Newbie to the board, and newbie to owning a firearm.
Well, actually, I have not purchased. Yet. After going to my local shop when it came to the background check they asked if I had ever been arrested. I have a few times.
Maybe 16 or 17 years ago as a minor for a charge I believe was dropped after completing probation successfully in another state.
Maybe 15 years ago, an underage drinking charge and possession of marijuana charge. Both I believe were citations, and in another state.
About 13 years ago for non-violent, non-firearm, non-drug type of offenses. To be honest, in the end, I can't remember what I plead to. I know in the end I was never charge with a felony and it was in another state.
Maybe 6 years ago I was charged with criminal trespass in another state and a trespass charge in PA 4 or 5 years ago.
The guy at the gun charge asked me if I had been arrested and I assumed he meant in PA. When I ran my own Criminal Record Check in PA it came back as No Criminal Record in PA. He said if I have ever been arrested for anything that I could have gotten over a year of probation, it is a problem. I am unsure of how to proceed or what I need to divulge. He said if I am denied, once a year the Feds come to take all his denials and follow up on if anyone tried to falsify their app and are prosecuting people.
This all seems odd because I was under the impression the shop[ does a background check on me, and then approves or denies me (which I understand there is a way to appeal a denil, possibly via the NRA?). Not that I did my own background check and approve or deny myself.

Can anyone shed any light or provide any more information? And not to sound... however this may sound. But I would appreciate working knowledge, not speculation. I feel like I am having a hard time finding out the facts, and this is an area I would prefer not to just hope to be right about.

Thank you for your time.