Prohibited Weapons or Devices:

• Destructive Devices:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession any destructive device is guilty of a crime of the 3rd degree, which is punishable by up to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison.

 

• Destructive Device Defined:  "Destructive device" means any device, instrument or object designed to explode or produce uncontrolled combustion, including:

  • Any explosive or incendiary bomb, mine or grenade;

  • Any rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces or any missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter of an ounce;

  • Any weapon capable of firing a projectile of a caliber greater than 60 caliber, except a shotgun or shotgun ammunition generally recognized as suitable for sporting purposes;

  • Any Molotov cocktail or other device consisting of a breakable container containing flammable liquid and having a wick or similar device capable of being ignited. The term shall not include any device manufactured for the purpose of illumination, distress signaling, line-throwing, safety or similar purposes; or

  • Any center-fire rifle that is capable of firing a .50 BMG cartridge as defined in subsection mm. of this section.

  • *NOTE:  The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any antique firearm or to  a weapon solely used to fire blank ammunition for the purpose of a living historical reenactment.

  • See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(c).

 

• Sawed-Off Shotguns:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession any sawed-off shotgun is guilty of a crime of the 3rd degree, which is punishable by up to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison.

 

• Sawed Off Shotgun Defined:  "Sawed-off shotgun" means any shotgun having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length measured from the breech to the muzzle, or a rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length measured from the breech to the muzzle, or any firearm made from a rifle or a shotgun, whether by alteration, or otherwise, if such firearm as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(o).

 

• Silencers:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession any firearm silencer is guilty of a crime of the 4th degree, which is punishable by up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison.

 

• Firearm Silencer Defined:  "Firearm silencer" means any instrument, attachment, weapon or appliance for causing the firing of any gun, revolver, pistol or other firearm to be silent, or intended to lessen or muffle the noise of the firing of any gun, revolver, pistol or other firearm.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(g).

 

• Defaced Firearms:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession any firearm which has been defaced, except an antique firearm or an antique handgun, is guilty of a crime of the 4th degree, which is punishable by up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison.

 

• Defaced Firearm Defined:  "Deface" means to remove, deface, cover, alter or destroy the name of the maker, model designation, manufacturer's serial number or any other distinguishing identification mark or number on any firearm.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(b).

 

• Certain Weapons:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession any gravity knife, switchblade knife, dagger, dirk, stiletto, billy, blackjack, metal knuckle, sandclub, slingshot, cestus or similar leather band studded with metal filings or razor blades imbedded in wood, ballistic knife, without any explainable lawful purpose, is guilty of a crime of the 4th degree.

 

• Dum-Dum or Armor Piercing Ammunition:  (1) Any person, other than a law enforcement officer or persons engaged in activities pursuant to subsection f. of N.J.S.2C:39-6, who knowingly has in his possession any hollow nose or dum-dum bullet, or (2) any person, other than a collector of firearms or ammunition as curios or relics as defined in Title 18, United States Code, section 921 (a) (13) and has in his possession a valid Collector of Curios and Relics License issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, who knowingly has in his possession any armor piercing ammunition, as defined in subsection gg. of N.J.S.2C:39-1, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. For purposes of this section, a collector may possess not more than three examples of each distinctive variation of the ammunition described above. A distinctive variation includes a different head stamp, composition, design, or color.

 

• Armor Piercing Ammunition Defined:  "Armor piercing ammunition" means: (1) a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and is constructed entirely, excluding the presence of traces of other substances, from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium; or (2) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile. "Armor piercing ammunition" shall not include shotgun shot required by federal or State environmental or game regulations for hunting purposes, a frangible projectile designed for target shooting, a projectile which the United States Attorney General finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes, or any other projectile or projectile core which the United States Attorney General finds is intended to be used for industrial purposes, including a charge used in an oil gas well perforating device.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(gg).

 

• Stun Guns:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession any stun gun is guilty of a crime of the 4th degree., which is punishable by up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison.

 

• Stun Gun Defined:  "Stun gun" means any weapon or other device which emits an electrical charge or current intended to temporarily or permanently disable a person.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(t).

 

• Large-Capacity Ammunition Magazines:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession a large capacity ammunition magazine is guilty of a crime of the 4th degree unless the person has registered:

  • (1) an assault firearm and the magazine is maintained and used in connection with participation in competitive shooting matches sanctioned by the Director of Civilian Marksmanship of the United States Department of the Army; or

  • (2) a firearm with a fixed magazine capacity or detachable magazine capable of holding up to 15 rounds.

 

• Large-Capacity Ammunition Magazines Defined:  "Large capacity ammunition magazine" means a box, drum, tube or other container which is capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition to be fed continuously and directly therefrom into a semi-automatic firearm. The term shall not include an attached tubular device which is capable of holding only .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(y).

 

• Handcuffs:  Any person who knowingly has in his possession handcuffs, under circumstances not manifestly appropriate for such lawful uses as handcuffs may have, is guilty of a disorderly persons offense. A law enforcement officer shall confiscate handcuffs possessed in violation of the law.

 

• Bump Stop or Trigger Crank:  Any person who knowingly possesses a bump stock or a trigger crank, regardless of whether the person is in possession of a firearm, is guilty of a crime of the third degree.

 

• Bump Stop Defined:  "Bump stock" means any device or instrument for a firearm that increases the rate of fire achievable with the firearm by using energy from the recoil of the firearm to generate a reciprocating action that facilitates repeated activation of the trigger.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(ee).

 

• Trigger Crank Defined:  "Trigger crank" means any device or instrument to be attached to a firearm that repeatedly activates the trigger of the firearm through the use of a lever or other part that is turned in a circular motion; provided, however, the term shall not include any weapon initially designed and manufactured to fire through the use of a crank or lever.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(ff).

 

• Covert or Undetectable Firearms:  Any person who knowingly possesses any covert firearm as defined in subsection hh. of N.J.S.2C:39-1, an undetectable firearm as defined in subsection ii. of N.J.S.2C:39-1, or a firearm enclosed in a container or covering that is designed or modified to allow the firearm to be fired while so enclosed and that disguises or obscures the shape of the firearm such that it does not resemble a handgun, rifle, shotgun, or machine gun is guilty of a crime of the third degree.

 

• Covert Firearm:  "Covert firearm" means any firearm that is constructed in a shape or configuration such that it does not resemble a handgun, rifle, shotgun, or machine gun including, but not limited to, a firearm that resembles a key-chain, pen, cigarette lighter, cigarette package, cellphone, smart phone, wallet, or cane.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(hh).

 

• Undetectable Firearms Defined:  "Undetectable firearm" means a firearm that: (1) after removal of all parts other than major components, is not as detectable as the Security Exemplar, by walk-through metal detectors calibrated and operated to detect the Security Exemplar; or (2) includes a major component which, if the firearm were subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices commonly used at airports for security screening, would not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component. "Undetectable firearm" shall not be construed to include a firearm subject to the provisions of paragraphs (3) through (6) of subsection (p) of 18 U.S.C. s.922.  See N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(ii).

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• Firearms Without a Serial Number:  Any person who knowingly possesses a firearm manufactured or otherwise assembled using a firearm frame or firearm receiver which is not imprinted with a serial number registered with a federally licensed manufacturer including, but not limited to, a firearm manufactured or otherwise assembled from parts purchased or otherwise obtained in violation of subsection k. of N.J.S.2C:39-9, is guilty of a crime of the third degree.