A new legislative effort in Harrisburg seeks to remove firearm suppressors and short-barreled rifles and shotguns from Pennsylvania’s statutory list of prohibited offensive weapons.
State Representative Rob Kauffman, R-Franklin, is circulating a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation that would amend Title 18, Section 908 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.
Under current state law, possessing items classified as “offensive weapons”—including firearm suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), and short-barreled shotguns (SBSs)—carries criminal penalties unless the owner proves compliance with the federal National Firearms Act (NFA).
Gun rights advocates supporting the measure say the existing statute creates a legal conflict following recent federal court rulings, including Silencer Shop v. ATF in Texas, which challenged aspects of federal registration and tax stamp mandates for certain plaintiffs.
Advocates argue that because Pennsylvania law conditions state legality on strict federal NFA compliance, changes or exemptions granted at the federal level leave state residents in legal limbo.
“Pennsylvanians should NEVER be treated like criminals for exercising their constitutionally-protected rights,” Gun Owners of America stated in a release backing the proposal, describing the intersection of state statute and evolving federal enforcement as a potential trap for lawful gun owners. Supporters also cite hearing protection and noise reduction at shooting ranges as primary reasons to deregulate suppressors at the state level.
If enacted, the bill would decouple state firearm restrictions from the federal regulatory framework by striking suppressors and short-barreled firearms entirely from Section 908.
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