I tried to get a lower shipped to a ffl and transfered to me when the ffl called the yellow form in it was given a delayed status. Am I screwed or what? I have a sqeeky clean background.
 WTF?????

-Cruizer

I wouldn't worry. Every time I've purchased a firearm since Nov of '98, I've been delayed. My longest turnaround time was 5 hours. The first time, I was as freaked as the clerk, both of us wondering when the cops would arrive! I've since learned that this is a common experience for military w/ secret clearances, as well as civilian LEOs. The background investigations performed on us must leave quite a trail of flags in the NICS database. Right or wrong, the clerk accessing the data must reach a resolution before a "proceed" can be issued.

Recently, I was in a local gunshop and a guy came into pickup his special order Rem 11-87.
NICS yielded a "delay" on him. He turned ghost white, not understanding why this was happening to him. Both I and the owner of the shop spent 15 minutes on calming him down. Just as he was leaving the shop, the proceed came in from NICS. I was pleasantly surprised, because I usually have to wait longer (1 hour+), and have the shop call back too!  

Now, I plan to be delayed. In fact, I've filled out the paperwork and then told each of the sales clerks that I would be delayed, before they even called (4 times since the spring of 2000, but now I'm just bragging). Last time, I came in at 1:00PM on a Saturday , did the 4473 & wrote the check, advising the Lady that I would be a "delay", and she called and got the delay, and as I had planned for it, I went to a gunshow, came back around 3:30PM that day, she called back to check and got a "proceed"!

There's nothing like a little follow up!

Dave
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Brother Maynard, bring forth the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch!

Another interesting point about NICS.  The first time for me (Dec. 98) I got delayed 3 days.  Second time was about 1 day.  Third time was about an hour.  After that (more than 5 times) I got an immediate proceed.  I believe that this was due to the fact that I have a common name (more than six people in my metropolitan area have the same first and last name) and that because Reno's illegal collection of data kept my background data at the ready.  I purchased another gun two weeks ago, and I got my first delay in over two years.  It took 1 day to get the proceed.  I never have gone more than about 6 months without buying or trading a gun that required a NICS.

Just the personal experience of one gun owner.