usps mail problem

knives2sell

I'm a "newbie" so please excuse me if I'm in the wrong forum to ask a question.My Post Lady at the USPS post office told me I cannot ship an antique shotgun without being a Dealer.What gives?Gunbroker says I can.Too old to go to jail.Thanks for any help,knives2sell

rufe-snow

Your post lady is full of beans. Long guns can be shipped through the USPS, with viritually no restrictions. In fact nothing on the shipping container, per their regulations is to identify the contents as a firearm. Even the shipping address should be camouflaged, i.e. don't address it to" Joe's Gun Shop".

Frogbert

Actually, according to the ATF and to U.S. Postal regs, a citizen is allowed to mail longarms via the U.S. Mail. There are many Post Office employs that get this wrong. You may not ship a handgun, nor may you ever ship ammunition via the U.S. Postal Service.

To mail a long gun out of state, however, you must ship to a Federally liscensed firearms dealer and you will need a copy of the FFL to whom you are sending the shotgun to give to the Post Master. He will copy the paper and put it in his file, return your copy, then weigh your package and put the proper postage on it and drop it in the bin.

If it is going out of state:
Locate the dealer to whom you wish to ship the shotgun, contact him and request that he send you a copy of his liscense.

This quote is from U.S.Postal regs:

11.2 Antique Firearms
Antique firearms sent as curios or museum pieces may be accepted for mailing without regard to 11.1.3 through 11.1.6.

11.3 Rifles and Shotguns
Although unloaded rifles and shotguns not precluded by 11.1.1e and 11.1.2 are mailable, mailers must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18 USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR 178, as well as state and local laws. The mailer may be required by the USPS to establish, by opening the parcel or by written certification, that the gun is unloaded and not precluded by 11.1.1e.

11.4 Legal Opinions on Mailing Firearms
Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any shipment of rifles or shotguns. Contact the nearest office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for further advice.

Edit added:

11.6 Prohibited Parcel Marking
For any parcel containing a firearm or a ballistic or switchblade knife, any marking that indicates the contents is not permitted on the outside wrapper or container.

knives2sell

Thank you for the help.knives2sell