PA Experiences

Discussion of other state's CHL's & reciprocity

Moderators: carlson1, Keith B

Post Reply

Topic author
chasfm11
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 4136
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:01 pm
Location: Northern DFW

PA Experiences

#1

Post by chasfm11 »

We just completed a planned RV trip to PA. Before we left, I decided to go ahead and get a non-resident CCW from there during the trip.

I went to the Lancaster court house to the Lancaster County Sherriff's office, completed my application, paid my $20 and was out the door in less than 45 minutes. In spite of my Texas CHL, they did a background check on me during that time and also took my picture, issuing me the card on the spot. It would have gone faster but I was 8th in line that day. The State gives them 45 days to issue the license but the sheriff decided to handle applications immediately.

I casually asked the person processing my card about how busy it was that day. He responded that it was always that busy. There are about 500K residents of Lancaster County and he reported issuing 50K CCWs. Even with non-residents like me, that seemed like a very high percentage. Spending just a little time in downtown Lancaster confirmed why, however.

One of the items included in our trip was a visit to my MIL's grave site at the Woodward Hill Cemetery. We've been in discussion about significant erosion there over the past 6 months with the cemetery care group promising corrections but never delivering. While we were there, I decided to do the work myself. There was a very large yellow jacket nest in the large crack in ground in the center of the site and that may have been a reason for the lack of effort by the cemetery staff. Three cans of bee spray did little to deal with the volume of bees but I did manage to get nearly 10 cubic feet of soil spread and packed down. Hopefully, that will at least slow the erosion and perhaps eliminated the bee's nest.

The reason that I mention the grave site problem is that the cemetery is in a less than desirable section of town. I had my EDC and spare mag on as I worked. While dodging the bees, I had to keep my head on a swivel. My sweatshirt keep riding up over the gun and I was thankful that PA is an open carry State. I figured that if Lancaster's finest did challenge me, I had the PA license as insurance. For me, it is an example of where having OC as an option is an advantage. If I had been trying to do the same thing in TX, I would have had to do something different about the concealment failures.

Charlie
6/23-8/13/10 -51 days to plastic
Dum Spiro, Spero

ripnbst
Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 100
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:17 am

Re: PA Experiences

#2

Post by ripnbst »

I used to live in PA and yes, their permitting process is incredibly easy. AND CHEAP! No course required, $50, 20 mins and you are out the door.
User avatar

Jumping Frog
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 5488
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:13 am
Location: Klein, TX (Houston NW suburb)

Re: PA Experiences

#3

Post by Jumping Frog »

ripnbst wrote:I used to live in PA and yes, their permitting process is incredibly easy. AND CHEAP! No course required, $50, 20 mins and you are out the door.
I paid $20 for my PA non-resident license.
-Just call me Bob . . . Texas Firearms Coalition, NRA Life member, TSRA Life member, and OFCC Patron member

This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
User avatar

nightmare
Deactivated until real name is provided
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 496
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2012 12:09 pm

Re: PA Experiences

#4

Post by nightmare »

Jumping Frog wrote:
ripnbst wrote:I used to live in PA and yes, their permitting process is incredibly easy. AND CHEAP! No course required, $50, 20 mins and you are out the door.
I paid $20 for my PA non-resident license.
I think mine was $25 from Centre County. Too bad the legislature put an end to renewals by mail.
Equo ne credite, Teucri. Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes
User avatar

jmorris
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 1530
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:41 pm
Location: La Vernia
Contact:

Re: PA Experiences

#5

Post by jmorris »

chasfm11 wrote:.........

I casually asked the person processing my card about how busy it was that day. He responded that it was always that busy. There are about 500K residents of Lancaster County and he reported issuing 50K CCWs. Even with non-residents like me, that seemed like a very high percentage. Spending just a little time in downtown Lancaster confirmed why, however.
........
If I recall correctly a list of concealed license statistics I saw somewhere had PA as having the highest percentage of holders. Well over 10%.
Jay E Morris,
Guardian Firearm Training, NRA Pistol, LTC < retired from all
NRA Lifetime, TSRA Lifetime
NRA Recruiter (link)
Post Reply

Return to “Other States”