'Delay' response

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I was at Bass Prop Shop, Foxboro to buy my first gun and chose a nice revolver. The salesman was very nice guy. We filled 4473 and submitted and got 'delay' response. My question is: Is this common? I have a common first/last name. How long does it to take to resolve the issue? Do dealers do any follow up with FBI?

What I don't understand is: What exactly did they do to check my background when they issued me my LTC few weeks ago?! :)
 
If you have a common first/last, my understanding is that you may end up with a recurring problem. I don't live in MA so let someone else fill you in on the specifics, I do believe there is something of a remedy available for you.
 
It's not uncommon for people with ordinary names to get delayed. The FBI/NICS will let Bass Pro know when you get a proceed - that can range anywhere from 1 to 3 days, but sometimes it remains delayed indefinitely. After 3 business days, a dealer can legally transfer the firearm to you even if your check is still delayed. I'm not sure if Bass Pro does that though. There's nothing you can do to expedite the process (except for applying for a UPIN, but that takes a dreadful amount of time).

Unfortunately, as you've discovered, your valid LTC has no relation to the NICS background check you must pass for each gun purchase!
 
I get delayed on every purchase. If it bothers you, you can apply for a UPIN. But I've heard the wait is pretty long
 
It's not uncommon for people with ordinary names to get delayed. The FBI/NICS will let Bass Pro know when you get a proceed - that can range anywhere from 1 to 3 days, but sometimes it remains delayed indefinitely. After 3 business days, a dealer can legally transfer the firearm to you even if your check is still delayed. I'm not sure if Bass Pro does that though. There's nothing you can do to expedite the process (except for applying for a UPIN, but that takes a dreadful amount of time).

Unfortunately, as you've discovered, your valid LTC has no relation to the NICS background check you must pass for each gun purchase!


I believe BPS will not release the firearm until the NICS check has been completed. There is no upper limit on how long a NICS check can take. Typically most are resolved in 1-3 days.

I've only been delayed twice, and I have a common first and last name. Including many unsavory people with the same name as me, sadly. One delay was approved within an hour of the initial delay. The other took three days to come back. Both on fuddy shotguns, strangely enough.

Anyhow, I would suggest finding a good local gun shop (LGS) and build a relationship with the guys that work there. If they know you, they're more likely to give you the default proceed after 3 business days instead of waiting until it comes back like many of the big box stores do (I'm looking angrily at you, Dick's).

Also, welcome to the club!
 
I was at Bass Prop Shop, Foxboro to buy my first gun and chose a nice revolver. The salesman was very nice guy. We filled 4473 and submitted and got 'delay' response. My question is: Is this common? I have a common first/last name. How long does it to take to resolve the issue? Do dealers do any follow up with FBI?

What I don't understand is: What exactly did they do to check my background when they issued me my LTC few weeks ago?! :)

as amm5061 said, the big box stores will not release the firearm even after the 3 days. corporate policy, even though that's the law, they don't want any potential liability. they've made the decision it's not worth it. they don't care about you're money, it'll sell to the next person.

the only reason i look at guns @basspro is to help determine what i want to buy at a lgs
 
This is why I named my kids Shannaliese and Stanislaus. I figured it would help them with their NICS checks later.

Planning ahead.
 
Fake news! No one buys guns at BPS. Do they?

paid what $700? I think the normal gun shop price around $450?
 
Yeah! When I got that response, I was like what the heck did I buy? Mother of all WMDs?!!
 
People are sometimes under the impression that what they are buying and how many they are buying is being submitted as part of their NICS check. This is not the case. All it wants to know is whether it's a long gun, hand gun, other (frame/receiver), or a combination of those. You could buy 100 guns (of all three types) on one 4473. Also, the 4473 does not go anywhere - it stays at the dealer's premises until an NTC trace comes along, if ever.
 
Yeah! When I got that response, I was like what the heck did I buy? Mother of all WMDs?!!

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on your (near) purchase.

Good luck getting your first proceed. Start shopping for a safe, firearms tend to multiply.

Between here and NH, I keep having to add safes. But...I can stop any time. Really
 
I heard that providing Social Security expedites and improves chances for approval.
It makes sense to me, especially for common names.
I made hmm... many... purchases and never got delayed, but my name is uncommon as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I heard that providing Social Security expedites and improves chances for approval.
It makes sense to me, especially for common names.
I made hmm... many... purchases and never got delayed, but my name is uncommon as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Honestly, I think it makes 0 difference. Both times I got delayed I provided SSN. Been delayed 0 times not providing it, so take from that what you will. I've also had better luck with them calling in the check rather than online, but who really knows how much difference that actually makes.

Also, and this is completely anecdotally, they get pretty annoyed if you decide to identify as all races and ethnicity. [rofl]
 
I was at Bass Prop Shop, Foxboro to buy my first gun and chose a nice revolver. The salesman was very nice guy. We filled 4473 and submitted and got 'delay' response. My question is: Is this common? I have a common first/last name. How long does it to take to resolve the issue? Do dealers do any follow up with FBI?

What I don't understand is: What exactly did they do to check my background when they issued me my LTC few weeks ago?! :)

NICS is pretty much garbage compared to the systems that LEOs run real background checks on. Basically it looks for known bad guys, and it will false positive on even a few matching terms.

It'll probably clear up in a day or two and you can go get your gun... but that doesn't make the problem any less retarded. Getting a VAF UPIN (from the feds) might help (takes a long ass time, but might be worth it) if it keeps happening, but I'll stress the word "might". Some people have said it doesn't do shit, others have said that it won't stop the delay, but does reduce it.

-Mike
 
I don't understand why our LTCs can't take the place of the NICS background check like some other states do.
 
I heard that providing Social Security expedites and improves chances for approval.

In my experience, this is true.

One time I ran back-to-back checks on a guy with the only difference being SSN included on the second 4473. He got delayed both times, but the one with the SSN came back with a proceed several hours later, while the other one remained delayed for like 4 days.
 
I don't understand why our LTCs can't take the place of the NICS background check like some other states do.

-Because MA's permit duration is too long (the batfe standard is 5 years).
-Because the MA attoney general would have to agree to it (and that is never, ever happening. )
 
I believe BPS will not release the firearm until the NICS check has been completed. There is no upper limit on how long a NICS check can take. Typically most are resolved in 1-3 days.

[rolleyes] Please, know what you are talking about if you are gonna post in threads like this. There absolutely IS an upper limit. The 4473 times out after 30 days. If they didn't get a proceed before then they will have to go back in and fill out another 4473 and start the process all over again.

FWIW, I sell guns for a living.
 
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[rolleyes] Please, know what you are talking about if you are gonna post in threads like this. There absolutely IS an upper limit. The 4473 times out after 30 days. If they didn't get a proceed before then they will have to go back in and fill out another 4473 and start the process all over again.

FWIW, I sell guns for a living.


You are correct, my fault there. Thank you for correcting the record.
 
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