How did background checks work before 1998?

[Alex]

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is a point-of-sale system for determining eligibility to purchase a firearm in the United States of America. Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders are generally required by law to use the NICS to determine if it is legal to sell a firearm to a prospective purchaser. Mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 and launched by the FBI on November 30, 1998, NICS determines if the buyer is prohibited from buying a firearm under the Gun Control Act of 1968. It is linked to the National Crime Information Center and the Interstate Identification Index among other databases maintained by the FBI.[1]
National Instant Criminal Background Check System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If I understood it correctly, NICS was launched in 1998. How did FFLs check buyers background before?
Also, it seems that before the Gun Control Act of 1968 no one was prohibited from owning a gun at all. Is that right? Any felon or psycho before 1968 could buy any gun no questions asked? Old timers, can you confirm?
So how was buyers' backgrounds checked between 1968 and 1998?

 

[soloman02]

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is a point-of-sale system for determining eligibility to purchase a firearm in the United States of America. Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders are generally required by law to use the NICS to determine if it is legal to sell a firearm to a prospective purchaser. Mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 and launched by the FBI on November 30, 1998, NICS determines if the buyer is prohibited from buying a firearm under the Gun Control Act of 1968. It is linked to the National Crime Information Center and the Interstate Identification Index among other databases maintained by the FBI.[1]
National Instant Criminal Background Check System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If I understood it correctly, NICS was launched in 1998. How did FFLs check buyers background before?
Also, it seems that before the Gun Control Act of 1968 no one was prohibited from owning a gun at all. Is that right? Any felon or psycho before 1968 could buy any gun no questions asked? Old timers, can you confirm?
So how was buyers' backgrounds checked between 1968 and 1998?

Yes that's correct. Before 1968, ANYONE could buy a firearm if you had the cash. There were no gun laws WRT semi-auto firearms in the US. Full auto firearms required a background check and the other stuff required today. But aside from the NFA stuff, no laws existed. You could literally mail order almost any gun. The Sears catalog sold guns!

 

[xtry51]

And yet our country was fine.

 

[Alex]

What about 1968-1998?
How did gun dealers verify that a buyer was not a felon?

 

[rep308]

The riots of 67-68 was the catalyst to change the laws. The people in power didn't want 'those people' to have easy access to firearms. If you are under 30-35 do a little research on riots of 1967-68

 

[xtry51]

What about 1968-1998?
How did gun dealers verify that a buyer was not a felon?

They didn't. If you weren't in jail you actually had freedoms. This is how the world worked. You've been brainwashed to think that for some reason BGCs are necessary at all. THEY AREN'T.

 

[Alchemist17]

What about 1968-1998?
How did gun dealers verify that a buyer was not a felon?

"Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the United States Congress?"

 

[xtry51]

Honestly it's mind boggling how many people don't know this. They just assume the prison system under which we all live now is how it's always been. Read history, lots of it. Tell everyone you know, especially any anti that before 1998 there was no such thing as a BGC. I guarantee they won't believe you because they can't fathom living without Big Brother.

Before 1968 there was no such thing as a "dealer". Anyone, anywhere could buy guns and ammo from manufacturers.

ETA:

Here's a simplification - Before 1998 you didn't need to ask the federal government's permission to purchase a firearm from a gun store. Before 1968 you didn't need permission to buy a gun directly from a manufacturer. Before 1934 there were no federal gun laws and you could order anything the military had from a Sears catalog even if you were 4 years old.

 

[vipprimo]

In other words there is no one on this forum that wasn't alive when all this BS started I would bet.

 

[el duderino]

What about 1968-1998?
How did gun dealers verify that a buyer was not a felon?

Not their responsibility, I don't see car dealers checking fot DUIs or kitchen stores checking if you've ever stabbed someone before selling you a cleaver.

 

[xtry51]

Not their responsibility, I don't see car dealers checking fot DUIs or kitchen stores checking if you've ever stabbed someone before selling you a cleaver.

Exactly.

Don't let yourself become OK with the current system. Its only purpose is to slowly enact a complete ban and confiscation.

 

[Alex]

Tell everyone you know, especially any anti that before 1998 there was no such thing as a BGC.

That's exactly what I was going to do, but decided to verify the facts.

You've been brainwashed to think that for some reason BGCs are necessary at all.

I wasn't. Did you notice my sig line?

 

[xtry51]

That's exactly what I was going to do, but decided to verify.



I wasn't. Did you notice my sig line?

I did. I was talking about the general public. I find the entire BGC debate hilarious because it's clear everyone involved in supporting it is ignorant to pre-1998 US history.

 

[cekim]

4473s have been around longer than that, so you were basically taking a "sworn statement" from buyer that they were legal to buy and committing yet another crime if they weren't (sign here).

 

[one-eyed Jack]

I still have 4473s in my files going back to 1982 (when many of you were still pissing your pants). One page, no NICS check. Jack.

 

[Zappa]

What about 1968-1998?
How did gun dealers verify that a buyer was not a felon?

If you lived in Mass back then, you still needed an FID or LTC before you could buy or possess a firearm.
The BGC was performed by the LE agency before the FID or LTC was issued.

 

[xtry51]

If NICS checks aren't an infringement on rights, I want NICS checks on every voter before their vote is counted.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

If NICS checks aren't an infringement on rights, I want NICS checks on every voter before their vote is counted.

Even the dead ones? Jack.

 

[greencobra]

Even the dead ones? Jack.

right on the money as usual, jack, someone will find a way. we in the gun world call it a loophole.

 

[caboose84]

In RI in the 80's there was a 3 day waiting period on handgun purchases. If you were buying a handgun you had to have a blue card (basically a safety test) or a hunter safety card. No wait or safety card needed for long guns.

You filled out the 4473, waited and then picked up your handgun. Long guns you filled out the 4473, paid and walked out.

 

[Mike-Mike]

Yup, Grab am M1 Carbine and a 1911 out of the Sears catalog and it shipped to your house.

 

[TrashcanDan]

I think it was just a matter of the dealer making a phone call, If I remember right.
It was also pre-pin#.
I had 2 purchases in the old M&M's at Cordage Park. I don't remember anything about a waiting period, and the guy behind the counter said "Good, you have the old lic, that'll work".
Both hand cannons were used, not sure if that made a difference.

 

[Len-2A Training]

In MA, I bought 20-30 guns from the mid-1970s until the 1998 GCA. You had to show your LTC (or FID) and the dealer filled out the tissue paper/manila copy of the FA-10 in a book of 50 and you walked out with your gun. I don't recall any 4473s back then. I could be wrong about the 4473, but I just don't recall filling out any paperwork during those years.

 

[wahsben]

Government wanted NICS for registration of gun owners. If they didn't they could have used BIDS: BIDS v. NICS.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

In MA, I bought 20-30 guns from the mid-1970s until the 1998 GCA. You had to show your LTC (or FID) and the dealer filled out the tissue paper/manila copy of the FA-10 in a book of 50 and you walked out with your gun. I don't recall any 4473s back then. I could be wrong about the 4473, but I just don't recall filling out any paperwork during those years.

The 4473s back then were a yellow one page form that you and the dealer filled out. No NICS check. The dealer was (and still is) obligated to retain the 4473 for 20 years. At least that was the drill when I was licensed in 1982. It was probably set up that way to enable tracing of the gun to the last known owner. The FA10 thingy was also used for Mass. FTF transfers. Jack.

 

[Wrench75]

What about 1968-1998?
How did gun dealers verify that a buyer was not a felon?

I know this will sound crazy but, what happens when you go buy a bag of chips? It was exactly the same buying a gun. You go in select the item and pay for it. Period. Maybe cigarettes and alcohol would be better examples because you may have been asked to prove you were over 18 or 21 depending on what you were buying. When I purchased my fist SA pistol I walked out with a gun and a receipt that literally came off one of those pads you would see a waitress take you order on BITD.

 

[nstassel]

What about 1968-1998?
How did gun dealers verify that a buyer was not a felon?

You signed the 4473 in which you swore you were not a convicted felon, drug user, etc.

 

[Wrench75]

You signed the 4473 in which you swore you were not a convicted felon, drug user, etc.

I started buying my own when I hit 18 in 1993 I can tell you with absolute certainty that there were no 4473s at service merchandise then I bought my marlin 22 (technically my father bought it and blue-carded it to me right there in the store lol) or at Bob's sport shop when I bought my Star 9mm. Show FID or LTC, pay, leave, the end.

The funny thing is, for anyone old enough to remember service merchandise, the rifle very unceremoniously came down the conveyor from the warehouse, Just like a basket ball or bedding set you may have been buying at the time.

 

[teamRR]

I believe, and could be wrong, my first few guns (turned 18 in '97) were under a system (at least in NH) where you filled out a form and walked away with the gun. Occasionally, rarely, someone someone got in trouble for giving incorrect information on the form (they spot checked some later or something?).

That's how I remember it anyway. Fill out form and are handed gun.

 

[MSant]

I seem to remember that the nice was a compromise. Biden wanted a waiting period that didn't sunset on all purchases. nra offered nice with 3 day timeout as a compromise. D'S said how bout both, got bgc