Shipping a handgun via USPS???

[AirMech74]

Anybody here ever do it? I've read that a non FFL holder cannot ship with them, but my FFL holder tells me that I can. I'm wanting to ship to an FFL in another state, and there is an individual there that will ship one to my FFL holder. Are we gonna have any problems with trying to us USPS? I was told that it will be a lot cheaper using them rather than UPS.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[cphilip]

I don't believe that as a non FFL holder you can ship USPS.

About your only method is UPS. And even then it is restricted to next day air and Adult Signature delivery required. Although you can use their next day air saver package to do it. Expect to have to declare it, they will likely want to inspect it to verify its not loaded. And it must ship to an FFL if its going to someone other than yourself.

I just shipped one last week and that was the only way I could get it done. It cost me over $50 to ship it. But no one else will take it from a non FFL. Long guns yes... handguns no.


read this: http://www.thegunzone.com/ship-guns.html

[AirMech74]

Here is what is weird...I just called a local post office and they told me I could ship it as long as I'm shipping to an FFL holder. All I have to do is fill out some form and I can ship it priority.

[cvhoss]

I don't believe that you can ship USPS unless you are an FFL holder. They are required to fill out some paperwork EACH time they ship. That said, I have found that I can pay my local FFL $20.00 for his time plus $15-$20 for the postal charges and still save about $20.00 over shipping UPS. Last handgun I shipped UPS was a Colt Cowboy. Package weighed just over 4#. Following UPS requirements, overnight shipping was within a few pennies of $60.00 .

Hoss

[cvhoss]

This is what I finally dug up from the USPS web site:

11.1.3 Authorized Persons

11.1.5 Manufacturers and Dealers

Handguns may also be mailed between licensed manufacturers of firearms and licensed dealers of firearms in customary trade shipments, or for repairing or replacing parts.
11.1.6 Certificate of Manufacturers and Dealers

A licensed manufacturer or dealer need not file the affidavit under 11.1.4, but must file with the postmaster a statement on Form 1508 signed by the mailer that he or she is a licensed manufacturer or dealer of firearms, that the parcels containing handguns (or major component parts thereof) are customary trade shipments or contain such articles for repairing or replacing parts, and that to the best of his or her knowledge or belief the addressees are licensed manufacturers or dealers of firearms.

[limatunes]

Just skip all the hoo-ah and ship it with Fed Ex.

We had a guy ship a gun USPS because he didn't know any better. When he gave the tracking number to my husband he almost freaked when he found out it was USPS.. He called the ATF and tried to get an answer as to weather or not he was going to be tackle, handcuffed and dragged off to jail when he went to pick up the gun and even they couldn't give him a definitive answer. The gun was shipped to an FFL near us and everything seemed to go okay. To keep from running into the problem again my husband makes sure everyone just ships with a carrier that knowingly accepts firearms.

[AirMech74]

After talking to someone who knew what they were talking about, I was finally told that USPS does not. And, I talked to UPS and they told me they would not ship a Semi-Auto handgun either. So I just boxed it up, went to Fed Ex and over nighted it with no questions asked. So now I know.

[cvhoss]

cphilip,
I believe the portion that you quoted in your above post came directly from The Gun Zone web page. What they have on that page says the gun must be rendered inoperable but if you can find anything on the actual FedEx web site to corroborate that, I'd sure appreciate a link to the page. On the Gun Zone page, the text "FedEx firearms policy:" is a link to FedEx's web site. If you follow that link, it says:

Firearms

FedEx Express can only accept and deliver firearms between areas served in the U.S. under the following conditions: (1) you agree to tender shipments of firearms to us only when either the shipper or recipient is a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, licensed dealer or licensed collector and is not prohibited from making such shipments by local, state or federal regulations; (2) the shipper and recipient must be of legal age as identified by applicable state law.

Firearms must be shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight service. FedEx cannot ship or deliver firearms C.O.D. or with a signature release. Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx is required to notify the FedEx employee who accepts the package that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm. Firearms shipments cannot be placed in a FedEx Express Drop Box.

You also agree not to ship loaded firearms or firearms with ammunition in the same package. Ammunition is an explosive and must be shipped separately as dangerous goods. The shipper and recipient are required to comply with all applicable government regulations and laws, including those pertaining to labeling. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can provide assistance.

The above is the entire context of their firearms policy as printed on that page. The only other policy I can find concerns ground shipments which says:

Firearms
A. FedEx Ground will transport firearms (excluding handguns), but only between:

1. Licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, licensed collectors, law enforcement agencies of the U.S. or of any department or agency thereof, and law enforcement agencies of any state or any department, agency, or political subdivisions thereof; or
2. Where not prohibited by local, state and federal law from individuals to licensed importers, licensed manufacturers or licensed dealers for the purpose of repair or customizing (and return of same).

B. Firearms must be shipped via the FedEx Delivery Signature Options Direct Signature Required or Adult Signature Required options and are not eligible for signature release, driver release or indirect delivery.
C. FedEx Ground will transport small-arms ammunition, when packed and labeled in compliance with local, state and federal law, and the Hazardous Materials section of this tariff.
D. FedEx Ground will not accept for transport handguns, assembled or disassembled.
E. Firearms and ammunition must be shipped in separate packages.

I don't know if their policy has changed or if whoever did the Gun Zone article used incorrect information, but I can find nothing on the FedEx site that is the same as the info in the Gun Zone article.

Hoss

[cphilip]

The issue is that he failed to identify what he was shipping? Did I just read it wrong? Sounded like to me thats what he was saying... Perhaps he just did not mean it that way? If so then mea culpa.

But within that link was links to each ones sites and policies as I assumed he was going to go read them all. And in a couple cases you have to hunt them all down. In all cases you have to identfy the package and cannot just ship them without declaring them as a handgun and often they will want to inspect the gun. Both UPS and FedEX will.

If he just misworded his statement then I appologize. If not then... well...


Added on edit: after reading his post several times it is apparent to me he never intended it to mean what I read into it. So... please disregard. I am assuming he DID identify it to the shipper but just assumed we would know that.

My appologies extended. Please delete my post. I do not have the option to do so.

I apparently am not only getting old but I am getting cranky too....

[cvhoss]

I wasn't really looking at him not identifying it as a handgun. Since he said he overnighted it, I assumed he identified it or else he would have just sent it standard ground. I thought he simply meant that the FedEx agent had no problem with the fact that it was a handgun.

The thing I was looking at was the Gun Zone article which indicated that it was a FedEx requirement for the gun to be made inoperable since I could find no such statement on their web site.

Hoss

[cphilip]

Yea. I just blew that one is all Hoss... I can read but perhaps not comprehend today...

I think that some will and some wont. They got that from one particular incident or place or perhaps in one particular city. I think. I think it keeps changing.

I had a real nice experience last week with UPS (believe it or not). I had the gun packaged and they say on thier site that you cannot ship them from one of thier stores, you have to go to a primary center. But I was at one of their stores shipping something else and saw the manager and just asked.... He says "let me make a call" and he comes back a few minutes later and says "they said if we would open it up and show them it was unloaded that its ok for me to take it here". So there we went! Done.

You just never know. You can go one place and they will completely tell you a different thing from what the policy says. You have to go armed with their policy printed out too jus t in case.

[cvhoss]

You have to go armed with their policy printed out too just in case

Know exactly what you mean. I've personally never had any problem with UPS but I'm in a fairly small town. They've never asked to open a package or anything. I've shipped enough guns through them that now when I walk in, the guy just asks me if it's a gun. FedEx isn't really an option for me as the closest depot is an 80 mile round trip plus it's across the state line. Never have been able to get them to give me a straight answer to if there's a problem with me shipping from a state different from the depot location.

Hoss

[cphilip]

I don't think they would have asked to open that one had I not been at a UPS store and they were waiving some of the policy to accomidate me. So I had no problem at all with it.

The guy told me that he figures they ship them all the time that people don't tell them what it is. He might be right

[Miggy]

After talking to someone who knew what they were talking about, I was finally told that USPS does not. And, I talked to UPS and they told me they would not ship a Semi-Auto handgun either. So I just boxed it up, went to Fed Ex and over nighted it with no questions asked. So now I know.

Did you talk to somebpdy at an UPS Store? If so, they are not allowed to ship guns since they are not really UPS but an offshot from the old MailBoxes ETC. You must go to a local UPS center and ship from there. The one I have used in the past here in Miami is great and the people very helpful.

[BIG E]

Just skip all the hoo-ah and ship it with Fed Ex.

We had a guy ship a gun USPS because he didn't know any better. When he gave the tracking number to my husband he almost freaked when he found out it was USPS.. He called the ATF and tried to get an answer as to weather or not he was going to be tackle, handcuffed and dragged off to jail when he went to pick up the gun and even they couldn't give him a definitive answer. The gun was shipped to an FFL near us and everything seemed to go okay. To keep from running into the problem again my husband makes sure everyone just ships with a carrier that knowingly accepts firearms.

+1 here Lima,

I had a 1911 frame shipped to me via USPS and the receiving FFL packed up shop before it got there. I had the tracking # and the shipper could not track it. USPS couldn't find it either. I ended up going to the receivers address and going through his mailbox. There it was. It had been there for a week hanging out of the mailbox and wet from the rain.

Needless to say the shipper was not very happy and the receivers FFl pulled after he was reported by the shipper.

Just bite the bullet and send it with another company that can actually track their packages.