Q: I called the sheriff department explain the charge and told him I was denied a license to carry permit. Could I still purchase a firearm, he stated that I could. So, I was just following up on his statement, better safe than sorry.

A: Do not rely on police officers, deputy sheriffs and gun store employees regarding the specifications of the PA Uniform Firearms Act. Very few of them know the nuances of this rather complicated statute. If you have any prior criminal conviction greater than a misdemeanor 3 you are barred from possessing a gun under federal law and therefore barred under the PA Firearms Statute. If you are not sure that you were guilty of an M 1, obtain your criminal history from the PA State Police.