Sale of a handgun between two private parties (individuals) in Pennsylvania

[orpington]

I learned yesterday that the sale of a handgun between two individuals in Pennsylvania, requiring an FFL, is a state thing (or, more correctly, Commonwealth thing), and this is not a Federal requirement. I did not realize that this requirement was not a Federal requirement.

Pennsylvania is probably the most pro 2A state in the northeast, so how did this come about? When and why? Who was responsible for it?

I am surprised that a pro 2A state like Pennsylvania ever approved this. Any chances of the legislature getting rid of it, and, in order for that to occur, what would have to happen?

 

[27hand]

An FFL transfer for handguns has been required as long as I can remember although there is no legal handgun registration in Pa. and I'm not sure of when exactly it started.

Friends of mine have handguns that are not on any data base and are not required to be registered. Family transfers do not have to go through FFL's unless a family member lives in another state and the handgun has to be delivered to an FFL in the state of residence.

The State police maintain a sales record which was challenged (sales documents are supposed to be destroyed after a certain length of time IIRC) and upheld as not being an actual illegal registration.

All that is from memory. I am a plumber and not a lawyer so don't know if any of that info is correct or not. I haven't reviewed 6106,7,8,or 10 in many years.

Maybe I should have just skimmed the thread and moved on. Sorry.

As far as getting it removed, I believe that would be a task.
Good luck if you give it a try.

 

[USAF_Vet]

What's weird is that Michigan DOES have handgun registration, but there is no FFL requirement for F2F transfers. The registration/ Record of Sale form is based on the honor system, and possession of an unregistered handgun is only a civil infraction. Neither states requirements make sense, but it seems for the time being, neither requirement is going away.

For Michigan, a handgun transfer is a pre-purchase background check (for non-CPL). With a CPL, no BCG is required, just the Record of Sale filed with the State Police.

No one ever said laws needed to make sense.