are handguns automatically entered into the NIBIN database?

Question

I know very little about NIBIN and the IBIS, and am wondering if handguns purchased in the US already have their "prints" in the system, or if it depends on states or whatnot.

Answer 1

No. There is no system of recording firearms "fingerprints", other than if a department or agency conducts tests on one as part of a crime investigation. Firearms purchases from authorized dealers are recorded in a national dtabase long enough to conduct the background checks on the buyer, but they are supposed to be purged in a short time. State laws differ, so you'd have to check for that in your state.