Pawn & gun shops in PA?

[Yellowfin]

Having just officially relocated here about a month ago, I'm wondering something. Do many pawn shops in PA buy, sell, and pawn guns? I used to buy guns fairly often in pawn shops in other states as they were fairly abundant--one town I lived in had 4 pawn shops w/ great selections within 15 minutes. If so, any recommendations?

[streaker69]

I know of one pawn shop in Lancaster, that's Pawn Plus near the corner of King and Prince. Good luck finding a parking place and make sure you go armed.

There was one other pawn shop years ago right up the street from them, but that was in reality a police front for getting stolen items.

[fletchfletch]

I'm sure someone will chime in later with the quoted text from the law, but i believe you cannot pawn handguns in PA, just long arms.

[knight0334]

It is illegal to pawn "firearms" in PA. A "pawn shop" will have to buy/sell the handgun outright and completely. Long guns can be pawned in PA.

18 Pa.C.S. § 6115: Loans on, or lending or giving firearms prohibited
(a) Offense defined.--No person shall make any loan secured by mortgage, deposit or pledge of a firearm, nor, except as provided in subsection (b), shall any person lend or give a firearm to another or otherwise deliver a firearm contrary to the provisions of this subchapter.
(b) Exception.--
(1) Subsection (a) shall not apply if any of the following apply:
(i) The person who receives the firearm is licensed to carry a firearm under section 6109 (relating to licenses).
(ii) The person who receives the firearm is exempt from licensing.
(iii) The person who receives the firearm is engaged in a hunter safety program certified by the Pennsylvania Game Commission or a firearm training program or competition sanctioned or approved by the National Rifle Association.
(iv) The person who receives the firearm meets all of the following:
(A) Is under 18 years of age.
(B) Pursuant to section 6110.1 (relating to possession of firearm by minor) is under the supervision, guidance and instruction of a responsible individual who:
(I) is 21 years of age or older; and
(II) is not prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm under section 6105 (relating to persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms).
(v) The person who receives the firearm is lawfully hunting or trapping and is in compliance with the provisions of Title 34 (relating to game).
(vi) A bank or other chartered lending institution is able to adequately secure firearms in its possession.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the transfer of a firearm under 20 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 (relating to intestate succession) or by bequest if the individual receiving the firearm is not precluded from owning or possessing a firearm under section 6105.
(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the loaning or giving of a firearm to another in one's dwelling or place of business if the firearm is retained within the dwelling or place of business.
(4) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the relinquishment of firearms to a third party in accordance with 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108.3 (relating to relinquishment to third party for safekeeping).

[39flathead]

On this side of the state, true pawn shops are a rarity to say the least.

There are many resale shops where you can sell stuff, but the problem is the resale prices normally suck.

Last year, I broke my old timing light, I ran to town to pick up an old timey induction type light.
There is a resale shop as soon as you get into town so I figured I would save hitting al the red lights and see if he had one.
He did, for $50 used.

Fought the lights and grabbed one at the auto parts for $39 new.

Best thing for deals on guns is to just shop around until you find a good shop and build up a relationship with the guys behind the counter.

[gdebree]

Gun Pawns according to the law are allowed.
If you read the exemption in the law you will find the section quoted below


18 Pa.C.S. § 6115: Loans on, or lending or giving firearms prohibited

"(a) Offense defined.--No person shall make any loan secured by mortgage, deposit or pledge of a firearm, nor, except as provided in subsection (b), shall any person lend or give a firearm to another or otherwise deliver a firearm contrary to the provisions of this subchapter.
(b) Exception.--
"(vi) A bank or other chartered lending institution is able to adequately secure firearms in its possession."

You can read the law on Pawn Broker licensing and know where does it prohibit the practice.

Pawn shops in Pennsylvania are licenced under the State Banking Division and are considered "charted lending institutions" and must follow the same rules and regulations as a bank does. . If they have a secure place for storage the law allows pawns on Firearms.

[renalp]

18 Pa.C.S. § 6115: Loans on, or lending or giving firearms prohibited

"(a) Offense defined.--No person shall make any loan secured by mortgage, deposit or pledge of a firearm,

nor,

except as provided in subsection (b), shall any person lend or give a firearm to another or otherwise deliver a firearm contrary to the provisions of this subchapter.

(b) Exception.--
"(vi) A bank or other chartered lending institution is able to adequately secure firearms in its possession."

I broke out the quote to empahsize the grammatical organization. I'm not a lawyer, but as I read it, the first clause ("loan secured by mortgage, deposit or pledge of a firearm") is not subject to the exceptions. I.e., a bank may accept a firearm for safekeeping, but not as collateral.

The fact that no pawn shops in PA will accept a firearm suggests that my reading is correct.

[c45man]

For whatever reason, in Pa., very few pawn shops have FFls as compared to the southern part of the country. There used to be a very successful pawn shop in upper darby that pawned long guns and would outright buy handguns.

There may be some that will disagree, but for what I see in Pa., pawn shops, by their very reason for being in business, are in not in the high rent areas of town. Most pawnbrokers will not get involved in selling, buying,nor pawning guns for the potential of their guns landing up in the wrong hands on resale, aka, straw purchases. The pawnbroker in upper darby, a stones throw from west philly, sold guns like ice cream on a hot summer night. They made a lot of money, but eventually became the target of anti-gun groups, then the ATF. The owner was weary of the whole ordeal and gave up his license.

Even the pawn shop in Vegas, that the show pawn stars is based on, does not have a class 1 license.

[GonzoGeezer]

But isn't the Class II FFL specifically for pawn shops, so they don't need a Class I? I don't know, I'm asking.

[c45man]

No...a class 1 is for dealing modern firearms
Class 2 is for curios and relics. Nothing to do specific to pawnbrokers.