It’s no surprise that things that are cut-and-dry in most of the U.S. are complicated, if not straight-out illegal in New Jersey. From so-called “assault weapon” bans to magazine capacity restrictions to hollow point bullet restrictions and frivolous lawsuits from the Garden State’s government, there’s a complete glut of non-common sense shenanigans going on. Things that are federally regulated via mandatory tax stamps under the National Firearms Act are also prohibited, regardless of standing with the ATF. Non-firearm items like suppressors are completely banned in New Jersey and the newly formed New Jersey Firearm Owners Syndicate, a 501(c)(4) lobbying/litigation group, seeks to change that.

New Jersey law expressly states that “silencers” are “prohibited weapons and devices” under N.J. 2C:39-3c, “Any person who knowingly has in his possession any firearm silencer is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.”

New Jersey is big on convoluted and confusing exemptions to the law. In this case, the only exceptions are extended to “any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard, or except as otherwise provided, to any law enforcement officer while actually on duty or traveling to or from an authorized place of duty, provided that his possession of the prohibited weapon or device has been duly authorized under the applicable laws, regulations or military or law enforcement orders.”

Our friends over at New Jersey Firearm Owners Syndicate have teamed up with a powerhouse team of organizations and businesses and seek to change this. “New Jersey Firearm Owners Syndicate is pleased to announce that it has partnered with the American Suppressor Association Foundation (“ASA Foundation”) and Silencer Shop to challenge New Jersey’s unconstitutional state laws and regulations prohibiting New Jersey residents from acquiring suppressors,” the release states.

Suppressors are essential safety devices that are subject to heavy federal regulation including obtaining pre-approval and a background check from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, paying a $200 tax stamp to the ATF, and registering those suppressors with the ATF. Despite all of these additional steps gun owners across the US must undergo to ensure that suppressors, like all arms regulated under the National Firearms Act, are transferred to responsible and law-abiding gun owners, New Jersey residents are still flatly prohibited from acquiring them under state law.

New Jersey is slow to take to changes they don’t find agreeable – if not flat-out hostile. “Over four million suppressors are in circulation in civilian hands in the United States, well above current legal definitions of common use,” NFOS points out. For the Garden State to continue to have such prohibitions on the books not only usurps the rights of the people, but honestly, it leaves so much of their prohibition regime even more vulnerable to scrutiny.

Much like the friction that all three branches of government in New Jersey levied against the forced removal of their carry permit scheme, friction here could backfire in a big way. Rather than making things so difficult for the law-abiding to carry, they could have changed the laws to be less restrictive, but still under their thumb. By waging an all-out war and assault on the Second Amendment, New Jersey only hurts any positions they may have to maintain some say on how things are or get regulated.

"Suppressors should be legal in all 50 states. Period,” Knox Williams, the executive director of the American Suppressor Association Foundation said in a statement about the pending litigation. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with our new friends at the New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate to make that a reality in The Garden State and ultimately in every state across the country!"

Mark Cheeseman, the founder of NJFOS said, “As President of New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate, this organization and I are committed to working together with the ASA Foundation as we move forward with litigation and statewide support against New Jersey’s laws banning suppressors.”

“We are proud and honored to work with Knox Williams and the team at ASA to bring an end to New Jersey’s unconstitutional ban on suppressors,” stated Joe LoPorto, a board member of the Syndicate. “They are commonly owned in the US and essential to ensuring the safe and robust exercise of the right to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes by the residents of this state, as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.”

The proposed action against New Jersey’s draconian law has attracted the attention of other industry members. Joining in the efforts are Elevated Silence and as noted earlier, Silencer Shop.

"At Elevated Silence, we recognize the critical importance of standing up against unjust suppressor bans that infringe on the rights of responsible firearm owners," said Jim Hood, owner of Elevated Silence. "Supporting the ASA Foundation’s litigation efforts in New Jersey is a powerful step toward securing suppressor rights nationwide. We’re proud to contribute to a cause that seeks to protect and expand access for all law-abiding citizens, and we’re committed to being a part of this fight for freedom and safety."

“The Supreme Court’s Bruen decision marked a watershed moment for the Second Amendment, prompting courts to define the constitutional boundaries that will shape this right for generations,” stated Chirs Boeck, the general counsel for Silencer Shop. “NJFOS’ lawsuit seeks not only to liberate New Jersey residents to shoot suppressed but also to secure broader Second Amendment protections for essential firearm components and accessories that facilitate the right to bear arms.”

New Jersey Firearm Owners Syndicate only officially formulated a month or so ago and seeing this as one of their Freshmen actions is exciting. For all too long New Jersey and its establishment have subverted the rights of the law-abiding, and gun owners have had to tread water to just hang on to what little bit of the Second Amendment they have.

We’ll be watching closely the actions of NJFOS and their partners, and be reporting back on their progress. It seems like we’re entering into a golden age of reclaiming the Second Amendment and it probably won’t take too much longer for New Jersey to realize they’re better off coming to the table to negotiate rather than leave things up to litigation. Now that the peasants have their pitchforks back, they’re very thirsty for litigation, and that litigation will destroy all the progressive anti-freedom schemes.