Well the waiting period might be useful when going from zero to one right? At least it shows premeditation.
And, the federal government isn't permitted to run a gun ownership registry[1], so the DOJ api wouldn't know if you already had a gun, so everybody has to wait.
[1] As I understand it, firearms dealers have to record purchases on paper and keep the records for a significant amount of time, and respond to requests for data, which is sort of a registry, but not online and not centralized.
Absolutely. I was more getting at why wait 10 days for your second gun... or 12th...
> And, the federal government isn't permitted to run a gun ownership registry[1], so the DOJ api
The DOJ check is with your local state, and many states such as California do keep a registry. For the states that don't have a registry, bringing in paperwork from your most recently purchased firearm, showing the registration to yourself, would be sufficient.
> firearms dealers have to record purchases on paper and keep the records for a significant amount of time, and respond to requests for data
In order for the DOJ to know which dealer to ask for records, they have to know where you bought the gun.
After you own 1, 2, 5, 12 guns, what purpose does this background check serve? How about the 10 day waiting period?
The background check could be completed in seconds - it's a API call to DOJ effectively, and you get a "Pass/Fail" indication back - based on the laws that allow you to own guns.
So... this process could effectively be immediate for anyone who already owns guns.
But! We somehow sleep better at night knowing someone with 12 guns has to wait 10 days before getting their 13th... because that prevents them from committing murder or something?
Some things are simply Security Theater. We should stop pretending.