Delay period for a handgun purchase

**NS145** · December 23rd, 2009, 11:10 AM

I went to attempt to purchase a handgun on 12/18. When performing the PICS check I was placed into "Delay" or "Research" according to the dealer.

He said it could take up to 15 days to render an answer.

Does anybody have an idea on the actual time frame? I was hoping to get this before x-mas but it does not seem like that will happen.

Is there any way I could also check on the status of the PICS "research"?

Just for the record I ran a PSP Patch check on myself and it came up no record found after "request under review" for about 24 hours.

Thanks to all for your wisdom in advance.I am also getting a Glock 23 (40 S&W) for my first handgun. I figure some would be curious.

**ddefazio** · December 23rd, 2009, 11:44 AM

I went throught this last year and it took the full 2 weeks for them to get back to the dealer that it was inconclusive. When they came back with that I sent in a letter to the state police to challenge it and they then sent me a letter within 5 days giving me an approval number to purchase the gun. All in all it took me about three weeks to get this done and now when I purchase guns I give them my challenge number before we even get started. Have not had a problem since. Sit back and be patient.

**NS145** · December 23rd, 2009, 11:50 AM

Thanks. Looks like I am in for the long haul because of the Holidays.

What if they come back and approve the purchase. Can I still file a challenge so I don't go through this everytime I purchase a gun?

**ddefazio** · December 23rd, 2009, 11:59 AM

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...&css=L2&mode=2

THis is the form that you need to fill out to send to the State Police it might have that information on it for you.

**Xringshooter** · December 23rd, 2009, 01:00 PM

Here's from a past posting I did:

Hope this helps explain things.

This is directly from the PSP: (Anything in italics I added for clarification)

Research Response
Certain situations will prevent a background check from being approved or denied at the time of the initial call. Possible circumstances which may result in a transaction being delayed for research include: Potentially prohibiting records that require additional information or clarification, poor response time on a particular database or a database that is temporarily out of service. If this condition occurs, you (the FFL calling the PICS) will be informed that the background check cannot be completed at this time and that more research must be done before a final determination can be made. The FFL should then inform the customer of the situation.

Under research status, the firearm dealer cannot let the prospective purchaser or transferee take possession of any firearm. It should be noted that every effort is made to complete research on an individual as soon as possible. Immediately upon completion of the research, the operator is required to call the dealer to give the final decision. It may take as long as 15 days for an operator to obtain the information needed to provide a final decision.

A Pennsylvania firearm dealer cannot transfer a firearm to a non-licensee until the receive an approval number from a PICS representative.

Researched Approvals
As soon as an operator determines that an individual placed in research may be approved they will contact the dealer. Once an approval number is given to a dealer it is only good until the close of business on the day it is given. In most case, the customer is no longer in the store so the dealer is given the option to call back for the approval number after he has contacted the customer. Under these circumstances, the approval number will be held a maximum of one week. Therefore, if a dealer is called Monday with an approval, the number will be held until midnight the following Monday. If the dealer is unable to contact the customer within this time frame, a new background check must be initiated.

**Xringshooter** · December 23rd, 2009, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by NS145

Thanks. Looks like I am in for the long haul because of the Holidays.

What if they come back and approve the purchase. Can I still file a challenge so I don't go through this everytime I purchase a gun?

NO. A challenge is only if you are denied. And you may not go through it everytime you buy a gun. Read my post above.

**NS145** · December 23rd, 2009, 10:57 PM

Thank You for the information. I will keep you posted on what happens.

**NS145** · January 7th, 2010, 10:53 AM

So the good news is that I was approved for my handgun purchase a couple days after I purchased it.

I went shooting with my brother at a range/gunshop in the area. He was inspired an attempted to purchase a handgun also. He too was placed in research (thinking it was the last name which I thought was the reason for my delay) I told him he should be approved. He got a call tuesday from the shop saying he was denied by PICS and to come get his money.

My question is he was charged with Theft (graded M3) and recieving stolen property (also graded M3) and was placed on ARD for 2 years plus 40 of comm. service and restituion. He did everything and had a removal hearing in 2002 and the charges were "dropped???". Would this count as a conviction for him? On the Challenge form he was given it asked about arrest and he asked my if he should answer yes which I told him he should and then it asked about conviction and then (since he is not computer friendly) I told him I would ask around (around being here).

On the PICS challenge form it also has this as a provision

"Charged with or convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year,
not including offenses pertaining to antitrust, unfair trade practices, restraints of trade, or
regulation of business; or state offenses classified as misdemeanors and punishable by a term of
imprisonment not to exceed two years."

If he was charged with but not convicted with charges dropped is he still a prohibitted person?

He says that they are M3 because thats what they said to him becuase he cooperated with the police so they charged him with M3 so he can get ARD.

Sorry about the long post but it kinda bugged me out because I let a potenolly prohibitted person touch my gun after only having it for less than a week.

**Poonie** · January 7th, 2010, 11:02 AM

This happened to my father in law when he tried to purchase a shotgun from Dick's sporting goods. He was told they couldn't verify the town he was born in (he's an Italian immigrant). Took about two weeks but they let it go and he did get the gun.