Why Can't I Get My Gun in Three Days?

From New Frontier Armory on Facebook

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With the huge delays in processing background checks, many people are probably wondering why they can't pick up their gun after three days. After all, doesn't federal law say that unless a background check is denied, the gun has to be released after three days?

That's right, it does. If the background check takes does not result in a denial, after three days, the gun store can release your gun to you. No fail equals a pass. This is to prevent bureaucracy from infringing on your rights (more than it already is). It's a fail safe and incentive for the FBI or state to get the background check done.

But the three day period only applies to the background check. Carson City can't dicker around for a week or a month waiting to run you or send the results back. The three day wait is to allow any red flags to be run down, not hold up a gun purchase. 

So once the dealer calls in the background check, the clock on the three days begin.

The problem is that Carson City is so backed up, they can run the background checks. Stores are getting hung up on because the phone queue is over capacity. Dealers just don't have the time or employees to run all the checks in a timely manner. The normal process of waiting for fifteen minutes for the phone call to result in approval is a thing of two weeks ago.

So if it's been three days since you went to the dealer and filled out the form, you can't just go pick up your gun. You need to wait for the dealer to call in the check, when they get to you, and when they can get through to Carson City. That can be several days.

See any flaws in requiring background checks on gun sales? If you don't have a CCW, you should get one to avoid this problem in the future. Nevada is a state that were CCWs are exempt, per the ATF, for background checks (you still gotta fill out the Form 4473). But you can't get a CCW because ranges are closed and gatherings are restricted in size.