Wal-Mart won't accept CHL in lieu of 4473

[gregoire]

Stopped by my local Delaware, OH Wal-Mart today and saw a sign that said they would not accept a CCL in lieu of filling out the 4473 to purchase a firearm. This is the first time I've ever seen this, anyone else notice this anywhere?

[djmac1964]

It never replaced the 4473, only the NICS check. Even though they can accept it in place of the NICS check, you still have to fill out the 4473 to buy from a dealer. And then, nothing says they have to accept it in place of the NICS check. When the law changed, it simply said that they could accept it. I'm pretty sure there are quite a few places that still call in the background check.

[gregoire]

I'm probably wrong regarding the exact wording of the sign, and I'm sure you're correct about everything else. I'd just never seen that before. ...And, my CHL is too old for this type of situation so I've never exactly paid close enough attention to how it would work. Thanks!

[pleasantguywhopacks]

It's a choice on the part of the FFL to accept the CHL as a NICS but not the actual 4473. I bought a stripped lower at Rural King and they still said it was corp policy to do the background. They did however use the computer to allow me to fill the 4473 which I thought was awesome.

On a side note, they had to walk me out with a stripped lower...think about that for a sec.

[Brian D.]

It's a choice on the part of the FFL to accept the CHL as a NICS but not the actual 4473. I bought a stripped lower at Rural King and they still said it was corp policy to do the background. They did however use the computer to allow me to fill the 4473 which I thought was awesome.

On a side note, they had to walk me out with a stripped lower...think about that for a sec.

Yeah, never mind the handgun(s) you carried in there to begin with, got to march you directly to the parking lot with that dangerous...metal stick...you just bought. I get a (pathetic) laugh out of WalMart when buying ammo, if they don't have a cash drawer set up for the register in sporting goods. Clerk is supposed to carry the ammo up front for the customer. One day it was a woman who uses those arm-attached braces in order to, you know, walk. I told her the only way she was going to hold my purchase was if I threw her over my shoulder and carried her to the front of the store. She let me carry the ammo myself.

After ringing up I went to the store manager and suggested he follow corporate rules a little less stringently in the future, sheesh!

[Face]

Probably had to purchase ammo at WM 5-6 times (not much available locally .. duh) and never had to do the perp walk.

Did have to at Rural King with a firearm - and do not take a CHL either.

I know some of the local gun stores do and Cabellas does
Woodbury, Vance does not.

It's a choice on the part of the FFL to accept the CHL as a NICS but not the actual 4473. I bought a stripped lower at Rural King and they still said it was corp policy to do the background. They did however use the computer to allow me to fill the 4473 which I thought was awesome.

On a side note, they had to walk me out with a stripped lower...think about that for a sec.

Yeah, never mind the handgun(s) you carried in there to begin with, got to march you directly to the parking lot with that dangerous...metal stick...you just bought. I get a (pathetic) laugh out of WalMart when buying ammo, if they don't have a cash drawer set up for the register in sporting goods. Clerk is supposed to carry the ammo up front for the customer. One day it was a woman who uses those arm-attached braces in order to, you know, walk. I told her the only way she was going to hold my purchase was if I threw her over my shoulder and carried her to the front of the store. She let me carry the ammo myself.

After ringing up I went to the store manager and suggested he follow corporate rules a little less stringently in the future, sheesh!

[djthomas]

After ringing up I went to the store manager and suggested he follow corporate rules a little less stringently in the future, sheesh!

Given all the clerks I have dealt with in countless mega corp stores over the years buying all manner of items I really can't blame them. Taking judgment and discretion away from folks who are more or less minimum wage transient workers* has become necessary.

A store can lose its license for selling alcohol to someone under 21. For a while you'd see things like "We card everyone under 30." What happens you card a younger looking 38 year old? He gets angry because your policy says he shouldn't be carded. What happens when you try to fire a clerk who sells to an older looking 20 year old? He says "Dude looked 30 to me..." Now stores adopt a card everyone policy. If the clerk doesn't card the person they can be disciplined. If the customer complains the clerk and store can say we're not picking on you because we card everybody.

* I don't mean to imply that every store worker is such a person. There are exceptions of course but mega store clerks are underpaid and turnover is often high. Managing that kind of risk at the corporate level requires consistent policies and procedures. Store managers are only slightly better paid per hour and undoubtedly way overworked. They just want to get through their day with the least amount of hassle, so falling back on a rigid corporate policy is the easy way.

[willbird]

It might be prudent on their part to not accept CHL in lieu of NICS until every valid license is good to go on issue date. IMHO. Gun stores that do way more 4473/NICS might be better equipped to deal with the issue date issue.

Bill

[Brian D.]

@djthomas: My gripe in the Wal Mart that day was because this older woman with mobility issues was expected (by her company's policy) to carry my intended purchase, about 30 lbs. of ammo, from the back of the store all the way up front. She had been paged to sporting goods from a few departments away to begin with, because she knew where the ammo cabinet keys were kept. I get up front and the store manager is young and robust by comparison. Felt a need to shame him a bit, I guess.

[djthomas]

Maybe she was looking to file a multi-million dollar ADA/EEOC lawsuit and you totally ruined her opportunity. Way to go dude.

[JustaShooter]

It might be prudent on their part to not accept CHL in lieu of NICS until every valid license is good to go on issue date. IMHO. Gun stores that do way more 4473/NICS might be better equipped to deal with the issue date issue.

Perhaps even more importantly, they may wish to wait until there is a way to verify that the CHL is still valid and hasn't been suspended. As I understand it, the county sends a letter informing you it is suspended asking you to surrender it, I don't think they are actually seized.

[JimE]

Stopped by my local Delaware, OH Wal-Mart today and saw a sign that said they would not accept a CCL in lieu of filling out the 4473 to purchase a firearm. This is the first time I've ever seen this, anyone else notice this anywhere?

There are a number of customers who believe a CHL means they do not have to fill out a 4473.
Once educated,( politely) there is no problem...at least with us.
I can only guess at what has happened to have a store put up a sign like that.

As far a walking a "firearm" to the cashier,( a stripped lower is considered a firearm by the Fed's) we and other stores do that .
It is just part of the process to make sure all the i's are dotted.

[Cosmos]

I asked an assistant manager at Rural King about the need for them to walk all firearms outside of the store. They replied it was to avoid customers walking away from the counter and admiring their purchase inside the store. I agree coming up on someone holding a pistol could create more than a few issues.

[WhyNot]

I suspect that there will be a greater chance of using a CHL vs. phoning in to NICS, once all us older licensees are renewed. At least at that point there will be less confusion, this CHL is ok, this older one is not etc. Can be a bit tasking for a lowly store clerk especially some I've ran into.

[screwman]

Yeah, I've got till January of 20, then I'll be good. Missed it by 2 months.