9mm SD Ammo for NJ

R

rstambo

Inactive
Hi All,

New to all this, some need some help/advice. In picking SD ammo for personal defense (non carry so this would be home defense) I know that HP ammo is illegal in NJ.

I realize from reading this forum and other forums, plus Google, that the law is ambiguous and everyone seems to have an opinion as to use HP or not, etc.

So my questions are around expanding hollow points, which appear (at this time) to be legal in NJ.

in reading it appears that Federal (Guard Dog) and Hornady make expanding 9mm.

Are there any others? They seem really hard to get, LGS seldom has them in stock, and on-line seems hit in miss (currently no one has Guard Dog in stock)

What do you folks from NJ use, if not HP, and what are your experiences with the expanding ammo, who else makes them, etc

Help and guidance is greatly appreciated. Lots of good info out there on range ammo, not too much in this area, sadly. i know the rest of the country is fine using HP, just seems to be an issue here in NJ, so that's why I'm guessing there is not a lot of info out there.

Thanks
 
What I've read and have no idea if it is correct or not is it is not illegal to own hollow point ammo, just illegal to use it.

my suggestion if you are locked into living in N.J.

Full metal jacket, a real good lawyer, and a lot of luck.
 
New Jersey State Police

It seems like you can only use HP ammo at the range or when hunting. I wouldn't try using Hornady Critical Defense or Cor Bon Pow'r Ball ammo. It technically isn't hp, but do you want to risk the money proving it in court.

I would go with the Federal Guard Dog ammo or the EFMJ if you can find it. It isn't optimal, but it should be some what better. I wouldn't expect it to reach FBI penetration numbers. The 9mm usually gets between 8 and 10 inches.
 
Glaser would not technically be a hollow point bullet. I wouldn't trust those, though. What caliber are you using. If you're a revolver guy, a good soft, lead SWC has a leg up on ball ammo. Don't rule out hard cast wadcutters either. Buffalo bore loads em up for the .38. As far as 9mm goes, which I now see is your gun of choice, you don't have too many options. If you're stuck with FMJ, go with a flat point. Double tap has a nice 147 flat point. I shoot remington subsonic 147s for plinkers, and they are an accurate load, with an exposed lead point, but they won't expand at 9mm velocities. Sorry, but that's about all I can think of.
 
The laws of NJ as they relate to hollow point ammunition are as confused as those laws in MA regarding submachine guns. A portion of the law as it relates to hollow point ammunition states:

"It is well established that in construing a statute exceptions are to be "strictly but reasonably construed, consistent with the manifest reason and purpose of the law." Service Armament Co. v. Hyland, 70 N.J. 550, 558-559 (1976). The State Supreme Court has "characterized the Gun Control Law as 'highly purposed and conscientiously designed toward preventing criminal and other unfit elements from acquiring firearms while enabling the fit elements of society to obtain them with minimal burdens.'"

Now that is clear and succinct.
 
It seems to me that Federal Guard Dog (formerly called EFMJ) would probably be your best bet. If you can't get that, a FMJ bullet with a flat nose and the widest meplat you can get is probably the next best option.
 
Webleymkv said it best for ammo selection. As far as the NJ law goes, I teach for my Dept. and for the HR218 portion I taught no HP or JHP in NJ, (not even for off duty LEO.) This was taught at my instructor update last summer. I'm not up on NJ law but this is how I was taught through my State instructor.
 
It is NOT illegal own, it is NOT illegal to use.

You CAN use it for hunting, you CAN use it for self defense. NJ law specifically states it can't be used in the commission of a crime. It's a dumb law.
 
It is NOT illegal own, it is NOT illegal to use.

You CAN use it for hunting, you CAN use it for self defense. NJ law specifically states it can't be used in the commission of a crime. It's a dumb law.
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NJGunowner,

Thanks for the input. My understanding is that the only thing that is illegal about HP is that you cannot have them in a CCW.

My real question pertains to using HP ammo in SD against a intruder.
It seems that there is much speculation/rumor/myth/fact/cases (etc) around what happens to the home owner who uses the legal to have HP in the SD.

It seems to range from "no issue" to you will be arrested, and can be prosecuted. It seems to be this ambiguous on purpose as to give leeway to the prosecution.

i would much rather just purchase JHP and be done with it, but it just does not seem cut and dry. hence my question to everyone on EFMJ.

I really wish it was more defined, and if someone has a better take on this, please share...its quite frustrating. I Googled "are hollow points legal in NJ" and every link had a different take. All from "experts" :)
 
NJGunowner,

Thanks for the input. My understanding is that the only thing that is illegal about HP is that you cannot have them in a CCW.
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Since even retired police officers have to fight tooth and nail for a CC permit, I don't think you'll ever have to worry about it. One of my co-workers father retired 5 years ago as the chief of police in his town... They STILL haven't approved a concealed carry for him.
 
Not sure if anyone mentioned this but they have EFMJ rounds (Expanding Full Metal Jacket)

I35920.jpg
 
I would't lose sleep with FMJ's. In fact, I have them for speed loads for my .38spl because they load much easier, and faster.

You hardly ever see people tell you to use HPs against bear!
 
NJGunowner -

Where in the link provided by MikeNice81 is there any exemption from the prohibition that would allow a NJ resident to keep HP ammo loaded in a home defense handgun and to use it against an assailant? The law is confusing only to those who don't choose to recognize what it says. HP ammo may be used in NJ only for "sporting" purposes.
 
you CAN use it for self defense
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According to the link I provided hps can only be used in four circumstances.

1.A member of a rifle or pistol club organized under rules of the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and which filed its charter with the State Police;
2.A person engaged in hunting or target practice with a firearm legal for hunting in this State;
3.A person going directly to a target range, and;
4.A person going directly to an authorized place for "practice, match, target, trap or skeet shooting exhibitions."
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You buy it and lock it in your trunk. Then you drive straight home. After that you better be driving to the range or to the hunting grounds. If you are headed to hunt make sure you have a hunting license on you.

Actually I think it is saying you have to be a member of a rifle or pistol club to buy it for the other three uses. I'm not sure on that, but that is how it reads to me. (If you read the whole link.)
 
Actually I think it is saying you have to be a member of a rifle or pistol club to buy it for the other three uses. I'm not sure on that, but that is how it reads to me. (If you read the whole link.)
Click to expand...

I was thinking that too, and I didn't read any of the link.
 
This is what I am talking about...its sad that it is not defined more clearly.
Everyone seems to read it and interrupt it differently.

For something as serious as home defense, with other people in the house, I am inclined to go with HP no matter what. I don't want over penetration to harm anyone in my house or the neighbors.

Yet sadly, It seems I could be somehow liable that my concern for others outweighs the prosecutors need to prosecute me because a intruder IS IN MY HOME.

I would think this was funny if I didn't live here. I searched the NRA-ILA website but couldn't find anything legislative wise that would change this.

Anyone know if there is anything going on legislatively in regards to ammo in NJ?
 
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