Thread: Purchase delayed again.

I have purchased 3 guns this year. The first one I bought off the shelf at local dealer. The "instant" check came back delayed for 2 weeks. The dealer went ahead and completed the transfer after the required 3 days (per Oregon and Federal law, the transfer can happen if the OSP doesn't deny the transfer withing 3 days). The 2nd gun I purchased online and transferred through at a local dealer with no delay, other than the 45 minutes it took the OSP to answer the phone. The 3rd gun arrived at my dealer today and the "instant" check came back approval delay with a timeline of Dec 22 for an answer. Does it have something to do with which operator answers the phone? I called the information line and left a message asking for information regarding the delay the fist time I was delayed and got a recorded message in response. I finally managed to get ahold of a live person and they couldn't give me any information. Apparently they have to give you a reason if you are denied but not if you are delayed.
I know there was a bill last spring to take the background check out of the hands of the OSP and give it back to the Federal NICS but it never got off the ground because of the effect it would have on the economy if the OSP background check secretaries lost their jobs.

Same thing (sort of) just happened to a friend of mine. He was "put on a hold", for what will turn out to be nothing, other than a very common name.

"I know there was a bill last spring to take the background check out of the hands of the OSP and give it back to the Federal NICS but it never got off the ground because of the effect it would have on the economy if the OSP background check secretaries lost their jobs. "

That was the **** unions talking.( IE making threats_)

Originally Posted by Garg

Same thing (sort of) just happened to a friend of mine. He was "put on a hold", for what will turn out to be nothing, other than a very common name.

Yeah, I must know AT LEAST 30 other people (just in my neighborhood alone) named, "Garg"!

Originally Posted by Stomper

Yeah, I must know AT LEAST 30 other people (just in my neighborhood alone) named, "Garg"!

Well.... obviously my name is not Garg, nor is yours Stomper, but the fellow in question, actually has an extremely common name. All three of them.

It is no different in WA. I have never gotten a proceed. I have been delayed each and every time. And always the gun has been delivered after three days. In my case, the FFls have never gotten a follow-up call. I have no idea why I get delayed and no one at NICS will tell. Just another department in our very special Government that does not work.
Ed

I'll admit it's been more than a year since I bought through an FFL, but it was easy then. Call went right through, paperwork easy, and having a CHL I walked out with the gun.

Have things changed that much, or is it just different areas?

You can apply for a UPIN (unique personal identification number) through NICS if you are frequently delayed on firearms purchases. Once you have the number you just enter it onto the federal form (4473) when purchasing a firearm and it's like a get out of jail free card on background check hiccups. It also helps to give your SSN number on the form as well, but most people don't like to do that including myself.

I don't think anything has changed. I am talking about a period of two/three years and I also have a WA CPL. My wife just sails through with a proceed each time and is out the door with the gun.
Ed

Originally Posted by enjr4

I don't think anything has changed. I am talking about a period of two/three years and I also have a WA CPL. My wife just sails through with a proceed each time and is out the door with the gun.
Ed

Problem solved, have your wife buy the gun!

Originally Posted by Greenbug

You can apply for a UPIN (unique personal identification number) through NICS if you are frequently delayed on firearms purchases. Once you have the number you just enter it onto the federal form (4473) when purchasing a firearm and it's like a get out of jail free card on background check hiccups. It also helps to give your SSN number on the form as well, but most people don't like to do that including myself.

Who do you contact for that?

Never have to worry about this with private FTF transactions!

Originally Posted by Redcap

Never have to worry about this with private FTF transactions!

Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyone with a Wiley Clapp Limited Edition GP100.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my CCW was just renewed a couple of weeks ago. I guess what's good enough for the County isn't good enough for the background check secretaries.

Exact same thing happened to a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago. I miss the good old days, show your CHL, pay and walk out. Of course that was when we had the waiting period.

I've never had a delay, but my names are unique in all respects.

I feel your pain. I get delayed all the time also since I got denied a couple of years ago from some guy with a similar name racked up a dishonorable discharge from the military (which I have never been in). I have a shotgun still on NICS delay at Big 5 in Kent for over 3 weeks now. Went down to AZ and purchased same shotgun, no problems. I have an AZ CCW permit also which bypasses NICS check since AZ and NICS update each other constantly. They type in your permit number and out the door you go with your firearm.

I just applied for a UPIN from NICS to stop this WA delay purgatory. NICS wrote me back and said they got my application and there has been such a great demand for them that it will take up to 95 days to get the UPIN. Great system if they have to issue so many UPIN’s due to so many erroneous delay responses. NICS system bites if you get stuck in its delay nightmare. I have had delays from a few hours too my current 3 weeks and counting. Good luck to ya! - G

Got a voice mail from my dealer saying I'm all clear. A 2 day delay is better than 33 days but it's still highly irritating. The Oregon program needs some accountability. They either need to provide a service for their $10 or get out of the business. We are basically paying twice for a background check because although the NICS doesn't charge a fee at the time of the sale, we are paying for it through taxes. Oregon gets $10 to use their obviously flawed and inefficient OSP system instead of the Federal one already available through the FBI. I'm pro Law Enforcement and have family who are active and retired LE but the OSP background check system is obviously a follow-the-money State enterprise. By the way, they have been trying to raise their fee to $26 per purchase. I'm sure that will fix everything.

FWIW - my first gun ever bought I was delayed, got a call back ~30mins after leaving store all clear. From there I had 0 issues until I got my CHL, first transfer after that was delayed again! Fortunately no issues since then though!!