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Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:07 pm
by adv
I did a search of the forum but didn't find an answer.

If you have a valid CHL and buy a gun from a gun shop is there still the potential for a 3 day hold on the purchase or can you take the weapon with you straight away due to having the permit? Just interested as I have some misgivings about buying a gun at a gun show due to the possibility of a hold on the purchase and the show finishing before the hold is "released".

My CHL application is in the "processing stage" and if this were the case it would most definitely be some icing on the cake.
Thanks for any input and apologies if I'm re-hashing old ground.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:10 pm
by carlson1
No waiting if you have your CHL in hand. You just fill out the 4473 and you are a happy customer. :thumbs2:

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:21 pm
by adv
Carlson, you just made my day. Thank-You!

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:26 pm
by marksiwel
3 Day Hold?
I've never waited more than 20 minutes for a gun

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:28 pm
by A-R
What is the current situation for a non-CHL to buy a handgun? long gun? Is it a 3-day wait now with no CHL? It's been so long since I purchased a firearm without a CHL that I can't even remember. I think I only purchased one handgun before getting my CHL.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:28 pm
by Crossfire
ADV - there are stories on here about some gun shops running the NICS check on all buyers, even if they have a CHL. Personally, I would not do business with them. Just be aware. With a CHL, your purchase should be instant. You have already passed your background check, and your license proves that.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:32 pm
by Crossfire
austinrealtor wrote:What is the current situation for a non-CHL to buy a handgun? long gun? Is it a 3-day wait now with no CHL? It's been so long since I purchased a firearm without a CHL that I can't even remember. I think I only purchased one handgun before getting my CHL.
Without a CHL, you fill out the 4473 form and the dealer calls it in to the National Instant Check System (NICS). You will get a "proceed", "delay", or "deny" response from them within a few minutes. "Proceed" means you pay the money and walk out with your gun. "Delay" means they need more time and you can wait up to 5 days before they release the firearm. "Deny" means you don't get to make the purchase.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:48 pm
by Beiruty
With CHL you still need to fill the form, but NICS checks.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 12:16 am
by Estand
This pertains more to a retail environment, not sure about a gun show and this is a third hand account....from what I understand a retail gun shop does reserve the right to phone in even if you have a CHL. This is from someone that works at a retail gun store that spoke of a time where they did this (not going into why) and the customer was turned down. They figured something must have happened since that person was issued their CHL. Thats pretty much all I can expand on but wanted to throw that out there.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 12:33 am
by Beiruty
What happens when now you are illegal to own guns AND you have a CHL. Like arrested for a felony, what happens to your CHL?

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:31 am
by C-dub
I don't know that anything happens when "arrested" for a felony. Don't they have to wait for a conviction?

Crossfire: Isn't it contradictory to do the NICS check on someone with a CHL in hand? Why would anything other than proceed be recommended?

When I purchased my first handgun I only waited a few hours. It probably would have only been 20-30 minutes, but I filled out the forms on my lunch break and just came back after work to pick it up on the way home. Since then I've had my CHL for subsequent purchases and been unaware if the NICS check was done.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:37 am
by Pete92FS
I have purchased a hand gun at Carter's Country, Academy, and a gun show at GRB. Each time just had to fill out the form and it was not called in.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:57 am
by Crossfire
C-dub wrote:I don't know that anything happens when "arrested" for a felony. Don't they have to wait for a conviction?

Crossfire: Isn't it contradictory to do the NICS check on someone with a CHL in hand? Why would anything other than proceed be recommended?

When I purchased my first handgun I only waited a few hours. It probably would have only been 20-30 minutes, but I filled out the forms on my lunch break and just came back after work to pick it up on the way home. Since then I've had my CHL for subsequent purchases and been unaware if the NICS check was done.
As soon as you are charged with a felony or a disqualifying misdemeanor, your CHL is suspended. It will be taken from you when you are arrested, so you would not have it to present to a gun dealer. A CHL holder who is called into the NICS system can still get a "delay" response for many reasons - usually because they have the same name as someone else on the "deny" list. Which may be why they got a CHL in the first place, so they could avoid this. If your name is John Smith, you have a much better chance of getting a delay than if your name is less common.

I have no idea why some dealers want to call in everyone, including CHL holders. Seems to me it would be so much easier for them to accept the license as proof.

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:10 am
by vinnier6
some retailers are either ignorant or its store policy, like a big store like bass pro, they dont know that a chl clears the nics part of a pistol purchase....so just because you have a chl, doesnt mean the place you are buying a pistol will just let you roll without a nics check...they just dont know any better or its policy....

Re: Purchasing a Gun with a CHL

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:01 am
by NTexas_V-Star
marksiwel wrote:3 Day Hold?
I've never waited more than 20 minutes for a gun

I've never waited as long as 20 minutes for a gun....before CHL or since.