Monroe County sheriff explains complicated Pennsylvania firearm laws

[LifeInPa]

March 18, 2013

Monroe County Sheriff Todd Martin offers these insights and explanations about Pennsylvania's gun licensing/permitting rules.

Q: Do you need a permit (or a license) to purchase a gun in Pennsylvania?
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A: No, though it does assist the process that the licensed firearms dealer must go through under the guidelines set by the Pennsylvania State Police.

The state police run a program called PICS (Pennsylvania Instant Check System) for background checks to determine if the individual is eligible to acquire/purchase a firearm or still be considered eligible to possess a "License to Carry a Concealed Firearm."

Q: Do you need a permit or a license to own a gun?

A: No, a License to Carry a Concealed Firearm is not required to own a firearm. Those residents wishing to own a long gun or handgun may do so and store them within their residence or place of abode. Only those wishing to carry a handgun concealed would be required to attain and possess a current License to Carry a Firearm.

To name a few exceptions by law under Pennsylvania Title 18 Section 61 are as follows: Law enforcement officers, members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard Reserves while on duty. Any person engaged in target shooting while traveling directly to and from the range as long as the firearm is secured and not loaded. Any person licensed to hunt or fish as long as they are actually hunting or fishing.

Other than those listed by law, any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or on or about their person, except in their residence or place of abode or fixed business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under PA Title 18 Section 6106 commits a felony of the third degree.

Even with a License to Carry a Firearm, places that licensees are not permitted to carry a firearm are: schools and school properties, court facilities, state and federal buildings or properties, bars and taverns or any public or private property properly posted conspicuously prohibiting the same.

Q: When and where and what can you carry without a concealed-carry permit?

A: Though Pennsylvania has a specific law that requires a License to Carry Firearms for the concealed carry of a firearm, and the carry of firearms in vehicles, the law has been somewhat silent on the legality of openly carrying a firearm in other situations, making it de-facto legal.

To summarize, open carry is legal in Pennsylvania except in "cities of the first class" (Philadelphia) and vehicles where a License to Carry a Concealed Firearm is required.

There has been much debate over recent years from firearm owners about whether openly carrying firearms is truly a good idea. While the choice is up to the individual, in the past it has drawn much concern and unwanted attention from the general public and law enforcement alike.

Continued here: http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbc...cid=sitesearch

[LifeInPa]

A co-worker shared this article with me since he wanted to learn more about the carry laws in this state but I found two statements in this article that stood out like a sore thumb and it makes me question the accuracy of the whole article:

Q: Do you need a permit or a license to own a gun?

A: No, a License to Carry a Concealed Firearm is not required to own a firearm. Those residents wishing to own a long gun or handgun may do so and store them within their residence or place of abode. Only those wishing to carry a handgun concealed would be required to attain and possess a current License to Carry a Firearm.

To name a few exceptions by law under Pennsylvania Title 18 Section 61 are as follows: Law enforcement officers, members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard Reserves while on duty. Any person engaged in target shooting while traveling directly to and from the range as long as the firearm is secured and not loaded. Any person licensed to hunt or fish as long as they are actually hunting or fishing.

Other than those listed by law, any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or on or about their person, except in their residence or place of abode or fixed business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under PA Title 18 Section 6106 commits a felony of the third degree.

Even with a License to Carry a Firearm, places that licensees are not permitted to carry a firearm are: schools and school properties, court facilities, state and federal buildings or properties, bars and taverns or any public or private property properly posted conspicuously prohibiting the same.

Q: Does the state have any rules or prohibitions against ownership of an "assault weapon"?

A: These rules guidelines are defined and enforced by ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms).

&bold;

Q: What defines an assault weapon?

A: The term "assault weapon," when used in the context of assault weapon laws, refers primarily (but not exclusively) to semi-automatic firearms that possess the cosmetic features of an assault rifle that is fully automatic.

Actually possessing the operational features, such as "full-auto," changes the classification from assault weapon to Title II weapons. Merely the cosmetic features are enough to warrant classification as an assault weapon. Semi-automatic firearms, when fired, automatically extract the spent cartridge casing and load the next cartridge into the chamber, ready to fire again. They do not fire automatically like a machine gun; rather, only one round is fired with each trigger pull.

Am I missing any other inaccuracies?

[LifeInPa]

No one at all has anything to interject?

[God's Country]

Yeah here is my comment:

Todd Martin has been a class A douche bag his entire reign as Monroe sheriff.
His firearms knowledge is barely elementary, and his 6109 process is almost criminal.
But everyone keeps electing him, so enjoy.

[GunLawyer001]

No one at all has anything to interject?

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/211...earm-laws.html

[LifeInPa]

Yeah here is my comment:

Todd Martin has been a class A douche bag his entire reign as Monroe sheriff.
His firearms knowledge is barely elementary, and his 6109 process is almost criminal.
But everyone keeps electing him, so enjoy.

Appreciate the opinion.

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/211...earm-laws.html

Thanks, I should have dug a little deeper before posting. My bad.....