Theory on Instant Approvals

[MikeInOr]

I had 2 instant approvals on Tuesday.
Me:
- Uncommon Last Name.
- CHL.
- Purchased a gun in the past 12 months.
- I grew up in Oregon. Spent 5 years in hell. Moved back to Oregon about 30 years ago.
- Been in my current house for 20 years.
- I did put my SSN on the application.
- No NFA item but I did have a C&R (Curio and Relics) license back in the 90's.
- I have never NOT received and instant approval.

 

[nehalemguy]

Just curious: my theory is that Instant Approvals are people with unusual names who have only ever lived in Oregon. I'm basing this on my friend and I both have unusual names, I have my CCW and he does not, I've never received an Instant and he almost always does. I've lived in multiple states and he's a native Oregonian.

Anyone know or have a better theory?

I tested your theory earlier this week.

1. Unusual name......check.
2. CHL..........check.
3. Native Oregonian my whole life.......check.
4. Purchase in last 6 months.......check.
5. NFA items..........check.
6. SSN.........check.
7. Instant approval.......nope.

This is my theory...........

 

[Stomper]

It's really based on your sign and star alignments, plus which way the wind is blowing.

Nope! Clearly (for males) it's all based on wiener size… which I suppose for some can be affected by which way the wind is blowing.


Ahem…

And for the record, my approvals happen before I even get to the FFL to buy something!

 

[Alexx1401]

I have often wondered about this too. Last gun I sold the buyer had a WA CPL, worked in some kind of "secure Government" job where he had one of their BGC's and still he got "Delayed". Back when we still had the possible I have seen Wife get "proceed" as stuff was being filled out every time. Was with my Dad one day when he got ""Delayed" had his CPL back when they let you waive the wait for a handgun. As we were walking back to the car one of the employee's comes out and says come back in, we got the "proceed". So who the hell knows what is going on at the other end of the damn line. At least now I know for almost anything I buy its going to be delayed for one reason or another so I no longer have to even wonder if I will be taking the damn purchase home that day or not. Everything I ever buy has got some form of "wait" for it. Meanwhile the scum just pay and go to keep me "safe"

 

[solv3nt]

Nope! Clearly (for males) it's all based on wiener size… which I suppose for some can be affected by which way the wind is blowing.

 

[Stomper]

I have often wondered about this too. Last gun I sold the buyer had a WA CPL, worked in some kind of "secure Government" job where he had one of their BGC's and still he got "Delayed". Back when we still had the possible I have seen Wife get "proceed" as stuff was being filled out every time. Was with my Dad one day when he got ""Delayed" had his CPL back when they let you waive the wait for a handgun. As we were walking back to the car one of the employee's comes out and says come back in, we got the "proceed". So who the hell knows what is going on at the other end of the damn line. At least now I know for almost anything I buy its going to be delayed for one reason or another so I no longer have to even wonder if I will be taking the damn purchase home that day or not. Everything I ever buy has got some form of "wait" for it. Meanwhile the scum just pay and go to keep me "safe"

I'm an Oregon resident and have bought a couple shotguns at different times up in Washington and got instant approvals…. in Oregon I've always had instant approvals except for one time when the entire NICS system went down (nation wide).


I'm tellin' ya, it's all about wiener size!!

 

[orygun]

Asinine that a CHL holder is subjected to a background check

Welcome to a state run by Portland...

 

[Alexx1401]

I'm an Oregon resident and have bought a couple shotguns at different time up in Washington and got instant approvals…. in Oregon I've always had instant approvals except for one time when the entire NICS system went down (nation wide).


I'm tellin' ya, it's all about wiener size!!

As in its "wow" you must be popular, here's your gun" or "oh man, sorry about that, here have your gun to feel better"?

 

[Stomper]

As in its "wow" you must be popular, here's your gun" or "oh man, sorry about that, here have your gun to feel better"?

A gentleman never divulges details….

 

[dinky450]

I tested your theory earlier this week.

1. Unusual name......check.
2. CHL..........check.
3. Native Oregonian my whole life.......check.
4. Purchase in last 6 months.......check.
5. NFA items..........check.
6. SSN.........check.
7. Instant approval.......nope.

This is my theory...........

View attachment 1317986

I am the only person with my first and last name in the USA, and use my SSN. only thing I don't have is NFA item and have never had a insta check since 2007. Bought 2 firearms this month and 3rd one stuck in the chl que at 4007. I will try it again tomorrow as I have a rifle being delivered tomorrow.

 

[TTSX]

With @Stomper 's explanation on size and @dinky450 's name, I've got the answer to why he's in queue...

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Instant approval , Instant Karma....
May you all shoot on...err Shine on...whatever...
Andy

 

[BillM]

Oregon native. Heck--been at the same address 20+ years
CHL. Had one since the 1980's, continuously, same county.
NFA items.
Last purchase was about a month ago
As far as I know I'm the ONLY one in the US with my name.
Social Security number on the 4473.
Normally I'm approved within minutes.

Bought a couple of lowers yesterday---#6547 on the CHL waitlist.

Fairy Godmother? Magic 8 ball? Casting of the runestones?
No idea why some are instant and some are not in the past few
days. Suspect that when someone at OSP gets up to take a
bathroom break or refill their coffee cup everyone goes on the waitlist
until they are back.

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[orygun]

Like @BillM I've lived in this state my whole life, CHL since the '89 or '90 (when it was a CHP) and at the same address for 35 years. Usually it's pretty quick, but I was once delayed. That was a long time ago, but it was surprising/shocking. No rhyme, no reason.

 

[unionguy]

Thanks all...random it is!

 

[dinky450]

Thanks all...random it is!

Yep.

 

[Greenscale]

Just curious: my theory is that Instant Approvals are people with unusual names who have only ever lived in Oregon. I'm basing this on my friend and I both have unusual names, I have my CCW and he does not, I've never received an Instant and he almost always does. I've lived in multiple states and he's a native Oregonian.

Anyone know or have a better theory?

My understanding is that there are multiple factors involved. We know that FICS is algorithm based. Information you put on your form 4473 gets entered into it and it then does an automated check on that information. My best guess, based on my experience working in IT, is that once incongruities in that information reach a certain threshold, the algorithm automatically marks it as 'pending review' and throws it into the queue for an OSP humanoid to look at.

In addition, I would not be surprised if there's a 'random' audit chance that immediately chucks you in with the rest of the rabble much like with the TSA pulling you out of line to have you go through the lengthier scan.

The factors I believe it takes into account:

- Your "residency information" (has your address changed lately, are you from OR originally, have you lived here X years)
- Your name (is your name fairly common, do you share a last name or middle name with someone who has a rap sheet)
- Your stats (have you gained 8" in height in the last 6 months since you purchased a gun)
- How many gun purchases you have made over X years/months and how long since your last background check
- Have you been in legal trouble or arrested lately
- Is your address spelled correctly, is your name spelled correctly (literacy is important for government documents)
- Is your SSID a match
- Is there a state level warrant out for you or are you under investigation

 

[Bobbygun]

Dang. And here I thought I was special.

Native Oregonian
SNOB (Son of a Native Oregonian Born)
Name is not uncommon, but I have a suffix
Same address/wife/phone number/etc. for over 30 years
CHL
SSN on 4473
Consistent but not terribly frequent gun purchases
2 speeding tickets (most recently 1998)

The longest I've ever had to wait for approval was about one hour. And honestly, I'm not sure how much of that was the background check folks and how much was Cabela's with their in-house rules/procedures.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Just curious: my theory is that Instant Approvals are people with unusual names who have only ever lived in Oregon. I'm basing this on my friend and I both have unusual names, I have my CCW and he does not, I've never received an Instant and he almost always does. I've lived in multiple states and he's a native Oregonian.

Anyone know or have a better theory?

Nope. I always get instant approvals -including 8 in July as soon as they got enough signatures- and I don't meet your criteria. I think it's unusual name #1 factor, chl possibly helps, recent nfa background check possibly helps. Add to that the "bought a gun in the last 12 months" factor due to new OSP computer system. But that's just a guess.