Gun Purchasing Background Checks
By: KLST News
Updated: January 24, 2013
As lawmakers in Washington debate gun control legislation -- local gun shop owners say within 20 minutes you can be approved for a firearm sale after a government background check, but the problem with guns isn't the buyers -- it's what happens after firearms leave stores.
"Anybody that comes in to buy a handgun, rifle, or shotgun has to do an instant background check."
Joe Corder is a guns salesman at Field and Stream Sporting Goods and explained how the background check process works.
"They answer questions, we call it in to the F.B.I. while the customers' here, and the background goes, just what it says, your legal history." Corder said, "if you've had felonies or you've had a felony where you could have been sentenced to more than a year in prison, then that keeps you from buying the firearm."
Corder said the F.B.I. can approve the sale of a firearm but if a glich were found, the F.B.I. would hold the sale for another three to five days until another check is completed.
He said the combination of the background check and gun store discretion is one level of security -- but he says the problem is with purchases done outside gun shops -- like at gunshows..
"Like if I'm not a dealer and I wanted to go out there and sell 25 of my guns, I could sell them to anybody that walks up with money and i dont do a background check on them, I dont get his drivers liscense number or anything and that is one of the problems right there."
Corder said another problem is customers buying guns legally and then selling them illegally afterward.
"You'll have a guy come in here and buy two or the A-R's and they'll buy them and run out out there and sell them for double their money. They can't come in here buy them and then go sell them to somebody else like that, that's called a straw purchase. They intentionally came in to buy them and do that so that makes it illegal. But they pass a background check."
Corder said responsible gun salesman do all they can to make sure guns do not get in the hands of people unfit to own guns said but the ultimate responsibility lies with the customers after they walk out of the shop.
"Anybody that comes in to buy a handgun, rifle, or shotgun has to do an instant background check."
Joe Corder is a guns salesman at Field and Stream Sporting Goods and explained how the background check process works.
"They answer questions, we call it in to the F.B.I. while the customers' here, and the background goes, just what it says, your legal history." Corder said, "if you've had felonies or you've had a felony where you could have been sentenced to more than a year in prison, then that keeps you from buying the firearm."
Corder said the F.B.I. can approve the sale of a firearm but if a glich were found, the F.B.I. would hold the sale for another three to five days until another check is completed.
He said the combination of the background check and gun store discretion is one level of security -- but he says the problem is with purchases done outside gun shops -- like at gunshows..
"Like if I'm not a dealer and I wanted to go out there and sell 25 of my guns, I could sell them to anybody that walks up with money and i dont do a background check on them, I dont get his drivers liscense number or anything and that is one of the problems right there."
Corder said another problem is customers buying guns legally and then selling them illegally afterward.
"You'll have a guy come in here and buy two or the A-R's and they'll buy them and run out out there and sell them for double their money. They can't come in here buy them and then go sell them to somebody else like that, that's called a straw purchase. They intentionally came in to buy them and do that so that makes it illegal. But they pass a background check."
Corder said responsible gun salesman do all they can to make sure guns do not get in the hands of people unfit to own guns said but the ultimate responsibility lies with the customers after they walk out of the shop.
