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Given recent tragedies like the Colorado movie theater shooting and the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, FBI gun background checks are at an all-time high.
In December alone, the FBI performed nearly 2.8 million background checks on people wanting to buy guns -- a record month in a record-setting year for gun sales, reports CNN.
Ironically, the fear of new laws that may prohibit the sales of certain guns following the mass shootings may have sparked this surge in firearm sales.
But despite record numbers of people getting gun background checks, you may still be uncertain as to what exactly what the government is looking for. Here's a list of some red flags that may alert the authorities, according to the FBI:
The exact method of the background check will depend upon what state you live in. In general, there are three methods for conducting FBI gun background checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS):
Keep in mind that under current law, FBI gun background checks are only required when guns are being sold by licensed firearm dealers. That's one issue being discussed by groups like the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence as the debate over gun control continues.
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