So if I read that correctly I could skirt the law by bringing my gun into the state and taking it directly to a gun shop to get it cleaned and then pick it up from the gun shop on my way home and leave the state. Does anyone see a flaw in that way of thinking?
Maybe.
2C:39-6 (e). Nothing in subsections b., c. and d. of N.J.S.2C:39-5 shall be construed to prevent a person keeping or carrying about his place of business, residence, premises or other land owned or possessed by him, any firearm, or from carrying the same,
in the manner specified in subsection g. of this section, from any place of purchase to his residence or place of business, between his dwelling and his place of business, between one place of business or residence and another when moving,
or between his dwelling or place of business and place where such firearms are repaired, for the purpose of repair. For the purposes of this section, a place of business shall be deemed to be a fixed location.
This is subsection g:
NJSA 2C:39-6 (g) "All weapons being transported under paragraph (2) of subsection b., subsection e., or paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection f. of this section shall be carried unloaded and contained in a closed and fastened case, gunbox, securely tied package, or locked in the trunk of the automobile in which it is being transported, and in the course of travel shall include only such deviations as are reasonably necessary under the circumstances.”
Get the wrong cop and the wrong prosecutor and they will comb the law to look for a way to charge you. If you come from a hotel in OH, you won't be transporting "between his dwelling or place of business and place where such firearms are repaired". Nobody can believe it but NJ is not like the rest of America - not even close when it comes to guns. And, this week SCOTUS just refused to hear a couple of carry cases from NJ. We were really hoping from some relief from the courts but won't be getting any.
You might want to leave it at a gun shop in PA just before you cross the NJ line. Do you know what highway you'll be using to cross from PA into NJ, I know several PA gun shops and I'm not far from Atlantic City.