NICS Check & FBI File request

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So, I have been waiting for months for the new Springfield EMP .40 to come into Washington and it's here. Went down to Federal Way yesterday to pick one up and when they ran the NICS check I got a delay. Which is odd because about a month ago I purchased another pistol at the same shop and had no NICS delay (Now I have to wait until Monday - the latest). Someone mentioned that it could be as simple as the folks at the NICS office were getting ready to head out the door (it was around 6pm) and put it off until the next day, but I thought it might be useful to get a copy of my FBI file.

I called the FBI and they need a simple letter request (no special form required),$18 money order and a set of my fingerprints (according to the woman who answered the phone @ the NICS Operation Center). I thought the prints from my WA CPL were already uploaded to the FBI, why do they need another set? In terms of proving identity, I can't see how it definitively proves anything. Although difficult to get, it's possible for me to get someone else's prints and make the request for their file...

Has anyone ever requested their file from the FBI before andNOT had to submit their finger prints? I suppose it's somewhat of a non-issue since my prints are in the system anyway, but I'm just curious.

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It's true that pretty much any security measure can be circumvented. But I would imagine it's *extremely* difficult to duplicate a clean, full set of someone else's fingerprints, unless maybe you have the kind of job that gives you access to something already on record.

It's certainly much better than just asking for a SSN and DOB.

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If I remember correctly, when you submit your prints for the WA CPL, the law says that they must be destroyed once it has been determined that you are eligible to receive the license. Can't recall the exact law off the top of me head and don't really feel like rummaging the internet for it right now.

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arms_libertas wrote:

...Someone mentioned that it could be as simple as the folks at the NICS office were getting ready to head out the door (it was around 6pm) and put it off until the next day...

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NICS is 17 hrs a day, seven days a week even holidays (except Christmas). I received an approval recently after 9pm PST.

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A delay could be anything from a computer problem (usually means an input clerk screwed the pooch) to there being a problem from some one with the same name having gotten on your record. Unless you have committed a felony recently you aren't telling us about.

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just_a_car wrote:

If I remember correctly, when you submit your prints for the WA CPL, the law says that they must be destroyed once it has been determined that you are eligible to receive the license. Can't recall the exact law off the top of me head and don't really feel like rummaging the internet for it right now.

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That is interesting statement. I always thought your finger prints were on file forever with the state or Feds.
I work sometimes in fancy homes and sometime a jewelry store. I always wondered in the back of my head what happens when they lift my prints off the crime seen ?

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out of curiosity, notarized prints, or just do it yourself with a magic marker?

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phone guy wrote:

just_a_car wrote:

If I remember correctly, when you submit your prints for the WA CPL, the law says that they must be destroyed once it has been determined that you are eligible to receive the license. Can't recall the exact law off the top of me head and don't really feel like rummaging the internet for it right now.

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That is interesting statement. I always thought your finger prints were on file forever with the state or Feds.
I work sometimes in fancy homes and sometime a jewelry store. I always wondered in the back of my head what happens when they lift my prints off the crime seen ?

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The CSI will print all the employees for comparison purposes.

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phone guy wrote:

just_a_car wrote:

If I remember correctly, when you submit your prints for the WA CPL, the law says that they must be destroyed once it has been determined that you are eligible to receive the license. Can't recall the exact law off the top of me head and don't really feel like rummaging the internet for it right now.

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That is interesting statement. I always thought your finger prints were on file forever with the state or Feds.
I work sometimes in fancy homes and sometime a jewelry store. I always wondered in the back of my head what happens when they lift my prints off the crime seen ?

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That's just it. If they have fingerprints from a crime scene, then those stay on record, but I'm pretty sure ones for CPL are supposed to be destroyed, as you aren't a criminal and it isn't a criminal case being investigated.

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just_a_car wrote:

If I remember correctly, when you submit your prints for the WA CPL, the law says that they must be destroyed once it has been determined that you are eligible to receive the license. Can't recall the exact law off the top of me head and don't really feel like rummaging the internet for it right now.

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I don't know whether that's the law here in WA, but I know that government paperwork often doesn't get destroyed when it's supposed to.

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You're not a criminal when you get a security clearance, join the military, become a cop, get a government jobor any number of other things either but they still keep your prints on record.

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Nope Bear, no felonies here...

Not sure about the notarized prints. They do need to be doneby a law enforcement office (according to NICS Operations staff), which King County sheriff's office will do for $10. You get two whole sets for that, one set to send to the FBI and another set in case you ever get abducted I guess... :lol:

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OK it sounds like what she is setting you up with is actually a U-PIN or Unique personal identification number. There is no such thing as a NICS file on you they have no idea how many guns you have purchased or what kind of guns you have purchased. All information on your NICS check is immediatly destroyed after an approval or denial is issued. The delay is not at all uncommon I would say about 5 to 10% of the NICS checks I ran got delayed and usually between one and three days. Like Bear said it is usually someone with a similar name as you who has been a bad boy the NICS check pulles his name up allong with yours and it gets fowarded to the investigation section to make sure it is not him trying to get a gun. this is a delay, if you usually get delayed than you can get a U-PIN issued to yourself wich basicly is you giving the FBI permission to keep your information on file so that they can immediatly determine you are not the other guy and you will not get delayed ever again. This is an option many of my former customers went with and it cleared up the matter nicely. The finger prints are so they can verify 100% you are you and then issue the U-PIN under the correct ID. If you usually do not get delayed it may just be a fluke and I wouldn't worry about it. I have run my opwn name for purchased a little over two hundred times and I have been delayed three times, no big deal. I wouldn't worry about it, its the govornment,,,,, What do you expect

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Before I retired, I would get delayed on a regular basis, like 9 out of 10. Then one day while I was in the Social Security Death IndexRegister as part of an investigation, I ran my own name and DOB.

I found 42 people with the same first and last name, and their DOB with in 2 years of mine, and they were all dead!!! I got the UPIN and have never been delayed again.

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Trigger Dr wrote:

Before I retired, I would get delayed on a regular basis, like 9 out of 10. Then one day while I was in the Social Security Death IndexRegister as part of an investigation, I ran my own name and DOB.

I found 42 people with the same first and last name, and their DOB with in 2 years of mine, and they were all dead!!! I got the UPIN and have never been delayed again.

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So are you trying to tell us that you are not normal?

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Trigger Dr wrote:

Before I retired, I would get delayed on a regular basis, like 9 out of 10. Then one day while I was in the Social Security Death IndexRegister as part of an investigation, I ran my own name and DOB.

I found 42 people with the same first and last name, and their DOB with in 2 years of mine, and they were all dead!!! I got the UPIN and have never been delayed again.

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Thats funny, when I worked in debt collections I had access to all kinds of skip tracing software, Being board one day I decided to find out what I could about myself. I found out the only person on record who has ever had the same first, middle and last name as me died the day I was born. If that doesn't freak you out I don't know what will. :shock:

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Agent 47

Reincarnation?

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Trigger Dr wrote:

Agent 47

Reincarnation?

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Now that is a scary thought. There was one like him before.:shock:

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arms_libertas so what happened??

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The NICS delay cleared and Ipicked up the new gun on Friday, not sure if I'm going to request my FBI file, it sounds like it really doesn't have much to do with that. Probably more likely that I have either a similar name, DOB, height, weight, address, or another piece of information that the FBI looks at to compare me with other people. I don't have anything in my past that would disquallify me for gun purchase, so it's gotta be something else... When I read the NICS website they said you can get a delay for the following reasons (on top of the federal prohibitive reasons):

A delay response from the NICS Section indicates that either you or another individual with a similar name and/or similar descriptive features (name, sex, race, date of birth, state of residence, social security number, height, weight, or place of birth) has been matched with either state prohibitive criteria or one or more of the following federally prohibitive criteria

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http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/nics/delaybrochure.htm

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I'm guessing there are probably some people who are male residents of WA state who are 6' 0", 230lbs, with brown hair that are ineligible to buy a firearm... or the NICScomputer was on the fritz... Either way, spending $30 to get my FBI file won't help me cure the 'delay' in the future.