Are gun applications confusing?
Answer: Yes.
For most people, to legally purchase a gun in Pennsylvania, the rules are confusing. To apply to purchase a gun, an applicant must complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire asks whether an applicant has ever been convicted of a crime that could result in prison time greater than one year. Because this question is poorly worded, applicants are often confused.
How are gun applications confusing?
Answer: See below.
For example, if a person was convicted of a misdemeanor and received a sentence of six months to one year of probation. Should this applicant answer “Yes” or “No” on the forms? An applicant may assume that they can answer “No”. Or often, an applicant will ask the gun store employee who then encourages an applicant to answer “No”. But in this scenario, if you were to answer “No”, this would not only be incorrect, but it would also be a serious crime.
If an applicant mistakenly or intentionally lies on a gun application, that is considered fraud in Pennsylvania.
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