Hello,
I am new to this forum. I have been trying to find info all morning on NJ firearms laws. Here is why:
I have a 6 year old, Colin who loves to play guns. I came across one and purchased it for him to play with. No, there are no bb's included. Any way for 2 days it never left his side showing me the proper way to hold and carry it, reviewing the technique for shooting as well as the rules for never pointing it towards someone... Well Sunday dinner time we went across the street to the park with the Red Ryder and he was shooting all of the bad guys. All the kids were eyeing the beauty up. One father asks if it real and does it have BB's, I told him it was a toy with no BB's. He, his wife and 3 sons leave. The next thing I know 2 cop cars are driving across the grounds to the play area. They confiscate the "weapon" and bring my son to me. Ma'am is this your son, is this your weapon? I laughed and said it is my son and that is his toy gun, you know like the one in the Christmas movie. He said he had to take the weapon and I would have to contact the Chief on Tuesday to get it back. I asked whether he was aloud to play with his cap gun and he said you can't even take a water pistol off of your property. My son was so scared, thought he did something terrible.
I went to the station today with what I thought was my permit for my hand gun (it wasn't) and was told that its the law to have a permit for this item. When I told him I wasn't aware of that for this item. I was told that ignorance is no excuse. He then said that even if I had a permit that he didn't think I should have it back because I was negligent. I said okay I am ignorant and negligent but it won't happen again. He said I seemed to be an okay person and to fill out all of the forms he gave me but I have to be fingerprinted ($60.25) and it could take 6-8 weeks to process.
He told me not to give the gun back to my son until he was 18. I told him he wouldn't be interested then. He said well it is a collector's item. What the heck. What happen to boys being boys. What a sad state we are in. I admit maybe taking it to the playground wasn't one of my brightest ideas but why not just tell me to take it home and keep it there?
Any comments, suggestions?
I am new to this forum. I have been trying to find info all morning on NJ firearms laws. Here is why:
I have a 6 year old, Colin who loves to play guns. I came across one and purchased it for him to play with. No, there are no bb's included. Any way for 2 days it never left his side showing me the proper way to hold and carry it, reviewing the technique for shooting as well as the rules for never pointing it towards someone... Well Sunday dinner time we went across the street to the park with the Red Ryder and he was shooting all of the bad guys. All the kids were eyeing the beauty up. One father asks if it real and does it have BB's, I told him it was a toy with no BB's. He, his wife and 3 sons leave. The next thing I know 2 cop cars are driving across the grounds to the play area. They confiscate the "weapon" and bring my son to me. Ma'am is this your son, is this your weapon? I laughed and said it is my son and that is his toy gun, you know like the one in the Christmas movie. He said he had to take the weapon and I would have to contact the Chief on Tuesday to get it back. I asked whether he was aloud to play with his cap gun and he said you can't even take a water pistol off of your property. My son was so scared, thought he did something terrible.
I went to the station today with what I thought was my permit for my hand gun (it wasn't) and was told that its the law to have a permit for this item. When I told him I wasn't aware of that for this item. I was told that ignorance is no excuse. He then said that even if I had a permit that he didn't think I should have it back because I was negligent. I said okay I am ignorant and negligent but it won't happen again. He said I seemed to be an okay person and to fill out all of the forms he gave me but I have to be fingerprinted ($60.25) and it could take 6-8 weeks to process.
He told me not to give the gun back to my son until he was 18. I told him he wouldn't be interested then. He said well it is a collector's item. What the heck. What happen to boys being boys. What a sad state we are in. I admit maybe taking it to the playground wasn't one of my brightest ideas but why not just tell me to take it home and keep it there?
Any comments, suggestions?