New Jersey just crossed 88,000 new carry permits since Bruen dropped in 2022. For context, they issued 667 in the three years before that decision. That's not a policy shift — that's a dam breaking.

"When you look at this from the perspective of the rest of the country, the real question is: Where has New Jersey been?"
— Scott Bach, Executive Director, Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs

Exactly right, and that question applies to a dozen other states still dragging their feet. The "justifiable need" standard was never about public safety — it was about keeping carry permits as a privilege for people with connections or credible enemies. Most people don't qualify for either.

"The Bruen decision forced the door open; it didn't knock the building down."

This is the part worth sitting with. New Jersey still requires live-fire qual, use-of-force training, a Firearms Purchaser ID with references and mental health screening, and you have to permit a specific handgun you already own. That's a heavier process than Idaho's enhanced permit, and they're still under 1% of residents carrying. The door opened — the hallway is still narrow.

The real reason Idaho shooters should care isn't New Jersey's permit numbers. It's that the same legal framework being tested there is working its way toward suppressor regulations, magazine restrictions, and carry laws in states that border ours. Courts are still chewing on Bruen applications in multiple circuits — what gets decided in the 3rd Circuit affects the arguments made in the 9th.

For those of you who've traveled to or through restricted states — how much has Bruen actually changed what you're willing to carry when you cross state lines?

Read the full article in The Handbook → | By Steve Duskett