[Goooh]

The NICS is required by federal law to destroy the background check request within 24hrs, the dealer has to keep the record for 20 years unless he goes out of business, if they do then they have to send all the records to the ATF.

Form 4473 is what contains the serial number and detailed firearm information, but isn't what is supplied to the NICS. The NICS gets your personal information via phone call normally and simply runs a check then comes back and says yes, no or maybe; the conversation if whether you bought or not isn't had, the FFL logs the outcome on his form 4473 which is kept in house as mentioned above. All the NCIS gets is what type of gun you are trying to buy (I.e. Rifle, handgun, etc...).

Now, if your gun turns up in a bust or a crime scene it is absolute possible to track it down, but it doesn't happen by a LEO just sending the serial number to someone and them running it and you're name turning up... Manufacturers are required to keep a record of which guns were sold to which FFL's, the LEO then gets that information from the manufacturer and gets in touch with the FFL that took possession. The FFL, being that he has the 20 year record, is required to turn over his log on that weapon. If someone tried to buy it and got denied, then the FFL will have that 4473 associated with the weapon along wth your record and anyone else that tried to buy it and got denied or backed out. Now the LEO conducting the investigation has your information, and keeps running the lead as far as the paper trail allows - THIS is why you should get a bill of sale signed when selling your gun to someone privately if a.) you bought it from an FFL, or b.) you were subjected to a bill of sale when buying from a guy in the hood.

Gun shops would have to turn over the millions and millions of paper copy 4473's for the fed to have a database pointing to folks that bought. Further, this portion of the law would have to be amended in order to allow the records to be searched by name.

Gun store clerks rarely go far when they call in, feel free to listen and question, I have and never once heard them give a serial number, make or model, and they've never sent the 4473.