This morning our Facebook page received not only an excellent question but our first question. This question comes from a from a friend, a single professional female that has never owned a gun before. Her question is, what does it take to purchase a firearm for an individual that has never owned a gun?

I would first like to state that at The Wichita Gun Club this is exactly the type of client we are looking for. We believe in educating the client, from the purchasing process to how to handle and shoot your firearm safely. With our strong Law Enforcement background we strive to educate, we are happy to walk you through your firearm completely from firing your weapon to cleaning and maintaining it after you have shot.

In Kansas we operate on the federal back ground check through the FBI. Some states have additional checks that must be completed at the State level. In order to buy your firearm from The Wichita Gun Club, you would need to fill out a form 4473 — a six-page form from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

From the FBI website:

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, is all about saving lives and protecting people from harm—by not letting guns and explosives fall into the wrong hands. It also ensures the timely transfer of firearms to eligible gun buyers.

Mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 and launched by the FBI on November 30, 1998, NICS is used by Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to instantly determine whether a prospective buyer is eligible to buy firearms or explosives. Before ringing up the sale, cashiers call in a check to the FBI or to other designated agencies to ensure that each customer does not have a criminal record or isn’t otherwise ineligible to make a purchase. More than 100 million such checks have been made in the last decade, leading to more than 700,000 denials.

In order to purchase a firearm, shot-gun, long gun or handgun you must first complete the NICS form. It is a series of short qualifying questions that establish if you are legal to own a firearm. The FFL holder, The Wichita Gun Club then contacts the FBI NICS center either by phone or electronically and receives one of three decisions. Approval, Denial or Delayed. A denial may be appealed to the FBI but you will not be allowed to purchase the firearm until the FBI gives you a waiver. The delay usually means there is something that must be looked at more closely in your background. The firearm may not be transferred until the delay has been cleared or a set amount of time has passed and the firearm may then be transferred.

The entire process usually takes less than 15 minutes, it is very simple.

Great question from Facebook. Now that you know give me a call and we will set up your first firearm purchase.