An NRA spokesperson told CNN the group considers it a privacy issue, and plans to file a lawsuit as early as next week. The busy season for background checks Hunter Frank Jezioro examines his gun Officials foresee some difficulties initially with the expanded checks because of sheer volume. December is the busiest month of the year for gun sales, with hunting seasons coinciding with Christmas buying. To prepare, the FBI hired and began training 513 people in West Virginia to handle its share of the work, set up two telephone centers through a contractor and sent teams to brief the nation's 106,000 gun dealers and pawnshop owners. Federal law bans gun purchases by people convicted or under indictment for felony charges, fugitives, the mentally ill, those with dishonorable military discharges, those who have renounced U. S. citizenship, illegal immigrants, illegal drug users and those convicted of domestic violence or misdemeanors or who are under domestic violence restraining orders.
State laws add other categories.
The new system is expected to conduct about 10,000 checks on an average day, and up to 19,000 during peak periods. Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas and The Associated Press contributed to this report. To NICS External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.