New Jersey Adds Several AIR RIFLES to Its Banned Gun List
VIDEO
According to NJ2AS, the state has banned several types of popular, high end, air rifles.
Specifically, any air rifle that is made to be quieter by design.
One example of this is the Gamo Whisper line of rifles.
These rifles make great pest control rifles for people that own some land, but don’t want to disturb nearby neighbors with the sounds of traditional firearms.
From the NJ2AS report,
The New Jersey Second Amendment Society recently obtained a copy of the letter from Lieutenant Joseph Genova, head of the Firearms Investigation Unit (FIU) of the New Jersey Division of State Police, that was sent to NJ firearms retailers regarding the legality of air rifles with internal or barrel mounted baffles designed to reduce noise. In this letter dated August 23, 2013, Lt. Genova makes reference to both air rifles being considered firearms under NJ statute, and that any form of “firearm silencer” is illegal in NJ. (A photograph of the letter can be viewed here: AirRifle2013.pdf).
For the purposes of enforcing New Jersey’s firearms statutes, air and spring-loaded rifles have long been considered firearms. According to this recent letter, any Air Rifles which incorporate noise reduction paraphernalia (specifically the Gamo Whisper .177, .22, DX models and those which are substantially similar) are now considered illegal due to the noise reduction capability.
This situation has come to light as a result of questions regarding air rifles that are legal to use for hunting squirrel and rabbit in New Jersey. 2013 marks the first year the NJ Division of Fish And Game are allowing air rifles to be used for hunting. Prior to this letter dated August 23, 2013, Gamo and other brand air rifles with internal noise dampening devices have been sold to law-abiding NJ gun owners for hunting and recreational shooting purposes.
s official, New Jersey has jumped the shark on gun control (if they already hadn’t).