WASHINGTON Gunfight on Capitol Hill

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The idea of a federally mandated seven-day waiting period for the purchase of handguns has cleared a major hurdle, setting the stage for the legislative equivalent of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Advocates of gun control strongly back the so-called Brady bill, which allows for checks on the buyer's criminal and emotional history. The measure is named for former White House press secretary James S. Brady, who was disabled by a handgun fired at President Reagan in 1981. The National Rifle Association claims the law would deprive citizens of their right to bear arms.

Though a similar bill was defeated on the House floor in 1988, the House Judiciary Committee last week voted 23 to 11 to approve it. The showdown comes on the House floor next week. Two prominent N.R.A. life members have greatly enhanced the bill's chances: Ronald Reagan endorsed it last month, and President Bush has said he would not veto the plan if it became part of his omnibus anticrime package.