Pennsylvania has no law that imposes a penalty on someone who fails to secure an unattended firearm and leaves it accessible to an unsupervised minor.

Pennsylvania has no law that requires unattended firearms to be stored in a certain way.

Pennsylvania law prohibits a licensed firearms dealer from transferring a handgun or short-barreled rifle or shotgun unless he or she provides the transferee with a locking device, the transferee purchases a locking device, or the design of the handgun incorporates a locking device.¹ “Locking device” is defined as either: 1) a device that, when installed on a firearm, is designed to prevent the firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device; or 2) a device that is incorporated into the design of a firearm and that is designed to prevent the operation of the firearm by anyone not having access to the device.²

Note that federal law contains a similar provision. However, no state statutes require firearm owners to affirmatively lock their weapons.

MEDIA REQUESTS

Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.

Contact