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Shipping firearms by USPS

agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
edited February 2002 in Ask the Experts
Just to set the record straight, anybody can send long guns through the US Mail to an FFL holder without having an FFL. Anybody can ship a long gun to an gunsmith and have it sent back to you without you having to have an FFL. Only FFL's may ship handguns by US Mail from one FFL to another.
Allen Glore
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Comments

  • gundummygundummy Member Posts: 254 ✭
    edited November -1
    Can you provide the resource for that statement? I just paid a fortune to an FFL dealer to ship my long gun to a buddy out of state. They told me it had to go from FFL to FFL, so I shipped it that way. Part of the problem is because the receiving FFL said they will receive only from another FFL.If what you say is true, there's alot of mis-informed dealers out there that's mis-informing their customers. Every single dealer in my area will not receive any gun if it's not coming from an FFL. I know that if you send gun to factory or to another gunsmith out of state for repairs that you can ship and receive it directly. Maybe every state has their own laws, I dunno. Anyway, if you can please post your resource or site that I can check out, maybe I will finally get this straight myself. Thanks, GD
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  • mbrookmbrook Member Posts: 128 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here is the law I copied this right from the ATF website: http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b1 :B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U. S. Postal Service? [Back]A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. A nonlicensee may not transfer any firearm to a nonlicensed resident of another state. The Postal Service recommends that longguns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms. (B9) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by carrier? [Back]A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by carrier to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm. [18 U. S. C. 922( a)( 2)( A) and 922( e), 27 CFR 178.31] (B10) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity? [Back]Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the state where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm. Many FFLs are unclear on the laws regarding shipping by an non-FFL.[This message has been edited by mbrook (edited 02-08-2002).]
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  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Actually go to www.USPS.com Yes it is legal and you gat the shaft.I can ship a handgun via USPS for $12 via my friendly FFL here.I think I have paid for his truck.cpermd
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  • bwabwa Member Posts: 224 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    cpermd:What link(s) does one follow at the USPS site to get the information we're looking for?
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  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't know what the link is.Go to www.usps.com.,then You get there by going to search and typing in "firearms".99% of the questions and arguments can be answered here or at the BATF.com site.I am always amazed when folks ask an important legal Q here and then take the answer as gospel.The answer is wrong 40% of the time as near as I can tell.cpermd
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  • agloreaglore Member Posts: 6,012
    edited November -1
    http://new.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52.pdf I hope this link helps those that are wondering about shipping handguns by USPS
    Allen Glore
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  • gundummygundummy Member Posts: 254 ✭
    edited November -1
    Yep Cpermd, sounds like I gat the shaft. Well, I buy most of my stuffs locally and never sold any gun till recently. I bought a couple of hand guns from out of state and knew they had to go from FFL to FFL, but this was the first time (hand gun or long gun) that I ever had to ship one out. I believed the rules applied to any gun, and all the FFL dealers around my area TOLD me the same old thing. Well I guess I was wrong. These guys are supposed to be the experts and know the rules, so why would I even question them?? Well, I just happened to run accross this post and decided to "ask the experts" a question, yes it's a legal Q, but still a question. And I don't take what I read on these posts like gospel, so don't even try to insult my intelligence. This is something I flat out did not know. PERIOD.That's why I asked. Most people who visit this forum asking questions have jobs, they don't have the time to read and research all the rules and regs until they come accross the problem. I know the answer to this now, but I can you tell that I won't give the next guy who ask this same question a wise $ss remark. You know what I mean. Nuff said. GD
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  • kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,858 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    gundummy,It may be ignorance, but I think a lot of dealers are making their own rules in the pretense of covering their butt ... it also allows them to put some coin in their pocket (ie only receive from another dealer)... I've shipped a couple long guns via USPS and it seems they get treated better than how UPS handles them. About any package I get from UPS is crushed, my FFL got a HK94 in for me that had the barrel hanging out of the box(which was crushed) and the mag well wouldn't accept a mag untill I spread the lips on it a bit ... they also "lost" a Desert Eagle in 44 mag that was never recovered ... I always wonder why they want to see the contents of the package ... and claim they just want to make sure it's packaged properly ...
    Here's a thought: Let's make criminals responsible for their crimes ... ...Not blame society and the tools they use!kimberkid@gunbroker.zzn.com
    If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
    ? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
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  • Guns & GlassGuns & Glass Member Posts: 864 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In partial defense of FFL dealers (which I am), "Time Is Money", and "Cover Your A**".It take time to research, and learn the laws,and operations of shipping. Not only on at Federal level, but intra & interstate as we must comply with ALL laws. It's hard.The service of transfers, and shipping is a legitimate billable service. Each can charge what they want, but the market will help to control pricing.Believe me, it is not as easy, and is more time consuming than most customers realize.Not to mention the legal end. People do try frequently to save shipping $$$ even though they know it's illegal, and try to sell/ship guns to unknown, or people with questionable character & intentions. We must "COA"! Now, as to the dealers who don't know, or don't care to really learn, and or take advantage of customers,...there is NO excuse.
    Happy Bullet Holes!
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  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    DangI did not insult a single person's intelligence in my post.Please look at it again."Ignorance" is not an insult.Look in Webster'scpermd
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  • redcedarsredcedars Member Posts: 919 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Guys I just skimmed these entries but UPS rules require firearms to be shipped overnight at a much higher cost than $12.Make friends with a local dealer and maybe you can do better. I have dealer friends who will transfer for me for a $10 fee, which makes it cheaper to ship handguns through the dealer by USPS Priority Insured than it is to ship direct to the receiving by UPS. Frankly, I have refused to do any business with UPS and Fed Ex due to their ridiculous and discriminatory policies.redcedars
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  • gundummygundummy Member Posts: 254 ✭
    edited November -1
    It's cool Cpermd. Maybe it is ingnorance and bottom line is everyone needs to COA. At least it's clear to me now. At all cost, I too don't like to ship via UPS because of their ways of doing business. I pay Fedex more than a $1000 a month shipping non-gun related items and won't give UPS a dime.GD
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  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    gundummy:In scanning these posts, I note you say you paid a fortune to send a long gun to a BUDDY via FFL to FFL, and now do not think that was necessary. While I think you can legally send a long gun to a gunsmith or the like via USPS for repair or modification, it has to come back to you. As I understand it, a non-licnesed person CANNOT send a long gun to a non-licensed person via USPS or common carrier. A non-licensed person can send a long gun to a licensed person by USPS. If any of my post has been covered above, please forgive the duplication, but I did not read all of the above word for word.
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  • ATFATF Member Posts: 11,683 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What a mess.
    ATF
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  • ref44ref44 Member Posts: 251 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In 24 years with an FFL, I had never done much shipping of firerams; but I have been doing some Internet sales and auctions the past six months. I am unsure my mind will absorb everything noted in the above posts; but I do know that an FFL can send a handgun to another FFL using the USPS. It can be as inexpensive as $7-$8 for a small handgun with minimal insurance. But the USPS insurance has gotten very high; so I ship longguns by UPS for less money.The UPS rates for faster delivery can indeed be higher. I shipped a Beretta BM-62 rifle (and lots of accessories) last week from Colorado to Florida with $2500 coverage and it cost $77 for 2nd Day Air. I shipped an HK93 yesterday by normal ground with $2500 to Texas, and it was $18.If it was not said above, an individual can ship a longgun to another individual in the same state with no FFL involved.
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