Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire NICS background check denial ... has it happened to you?

I was denied once.

The shop ran it all again the next day. We never found out the cause but assumed it was a fat fingering of the keyboard or similar.

A good friend of mine was frequently denied due to his brother being a schit bag. He has fought that battle to the end of the earth but still gets denied on occasion.

I am not 100% sure and it may only be in PA, but that 3 day automatic approval went out with the wash since Covid. I think it is 14 days or maybe even more in PA and may just not be an automatic anything anymore in the state. This was caused in part by the huge backlogs of just getting an Operator. Guys were waiting hours just to get through. My friend switched over to internet PICS checks because of it.

New York State has a mandatory 30 day delay, after the federal delay period has ended.

In PA we have a pics (PA instant check system) background check, its ran by the PA state police, the people that answer the phones are civilian workers. When first stated in PA it was a mess. I went to Gander Mountain one day and tried to buy a rifle, I was denied, I was a FFL dealer at the time, they won't tell you why you were denied. So I sent in a reversal letter got it back in 2 weeks, I was cleared. Went to GM to pick up the rifle and was denied again even with my reversal letter. Well ok went to my local congress man, told him what was going on and he said go pick up your rifle. I was told from a buddy that worked at the pics a State Trooper that the workers there can have a bad day and just denied you for no reason. Don't know if this is the case with a NICS check, PA uses there records and NICS to do there back ground checks

The bad thing now i have to carry that reversal letter with me when buying a gun now, if I don't have it to show I will get turned down, even the freaking operator will ask if I have it, so they know I got one, what a freaking joke

X3


Jayco👍

Carry permit, no NICS

They're just computer monkeys that are running your schit.

Garbage in and garbage out.

Also if an alias comes up that matches your name, they may deny it just as SOP.

It's by no means an effective system. I would describe it as flat stupid. The problem is that when you're dealing with a dumb ass gun shop employee (God help you if it's Bass Pro or similar) they think your schit is being checked by a CIA operative. So they get all kghunty and flat refuse the sale. Instead of just trying again after a day or two.

I think the best way to go about it is to keep trying. You'll either get approved, or they will come arrest you. Either way it seems to me to be the fastest path to resolution.

Corporate rules.

Could be someone with the same name has a bad record, did you give them your SS#?

My permit, and a two minute phone call.

Had a buddy once, when I was a dealer and a new model handgun came out he would buy it. One week got 2 new ones in, he wanted to buy both of them at the same time. Told him to buy one now and come back in 7 days to get the other. Told him he would have to fill out a multiple FBI handgun form. He didn't care, well 2 weeks later tried to buy another handgun, he was flat Denied for no reason and far as I know is still denied and that was in 1998 that happened. Lost a very good customer because of the NICS

I just walk in and buy a rifle here in Canada, even have ordered used online and shipped to me.
Not long ago went into local gunsmith and saw some used rifles he had and bought one and carried it out with no issue.
I guess some things here are not bad yet.

I didn’t do anything, unless it’s been kept a secret from me. I’ve been trying to think of whether or not I’ve had some traffic ticket that I forgot about or something like that. The thing is I got pulled over just a couple of months ago and the policeman ran my license - you’d think if I was a fugitive on the run, the system would’ve told him.

Had something very similar happen. Started out getting delayed all the time, then denied. Don't remember the entire process, but IIRC, I basically had to provide more identification. Turns out a guy with the same name as me wasn't as nice as I am. To this day, I still have to provide my SSN if I want a timely approval of my basic human right of self defense.

Got many fcuced up stories of our PA pics check, best one is..... a Captian with the PA state police in uniform came in to transfer a gun from his dead uncle, told him didnt think we could do it as his aunt wasent with him and he didn't have the death certificate. Well called it in anyways and he was denied, they told me that I had to hold him there till the local police arrived to arrest him, i told them he was was a state police officer and is here in uniform. I also told them it wasent my job my fcuckin job to hold anyone. Well don't you know they called the local police and showed up to arrest the man. He waited around till they arrived, what a joke.

If somebody with the same name has a rap sheet as long as your arm and you don't include your SSN on the form, you will likely get a delay or outright denial. Ironically when I worked the gun bar at Academy many guys who were high up in TVA nuclear would often get delays. You know those guys were clean, but there was something in their background that would pop up during the background check.

That P.A.L has some advantages.

Delayed a couple of times. But they hiccuped and tried to deny once, and before I could call them, they called the LGS back and it was a mistake, proceed.

Pretty sure it was from a time in the 80's where a guy (black) was using my identity. I was a cop at the time, and the FBI called my sheriff and said they were sending an agent down to talk to me. When he got there, he was shocked that I was a white male...

He showed me where this guy was pulling off interstate thefts and all sorts of stuff. They had his picture and 2-3 forms of ID that had my name, SSN & even DL number. Sheriff thought it was funny, and said he shouldn't have confirmed who I was, just to see how far the agent would have gone... Gee! Thanks, Sheriff!

Time to time, that still pops up.

Hours, days weeks... delay delay deny... Always end up with the gun at the end. Thank goodness it is an "instant check" here. And now the delays are longer since the fees got bumped up to improve "customer service"

Lets just hope the same gov't guys are put in charge of the confiscation patrols, but I fear not.