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Do you buy a lot? Could they be flagging you for having a lot of purchases? Thinking your a straw buyer?

Common myth that perpetuates. I've ran MANY background checks on customers buying lots of guns and they have never been denied or delayed because of it. Point is, something associated with your name has a flag at the FBI. I've had customers have issues with someone with a matching name, customers having a clearance renewed for work, and customers with identity theft issues. The vast majority of delays are approved, it just takes time for the flag to be investigated.

90% of the time (not saying this is you Iron), the purchaser had some run in with the law and some bureaucrat didn't follow through with paperwork causing a perpetual flag.

The "3 day" rule puts FFLs in a precarious position. Yes, they can legally turn over the firearm to you. However, if that purchaser were to then go on to commit a crime (like the FFL who turned over the Glock to the South Carolina church shooter, their business and possibly life is done. BATFE does not exactly play by the rules (see Ares Armor) and I know agents that have said flat out, if you turn over a firearm and you get a denial, you're done. I consider it like when I did field day inspections on my Marines; I could ALWAYS find dirt somewhere. The BATFE can always find a violation at an FFL. So, while bubblegumty, the FFL now has to decide, do they risk their business and possibly life on someone they don't know who very well could be a criminal? It sucks, I realize that, but that's the power the government has given a completely unaccountable BATFE.
 
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I must not be very interesting, I've yet to experience a delay (save for waiting in the state police queue on a busy day). I feel bad for you folks that do run into that. I would be very frustrated. Hopefully you can get that issue sorted out at some point @IronMonster.
 
Just wondering? Do you use your SSN when filling out the gun purchase form?
I never have. And have never been delayed.

And I have bought more than a couple guns.;)

Good point; his SSN may have been one of the SSNS that were "stolen"......from the govt.

Fast and Furious Gun Walking
Lackadaisical and Delirious SSN Walking
 
I always figured the SSN would help identify me as the non prohibited person. It never even occurred to me that the SS number might be the hang up
 
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I get a delay every time and never an ok. When I finally got someone to tell me why I never get an ok, (don't remember if it was the FBI or the BATF) I was told it was because they did not know the reason, so therefore they could not ok it. I have had my CPL for at least 18 years and always give my SS number.
 
.also been told that previous .gov clearances (secret / top secret) can be an 'occasional' issue...not sure what the real story is but it is aggravating

I've had a clearance and I can't think of any reason that having one would flag you - just the opposite. It isn't like a credit rating where they dig up crap based on your name and address only.
 
I've had a clearance and I can't think of any reason that having one would flag you - just the opposite. It isn't like a credit rating where they dig up crap based on your name and address only.
Only reason a clearance will hem you up is if it's currently being investigated. So if you are getting your clearance for the first time or they are renewing it the system will flag you as having an open FBI file, which delays you until they can look in to what the file is. Past clearances usually help you. I had a clearance with the military that apparently has me on an auto-approval list. I always skip the line. I've had customers that have the TSA pre-approved traveler get the same thing.
 
I've had a delay twice and each time the call was transferred (to Clarksburg, I presume) and then immediately given a "Proceed". The first time was also the first time that I didn't include my SSN on the 4473. For a while I thought that it might be more than coincidence, but the next delay I had included my SSN.

From the FBI website:
The FFL will receive a response that the transfer may proceed or is delayed. This response is typically provided within 30 seconds.

If no matching records are returned by any of the databases, the transaction is automatically proceeded. If the NICS returns a match of the prospective firearm transferee's descriptive information to that of record information located in any of the databases, the FFL is advised that the transaction is delayed. While the FFL is still on the telephone, the call is placed on hold and transferred to the NICS Section in Clarksburg, West Virginia, for a quick review and evaluation by a NICS Legal Instruments Examiner (NICS Examiner). If the record information returned by the NICS presents a valid match to the descriptive information of the prospective firearm transferee, the NICS Examiners, who have access to protected information (as opposed to Call Center personnel who do not have such access) review the information to determine if state and/or federal firearm prohibitive criteria exists. If the information matched by the NICS is not a valid match or no prohibitive criteria exists, the NICS Examiner will advise the FFL they may PROCEED with the firearm transaction. The FFL must record the NICS Transaction Number (NTN) on line 21b of the ATF Form 4473 and retain the form for auditing purposes.

If it is determined that prohibitive criteria exists, the NICS Examiner will advise the FFL to DENY the firearm transaction. If potentially prohibitive criteria exists and more information is required in order to make the determination, the NICS Examiner will advise the FFL to DELAY the firearm transaction and the FFL will receive the following instructions:

". . .NTN ___ will be delayed while the NICS continues its research. If you do not receive a final response from us, the Brady Law does not prohibit the transfer of the firearm on day/date."
So if I were to go strictly by that, it would seem that someone with a name like mine has occasionally wound up in their database, and someone with a name like IM's is a naughty, naught boy.
 

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