Gun Lingo Glossary

This is my Gun Lingo Glossary. As I add blog posts I will add definitions for all of the common gun lingo that I include. In definitions that you can understand.

ATF - Stands for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. They are the government's agency that makes up and enforces gun related laws. Now technically called BATFE it is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. They are commonly referred to by many in the gun community as some of the "Alphabet Boys" and are largely disliked for their laws that don't make any sense and their tendency to change their minds about things that they allow.

Delayed - The "hold" status given by the NICS background check system to state that the NICS needs to continue their research before they give proceed on a background check. Usually 3 business days for those over 21 years old and 10 business days for those 18-20 years old.

Denied - The status the NICS background check system gives when the background check is failed. This tells the gun shop that they cannot go through with the sale. This does not tell the gun shop why the person failed the background check. There is sometimes a possibility that this status is incorrect and it can be appealed. If you need to appeal a denial, the FBI walks you through it here.

FFL - Federal Firearms License is the license that gun shops obtain in order to sell firearms.

Form 4473 - The ATF's form that is required to be filled out when purchasing a firearm from an FFL.

NICS - Is the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, a division of the FBI. This is the system that gun shops are required to run background checks through before they sell a gun.

Proceed - The authorization given by the NICS background check system to proceed with the sale of a firearms.