Flintlock from 1700s could land elderly NJ man in prison

Fox News.com ^ | February 18, 2015 | Maxim Lott

[Kaslin]

A retired teacher is facing 10 years in prison and the loss of his state pension for possessing a flintlock pistol that may not have been fired since George Washington was alive, his attorney told FoxNews.com on Wednesday.

In a case that underscores the Garden State's strict gun laws, Gordon Van Gilder, a retired English teacher and collector of historical items, has been charged with criminal possession of a handgun and faces up to 10 years in prison. If the 72-year-old is convicted, the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 3.5 years and the pension Van Gilder earned as an educator could be revoked, penalties attorney Evan Nappen called "outrageous."

“It’s crazy," Nappen told FoxNews.com. "The gun was unloaded and strictly possessed as a historical relic. We’re hoping the prosecutor will exercise discretion and dismiss his case.”

[monkeyshine]

Sorry, not opposed to unions in general, just don’t like the set of circumstances that allows the state to simultaneously mandate a service, have its own monopoly on the supply of that service, and then grant a monopoly on who can work for the supplier.

[TigersEye]

Now we know that liberals are lying when they say that the 2nd Amendment covers firearms of the Revolutionary era. If that's a lie then all gun control is a lie. The debate is over!

MOLON LAVE!

[Inyo-Mono]

I’ve got my 1836 replica revolver next to my bed It’s fearsome. Sends a very loud boom, and ten feet of flame!

Colt Patterson? Those are nice!

[DarrellZero]

The guy’s first mistake was consenting to having his car searched.

My brother once told me, never, ever consent to a search. “Even if I’ve done nothing wrong, I asked?” “Especially if you’ve done nothing wrong” was his reply.

My brother is an assistant district attorney.

[cva66snipe]

That’s true on a federal level. It doesn’t stop Liberal Tyrants in state assemblies from writing their own firearm laws.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Looks like a AK 47

[I want the USA back]

As I have said thousands of times. They want to take guns from non- violent, law-abiding citizens and deliberately leave them in the hands of violent criminals.

[mylife]

Exactly.

[mylife]

Exactly.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

.36 caliber, Navy. It’s accurate, and scary in the dark.

[MeshugeMikey]

An Assault Weapon most surely....

wake me when common sense is reinstated....

[FlingWingFlyer]

Sounds like some good advice.

[JRandomFreeper]

State laws, however, may vary.

/johnny

[BCW]

I'm sure NJ also has a law buried somewhere that doesn't allow anyone to watch spaghetti westerns with Clint Eastwood in them...like a Fist Full of Dollars, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, or Pale Rider...might makes those morons up there that voted for idiot politicians that made up those laws in the first place question their lack of manhood!

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Well, except the first time I shot it with no Crisco! Chain fire! That was interesting!

[mylife]

Curios and relics require less stringent licensing and may be sent via US postal service but they do require licensing.

Antiques require NO licensing.

[edpc]

They’ll swear he has hollow point ball ammunition.

[BCW]

Are they using FEDERAL or STATE law to prosecute this guy...NJ and NY has some serious anti-gun laws up there...as does CA and IL...states I do not go to...

[MeshugeMikey]

or obie's forefinger gun,,,,

zero tolerance...except for the...exempt

[Inyo-Mono]

“Navy”, that would likely be a replica of an 1851 Colt Navy Model. The 1836 Patterson was Colt’s first revolver.