What rifles are illegal in New Jersey?

Answer 1

New Jersey's Assault Weapons Ban was in effect prior to the Federal ban enacted by the Clinton Administration in 1994. When the Clinton ban expired in 2004, the New Jersey ban remained in effect. Under New Jersey law there was no grandfathering or "pre ban" weapons so all weapons must adhere to New Jersey law. New Jersey maintains a listing of specifically banned weapons as well as any weapon that is "substantially identical" to a specifically banned weapon.

A "substantially identical" weapon is one defined as any semi-auto rifle that accepts a detachable magazine any any two (2) of the following:

• Folding or collapsible buttstock
• Flash suppressor or threaded barrel
• Bayonet lug
• Pronounced pistol grip
• Grenade launcher

Similar lists of "evil gun parts" exist for pistols and shotguns

Source: NJ Title 13, Chapter 54

Note that those exact same rifles are legal so long as they have only one or less of those cosmetic features. Thus, is someone from a free state were moving to New Jersey, and wanted to bring their AR-15 with them, they would have to configure their rifle in a manner so that only one or none of those features were present on that rifle. For example, you could remove the flash suppressor and permanently pin and weld a muzzle brake in its place, you could replace the gas block with one that didn't have the bayonet lug, you could replace the pistol grip with something like a stock made by Exile Machine Tool, etc.