What Are the Assault Weapon Laws in Pennsylvania?
Woody's answers are based on published federal and state law. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for your specific situation.
Pennsylvania has no state-level assault weapon ban. The commonwealth follows federal regulations under the NFA and GCA, allowing most semi-automatic firearms that comply with federal law.
What This Means for You
Pennsylvania takes a hands-off approach compared to restrictive states like California or New York. You can build AR-15s, AK-pattern rifles, and other semi-automatic firearms without state-specific feature restrictions. However, you must still comply with all federal regulations including NFA requirements for short-barreled rifles and suppressors.
The Detail
Pennsylvania does not have its own assault weapon ban or feature-based restrictions on semi-automatic firearms. This means you can legally own and build rifles with features that are prohibited in other states, such as telescoping stocks, pistol grips, flash hiders, and bayonet lugs. The state follows federal law exclusively for defining prohibited weapons.
Federal regulations still apply throughout Pennsylvania. This includes compliance with the National Firearms Act for items like short-barreled rifles under 16 inches, short-barreled shotguns under 18 inches, suppressors, and machine guns. You also need to follow the Gun Control Act provisions regarding prohibited persons and background check requirements for transfers through dealers.
Some municipalities within Pennsylvania have attempted to enact their own firearms restrictions, but Pennsylvania has strong state preemption laws that generally prohibit local governments from regulating firearms beyond what state law allows. However, certain cities like Philadelphia have some unique provisions, so you should verify local ordinances if you live in a major metropolitan area.
The lack of state-level restrictions means Pennsylvania builders have significant freedom compared to other states. You can build standard capacity magazines, use any legal barrel length over 16 inches for rifles, and include any combination of features on your firearms as long as they remain semi-automatic and comply with federal law.
Build Impact
You have much more flexibility in Pennsylvania than in restrictive states, allowing standard AR-15 builds with any features you want. Just ensure your barrel length meets the 16-inch federal minimum for rifles unless you go through the NFA process for an SBR.