IAMA Firearm Salesman in Louisiana and I know a thing or two about background checks. AMA

why dont people realize that there are already backgroundchecks? why do people think that you can just walk in and leave with a gun?

I think it's a lot of misinformation and fear. In Louisiana you've been able to complete a background check and walkout the same day for quite sometime but people who have lived here for 20+ years have no clue. The media isn't making it any better, with Bill O'reilly claiming that Gun Show sales are unregulated when they are just as regulated as any other store front. FFL means you have to have a background check to get the gun. No background check means no gun from me.

My own US Senator, Mike Enzi, was on the radio today saying that he voted against expanding background checks to the private party tables at the gun show because the background check takes 5 days and the gun show is never more than 3.

Not sure what he is trying to say, Background checks are instant. Approval may come after a few days, but if you miss out on buying a gun at a gun show, then too bad. When you apply for a gun and are put on a delay status then your transaction ID will be worked for 30 days. The Brady Law doesn't prohibit sales on a delay status after a prescribed date that the Examiner will give you over the phone. Some stores will allow you to purchase after said date, but big box stores like Academy, Bass Pro, or Cabelas will only do it when NICS calls back with a proceed.

I think Senator Enzi is saying he's more interested in campaign donations from the NRA (and people who the NRA has pissing in the pants from misinformation) than he is in being honest.

The NRA lobby is pretty powerful. I've been increasingly disgusted with them and their alliance with Ted Nugent and the fear mongering he and Pres.Wayne LaPierre are harvesting. Love the Nuge's music but his politics are F'n wacked out.

What level of checks do you think a gun buyer SHOULD have to pass?

Straight-up question, I swear.

The NICS checks are pretty thorough from what I gather (we don't see what the examiner is looking at, just the info the applicant has provided us with). I like the idea of a national check, especially since we are a country with open borders and anyone can become a resident of a state after a certain period of time. Trying to dig through every states database to find someone's criminal history is pretty exhausting (imagine thesis work, buy every source requires you to apply for info, it takes a pretty long time) Honestly, I think the only thing not reviewed by NICS is financial history and your medical records. IMO the checks work really well, you can never tell what a person is going to do. I've seen people who "look" honest get denied on the spot, and reply with "I figured that would happen". WTF? Then again, I've seen some pretty sketchy folks walk out as well. Looks can be deceiving.

Ever meet Phil Robertson or his boys?

When I worked at a big box store in baton rouge they came by to buy some deer feeders which was odd to me. This was back before the TV show, when they were just famous for the DVD's. Didn't realize it was them until after they left though. The beards aren't as big a give away as you'd think...almost everyone has one down here.

What's the oddest thing you've seen from a background check that's stuck out to you?

Here's the fun part: After you fill out the form, we call it in to NICS and they do the rest. They don't tell us why they don't approve someone as it is personal information.

However, in the qualifying questions, you are asked if you are a "fugitive from justice". Back when I worked on the not so good side of Baton Rouge, I had a customer look me in the face and ask if fugitive meant he was running from the po-lees. Since I can't help with this section I refer him to the explanation on page 4. He reads silently for a second, says "Oh yay, dats me." then Proceeds sign and date the form and gets pissed when I tell him I can't continue the sale. My fault I guess.

the not so good side of Baton Rouge

So... basically all of Baton Rouge?

GSRI Road Apartments. It's nickname is the War Zone. I dropped a car off there once to get it worked on for cheap...The things that were done to that car, I can only imagine.

Ah yes, that's not far from Tigerland, which is also a pretty shitty area.

Tigerland isn't that bad.

I'm not to keen on living next to railroad tracks, homeless people, and stray dogs. 2/3 maybe but not all three.

Greetings.

I'm a pro 2nd, ccw permit holding dude. I'm also very pro background check.

In the hypothetical interest of compromise, would you support a law banning the sale or transfer of firearms without a FFL present? Basically if you want to sell a gun "face to face" it has to be done in the presence of a FFL like yourself. To me this seems like an easy way to keep an official record, force a background check at the time of sale and make the shop an extra $25(traditional ffl fee around here).

Are there any flaws or problems with that?

That's what the current legislation was geared towards, except the fee would be sent into the government; the bill state stated that the fees were to be determined by the AG's office.

I honestly don't think its a terrible idea to bring two parties to the table. The problem would arrive between the two parties if one person became delayed...now what? who holds the firearm? the FFL dealer? Who's to say that they won't walk out the door and do it anyway? The criminals will do it anyway. that's not to turn a blind eye to the problem, but the UBC idea has a hole. Again the only way to make this effective would be to register all firearms with the federal government. An idea that no one, including myself, is comfortable with.

I tried to buy a gun a few years back but was denied. I was supposed to contact some justice department to find out why/dispute it, I left it alone...

I want to pick this back up, how would I go about finding the info out?

Follow the link at the top of the AMA. Look on the right side bar and click on Voluntary Appeals and follow the instructions.

You will have to attempt to purchase another firearm first though. You will have to supply the NTN from the application. You have to be willing to purchase a firearm though, no FFL will just "check and see" as it is an abuse of the system and can result in a fine for the FFL holder.

Your best bet is to go the Finger Print route for an Appeal as it seems to work the quickest.

Thank you, do they check for shotguns now? I don't need pistols :)

[deleted]

Why?

[deleted]

Why would he go through a legal steps to do an illegal act?

[deleted]

Nope, if anything I gave him the steps to turn his fingerprints and all personal info into the government. Happy CISPA day!

Unless its a Black-powder Rifle or an Airgun you have to a background check.

What the strangest or most one-of-a-kind gun you've bought and/or sold?

Hard to say really, I've seen increased foot traffic from the "Obama is coming for me so I've gotta get evra'thing i can to fight off his Gestapo-Queer Police from taking away my bible" type of guys. Yes, these people exist, its not a joke.

Most one of a kind would be a Christensen Arms carbon frame 308 AR-10 with Sub-Zero Targeting light and Trijicon 6-24X56 scope. Not all that impressive sounding but the total package was over $5000. Guy never even flinched at the price...Oil money is good money.

Edit: misread gun as "guy"

If there was also a mental health screening, do you think they should be allowed to have guns?

[I have no idea how a mental health screening could ever work in practice]

This is something we try to talk about at work, but seeing as how I'm 1 of 2 politically moderate people in the building its hard to get far without some sort of thought terminating rhetoric is uttered and it all falls to shit. A person's medical history is private so I wouldn't be comfortable reading it for one. Even if the records were only available off site I'd feel like it would look like the guy from the TSA episode of South Park, with the agent remotely "monitoring" the video.

The "Obama's coming for me so I've gotta get evra'thing i can to fight off his Gestapo-Queer Police from taking away my bible" type of guys generally don't have a mental health entry in their medical record anyway. But if somehow [I don't know how] prospective gun buyers had to talk to a psychologist and be "cleared" first, how many of these guys would be armed?

Thank in advance for the 4th amendment and "what part of shall not be infringed" downvotes

The thing I've noticed is that most of those type of guys tend to stick to themselves or have a small circle of friends to stick with. And to be honest, they aren't necessarily crazy, they just have a skewed opinion on politics. IMO these people lead fairly harmless lives working at DOW or Exxon plants for 12hrs a day and don't know any better than the bible, Fox News, or the NRA has told them. They aren't the type who want to go on the offensive. They think the government is coming for them, and they want to defend themselves and their families from what they perceive is wrong, but they aren't the kind to go out and shoot a place up. Maybe that's just me being optimistic.

cats. do you like them?

YES

What would have changed with background checks under the proposed law?

There were some changes in it referring to sales between to non FFL holders. It would require you to come to a FFL location and allow us to witness the exchange and process the background of the purchaser and not the seller. There was some grey area about a fee schedule to be set up by the AG's office but nothing restricting sales that I recall right off. Hell, even Wayne LaPierre(NRA bigwig) said 10yrs ago that Universal background checks were helpful but has changed his tune as of late. Not sure why. Money?

Do you work at Jim's?

nope

What is your opinion on background checks: do you think they should be increased?

There doesn't seem to be a way to increase background checks other than to extend them to private sales. Every transaction requires a background check already, but you can buy multiple firearms with one background check. I can speak for myself when I say I do everything by the book and I'm sure others do as well. An FFL is not something the government allows you to just have, strict requirements must be met and ATF audits come at least twice a year so we don't give anyone any leeway.

But these background checks work for the most part, but just like everything else people slip through the cracks. And then again, some people just snap. You can't safegaurd against every aspect of danger, the best you can do is mitigate the effects.

edit: i added a lot

if private sales do not require background checks then "Every transaction requires a background check already" is not true.

True enough. Private sales do count, but when I use the word transaction I'm referring directly to sales from an FFL to a private citizen.

And how could these background checks involving sales between two private people be enforced? What's stopping two people who are friends, or members of the same gun club, or who know each other through a mutual friend from engaging in a sale with one another without going to an FFL?

The point of the law was to stop the trafficing of Illegal firearms. As it read before it was defeated, It only regulated sales between two law abiding citizens. The only way I can see to enforce this every time would be to institute a national registry of firearms.

How long does it usually take to get the results once the applicant has handed you the piece of paper?

The faster you fill out the paper work the faster I can call it in. I used to work at a store that did it electronically which was a little faster and more secure than giving someone a customer's info over the phone in front of everyone. But the phone call to NICS is usually under 3 minutes unless high volume crashes the system like right after Sandy Hook.

Once we give the info a few things can happen: You are either approved proceed and can leave the store with the firearm. if an instant approval is not given we move "further review" which is just a holding pattern for me to wait for a more thorough check. If the second examiner does not give a proceed a status ofdelayed is given.something has thrown up a red flag in your background check and requires additional screening. We will call you back once we hear back from NICS or the waiting period has expired. Generally if you don't get an instant denial the check usually doesn't come back that way and it is safe to proceed after a few days However, instant denial means "OH HELL NO!! HE CAN'T HAVE THAT!"

Makes sense, but just to clear up;

Can you make the phone call to the NICS while the customer is still there? If instant approval is received can the person walk in, fill out an application, wait for the phone call to be made, receive proceed verification and walk out with a weapon the same day?

We call them with you standing right in front of us. Or we step in the back if its super crowded to safeguard info and avoid noise. Brady Operators don't always fully enunciate.

I've purchased several guns before (guns are kinda my thing) but I never could figure out what was going on during the NICS call besides my name and birthday being said, what all do they ask?

That's it. We give them all the descriptor info you fill out. Name, DOB, Height, Weight, Gender, State of Birth, SSN (optional) We verify the answers in sec(11), state of residence, and Citizenship. No address is given to NICS. The form stays with us for 20yrs and then are destroyed. they give us a NICS Transaction Number (NTN) and status response. If all is go, you leave with a firearm.

The ATF can walk into any business and demand to see your records. Do you trust the government not to create a firearms registry? Would it be OK with you if they had one?

In order for them to create a national registry at this point would be frivolous and just stupid. The amount of records in my location alone reach back almost 10yrs. There is no telling where those firearms are now.

And yes, the ATF tells us there is an audit coming and they check to make sure nothing is amiss. the check aquisition/disposition logs of firearms and make sure that info corresponds to 4473 info. Every time a gun leaves or enters the stores possession it has to be logged. unfortunately we have an archaic hand log that takes forever to hand write all this info.

And hell no on the national registry.

Has there every been a time when you altered a background check because you felt the person could handle it?

Not even once. There have been occasions where people misread the first question asking whether or not they are the actual transferee of the firearm. The wording goes over peoples' heads sometimes, and they answer no, thinking all of the answers should be "no". Since we (or anyone for that matter) are not legally able help them answer the qualifying questions, we can only tell them to read carefully and be sure of your answers before you sign the back page. Most don't listen and think they know the answers already and take off.

Smart-asses like that I really enjoy telling them that they can't buy a firearm for 30 days. If they would read and take their time most people would see that the form tells you all of the answers on the back page like a fifth grade math book.

How often do YOU get a background check? Is one good enough for life?

To sell firearms? I got one when I started the job and drug test as well. No background check is good for life. Today you could be Beaver Cleaver, tomorrow you could have been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor. Which is an automatic disqualification for purchasing a firearm.

Actually I was talking about your own personal background check. Is it good for life, or do you periodically get one?

I mean you are a human being are you not? Are you different somehow from others who need a background check every time they purchase a firearm on a different day.

You DO handle firearms don't you? On a daily basis I would assume. And you do sell ammo don't you?

Do you see the hypocrisy here?

Most background checks for other career fields last for 3-5yrs. Then you re-new in order to make sure you are on the straight and narrow. This is the same reason you fill out a background check every time you by a gun.

My last background check was 4 months ago when I purchased two handguns, one for myself and the other for my fiance.

The only exclusion to a background check for a firearm is between two FFL holders. They simply exchange FFL information. The reason being, in order to hold an FFL you must complete a more thorough background check every 3 yrs (may have recently changed)

So, if a FFL wigs out, like you mentioned there with Beaver Cleaver, it wouldn't matter because FFLs don't ever wig out?

I'm sure there have been plenty of people that have had their Federal Firearms License pulled for one violation or another. Not sure where I'd find that statistic but I'm sure it'd be worth a look. I personally know of a pawn shop in Plaquemine Parish that was selling stolen firearms. The only way we found out was because a friend of mine was called by the state police to let him know it had been recovered.

What's the biggest/strongest/deadliest gun/weapon you own?

All of my firearms have a specific purpose, so each one meets your criteria in there given application. Favorite? Probably my Safari II B.A.R 30-06. I use it for hunting deer and hogs on occasion but I'm actually starting to do more bow hunting than anything now. However, I always have my AR handy for some fun target shooting.

What do you think of Red Jacket / Sons of Guns / Will Hayden? Is the show all fake, are the RJ manufactured guns any good? Etc?

They were just a small time shop back in the day. Before they got big they were in a location now known as Diamond Safety. they didn't move far from their but have now opened a retail location that the general public can walk in. IMO Discovery made them who they are, same as OCC. But meeting Will Hayden in person just confirmed with me his asshole tendencies. Very smart, knows his guns, and has a friendly staff, but he comes off as a little dickish sometimes.

Their products are top notch though; the AR's us premium quality and are made 1:1, meaning by hand. Accuracy is through the roof, but you are paying extra for that laser etching on the side.

I was wondering why if you may know I get that goddamn hold put on me every time I was on submarines for 7 years and was told it was cause my secret clearance is there a way to fix this

Was once told of some number I could apply to get but even that takes a month to hash out

Thanks in advance

The link I have supplied at the top of the AMA should answer everything for you.

Are you for or against banning assault rifles?

The general public's understanding on what an assault rifle actually is, is skewed to a large degree. Actual Assault Rifles are weapons used by the military, equipped with a "select fire" function. these weapons are capable of primarily three types of firing modes: Single, Burst, and full auto. The general public is not capable of walking in and purchasing a Assault Rifle without a Class 3 license. In order to obtain one of these you would have to spend roughly $500, submit to a more strenuous background check, and comply with a number of greater restrictions than your average firearm owner.

The most common "assault rifle" you see in the store is little more than a cosmetic hunting rifle. Yes, you have increased capacity, buy you do not have the ability for fully automatic fire. And unless you are a trained gunsmith, you cannot take an off the shelf sport rifle and make it fully automatic. Anyone who says they can polish a sear and change a spring out to make a fully auto gun is a liar and just wants attention.

TL;DR No, I'm not for banning Assault Rifles. If you can get one, the ATF will show up to your house on a regular basis and inspect inventory. So if you want that in your house then go right ahead and apply.

Actual Assault Rifles are weapons used by the military...

and

...not capable of walking in and purchasing a Assault Weapon without a...

why do you use "assault weapon" to mean "assault rifle"? isn't it possible that part of the reason the general public is so confused on the terminology is that even experts conflate the terms?

Terminology is part of what separates one item from another. A weapon could be anything from a firearm to a knife. What makes something a weapon is how the user intends to use it. Adding assault to a generalized term doesn't make it more deadly or effective at defense.

A Rifle, on the other hand, is a designated weapon type. With specific capabilities and functions. An Assault Rifle has more capabilities than your standard rifle does. Lumping everything into one category does confuse people; taxonomy helps with understanding the difference between a Long gun and a handgun, and the subsequent categories under each type of frame.

after defining "Assault Rifle" accurately you say:

The general public is not capable of walking in and purchasing a Assault Weapon without a Class 3 license.

(emphasis mine)

this sentence should read:

The general public is not capable of walking in and purchasing a Assault Rifle without a Class 3 license.

the sentence you used is spurious because it depends on the definition of "Assault Weapon" which is nebulous, defined by the legislation that defines it. You are using the terms interchangeably, when you shouldn't be doing so.

if you're going to hold yourself up as an expert, do not conflate "Assault Rifle" with "Assault Weapon". They are not synonyms.

edited. thanks for pointing that out.

What part of Louisiana do you work in?

Baton Rouge

Ah. I'm from New Orleans & don't know if the background check rules differ by parish or not.

Not by parish but Tennessee and a few others have their own system so I can't sell to someone from there unless I send it to an FFL where they would have to fill out a 4473 with that dealer.

If you have a LA Driver's Licence or State ID you can attempt to buy a firearm. Pending a background check of course.

What's the status with purchasing an m1 garand

These type of collector's Items come at a fairly high price. I've seen them go up pretty high over the years and originals are exceedingly rare. Not an easy find.

What's with the lack of ammunition is a lot of the stores down here as of recent? We can rarely even find simple 380 ammunition in stock.

big box stores are getting them first because of the size of their orders from the buying shows. But what they get in has to be split up amongst their entire chain so supply is coming slowly. You have to remember, factories don't just make all types of ammo in one day. They tool their machines for a certain caliber and run that for a period of time. Then they recalibrate and move to the next caliber. High demand ones come in first and subsequent priorities follow along. My store and others are limiting ammo to customers in order to help spread the benefits to everyone; this also keeps vultures from swooping in and buying everything at once and selling it to you 3x what they paid.

Plus everyone and their mother waits at the doors of Big Box Store on delivery days and buys up what they can for the day.

I've been to numerous box stores and the shelves are bare in all but uncommon calibers and its been that way for months. Now the vultures are charging $60+ for a brick of 22 lr at shows. I realize its not season for hunting much of anything, but when do you think people will stop hoarding the stuff?

People were hoarding before, but now that supplies are tight we are feeling the pinch even worse.

Are there any costs associated with background checks?

If I wanted to sell my gun to an acquaintance, and came to you asking for a background check for the transaction, would you charge me?

To answer both questions at the same time, no. Background checks are provided (or should be) free of charge at an FFL. However, you could pay for the service as there are several internet based companies that do searches for private citizens. Currently you don't need to do a background check to complete the sale between private citizens. Protect yourself though: write a bill of sale and have a third person sign as a witness to show complete transfer of ownership. Something simple is all that's needed in my state, but check your state laws to see what qualifies as a bill of sale.

Do you think there should be any more regulation of purchasing of firearms/ammo, and if so, what?

No. I think purchasing of firearms through legal means is already strict enough. I feel that further restrictions of ownership would only affect law abiding citizens. Ammo sales would be equally silly. They only folks I know with stock piles of ammo are holding onto in case the government comes for them. These type of people aren't going anywhere and are the likes you see on Doomsday Preppers. Just because you order 10,000rnds of whatever doesn't make you a bad person, and shouldn't open you up to investigation. Maybe you are just a guy/girl that loves to burn powder.

You can't protect against every threat. You will be tired, paranoid and broken and won't enjoy life.

What is your opinion on the legislation that was defeated in the Senate? More importantly, what legislation can be introduced to make background checks more effective?

The problem was that the legislation could not be agreed upon. We are stuck at a polarized point in the political spectrum where every republican or democrat is tied to the stake and burned for reaching across the aisle. Governing has apparently become a lost art on the hill and compromise is seen as weakness. With two political bodies reaching critical mass, it's soon to come to a head but right now, we continue deadlocked because everyone is scared that a black democrat in the White House during a time of crisis is the worse thing to happen...ever.

The thing is that the background checks are effective. At my current job I have personally denied sales only a handful of times. In each case it was usually a Upper/middle class white male attempting to get a friend a firearm after the friend stated he wasn't able to purchase. His honesty was appreciated but if we moved forward with the sale we would have all committed a felony. And I'm too small to go to jail. However, I've rarely called in a background check where a denial was the final disposition. Some view it as a crack, others would say its because criminals don't usually go to an FFL to buy a gun once they discover the background check process. Most will become very quite once they sign it and realize they aren't getting a gun.

My previous job was on the lower income level of town where applicants where self defeating i.e. answering "yes" to questions about criminal history of drug abuse. Sometimes they would come back with friend, point out the gun and the friend would try to get the gun as well (Straw Purchase). The only way to combat this was to play along, get the customers information on the 4473 and deny the sale from then forward. This job had the benefit of a denial database where we could enter customer info and DL# along with time/date and description of the incident. That person would then be denied sales all other retail locations in the chain.

It takes effort from the bottom up to make the system work but it is effective. Are there pitfalls? Sure, some people can lie with a straight face or take advantage of a shift change if a denial system isn't implemented. But if more stores had this system it would be another step forward to illegal sales directly from an FFL.

Some people will do it anyway, and that's the flaw with the system.

Thanks for your input!

Next followup question, what laws do you think could be written and implemented that would help stem gun violence?

Honestly, I think we are fighting this from the wrong end. The gun control argument is a distraction. This is a mental health issue, and serious lack of parenting from what I can see. I made the argument earlier that people I deal with are xenophobes, homophobes and the like, but that most were not offensive in there strategy for safety. Mainly because they don't need to be. From what I gather from my customers, they just want to be left alone. Leave my guns and family alone is all they ask. But then again they are fed the idea that some one is coming for them, so I don't blame them for their misconceptions. Now, all of the sudden the idea that mental health is the issue started to gain traction after Sandy Hook. What has it been, 14yrs since columbine and we are just now getting around to this?

My store was recently broke into by 3 young black kids. They came in from the room and stole $6000 in handguns but couldn't get off the property in time to get away. They were caught, and the guns returned with minor damage. That same day we were discussing this at the managers meeting when some one went on a tangent about video games. I lost it and told her it was the parents fault and that they are the ones to blame for how the kids came up. No one wants to hear they failed as a parent though, so they try to isolate and excluded themselves from the issue.

TL;DR its a social/health issue. raise your kids, take them to the doctor, and play baseball with them.

we continue deadlocked because everyone is scared that a black democrat in the White House during a time of crisis is the worse thing to happen...ever.

You have strange ideas. There is no bias against a black president because he is black. Or half black. Or whatever.

Whatever in the world gives you the idea that the reasons behind gridlock have anything at all to do with the color of the President?

Are you smart enough to see how a background check, combined with a gun purchase could lead to a national registry of guns? Do you know enough about history to know that Nazi Germany., Soviet Russia and Communist China started out by confiscating guns in those countries?

I understand the issue with the national registry. I'm not saying I agree with it, just that it would be the only way to make it %100 effective. Again I DO NO SUPPORT A NATIONAL REGISTRATION OF FIREARMS!

However, I live in Louisiana where I still hear on a daily basis about "that black sonofabitch". Maybe not the best way to illustrate a point but regardless it still exists down here, and i feel like there is a bit of racial tension. And those constituents call their congressman/women and voice their opinion as we all do on theses types of issues. I don't think its a hard stretch to think that even if their senator/congressman doesn't admit it that its not true. Racial lines have built Louisiana Politics and always will. It may not be so prevelant as burning crosses anymore but there is still a divide here. Its nothing to be proud of, but believe me, but there are still the birthers (and racist) down here.

What do you think of sites like armslist.com that let people completely bypass any kind of background check and obtain firearms second hand?

Personally I'd be kind of leery of this kind of transaction. I've heard of craigslist going wrong but now guns are involved...I probably wouldn't partake. I prefer the controlled environment; I know where the gun has been, I know the FFL didn't steal it, and my background is clean.

This is honestly the first time I've seen armslist.com before so I'm gonna remain skeptical but not dismissive. More research required.

I work in the gun department at a walmart in Baton Rouge, people come in everyday saying that guns should be on the shelves just like all the other merchandise. If they think that they probably wouldn't pass a background check anyway.

sticky fingers are a problem in this city

[deleted]

As far as I remember they all plead guilty to simple battery. Not sure if they are out of jail or not.

[deleted]

Honestly I prefer not to live in the city at all. I'd prefer to live near Lafayette where most of my family is from. It's more central to fishing and hunting places in the state. However, If I could live anywhere in Florida Parishes I'd be pretty happy. Im a pretty avid kayak fisher so the oxbow lakes near the Mississippi provide some really amazing fishing locals.

As far as where more people carry I couldn't really say for sure. The cities are viewed as more crime prone because they have some relatively high poverty rates. But most CCL holders tend to keep from those areas, which is the best idea to avoid being a victim. But, at the same time if I knew I could avoid crime at all times I wouldn't need firearms for protection anyway.

Do you find a lot of newish gun owners and first timers are buying a ton and ton of ammo, or is it, let's call em 'veteran sportsman'?

I only ask because at first I couldn't find .22, even the crappy Aquila, then pretty much ever other caliber I like to shoot. Now I can't even find target load (#8, #7.5 12ga) which strikes me as odd. I'm straight up north in OH so I was just curious how it is down South.

Hand gun calibers are slowly coming back. And right now is the peak of the skeet/clay shooting season so I'm not too surprised on the lack of target loads.

Usually though its the veteran sportsman who come in buying as much as possible. New owners tend to be a little more conservative with their ammo until they learn how much fun it is to shoot!

How serious of mental problems can someone before they are denied a gun license?

In the 4473 the question reads "adjudicated mentally defective by a court of law". Meaning your friends and wife can think you are a nutcase, but until a medical doctor and a court of law confirm, you are fee to go.

Is there a penalty or legal action taken against someone who tries to buy a firearm but instead is denied?

My friend used to sporting goods counter at a walmart, and he said he ran a background check, and he received a call back and they told him they were "checking on it"

A couple minutes later, the guy trying to buy the gun was arrested.

Just curious about that, because I have a record and would love to start target shooting again.

Also, do you know about the rules with expungement of criminal records and having firearm rights reinstated?

Thanks.

I've only seen this happen once. The NICS examiner tells you to stay on the line, but do not give a direct reason. Then BOOM police arrived and the guy was taken away. Normally this only happens for a fugitive but I can't speak for all cases.

In some circumstances I've had NICS call me back to ask for the address given on the form and if the Firearm had been released to the applicant. I've asked what was happening but they can't give any details as to why they ask for this info.

So, if you didn't have your guns...

100 duck sized horses or 1 horse sized duck?

On one hand, I could easily defeat the duck sized horses...on the other, If I were to master the Horse Sized duck! The Possibilities!! Is this allowed!?

Pretty sure that's outside of the parameters of the question...

Think about it though...a duck, the size of a horse with a saddle. we could team up and defeat our enemies!

Have you been able to get ammunition for semi-assault rifles recently? I heard that the government has been buying them like crazy.

Here's a link to a video that can explain it better than I can: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gNReEZJAY&feature=share&list=UU1g6qVecwvA-M2T0TJ9UIZg