GOA asks Pennsylvania's AG to clear up the NFA "legal limbo"¶
What happened. After the Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF ruling and ATF's Open Letter saying it will no longer require registration or approval for short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers and "any other weapons," GOA says Pennsylvania owners and dealers are stuck in "dangerous legal limbo." The worry is Title 18, Section 908 of the state Crimes Code (Prohibited Offensive Weapons), which GOA says could be read to bring first-degree misdemeanor charges. GOA delivered a legal analysis to Attorney General Dave Sunday arguing Section 908 does not cover these items, and asked him to issue a formal opinion and advise the Pennsylvania State Police to match it.
Why it matters. Washington finally stopped demanding a permission slip for a muffler, and now Harrisburg has to decide whether its "offensive weapons" statute says something GOA argues it never said. Gun owners shouldn't have to guess which government is going to arrest them this week.
What you can do. Pennsylvania residents: GOA has an action form on the release page asking AG Sunday to issue written guidance that Section 908 does not criminalize silencers, short-barreled rifles and related items.