ATF Background Check Delays

R

rptrower

New member
I recently ordered an AR Complete Lower which was delivered to my local FFL on Thursday. The FFL is a pawn shop which recently changed owners. I called late Thursday to check on the lower and the clerk told me they did not receive all the info they needed from the seller and it should be emailed to him on Friday. On Friday I called again and he indicated that he still did not have the info. I questioned him on what info he needed and he finally told me to come in Sat. to pick the lower. On arrival at the PS on Sat. the clerk said he was experiencing delays on calls to the ATF Background Check line for as long as an hour. He did not want to tie up his phone line for that long. He asked me to fill out the 1st page of the ATF Form and said he would call me when he received approval. Has anyone experienced delays on receiving ATF approval?
 
At the gun show I just left, people were having to wait up to 4 hours to get processed and background checks approved.
 
I figured with the present high sales volume there would be delays. I may have to camp out at the pawn shop and hold the phone while they carry out their normal business.
 
So, don’t some places use the internet to do the check? I wonder what is involved and why everyone would not use the internet instead of sitting on a phone.
 
Huge sales & process times....

The US shooting sports(firearms) industry is going thru a huge upswing now & there are record sales. Many common items like spare magazines or ammunition are low or sold out on firearm/product websites.
Gun owners or new buyers need to wait & learn to accept these factors.
I've learned over the years that the shooting sports industry & the stores-companies are time not customer service based. The ammunition & firearms companies don't produce a lot of items & won't hire more staff/enlarge to meet the demands. If a shop or gun range doesn't have a product or item, they tell you to leave. It's not like TVs or cars or cell phones. Firearms & ammunition have legal requirements & restrictions put on them.
It's a annoying & hard to deal with but that's what it is today.
Clyde
 
Way back in the mid 90s I was working at gun shows for a local dealer and the Illinois State Police started trying to shut down gun show sales by always having the excuse that their computers were temporarily "down" when we would call for a NICS check. But only on Saturdays and Sundays when the gun shows took place. On Monday morning they all miraculously started working again. Next weekend they would go down again. Uh huh. What're you gonna do?
 
Purchased a hand gun the other day and the check was done by computer and the reply was a done deal in less than 5 minutes. ATF does not do the back ground checks and has nothing to do with NICS. Sounds like your dealer is yanking your chain.
NICS is agency a FFL dealer calls when a firearm is being purchased and that is what you are buying.
 
The NICS system has been pushed past capacity several times over the last few weeks. The Saturday before Christmas, we couldn't get through at all. There was actually a recording directing dealers to call back later.

There were also some ~60 minute delays today. It's just a function of drastically increased traffic.

Oh, and guys, the NICS system is run by the FBI, not the ATF.
 
Remember folks, the numbers reported are only for nics checks. Some states that issue chl/cwp don't require nics checks when purchasing.
I know it irks some people when I bye a gun and am out in the time it takes to fill out the 4473, yet they have to wait on a phone call.
 
I have heard in Colorado the backlog is over 10,000 transactions and folks are having to wait a week or more for the background checks to clear.

BTW,that also applied to the Denver Tanner gun show.Funny,it made the news folks would have to make arrangements for later pickup,but we still get propaganda about loopholes.

Colorado Gov Hickenlooper is pushing a $10.50 background check fee to cover the costs incurred by the state for the background checks.

One of those permanent solutions to a temporary problem.I've not seen many fees that did not remain permanent and increase.

Better we should be patient.Maybe tell the Gov "no thanks,I'll wait"
 
So, don’t some places use the internet to do the check? I wonder what is involved and why everyone would not use the internet instead of sitting on a phone.
Click to expand...

My local FFL does. He took my driver's license and by the time I had the 4473 filled out, he had the approval done. My last purchase was a week after Sandy Hook and I was out of there in ten minutes including checking the gun and filling out the 4473.
 
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I got my wife's AR last Thursday in Colorado, and I submitted for the background check - on Dec. 20th. A whopping 336 hours. It was a real mess.
 
Remember folks, the numbers reported are only for nics checks. Some states that issue chl/cwp don't require nics checks when purchasing.
Click to expand...

Colorado Gov Hickenlooper is pushing a $10.50 background check fee to cover the costs incurred by the state for the background checks.
Click to expand...

Sure is nice just showing the salesguy your Carry Permit so he can write the # down on the 4473....... pay and go. Y'all oughta fix that ..... call your state Reps: It would be a permanent fix to a recurring problem, and would not cost a penny.
 
I bought a M&P at my LGS on Dec 22 and the guy said they've been running slow on the background check and may take a few hours. Said he'd go to the back to get it started and then let me know. Came back in 5 minutes in shock that it was already approved. Good for me. :D
 
HiBC ....Colorado Gov Hickenlooper is pushing a $10.50 background check fee to cover the costs incurred by the state for the background checks.
Click to expand...
He might be interested to know the FBI NICS is a toll free call and a free service.
 
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