Things that might cause NICS delays?

[Ratzinger_p38]

My local FFL thinks I am nuts as I always worry about the NICS check, even though I have nothing in my past that would prevent me from owning a gun.

Thus far (I have had 5 done since Feburary) they go like this:

Hi, FFL number XXXXXX, Name is XXX, and so on.

about 10 seconds later he is writing down a number on the form, and

"approved".

After reading this forum many times you guys have me paranoid that I will get a delay/deny. I am curious, is there a common situation that causes them? First gun non-private sale buy? First gun buy in a new state? Too many guns bought in a short period?

I just sold 3 guns, 1 to a gun shop the other 2 to a pawn shop, dont know that would 'flag' me, but my tin foil hat goes on after reading about 15 of the threads of 'NICS denied me for no reason'.

Thoughts? My FFL still looks at me weird when I mention the 'denials for no reason'. Case in point, after winning an M1 Carbine on gunbroker I asked him to do the FFL check the next day (the 30th) instead of when the gun comes in (not until the 18th or so)...dont the sales have to be completed within 30 days before the check needs to be redone?

 

[Geronimo45]

Being born out of the country, same name as another guy with a criminal record... won't an Ohio CC license allow you to skip NICS?

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

won't an Ohio CC license allow you to skip NICS?

Yes, but my test isnt until July

Plus, I am being purist and need to find something old school for my CC weapon, I am thinking about a Smith & Wesson model 1905.

 

[MErl]

10 seconds? wow.

have yet to ever have one under 2 hours with the average being 3. pay, leave phone #, come back a couple hours later is the norm.

(and yes I have a clean record)

I'm in CO btw. see that their mean time is around 20 minutes

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

have yet to ever have one under 2 hours with the average being 3. pay, leave phone #, come back a couple hours later is the norm.

Yeah but in CO they have some extra state check. I suspect that is why there is a delay.

 

[pdowg881]

All of my Nics have been around 20 seconds. He reads the info, and a few seconds later thats it. Just as quick in Maine too.

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

So, are they scrutinizing all mental health records more or what?

99% of mental health records wouldnt fall into their laps anyway. The remaining 1%, the Chos, all went through some sort of court action. There isnt some database that shrinks computerize their records into.

 

[jselvy]

License equals privilege, and privileges can be revoked for any or no reason.
Thus, I think licensing is a bad idea.
No Compromise on fundamental rights!
Unless you would also be prepared to get a license to speak your mind, or attend an approved church or what-have-you.

Jefferson

 

[gezzer]

Sun Spots? Swamp gas overload?

 

[stevelyn]

I nearly always get a delay requiring a higher level NICS monkey to review my background. It's always approved by the time I finish scratching out my 4473 though.

I suspect the delay is because of what is in my records due to me being a cop, having a C&R, certified firearms instructor and having had a clearance that allowed me to work around Uncle Sugar's radioactive pop guns.

Who knows though? It's not like fed pukes are going to tell you.

 

[JohnBT]

I wonder if some of my delays could be a result of having the same name as my father and he had one of these:

"Q clearance is a United States Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance equivalent to a United States Department of Defense Top Secret (TS) clearance. DOE clearances apply for access specifically relating to atomic or nuclear related materials ("Restricted Data" under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954). The clearance is issued to non-military personnel only."

They're likely the result of understaffing, bathroom breaks, lunch, holidays and too many people with too much money buying too many guns on the same days I want to buy one.

John

 

[Im283]

I have bought 5 guns this year so far. The first three went through quickly and i was basically out the door with my gun in five minutes or less. the last two have taken longer. Gun #4 (rifle)took about 35 minutes, I waited til the gunshop was called back with the clearance. I bought a revolver this past Thursday and I waited over an hour before giving up and heading out to continue on my business for the day. The gun shop finally called back in about 5 hours and said I had been cleared.

I do not have an overly common name and i always give my SS # as well.

Sign me up for a tin-foil hat but no one will ever convince me that there are not red flags flying whenever i buy a new gun this year at this point. Between these guns and a couple of large quantity mail order ammo orders I think they are looking at me. There may be no written law on it but I have no doubt some gov't office is watching me closely.

 

[JohnBT]

 

[SoCalShooter]

The real question is how can the new nics bill be abused!

 

[Frog48]

I've received a "delay" response the last 3 times I've made a purchase. The delays have ranged from a couple hours to several days.

I have an unusual last name, and my first name is not very common, so confusion of identity shouldnt be an issue.

The government never does anything quickly or efficiently, so I chalk it up as the usual bureaucracy BS.

 

[waterhouse]

According to the FBI pamphlet, the most common reasons for delays are name similarity and identity theft. They even have a poster that says something like "Blame this guy for your delay" and it has a picture of a guy and his arrest record with something like 100 aliases listed (the wording may be slightly different, I haven't seen the poster in a couple years.)

I asked him to do the FFL check the next day (the 30th) instead of when the gun comes in (not until the 18th or so)...dont the sales have to be completed within 30 days before the check needs to be redone

I'm not sure what you are referring to with the 30 days thing, but the NICS check should be done just before you receive the gun (right after you fill out the 4473). If there is a delay, then when you come back to pick up the gun there is a section on the 4473 that you sign to affirm that everything you originally signed is still valid.

There is no point in being nervous about getting a delay. It can be a huge inconvenience for both buyer and dealer (I would have typed something else but inconvenience seemed more high road), but worrying about it won't make it better or worse.

In fact, being worried about it might be enough to concern your dealer, to the point where he might feel obligated to deny the sale (the ATF just sent out an open letter to dealers stating that in the wake of the VT incident, we dealers should keep in ming that our perception of the buyer is the last check in the system. I'm paraphrasing because the letter is not in front of me, but that was the general idea.)

 

[Yakko]

I've had two delays.

One, because the system was down, I was approved the next morning.


The other, because I didn't write my SSN on the form. Three days later I was approved. I don't have a very common name, I think they hold it on purpose if you don't supply your SSN.

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

I'm not sure what you are referring to with the 30 days thing, but the NICS check should be done just before you receive the gun (right after you fill out the 4473). If there is a delay, then when you come back to pick up the gun there is a section on the 4473 that you sign to affirm that everything you originally signed is still valid.

I asked him to do it early. He said it was fine (I am a local and I have known him for years) , but he preferred to do it just before it get to him. The 30 days thing: The 4473 is good for 30 days - remember, there is a bit near the bottom of the second page (which is for those who dont get their gun the same day) that basically asks you 'i swear nothing is different from when the check was first done' and then you sign there. Only one of my guns did I get the same day, so this method is common for me. I think he likes it better as I can do the check on a Friday, and just grab the guns and go on his busy mondays.

n fact, being worried about it might be enough to concern your dealer, to the point where he might feel obligated to deny the sale (the ATF just sent out an open letter to dealers stating that in the wake of the VT incident, we dealers should keep in ming that our perception of the buyer is the last check in the system. I'm paraphrasing because the letter is not in front of me, but that was the general idea.)

Nah, Ive explained that it was you THR'rs that made me worried - the guys at the gun shop think I worry about nothing, as they had never heard of denials 'out of nowhere', maybe it depends on where you live.

 

[MD_Willington]

My last check was comparable to "greased lightning"... ring ring, name, DOB, location...

All done sir, please pay for the transfer on your way out...

 

[Ratzinger_p38]

My last check was comparable to "greased lightning"... ring ring, name, DOB, location..

Yeah thats what all mine have been like too. As much as I complain about the tin foil hats worn on this message board, I think sometimes I wear one without knowing it.

You guys above were right to make fun of me.

 

[Hoplite]

worrying over nothing

 

[alan]

Personal Experience:

Several years ago, while buying a pistol, the Pennsylvania Instacheck System took a grand total of 5 WEEKS to O.K. the above mentioned purchase.

Took three weeks to come up with a REFUSAL and another 2 weeks, possibly the above mentioned time periods were reversed, memory fails me re small details, for boobus bureaucratus, otherwise known as The Coal and Iron Cops, otherwise known as The Pennsylvania State Poice to get their act together. My purchase eventually was blessed with approval.

By the way, I've heard of some real horror stories, stories I haven't here submitted, they being second hand information. The above is however, what I personally experienced. I was never able to discover exactly what the "problem" was.