NICS check delayed

[White Horseradish]

What exactly does this mean?

Today I went to buy a Bulgarian Makarov from a local shop. This is the first handgun I have ever tried to buy. I presented the MN pistol purchase permit, filled out the yellow paper and waited. Then, I was told the check is delayed and they will get back to me in three business days.

Last time I bought a rifle (about a month ago) I had no problems, the approval came almost immediately.


So, what would cause these guys to delay?

 

[Chipperman]

It may not have anything to do with you. Don't worry about it unless you get a denial. If they don't deny you, you can go pick it up on Monday.

 

[Devonai]

I have a friend with a distant relative who is a felon. The friend gets delayed every single time he buys a gun because their three initials are the same. Perhaps something similar is going on in your case.

 

[WonderNine]

^^^^^^^ another reason why instant background checks infringe on your rights.

 

[Carlos]

It's common. Had the same thing happen to me over a month ago.

Probably lack of personnel to run the background checks.

 

[sumpnz]

My FFL told me the story of a customer of his that got delayed every single time becuase his name was very similar to some felon or terrorist or something. He was never denied. The guy finally got his CCW largely so he wouldn't have to endure the constant delays.

 

[White Horseradish]

What made me think this was unusual was that I haven't been delayed on the long guns. Also, I have a rather unique last name. Googling for it gets me one other person who is an obscure ornithologist on the other side of the planet.

Maybe it's just because it's Friday...

 

[41mag]

Hmmm,I rather like Horseradish.Maybe I'll change my name to it & then there'll be more Horseradishes.
Then again,if I get married my wife might not take my name.Unless her name is garlic,mebee.

 

[Citadel99]

It happened to me on my last purchase--a Bushmaster. It's never taken more than five minutes and all of a sudden this one took three days. I've got security clearances, C&R FFL, multiple CCW permits, and I'm an Army officer. Go figure... It sucks but it'll come through.

Mark

 

[Zach S]

I've been delayed before, to pick up a pistol I had pawned IIRC. Took about fifteen minutes IIRC. I was also delayed on a shotgun, the guy never called me back, oh well, he lost the sale.

Citadel99, AFAIK you can present your NC CHP and the FFL doesnt have to call it in to NICS IIRC. Ask the FFL about it when you make your next purchase, if I'm wrong, I'm sorry, but if I'm right there wont be any more delays.

I hate to drift, but the FFL has to call NICS, and you have to present a purchase permit in Minnesota?

 

[sumpnz]

IANAL, but Zach is correct, at least for here in AZ. A valid CCW means you do not have to submit to NICS (or if you do a delay won't keep you from taking the gun home that day). Anybody know if FFLs have to check to make sure your CCW is valid?

 

[Zach S]

I hate to sound stupid here, but:

1) I'm good at it.
2) I have no idea what IANAL is...

 

[White Horseradish]

I hate to drift, but the FFL has to call NICS, and you have to present a purchase permit in Minnesota?

<In a Bugs Bunny voice pointing at MN laws> Silly, aint they?</Bugs>

Yeah, you get a "Minnesota State Permit to Acquire Handguns From Federal Firearms Dealers" pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Sections 624.711 - 624.718.

It's free and you get it from your county sheriff. In my case, since I live in Minneapolis proper, I had to go down to the City Hall and get it from MPD. There is a 1-page application that closely resembles the yellow sheet. MPD mails the little white card back to you in 7-10 business days. It's good for a year and an unlimited number of pistols.


Oh, and IANAL - I Am Not A Lawyer

 

[Zach S]

Ahh, I see. Here in NC we have to have a purchase permit for every pistol, so I was thinking it was something like that.

Oh, and IANAL - I Am Not A Lawyer

Thank you.

 

[cracked butt]

Its part of the reason why there is an 'Optional' blank on the 4473 that asks for your SSN to identify you with. If you have a common name, there is a pretty good chance that there is a fleon out there that has a similiar enough name to delay your purchase by 3 days.
I've never had the problem as my surname is pretty rare and even difficult for people of nonslavic origin to even pronounce, I have advised a friend of mine not to put the SSN on the form the first time he bought a gun, and he got held up because his name was fairly common, and a quick check on the cicuit court website showed 3 other people with similar with major felonies who had similar names as his.

 

[tcsd1236]

Delayed simply means thata flag has popped up that requires they investigate you a bit further. You are in one or more databases, or someone with similar information is in a database that causes the flag to go up.

It doesn't require that you be in the database for a bad reason, something that will be cleared up as soon as the flag is checked out. For instance,almost every LEO and military person who buys a gun from me and who doesn't have a NY NICS coupon ( thus requiring the instant check) invariably gets delayed.Obviously our job gets us in so many databases that it causes the flag to go up.

I have had delays last anywhere from a few minutes to the full 3 days alloted. Its a pain for the guys who don't live locally to have to come back.