Reply #28: confused on how the NICS works i see

[bossy22]

as someone that works with NICS all the time let me clarify how the system works- It is not actually a direct background check system....in reality the system is just a computerized list of names of people who have been prohibited from possessing a firearm. The system actually never checks the background of the person- infact that when your name does come up- if you want to appeal it- you have to go through a whole different system because the NICS system really has no way of determining what caused your denial- all they know is your name/social security number matches someone on their list. NICS names get entered through the FBI criminal conviction database...when you are convicted the conviction is transmitted to the FBI- so they have a record of your personal info and the crime you committed- it is there that they make the decision on whether to prohibit you from owning a firearm- if your conviction falls under the list of convictions that prohibit possession of arms under the GCA of 1968, then your name and any other basic info they have on you (from court proceedgins) but not the crime you are convicted. So when NICS does a check on a prospective buyer, it types in the name of the buyer and other info, and press enter. The system then runs that information against its list of names- if it doesnt find any matches- you are cleared to buy the firearm- if it does find a definitive match- you don't proceed. If you have a name like Dan smith (a common last name) it will often delay you because of potential multiple entries of the "Smith" name- in a delay process- they send it to an advanced investigation which looks into the personal info (height weight- but never the reason for the conviction or the crime) to see if they can find a difference between the Dan Smith buying the gun- and the Dan Smith on their list- if there is a credible difference found- you proceed with the transfer.

NICS can be best equated to a Bouncer at a club with a list of people not to get in- He most likely does not know the reason why not to let these people in, only knows that he is not allowed to let them in.

Therefore your personal medical records and histories are safe.