renewing the discussion about shipping

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see comment #2

From reading the US Code, I know it's legal for me to ship a gun to myself, as in if I'm going to be visiting somewhere but don't want the hassle of dealing w/ the TSA.

I understand (reading other people's experiences) that USPS won't let average citizens ship to themselves, even though they're a quasi-governmental agency which should be required to follow federal laws (just like everyone else).

I've heard that UPS & FedEx allow people to ship to themselves, but this morning I found this chart for FedEx which appears to say that they don't. They'll only allow shipping if the shipper or recip. is a licensed manuf., dealer, or collector. They do reference federal law & BATFE regs, but only saying that the shipper must abide by them.

Of course, their definition of 'firearm'* excludes pretty much anything we'd think of as a firearm, but I don't think their shipping store personnel are likely to understand that.

So how do people, average citizens, ship guns when they go hunting or visiting & have to fly (or use other unfriendly transport)?

Anyone have references for the UPS info, similar to the FedEx chart up there?


* "...any weapon [sic] which will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive."

I used to ship stuff to Wilson Combat in two parcels called "machinery, parcel 1 of 2" and "2 of 2." I used the heavy pasteboard tubes available at the U-Ship-2 shop.

If your flying just follow the regs for flying with a firearm. It's not too complicated most of the time. Except if its CA or NY. Here is the TSA regs Each airline also has minor deviations for policy too. So make sure to check with them.

What kind of gun are we trying to ship?

Long guns are fine to ship through the USPS.

An FFL can ship a handgun for you through the USPS as well at a far lower cost than shipping a handgun through a private shipper.

flb_78 said:

An FFL can ship a handgun for you through the USPS as well at a far lower cost than shipping a handgun through a private shipper.

Click to expand...

There are costs beyond dollars. An FFL has already kissed the nose of the federal camel in his tent, shipping a handgun via FFL is just more registration regulation.

Go to a FedEx hub - not the storefront shipping place. They know the rules and are well aware that you can ship your firearm (handgun, shotgun, rifle) to yourself. Not to "MKEGirl in care of Snowmoose Lodge" but "MKEGirl" then the street address for Snowmoose Lodge.

The biggest trick to staying legal is to make sure that whoever receives the package knows not to open it but to deliver it into your hands for that chore.

You cannot ship firearms via USPS unless you are a FFL. You cannot receive firearms shipped by USPS unless you are a FFL (and C&R is a form of FFL!). Thank you GCA '86.:cuss::banghead::cuss:

stay safe.

Fed Ex only ships to FFL's. UPS will do it but if you look at their web site the Tariff rules say no but their "policy" document does not prohibit it. They seem to do it and it must go next day air IIRC.

Make sure you declare the shipment to the carrier that it contains a firearm, That's a UPS rule as well as the Fed regulations.

Skidmark, long guns are perfectly legal through the Postal Service and don't have to go to or from a FFL. Always have been. Better check your facts before you post. Many people believe what they read on these sites.
. Priority Mail is the usual method for shippers who want to avoid jumping through UPS and Fed Ex hoops.
Go to your local Post Office with your long gun well wrapped. I use a gun case with cardboard around it. The clerk will ask if it is "liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous". If you're not being a smart a$$, the answer is "NO". Send it Priority Mail with insurance and delivery confirmation, and it will be there in "about" 2 or 3 days. If it's a very expensive gun, ship it Registered Mail, it costs &11.50 more plus insurance, but Registered is sent under lock and key, and is signed for every time it changes hand. Can't use plastic tape, just paper tape, so they can datestamp every seam.
I handle gus all the time from Hollywood movie studios to gun dealer fro guns worth a few hundred to five figure collectibles. Handguns must go through an ffl, but not long guns.

Before a debate ensues, does anyone have actual cites to back up what they are saying about the USPS?

From the ATF FAQ

May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U. S. Postal Service?

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.​

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Here's the Postal Regulation. Post Office does recommend Registered, but allows Priority Mail. I've been the "go-to" guy for 25 years at a large Post Office. Most clerks don't know the regulations, but they all have a book at their counter with the reg. in it.
http://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dmmarchive1209/c024.htm

Yes, you can mail a long gun to yourself if you are sending it to a location within the same state where you reside. For most of us that would not be the way to avoid TSA fun & games as for most of us that means interstate, not intrastate travel.

Apparently I have not kept up with changes within UPS and FedEx as they are, as stated above, now reversed from my last (a long time ago) experience shipping to myself. Here are the current rules:

http://www.cgwgun.com/shipping/fedex.aspx

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/guidelines/firearms.html

stay safe.

Those are the Fed Ex and UPS rules. The BATF governs shipping guns through any carrier. Postal regulations follow BATF rules.