If you have a criminal record or something interesting on your FIP file you'll probably be interviewed.
I've done the renewal thing ever since gun owners needed a firearms license and before that continuously held a FAC since c51 was proclaimed in the late 70s and for a while I owned 12-2 and 12-6 prohibs and never had an interview.
I don't have a record of any kind (not even speeding tickets). I was interviewed, as were both of my references. I won't go into details about how the CFC tried to avoid actually REACHING any of us (I had to make sure everyone called THEM).
Everybody in my RPAL course was interviewed. I was a reference for a couple of people, and I was interviewed for those too.
I find it peculiar to hear all the RPAL holders that weren't interviewed...
As to questions - they ask about whether people have complaints against you too sometimes. I didn't know what they were talking about but it is ok to ask them what "X" is. It actually made the lady happy to explain things to me. Me being polite yet acting a little ignorant/dumb seems to give those ladies a charge.
They might ask your references some very odd questions. "Have you ever observed person X being angry?" "Have you ever observed person X expressing an anti-social view?" Examples of anti-social the interviewer gave me included "criticizing the government."
Anyway, everyone I know made it through just fine. Just don't ever say you want a pistol for self-defense, or to help overthrow the government, and the interviewers will be all unicorns and rainbows.
They asked my references if I had coerced or threatened them with violence into being my reference. It all depends on who you reach when you call in or get called and how sh!tty of a person they are.
I've been a reference a few times...mostly the questions are variations on do they have a substance abuse problem, are they angry, violent, do you know why they want restricted firearms (usually referenced as a handgun) and do you have any concerns...that's been it. It's mostly pro-forma and unless your references do indicate a problem per the questions above, nothing to worry about.
Got my RPAL more than 10 years ago and never had an interview. Not even sure if they called any of my references.
Maybe the criteria for processing are changing.
CSSA/CCFR Member • An unjust law, is no law at all. ― Martin Luther (1483-1546)
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. ― Elie Wiesel
Last spring, perhaps March/April or so, they changed procedure.
I'm aware of examples both before and after the change.
A few months prior, all 3 were interviewed.
Then, they changed it to just interviewing 1 reference.
If you take a look under the newbie FAQs, you'll see a thread and can see the timeline.
They talked to one of my references. Told me to tell one to call them with a reference number. So my LEO buddy called them up. they verified his information asked him how long he knew me. Then asked him if he felt safe with me owning firearms. Obviously he said of course..
I dont quite understand how some poeple could have problems with a reference. Ive been a reference for some people for jobs had some calls, (never been called on an RPAL yet). I wouldnt let someone i didnt trust or think highly enough to use me as a reference. Interviewing references is useless for an RPAL. who the heck would put someone down who they have had issues with? lol
Last edited by XERXIES_333; 02-01-2015 at 03:28 PM. Reason: Spelling error