Purchase delayed

[boom boom]

A while back I started getting delayed, but within 30 minutes the approval came back. This happened for about two years. I have always put my SSN on the 4473s.
A delay can be caused by many different things. It could be as little as someone with the same name with an unpaid traffic ticket.

A NICS delay in your case could cause a major downturn in the gun industry.

 

[mjsdwash]

only time I have been delayed was a lgs, where the guy didn't really know what he was doing. NICS asked a question, and I could hear the guy say "uuhhh I don't know, hang on".... the NICS person said "let me get a supervisor".... ten minutes later, they hung up and said I got delayed, because he didn't want to wait on the phone. Very possible something similar. I bought a pistol there (cabelas) once, and will never again, the process is a disaster. Took 4 hours, and they had to keep asking the same questions, because they didn't know how to use the system and didn't know what they were doing either. I bet when you put in the wrong info on the program its much harder to correct than if you were on the phone.

 

[mnshooter]

Must just have been a busy time. Got the proceed today. Thanks again for the replies.

 

[jmorris]

I pass by a DMV often going some place or another, there are lines outside that look like they could take hours. I spoke with a young gentleman (35’ish),the other day that needed to renew his license before the holiday weekend and he said he made it almost to the door to the building and a lady came out and said “only two more hours”...

 

[doubleh]

Maybe all the NICS employees deciding to go a coffee break at the same time accounts for it. Honestly I have no idea what causes it except it's a government run agency and those are not know for being cutting edge in the service department

Maybe I'm just lucky. I've never had even a momentary delay and I also never give my SS number. I'm not required to and don't do it. I'm pretty sure they already have it anyway.

 

[Mn Fats]

I was delayed after my 3rd NICS check and have been getting delayed ever since. That was 10 years ago and quite a few gun purchases later.

Always have put my SSN down. I don't have a common last name. No gun restricting criminal record. No reason for a red flag.

I know by now that when I buy a gun it's paperwork then come back in 4 days and pick it up. Which means if I see a gun I want from a dealer at a gun show, it becomes not worth buying since I can't leave with it and have to drive to the dealers shop (always far away) 4 days later.

My lgs owner said in his experience if you get delayed by NICS once, a lot of people continue to get the delay from there on out. From the stories above, I dont know how true that is but that was the case for me.

 

[dogtown tom]

I saw that happen when I worked at a LGS a few times. The prevailing wisdom was that "they" were swamped and it was the easiest answer to give. Also, first time buyers with security clearances granted by the US gov't were frequently delayed (Ft Bragg NC area). The theory on that was that there was a flag due to the clearance and it required a supervisor who could get deeper access to records to figure out the REASON there was "something extra" in the record. Typically this happened with SF guys or MI types holding TS or higher clearances. None of them ever went from "delay" to "deny". .

100% internet myth that is too silly to keep repeating.
Having a "security clearance" has absolutely no effect on a NICS check. It is solely a name and descriptive information match.
Think about it, why on earth would someone with a "secret clearance, someone ALREADY vetted by the FBI, military or other Federal LE agency, require further investigation because they have ALREADY been vetted? It's not only illogical, it's pure unadulterated hogwash.

I have 6-8 customers on Secret Service presidential protective detail with TS clearance, and 20-30 FBI and other Federal LE with TS clearance and NONE have ever required "further review" by the FBI NICS.

Just my experience.

Are you a licensed dealer?
If so you would know that the FBI will not tell ANYONE the reason for a delay. Only for denials, and having a secret clearance is not a reason for denial.

I have also heard of this happening to people with common names like John Smith, who don't provide their SSN

Well, of course.....because NICS is a name based system. Even providing the SSN isn't a guarantee that NICS will not delay the transaction.

 

[.308 Norma]

I know by now that when I buy a gun it's paperwork then come back in 4 days and pick it up. Which means if I see a gun I want from a dealer at a gun show, it becomes not worth buying since I can't leave with it and have to drive to the dealers shop (always far away) 4 days later

Dang! What a pain in the rear!
Sorry to hear about that Mn Fats.

 

[Kendahl]

One of the benefits of my CCW permit is that it substitutes for the NICS check. That means I can never be delayed or denied on a purchase.

 

[bassjam]

One of the benefits of my CCW permit is that it substitutes for the NICS check. That means I can never be delayed or denied on a purchase.

I thought the same with my CCW, but there's a pawn shop around me that still does the NICS check, they said using the CCW is up to their discretion and the shop owner chooses to put everyone through the NICS instead. They also have a self-mandated 3 day wait list, so it didn't both me much when my background check got flagged. By the time the wait was up I was cleared.

 

[Kendahl]

I thought the same with my CCW, but there's a pawn shop around me that still does the NICS check, they said using the CCW is up to their discretion and the shop owner chooses to put everyone through the NICS instead. They also have a self-mandated 3 day wait list, so it didn't both me much when my background check got flagged.

Unless they had exceptionally good prices on exactly what I wanted, I'd shop elsewhere and tell them why.

 

[bassjam]

Unless they had exceptionally good prices on exactly what I wanted, I'd shop elsewhere and tell them why.

They do have exceptionally good prices, and they're willing to deal quite a bit off the listed price. I think it's because nobody else wants to wait 3 days and it's in a not-great area of town. It's 10 minutes from my office so it's easy to stop in during lunch.

 

[OneFreeTexan]

The FFL I use still phones his in,,,,haven’t had any problem yet,

Many years ago when I filed for my CCW, I was talking to the Sheriff, an old friend, and the lady was running the infor through the fac machine,,, it was still the ‘old days’. He and I were chatting and I noticed the fax machine was starting to go crazy,,,The lady came out of the inner office with a long sheaf of paper and said “Sheriff, you’d better take a look at this.” Sheriff studied it for a moment, started teasing me,,”Well, you started with breaking and entering, then assualt, drunk driving, and shooting.” The record was for some one, same exact name, and it isn’t a common one, and had the same driver license number, however, from a different state.
Took a few days, and some effort, but it finally got cleared up, Funny thing is that it’s never cause a problem with NIC...?????

 

[.308 Norma]

One of the benefits of my CCW permit is that it substitutes for the NICS check.

Yeppers, that's the main reason I'm going to renew my Idaho CCW permit when it expires next year - even though permits are no longer required for legal carry here, concealed or otherwise. However, when I do renew, I'll probably just go ahead and take the class so that I can get an Idaho "Enhanced" CCW permit. The Idaho "Enhanced" CCW permit allows for legal concealed carry on Idaho collage campuses. I still have ties with ISU, which is only about 25 miles from where we live, and I end up on campus there every once in a while. It's been a pain to remember to lock my gun in the truck every time I'm going on campus. And I hate leaving it home.

 

[FL-NC]

Are you a licensed dealer?
If so you would know that the FBI will not tell ANYONE the reason for a delay. Only for denials, and having a secret clearance is not a reason for denial.

I don't have a FFL in my name, so I am not a licensed dealer. I only worked in a gun shop in Fayetteville, NC that did in fact have a FFL, SOT, etc., IAW with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. As a result, I completed my share of 4473 transactions through the FBI. Since the gun shop was in the shadow of Ft Bragg (home of Airborne and Special Operations) many of the customers (some of who I personally knew and had previously worked with) served on active duty at that installation, in positions that require various clearances (as did I). Definitely no one as "high speed" as a USSS member or a federal LE employee (lol). On a somewhat regular basis, MY customers would get a "delay". Not one was ever denied. It always happened to a first time buyer. I stated that the reason these service members were delayed was a THEORY. Which means that it may be wrong. Like you said- "think about it"- does it even matter? They were still delayed. As previously stated, this was MY experience.
Hope I didn't post anything else you deem silly, mythical, illogical, or hogwash.

 

[JTHunter]

I have an Illinois FOID, CCW, and certifications from NRA and 4H. I work in retail firearms. Both my boss and I always get delayed. In IL, all firearms purchases have to be submitted via computer to ISP and SSN is not used, only FOID or CCW number. No idea why but it is always approved, usually within hours.

Not only that but the SS card clearly states that it is not to be used as ID. I would be extremely hesitant to use my SS number on a 4473 form.
Also, IIRC, Illinois still has a 24 hr. delay on long guns and 72 on handguns.

 

[WestKentucky]

I took a hit for a nasty misdemeanor because I couldn't afford to keep fighting it and the meth cook that was making the claim kept conveniently digging up meth-head eye witnesses. Now when I do a NICS, they clearly get the basic info which is frustrating because they then want to ask about it. I had one FFL that told me she wasn't worried about it that ""stuff" happens to good people so that the turds of the world get to feel better about being a POS in the punch bowl of life." I now do as much business through her as possible.... but if they get the rundown on my misdemeanor that quickly then surely they can figure out somebody is ok just as quick.

 

[PapaG]

Not only that but the SS card clearly states that it is not to be used as ID. I would be extremely hesitant to use my SS number on a 4473 form.
Also, IIRC, Illinois still has a 24 hr. delay on long guns and 72 on handguns.

They refer to it as a 24 or 72 hour "cooling off" period. It will become 72 hours for everything next year thanks to our RINO lame duck Governor and the wholly demo general assembly.

 

[Jeff Burgess]

Did you make the sales person mad for any reason?
I used to sell guns for academy and when a customer would be a real A-hole you could bet they were going to be delayed.

 

[dogtown tom]

Did you make the sales person mad for any reason?
I used to sell guns for academy and when a customer would be a real A-hole you could bet they were going to be delayed.

 

[herrwalther]

I got delayed on a gun purchase a few years ago. It was for a Stevens 320 shotgun and I was trying to buy it at Academy. Used my SSN. The clerks refused to see my CCW permit (even though AL did pass a law saying it was valid in place of a check but I let it slide), saying he didn't want it and couldn't take it anyway. Academy never got the go ahead from NCIC so I never got the shotgun. Didn't bum me at all but I do know I will never buy anything from Academy ever again. Gun or otherwise.

 

[Jeff Burgess]

I got delayed on a gun purchase a few years ago. It was for a Stevens 320 shotgun and I was trying to buy it at Academy. Used my SSN. The clerks refused to see my CCW permit (even though AL did pass a law saying it was valid in place of a check but I let it slide), saying he didn't want it and couldn't take it anyway. Academy never got the go ahead from NCIC so I never got the shotgun. Didn't bum me at all but I do know I will never buy anything from Academy ever again. Gun or otherwise.

The CC permit thing was academy’s rule about not using it. That’s been changed Since then now. There a lot of times when They would never call they store back with a response. When I was there academy would release a gun even after the 3rd day unless they were called back. When things were slow I would go back thru the files and call them back saying I never got a yes or no and they would run the app again and get approved right away.
Not always the stores faught but academy sucks.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Maybe all the NICS employees deciding to go a coffee break at the same time accounts for it. Honestly I have no idea what causes it except it's a government run agency and those are not know for being cutting edge in the service department

I typically don't share a lot of personal details on THR that aren't directly gun related but I think this info would be helpful to a lot of folks.

There are a great many federal government departments, and within those departments there are different agencies. I happen to work for the federal government in an agency that is completely unattached to NICS and the BATFE.

In my agency for the first three years of service, you earn 4 hours of annual leave (paid vacation) every pay period. Between years 3 and 15, you earn 6 hours of leave every pay period. And once you hit 15 years of service you earn 8 hours every pay period.

A pay period is two weeks long, and there are 26 pay periods in a year. So simple math.

4x26=104 hours/8 hours = 13 days
6x26=156 hours/8 hours = 19.5 days
8x26=208 hours/8 hours = 26 days

Additionally you can earn credit hours up to 24 max and some people get comp time in leu of overtime which is used as additional vacation time.

We can only carry over a max of 240 annual leave hours from one calendar year to the next.

If a person works for a busy office as I do, you'd be amazed at how hard it can be to use up that leave. It's normal for people to hit the end of the year and in November they have 300+ hours of leave stored because they can't get away from their work without it falling apart or they just can't afford a vacation and would rather just be at work than staying home. So if they don't use their leave and finish the year with more than 240 hours, they lose that vacation time. It just goes away. It's not a bad problem to have though so I'm certainly not complaining.

Their is a program to donate that leave to other employees who are going through major health problems like cancer treatments, and have used up most of their vacation and sick leave, but most people don't like giving it up.

There are also several federal holidays throughout the year and logically people tend to take Black Friday off so they get a 4 day weekend. I actually like working Black Friday because it's nice and quiet and I can focus on my work instead of the constant interruptions that come with my particular job.

If the employees of NICS have even a similar leave system as the agency I work for then they are undoubtedly short staffed this time of year due to "use or lose". November and December become very difficult times of year to get things done in federal offices due simply to this factor. We are teams, and when members of those teams are gone, especially members with very specific authority per the Code of Federal Regulations, things can come to a stand still. It's the terms of employment for many Feds. I'm in the 6 hour category for one more year and try to maintain at least 160 hours of leave at all times in case some tragedy happens I need to deal with, but I'm usually closer to 200 hours on tap. When I hit the 8 hour category in another year, I really don't know how I'm going to use it all up and not get behind on my work. I expect to be donating some in the future. Again, I'm not complaining.

If you try to purchase a gun during the later months of the year, and it's associated with a commercialized mass sales event like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, expect the NICS system to be inundated, and under staffed. It's likely caused at least in part to the things I've shared here.

The government has been very concerned about cyber security and they should be. In the last four or five years there have been multiple data breeches and hacks where federal employees bank account numbers, home addresses, and SSNs have been stollen by criminals and foreign governments. Just about the time you really learn a government computer system and software package, they have to completely redesign it to ensure security. This creates a constant learning curve that is hard to overcome to say the least. OJT tends to be lacking in my agency also due to the work load.

The hiring system in my agency is also totally broken. We can only hire 2 or 3 times a year and if you don't get a job filled during one of the hiring windows you wait months to even try again. My office had a key position vacant for over two years due to this issue.

And finally, keep in mind that we tend to be conservative voters here in THR. Conservatives believe in small government in many areas and when we have a strictly conservative president, house, and senate, funding for many government agencies gets scrutinized and often reduced. Agendas change with each administration change and those things directly impact all federal employees. Continuing budget resolutions also make things very interesting.

Im not trying to specifically defend Feds or disparage the system. I'm just sharing my bit of insider viewpoint in what may contribute to these types of purchase delays, particularly late in the calendar year.

If I buy a gun in November or December, especially during the Obama years, I expect a delay. It's irritating and inconvenient, but not unexpected in my mind. There are many factors impacting that work that are totally outside the control of the people actually doing the work.

Interestingly enough, I am given two paid 15 minute breaks per day. I and many tend not to take them, but instead take micro breaks throughout the day. 5 minutes here and there can really help you realign your focus. Some employees do actually take a coffee break together, and I used to with a number of friends who are now retired. It's entirely possible the quoted post is exactly what happened.

 

[dogtown tom]

…... The clerks refused to see my CCW permit (even though AL did pass a law saying it was valid in place of a check but I let it slide)…..

States don't get to decide if a firearm permit is an acceptable exemption to the NICS. Only ATF can do that.

In 2016, ATF notified licensed dealers that Alabama's Permit to Carry Pistol in Vehicle or Concealed on Person qualifies as an alternative to the background check requirement only if issued on or after August 1, 2013. If the permit was issued prior to August 1, 2013, the FFL must conduct a background check prior to transferring the firearm.

 

[Jeff Burgess]

Not in academy’s case. They have there own rules by which they go by and it’s more strict then other
Places.