Pennsylvania 80 Percent Lower Laws

Legal Disclaimer: The information in this blog is not legal advice. We are not lawyers. While we endeavor to keep all our blogs updated with the most accurate information, gun laws change quickly and frequently. Legal changes can often be difficult to uncover, unpack, and publish in real-time. Therefore, while we try our best to provide timely information, be aware that what you’re reading below may change (or already has changed).

Do not rely solely on the information provided by us or on this website to ensure compliance with your purchase decisions. To ensure that you, the buyer, are acting in accordance with all federal, state laws and local ordinances, please do your own research and consult an attorney if necessary.

To see where some or none of our products can be shipped to, please see our full list of sensitive states here. 

What is an 80% Lower?

An 80% lower receiver is an unfinished and unserialized blank which requires some machining work from the end user to turn it into a 100% lower receiver, otherwise, what is legally considered as a firearm. 80 lowers are missing the trigger pocket and a three holes that need to be milled and drilled out to be completed. Unless states have passed their own laws barring the possession or sales of 80% products; pending the ATF's updated decision from the most recent proposed rule 2021R-05 80% lowers are completely legal, not considered firearms and thus can be shipped straight to your front door. No FFL required. To explore the 80 percent lowers we have to offer, check out our multiple collections.

Are 80 Lowers Legal In Pennsylvania?

As of this guide’s initial publish date, 80% lower receivers and frames are not considered as firearms by the ATF and are legal to ship directly to buyers residing in the state of Pennsylvania.

Do I Need to Serialize My 80 Lower in Pennsylvania?

If you build out your own firearms starting with 80 lowers in Pennsylvania you do not need to serialize the lower receiver or frame as there are currently no laws requiring citizens to do so. Should you wish to serialize your lower receiver you certainly can if necessary through our engraving services for 80 lowers.

Key Gun Laws in Pennsylvania

Other than laws regarding 80 lowers, these are the key gun laws you should be aware of if you reside or are traveling through Pennsylvania.

Firearm Possession and Purchase Requirements

To purchase a long gun in Pennsylvania buyers must be at least 18 years old. To purchase a handgun in Pennsylvania buyers must be at least 21 years old. No extra permits are needed to purchase handguns or long guns in Pennsylvania nor is extra registration necessary. Pennsylvania’s minimum age for possession of firearms is 18 years old but whether they are using a long gun or handgun, the normal exemption applies when minor are in the direct supervision or presence of their parents, guardian or when attending a hunter’s or firearms safety course, using the gun for target practice or recreational shooting at an established range, involved in an organized competition, hunting or trapping with a valid license, traveling to and from these events, or at their own residence with permission and supervision of a parents or a legal guardian.

All firearm purchases and transfers require a background check including private party transfers (Dealer Record of Sale also known as 4473 form or “DROS”). While federal law requires federal firearm license holders (“FFL’s”:) to initiate background checks on buyers prior to the sale of a firearm, federal law also allows states to serve as their own “point of contact” and conduct their own background checks via state, federal records or databases, as well as the option to use the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”) database. Pennsylvania is a point of contact for the NICS and as a result, dealers must conduct their background checks by going through the Pennsylvania State Police. There is also no waiting period for gun purchases in Pennsylvania.

Open and Concealed Carrying

Pennsylvania is a “shall-issue” state for ccw’s and it really shows as the state has one of the highest population rates of being licensed at 10.93%. CCW’s in Pennsylvania are offered to residents in the form of a “LCF” or License to Carry Firearms. Open carrying is legal without a license for anyone who can legally own/possess a firearm and is at least 18 years old and it can even be done within vehicles. Some locations may be off limits such as courthouses or schools.

However, due to the ambiguity of openly carrying and concealed carrying, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court recognizes that there is an uncertainty for which is which sometimes and that a visible firearm could still be considered as ‘concealed’ depending on the situation. LCF applicants must be at least 21 years old and there is no training requirement. Non-resident receive the same benefit of having the same requirements. For more details on their concealed carrying policies see Pennsylvania’s reciprocity map here.

NFA Restrictions

“Machine guns,”or full automatic weapons and other NFA related weapons or items can all be legally possessed in the state of Pennsylvania as it’s a very NFA-item friendly state. No “assault weapon” bans here.

Magazine Capacity Restrictions

There are no magazine capacity restrictions in Pennsylvania. Enjoy those drums and belt-fed box magazines! We carry plenty of standard capacity magazines like the 30-round Advanced Warfighter L5 mag. Our favorite color is the translucent smoke one.

Mandatory Storage Requirements

There are no mandatory storage requirements for firearms in Pennsylvania, however, you should still exercise caution and can be tried for negligently leaving your guns accessible to children. If you need some good ideas or best practices for storing your guns and gear here are some great storage options.

Self-Defense

Pennsylvania is a castle doctrine state and has a stand your ground law in place which means that any person has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his ground and use force, including deadly force if he/she believes it is immediately necessary to do so to protect themselves against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping or sexual intercourse by force or threat.

Ammunition Purchase

The only type of ammunition that is prohibited in Pennsylvania is ammo that has bullets coated in teflon or “armor piercing rounds.” Other than that Pennsylvania does not require a license for the purchase, possession or sale of ammo. Online ammo purchases require buyers to be at least 21 years old.

Start Your Next 80 Lower Build with 80% Arms!

Pennsylvania residents are completely free to build their own firearms from 80 lowers and frames without any required serialization or FFL transactions. It's the perfect state to take advantage of your constitutional Second Amendment right and freedom to keep and bear arms. That includes 80% Arms! Grab our  patented lower jig and some buddies to enjoy that freedom together and let us know if you need any advice with your build at any point in the process. Friends, live free.