Need help/advice with getting my Arkansas CHCL

[hogwildmike]

First and foremost, I'd like to introduce myself. My names Mike and basically I was brought up around guns. I was taught to shoot by the time I was 11 years old. I'm 31 years old now and have been shooting ever since then.

I'm posting this thread/post in hopes that someone can point me in the right direction.

A few friends of mine have recently applied for and obtained their Arkansas Concealed Carry permits and they have talked me into trying to get my own CHCL. Well, I say they talked me into it, but the truth is.. is that I've been seriously considering it ever since things have been getting worse here in the United States with all these crazy kids going nuts and executing these crazy and psychotic random mass shootings. I mean, its getting bad you guys.. real bad and of course, the people that are having to pay for these mentally ill and psychotic morons actions, other than the families of the innocent victims.. is us. Yep, we, the law-abiding citizens that follow the rules and regulations that we are given.. we are the ones that are also suffering because of their (the crazy people committing these crazy acts of violence).

Let me get to the point here.. I'll try and make this as short and sweet as possible, without leaving out any important details.

Alright, I recently tried to purchase a new .40-Caliber Glock pistol from a well known outdoors shop located here in Sebastian County. So the owner of the gun shop runs my information and tells me that I'll have to wait about 5 to 7 days before I can get a definitive answer. So, a week goes by and I find out that I was denied.

So, I get home from work and get online to figure out what I need to do next to find out the reasoning as to why I was denied. So I send in a 'denial request' to the FBI, asking them to please send me the reason why I was denied my recent new gun purchase. Well, about 5 days go by and get a letter from the 'NICS' module at the FBI. The reason I was denied was because they found out that I had a 'Misdemeanor' on my record.. and this is where it kinda gets confusing, so try your best to keep with me here. Alright, they denied me because they automatically figured that my Misdemeanor charge had a sentence that "EXCEEDED" one year. However, my father.. who is a well-known and respected judge here in town, looked over the letter that explained the reason for my new gun purchase denial, and he informed me that in the state of Arkansas, there is absolutely NO Misdemeanor charge in the state of Arkansas that can be followed with a sentence of MORE THAN one year in jail (meaning the sentence cannot EXCEED one year). But, the FBI automatically assumed that my sentence exceeded ONE YEAR.. when in fact it didn't. My sentence was EXACTLY, ONE year.. therefore, it DID NOT EXCEED one year.

Well, anyhow.. I sent them (the NICS system at the FBI) all the required court documentations and my father also made a copy from one of his law books that clearly states that, "In the state of Arkansas, there are no Misdemeanor charges that can EXCEED a sentence of MORE THAN, ONE YEAR".. and so that went in the envelope along with all the other required materials needed in order for me to clear my name and for the NICS system to realize that they indeed made a simple mistake regarding my Misdemeanor charge. However, that was a good solid 3 to 4 weeks ago. So, my first question is this.. does anyone around here have any idea of how long it takes for someone to get their name cleared? Especially when I should have never been denied to begin with? I have absolutely no felonies, no domestic violence and absolutely no violent crimes on my record. In other words, I don't meet any of the criteria that would prohibit me being able to purchase a new gun.

Last question is this.. I've been told by some people that have their Arkansas Concealed permits, that as long as you can legally by a new firearm.. than you'll have absolutely no problems/issues getting your Arkansas CHCL. However.. I've also heard some people say that they were denied a new gun purchase, but yet they were able to get their Arkansas CHCL. So yeah, basically.. I'm very confused at the moment.

All I'm wanting to do is apply for and get my Arkansas CHCL. I don't meet ANY of the prohibiting criteria that would keep me from getting it.. so I'm hoping someone around here can give me some good advice and maybe point me in the right direction here.

I'm not so worried about being able to purchase a new gun.. I'm more focused on obtaining my Arkansas CHCL. I already have a few firearms that my father handed down to me. The gun I plan on carrying once I get all this sorted out and get my Arkansas CHCL.. is a .40-Caliber Glock that my father gave to me for my Birthday this past February.

So anyhow, if anyone can help me out with all this.. I'd be forever in debt with that person. Please, if you have in advice/information as to lead me in the right direction with all this, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

-Mike

 

[spdracr39]

Perhaps your father could help get your record expunged then it would not be an issue at all. You could always just go for it but it would be a waste of money if you don't pass muster. That is really the only true way to find out. If you call they may tell you you are good to go but that doesn't mean you will clear when the paperwork goes to the FBI.

 

[hogwildmike]

Perhaps your father could help get your record expunged then it would not be an issue at all. You could always just go for it but it would be a waste of money if you don't pass muster. That is really the only true way to find out. If you call they may tell you you are good to go but that doesn't mean you will clear when the paperwork goes to the FBI.

Perhaps your father could help get your record expunged then it would not be an issue at all. You could always just go for it but it would be a waste of money if you don't pass muster. That is really the only true way to find out. If you call they may tell you you are good to go but that doesn't mean you will clear when the paperwork goes to the FBI.

Well, but I mean.. I should have never been denied to begin with. The 'NICS' system from within the FBI are the ones that made the mistake because as I mentioned in the original post for this thread, they (the FBI) just assumed (without doing any kind of research) that my Misdemeanor charge carried a sentence that EXCEEDED (was more than) one year.. but in fact, in Arkansas, there isn't ANY Misdemeanor charge that carries a sentence that EXCEEDS (more than) one year.

So, the way I see it.. I should have never been denied. In other words, there's really nothing to be expunged. Well, I mean.. I see what your saying. Your advising that it might be smart to see if my father could get the Misdemeanor expunged all together.. get it cleared off my record.. right? Well, I have to agree that's a great idea.. but I shouldn't have to do that. Especially when my Misdemeanor LEGALLY shouldn't be keeping me from purchasing a new firearm nor applying for and obtaining my Arkansas CHCL.

I don't know. I'm going to talk with my father this weekend about all this.. that is, if he's not fishing any bass tournaments. My father has one of those $75K dollar 21'-foot "Triton" bass boats. It's got the 225 Johnson Outboard motor; tandem-axle trailer, that has the word "TRITON" stenciled out on both sides of the trailer, which at night.. the words light up. The boat itself has a 'hot-foot' gas pedal in it (just like a gas pedal in a car).. then its also got an 'Atlas' Hydraulic 'Jack-Plate' added to the motor.. which basically, allows the driver of the boat to get better MPG and its also suppose to add 5-MPH of the top-speed of the boat. It can also help get the motor further up and out of the water when dealing with unusual shallow water conditions. But yeah, he's been fishing these professional bass tournaments for the past 30 to 45 years now. It's his way of getting away and relaxing. I go with him from time to time.. when I don't have to work.

Anyhow, if he's in town I plan on talking all this over with him.. because I'm afraid things are going to just keep getting worse here in the U.S.A. - I really hope it doesn't.. but I mean, its like any time I turn on the news.. rather it be local or national news.. its like I'm ALWAYS hearing about some psycho/mentally ill prick arming himself to the teeth and walking into either a school, movie theater, shopping mall, college campus.. or whatever.. and just start shooting innocent people. This crap has GOT TO STOP!! It's just got to stop! But anyhow.. that's the other main reason I'm wanting my CHCL.. because I refuse to become another statistic, period.

There's actually a number that I just found.. where you can call and check the status of your denial appeal with the NICS system. I guess I could call that number here in a little while and see what they tell me. I mean, I won't know if I don't try and ask.

Anyhow, I really do appreciate the advice/information spdracr39. It's good to know that a mature adult can still come online and get honest and civil information from another mature and civil adult. Thanks buddy. Have a great weekend! If you would like, I'll keep this thread alive by updating the status of everything from time to time. Either way, again, I appreciate your time my friend.

-Mike

 

[Dravintoad]

Mike. I would recommend that until you get it cleared up with the NICS and FBI, you hold off on your application. Otherwise you may find that you have wasted the ~$144 just to be denied.

 

[hogwildmike]

Thanks for the advice..

Mike. I would recommend that until you get it cleared up with the NICS and FBI, you hold off on your application. Otherwise you may find that you have wasted the ~$144 just to be denied.

Hey Dravin,

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. I mean, I realize that the 'NICS' system of the Federal Government is being downright crammed with hundreds of thousands of applications every single day.. and I realize that they can only do so much at one time. However, its just becoming a huge headache. They (the FBI/NICS) say that I will receive a letter containing their decision within a 6-month time period, which, I've actually calculated it out and if it does take the full 6 months to get it.. then I should be getting it sometime in the middle to the end of July this year.

Anyhow, it is what it is, you know? Do I wish I could just drive out to the FBI building and walk into the 'NICS' module and have a civil discussion with whoever is going to look over my stuff showing/proving that I should have never been denied to begin with? I do because that would greatly speed things up. Heck, if they would let me do that.. lol.. I'd leave and make the road trip right this minute. I'd drive to the gas station, get a full tank of gas and head out. But, as we all know.. it doesn't work that way. But, one can dream right? Right.

I still respect the United States government. Both local and federal. I also respect and support my local police department. Always have and always will, no matter what.

But yeah, the 'NICS' module can only do so much.. especially whenever they get hit with so many new gun purchase applications/CHCL applications each and every day. I'm sure the current chaos going on with some people wanting to ban these so called "assault weapons" isn't helping anything either. But, that's another issue that I don't want to go into right now. I will say this about it though.. these people that are wanting to ban these guns that they have branded/called "assault weapons", they really have no idea what they're talking about IMO. The reason I say that is because what they're doing, basically, is holding the gun responsible for what has recently happened with all these crazy mass-shootings. Which, you can't and shouldn't do that. Why? Well, its pretty darn simple really. If a mentally-ill/crazy/psycho person is persistent with wanting to carry out one of those crazy mass-shootings, for one, it doesn't really matter what gun they choose to use.. a gun is a gun and a bullet is a bullet, either way you look at it. For two, if they can't legally buy one.. guess what?!? They're going to get one off the streets/blackmarket, period. So, holding these guns, which are inanimate objects, responsible for these mass shootings.. isn't the right way to go about it IMO. In a nutshell.. what these people are saying, is that we should send these guns to prison and never let them out.. if you really sit and think about it.. that's what they're wanting to do.

But again, that's a whole 'nother subject/issue.

Just remember this everyone: "Guns don't kill people. People kill people."


Anyhow, thanks for the advice Dravin! Appreciate it buddy.

-HogwildMike
Fort Smith, Arkansas (Born and Raised!)