The nation's top outfitters and gun retailers have rejected an unusual Democratic request to ignore current gun background check rules and institute their own system that anti-gun advocates believe would slow sales.

Already required to run background checks on gun buyers, over a dozen Democratic senators have asked giants Cabela's, Gander Mountain, Sportsman's Warehouse and Bass Pro Shops to block sales to customers whose checks aren't finished in the required three days.

According to the National Rifle Association, the firms have so far rejected the request.

The Democratic call echoes one to Cabela's from Michael Bloomberg-funded Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense. AP Photo

Under current FBI rules, the buyers are allowed to get their weapon after the third day, although the check for disqualifying information through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System will continue for a total of 90 days. It's a small number, however, since 91 percent of the background checks are completed instantly, surpassing the attorney general's own goal.

The gun-control advocates believe that too many criminals get guns under the three-day rule when a longer background check could discover disqualifying information. By blocking sales until the 90 days are up, the senators feel fewer criminals will get arms.

But the NRA Institute for Legislative Action noted in a blog post that the FBI already has rules to get those guns back:

"The anti-gunners know more than they are telling, however. First, according to the FBI, if a background check cannot be completed within three days, 'the NICS Section continues to search for the information necessary to make a final determination' and, if a person is determined to be prohibited, NICS will notify the BATFE to recover any firearms such person may have acquired. The FBI reports that in 2014, 'The NICS Section forwarded 2,511 firearm retrieval referrals to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, something on the order of about 0.1 percent of all firearms sold by dealers that year."

The Democratic effort echoes one earlier from Michael Bloomberg-funded Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense to Cabela's.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.