NEW JERSEY JOINS .50 CALIBER FEEDING FRENZY

March 4, 2005--The passage of a ban in California on .50 caliber rifles appears to have started a "domino effect" in other states. Only days ago, Illinois jumped on the bandwagon when a ban on .50 caliber weapons was introduced. (See 2/28/05 Illinois Lawmakers Propose Ban On .50 Caliber Rifles)

New Jersey has now joined the fray, as a bill authored by state Senator John Adler (Camden) now makes its way through the legislative process.

Senator Adler's bill--S2261--would add guns of .50 caliber or greater to the state's list of banned "destructive devices." Already on that list are military-style semiautomatic firearms such as the AR15, CETME, and others that were banned in the 1994 federal "assault weapons" ban.

Where S2261 differs from legislation proposed in other states is that it bans any guns with a caliber greater than .50. While antique firearms--those manufacturered before 1898, or replicas--and traditional muzzleloaders are exempted, modern muzzleloaders are not. Therefore, modern in-line muzzleloaders with bore diameters larger than .50" would be classified as destructive devices.

The language of S2261 is also vague enough that it would appear to ban handguns such as the Desert Eagle, the Smith and Wesson .500 Magnum, and even the Remington .50 rolling block. Also affected would be many big game rifles.

S2261 also has the potential to ban shotguns with bore diameters larger than .50", which would include 12 gauge shotguns.

We have thus far not heard from New Jersey gun-rights groups on their assessment of the chances of S2261 passing.

However, New Jersey gun owners would do well to follow the example of their brothers and sisters in Washington state, and begin calling and writing their legislators now. (See 3/3/05 Washington State Anti-Gun Bills Die In Committee).