I'm thinking that I can't walk in your store, purchase a handgun, and walk out with it. I'm sure there are legal clearances involved with buying a pistol. How long does the process take?

You would need a pa license and to fill out the paper work and pass necessary state and federal background checks. There is no waiting time so assuming your a resident of pa with nothing that prohibits you from owning a firearm then yes you could. Time taken depends mostly on how long the background check takes which could be 5 to 10 min or 30+ depending on day of the week and time etc

Pics takes less then 5 minutes (Pennsylvania instant check system)