A federal judge ruled yesterday that Pennsylvania cannot require Social Security numbers from those purchasing guns or obtaining a concealed-weapons permit.

U.S. District Judge Juan Sanchez ruled that the state law violated the federal Privacy Act.

"This ruling is about privacy, not guns. We weren't looking to circumvent gun laws," said J. Dwight Yoder, who brought the case on behalf of a retired U.S. Army officer from Lancaster, Pa.

Lawyers for the Pennsylvania State Police are reviewing the decision, and may appeal it, spokesman Jack Lewis said.

It is still uncertain whether the ruling will have a wider impact on other Pennsylvania Social Security requirements because the federal Privacy Act makes exceptions for programs exempted under federal law, such as driver's license applications, and those from before 1974, like voter registration.