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When can one legally loan a gun to another in Philadelphia?

While there has been a lot of discussion regarding gun control in the U.S., people can still legally own guns. However, there are a number of restrictions on one’s right to own them. Certain people are banned from owning them based on past crimes or other actions. There are also restrictions on where one can possess them and what types of guns one can legally own.

That is why, in order to buy a gun, one must pass a background check to ensure they can legally own one. There are also a number of requirements that the gun seller must follow before selling one. In general, one cannot loan a gun to another person as well and a person who does so may face gun charges. The goal of the law is to protect against people trying to circumvent the requirements of the background checks.

However, there are some exceptions on the general rule regarding lending guns to others. One can loan a gun to a person who is licensed to carry a gun, a person under the age of 18 who is under the supervision of a person over 21 who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm, a person who is lawfully hunting, a person who is in their own home or place of business and the gun remains there and other exceptions.

The law in Philadelphia wants to ensure that guns do not find their way into the hands of people prohibited from possessing them. To help achieve that goal, in general, one cannot lend a gun to another person. However, there are exceptions to that rule and defenses may be available to those who do lend a gun to another. This is only general information though and not legal advice. Experienced attorneys understand these laws and may be able to help protect one’s rights.

Source: Pennsylvania General Assembly, “Pennsylvania Statutes Title 18 § 6115,” accessed on Oct. 12, 2015

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