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The National Instant Check System

The National Instant Check System (NICS), run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI) is not entirely instant. After you have quickly filled out the 4473, you are now dependent on the slowest typist in the room, a Texas Aggie, to enter more information, and NICS to be actually up and running on a weekend while the current administration is doing everything it can to eliminate gun shows and prevent gun sales. Assuming NICS is up, which it is 95% of the time during gun shows, our Fast Bound software automagically copies the data from the 4473 to NICS, and I hit submit. One of several things will happen:

Proceed - if you don't have a common name, like Smith or Rodriguez, and the FBI isn't too busy at the moment, many folks get an instant Proceed. We mark that down in the 4473, you give us the money, we write you a Bill of Sale, and off you go with your new gun.

Processing - this is the next most common, and it means the computer system wasn't "Instantly" able to distinguish you from 87 other Americans with the same name. (Isn't Instant its job?) You now need to wait for your FBI Agent to finish up in the restroom, wash his hands, eat a doughnut, and then start working through your case. If you are easily distinguishable from your no-goodnik cousin twice removed, in a half hour or so we'll get a Proceed, and you can take home your gun today as soon as you pay me your money.

Delay - this is the third most common, usually after Processing. Instant Delays come for under 21 folks. It means the FBI needs more time to sort you out from your no goodnik cousin, and will generally take a few days. Happily, the standard Brady Transfer date, the date on which we can transfer your gun to you without a Proceed, falls on the Thursday before the next gun show, so you can just check our Gun Show Schedule page and come pick up the gun within 30 days of the NICS check. We realize that for our non-Metroplex customers this can be a serious imposition, as we may not have a show in your area within 30 days. Please Contact us if you would prefer to cancel the sale. We fully understand that decision and will be happy to recommend alternatives - we want to sell you a gun, but if that's not feasible, we still want you to buy the gun you want, from the best possible source for you.

Denial - we have only gotten 4 Denials since we've started business as of this writing, and only one while the customer was still at the gun show. Generally, the pattern is Processing, Delay, Denial. In general, we presume you know the reason you got the Denial. If you do wish to appeal, we'll be happy to get you the NICS Denial pamphlet, and you can start down that process. If you have gotten a Denial on a transfer gun, please refer to the Transfers page as to what will transpire.