Posted October 19, 2023 / by Newbury
So you want to buy your first gun and you have no idea what you are doing. Don’t beat yourself up, everyone who has ever bought a gun has been in your shoes. So let go over how this works and what you need to do in order have slightly more confidence in the process.
*Disclaimer: This is a generic take on the process of buying a firearm. Many states have additional and/or different requirements. You are encouraged to look up your State’s laws and requirements prior to attempting to buy your first firearm.
First thing you should do is figure out what you want for your first gun. Easy thing to start with is what you intend to do with it. Is it for your personal protection? Is it so you can start shooting and work on getting better? Is it for hunting? Is it for trap/skeet shooting? Is it for when you go stay in the middle of the woods and don’t want to be eaten by a Wendigo? These are questions you should be asking yourself because you don’t want to buy a tiny .22lr pistol if you’re trying to protect yourself from mythical creatures.
After you have figured out which gun to buy for the reason(s) you have thought about, you should try shooting it before buying one. There is no greater annoyance than buying a gun and hating shooting it, especially when it’s your first. Many indoor ranges open to the public also have guns that you can rent and shoot. So if you find a place that has the gun you intend to buy, you should go and try it first.
The simple answer is go and buy it. But the reality is that you have two options. You can go to your local gun shop and buy one “over the counter” or buy one online, So let’s break down both options.
Buying a firearm at your local gun shop is the more direct route. However the prices may vary depending on which shop you go to. This can be for a multitude of reasons so you should visit a couple different shops to see if you can find a better price. Once you decide to actually buy the gun you want, you have to fill out a Form 4473 and undergo a background check prior to taking possession.
Buying a firearm online is also a viable option for those who want something that may not be in stock locally or potentially for better prices. There are many websites you can order from however any firearms you buy online must go to a gun shop in order for them to be transferred to you (there are a few exceptions to the rule but we aren’t going to cover them here because there is almost no chance they apply to you). While checking out online you will more than likely be prompted to chose a local gun shop who will receive the transfer. Make sure that the place you choose is able to accept the transfer and find out what their transfer fee is. Founding Fathers Firearms Inc. charges $15 and an extra $5 if you don’t take the shipping box and packaging home with you (just take the box with you) for a transfer however many other shops around the country charge a lot more. I once saw a shop charging $150 which is ridiculous. The shop you end up choosing will receive the firearm you ordered and will have you fill out a Form 4473 and perform the background check prior to you taking possession.
The Form 4473 is the form you are required to fill out by law each time you buy a firearm (or multiple firearms at once). This is and an unavoidable thing you must do anytime you buy a gun from a gun shop. The 4473 can be a paper form or a digital form and consists of 32 boxes/questions you have to fill in/ answer. These include but are not limited to things such as:
Along with the Form 4473 you will need to provide a form of State Issued Photo Identification (some states require additional types of ID). The ID you provide has to match the address you write down on the 4473. If it does not match, you can provide what’s called “Supplemental Government Issued Documentation”. This can be a vehicle registration, a tax document, a fishing license, etc. It can not be your rental agreement, vehicle lease agreement, utility bill, or anything else not from the Local, State, or Federal Government.
If you cannot honestly all the questions on the 4473 then you should really just stop and go home. Willfully falsifying information on a 4473 is felony and can result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years and heavy fines. So don’t do it, don’t be that dumbass. You will more than likely be caught, receive a denial, and possibly go to prison.
After the 4473 is complete then the information you filled in will be given to the FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (AKA NICS) or the applicable agency depending on your State’s laws. Once the information has been sent over there are three responses the gun shop can receive.
The best response to get is Proceed. This means the background check was completed and they have determined you are okay to transfer the gun to. Most of the time you will then pay whatever is owed and be on your merry way.
The next response is Delay. Delays can occur for what appears to be countless reasons. No one truly knows why you may get delayed but it’s nothing to worry about. Delay’s can be 15 minutes to indefinite; however most do get a proceed or denial response within 24-36 hours. Along with the delay response, the gun shop will get a “Brady Date” which is 3 full business days after the date the background check was started on (E.G. You get delayed on a Monday, you can pick up the gun on Friday). After 3 business days and no answer from NICS or the appropriate state agency, the gun shop has the ability to transfer the firearm(s) to you. Keep in mind, some shops will not transfer the firearm(s) after the “Brady Date” due to their own policies and it is their right to do so. Also, some states have an extended waiting period, while states like Colorado and Utah don’t allow for the firearm to be transferred until a response is given. It is important for you to research your state’s requirements.
As of 11/14/2022 the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 now requires all transactions for persons 18-20 years old to automatically receive a Delay response that can the extended up to 10 business days.
The third response and obviously the worse is Denied. If you are denied then the agency conducting the background check has found something that has determined you are prohibited from buying/possessing a firearm. You do have the right to appeal the decison if you believe there was an error and the agency mistakenly denied you. But you will not be taking possession of said firearm(s). It is important to note that many gun shops charge you a fee even if you failed the background check.
You have gone through everything and hopefully received a proceed response. From here you pay whatever you owe, grab your ID and any Supplemental Government Documentation you brought, and head off to enjoy your new firearm. The 4473 you filled out stays with the dealer so don’t try to take it with you.
If you received a delay response then all you have to do is follow whatever the store policies are in regards to paying whatever is owed and waiting until the store calls you to say come get your firearm. When you do go to pick up your firearm, you will have to sign the 4473 again to attest that all the information you provided the first time is still correct. Then you get to go enjoy your purchase.
If you received a denial, well that sucks. The shop doing the background check probably doesn’t know why you got denied so don’t ask and get pissy when they don’t know. You will more than likely receive a letter in the mail stating the reason for denial and how to appeal if you believe there was a mistake. You will not be taking the firearm and will continue to receive denials if you go to another store and try again. And if you think you’re a genius and have someone else try to buy a firearm for you (AKA a Straw Purchase). Guess again, you and your buddy are gonna get caught and go to prison where some dude named Bubba is going to make you do mouth stuff.
There are a lot of misconceptions about buying firearms. Some people think it’s as easy as buying off Amazon. Others think it’s a massively convoluted process. The truth falls in the middle. Some states require classes, live fire training, background checks on top of background checks, and special licensing/permits before you can even think about buying a gun. Other states just require a valid ID and to be the appropriate age. But everyone buying/transferring though a gun shop is going to fill out the 4473 and go though a background check.
The process of buying your first firearm does seem lengthy and difficult to some on paper. Like I said before, do your research regarding your state’s applicable laws. You can ask anyone who has gone through this process, it is not as scary as you think.
So go read up on the laws where you live. Figure out what you need to do. Do not automatically assume you’re going to walk into a place and walk out with a firearm despite what you may have read on Facebook.