seems it would have been in his best interests to be a licensed Collector of Curios or Relics ( ATF F 5310.16). I think with good legal representation he can get this dismissed, too bad he won't be reimbursed by the state for his troubles. Also why isn't the NRA paying for his legal fees?

a reply to: Krakatoa
I agree, but until then illegal is illegal.

originally posted by: daskakik
a reply to: Krakatoa
I agree, but until then illegal is illegal.

And it is our civic duty as citizens to protest and change bad laws such as this one.

originally posted by: Krakatoa
And it is our civic duty as citizens to protest and change bad laws such as this one.

Guess my point went over your head.

originally posted by: Krakatoa
And it is our civic duty as citizens to protest and change bad laws such as this one.

Should he ask for a trial by Jury and then hope for Jury nullification?