NRA backs lawsuit claiming NJ handgun policy is ‘unconstitutional’

The National Rifle Association is backing a lawsuit filed by a New Jersey gun group that says the state’s handgun permit policy is “unconstitutional.”

The lawsuit was filed by the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs. The group’s suit seeks to throw out handgun permitting rules, especially the ones about concealed carry.

Ira Levin owns the Union Hill Gun Club in Monroe Township, which opened this month. The club already has 1,200 members, just under the number of handgun permits in the state, according to GunsToCarry.com. Levin says that the lawsuit is long overdue.

“I have concealed carry permits in the states of Utah, Florida, Arizona and New Hampshire. I can legally carry a concealed weapon in 40 states. I cannot carry a concealed handgun in my home state of New Jersey,” he says.

In order to successfully receive a concealed carry permit in the state, the recipient must prove that they have a justifiable need – which means a direct threat to their life.

The lawsuit is on behalf of a Monmouth County man who says that he needs a gun to protect himself since he services ATMs in high-crime areas.

New Jersey has some of the strongest gun laws in the nation. Gun safety advocates say that the strong laws keep New Jersey safe. But Levin says that responsible gun owners do too.

“The Constitution affords us that right. Some states infringe upon that right. [New Jersey] is one of those states,” he says.

Levin says that the Union Hill Gun Club has the largest indoor gun ranges in the state.