NICS Delayed

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BondageJaguar

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went in to pick up a mossberg 500 yesterday and I came up delayed by the NICS which is supposedly 'normal' for people buying their first with it (not my first gun mind you, just the first in which I'm the one getting the background check done on) So, what's the deal here, why can't they look at my record an either say 'yes' or 'no' right away?
 
Delays can come from just about anything--even their computer's being screwed up which they wouldn't admit to if it was the case. Often it's from too much traffic to process all at once.

In theory, if you give your SSN, you have a better chance of not getting a delay. There may be someone with the same name someplace with a record and they need to verify who is who.

About the only saving grace is delays usually don't run for more than a couple of hours--an inconvenience if you had to travel to get the gun. At worst, a delay will run for the three days they have to not turn it into a "deny."
 
three days? I was told 8. Thanks for the info, I can go pick it up Tuesday now instead of next sunday.
 
If you've ever had an FBI background check done, for any reason, you'll be delayed... I had one done for my Federal LE security clearance, and whereas before that I'd been approved immediately, ever since then I've had to wait two to three days! :fire:

Doesn't help to complain, either... I tried to do that, but was told that since there's no way (in the present system) to distinguish between those who've had a background check for legitimate reasons and those who've had it for criminal reasons, we just have to put up with it. Bureaucrats! :barf:
 
Here in Illinois, if the FTIP does not provide an approval or deny in 72 hours the dealer has the right and option to release the firearm to the customer or try a second phone call.
This almost never happens, we usually get an approval or deny within 24 hours of the delay number.
 
Lots of times if you have ever been fingerprinted, that will cause a delay.
I've been fingerprinted many, many times; but NEVER been delayed on
a firearms purchase. Military prints, law enforcement prints, security
clearance prints, etc. I guess it helps having spent 20+ years as a
LEO?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Preacherman,

I am NCIC certified, among other things and had to go through quite the background check and I recently picked up a new .22 and it just sped right through. I have only been delayed twice, once before I went through all the background rigamarol.


Chris
 
Preacher, who does the background check for Military Security Clearance? that would explain it as I enlisted a few months ago.
 
BondageJaguar, when you enlist they usually conduct a background check, basically making sure you aren't a felon, or have a record, warrants, etc. The security clearance, either Secret or Top Secret is extensive. It takes hours to fill out all the information, if you have this done you know it. Your average enlistee will not have a security clearance packet sent through because they are expensive and time consuming...they average about a year to come back with an answer.

The last one I did was a real pain...I've moved a lot the last 7 years, since I've been in school, and had a lot of part time jobs. Well, you have to have a different person that knew you at each address, and every manager listed. You have to have every day accounted for, and cannot have any gaps.

Interestingly, the most common cause for a no-go on a security clearance is bad credit...
 
Preacher, who does the background check for Military Security Clearance?
Click to expand...

Much more extensive than NCIC. Depending on the level you're going for, they'll refer to your family and other references and double check most of the things you wrote down. Not so for NCIC, which as I understand it is simply a warrants and criminal record check. The security clearance background investigation is anything but instant.
 
For whatever reason, I always used to get delayed, I could never understand it have a clean background record, no arrests. I used to get pretty upset about it, but then I got my Texas CHL and in addition to being able to carry, it also means all you have to do it fill out Form 4473, they don't have to run the check on you, so now I can buy from gunshows and take it home the same day. You've gotta love the Lone Star State.
 
If you've ever had an FBI background check done, for any reason, you'll be delayed... I had one done for my Federal LE security clearance, and whereas before that I'd been approved immediately, ever since then I've had to wait two to three days!
Click to expand...
Not always true. I had the full blown, talk to friends and neighbors, elementary school teachers and your dog check by the FBI guys shortly after I joined the Navy in 1975. I've been fingerprinted more times than I can remember. Never been delayed once - in fact the check usually takes no more than 3 to 5 minutes. Maybe I'm just lucky.
 
Guy I work with gets delayed every single time. What he finally found out through his local PD is that some guy with a similar name, but different Middle Initial wrote a whole bunch of bad checks.
 
My checks never go straight through either.
But, within 30 minutes they always call back with a release.
My FFL says I'm the only one he has this with on a regular basis.
Never understood why?
 
After moving back to PA from CO about 6 or 8 years ago, I got delayed for almost 2 weeks. PA has their own PICS. Since then they have to get an operator on the phone every time - the automated system won't approve. This causes it to take about 15 mins instead of 5 mins for me to complete a purchase. One time I went from going to the operator to delayed to denied to approved within a 40 minute space of time. That time when the operator tried to delay/deny the gunstore owner argued with them and told them to check again; I usually buy at least 1 or 2 guns a month from them so they're used to dealing with this with me. Apparently on the next screen on the operators computer is where whatever the heck the issue is was resolved. I keep meaning to find out what the problem is.
 
A guy I know has been an LEO for 20 plus years. Since they started the NICS system he has never been able to make a purchase without a delay. Usually only a day but a delay none the less.
 
When I was in the Army back in the 1960s I had a Secret and Crypto Secret security clearance, and apparently they were given out like candy, especially Secret. Eventually they did find out one guy in our outfit with a Secret security clearance was not even an American citizen.

I don't think anybody did any background checks for those clearances.
 
Dunno about your state, but here in ID, if you have a CCW permit, you do not have to have a NICS check when you purchase a gun. You have to fill out a 4473, but they just use your CCW permit number in the blank for the NICS approval.

That's a good reason for getting one, if your state operates the same way.
 
I've been an LEO for 20 years, and never had a problem, but I do know of those who had. I did have a friend who was denied, and requested the reason. I helped him get the snafu worked out, and now he has no problem.
Gremlins :cuss:
 
I've had the checks and currently have all the requisite clearances, I have yet to be delayed... Guess I fall into that lucky category too... FYI, DISCO is the most prevalent of the clearance providers. DIS is no longer doing clearances so there are even longer delays than normal- 12-18 mos for most clearances. :banghead:
 
For me it seems that I almost always got a delay when I first started buying guns. After the first ten or so I have not had a single delay. As others have said it could just be luck.
 
Bondagejaguar,
Just so you know it is taking over 300 days average to process initial clearances. Periodic re-investigations are taking much much longer than that.

Sam
 
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