Shepard Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I've been trying to mail my pistol to my gunsmith for a week with no success. I went to the ups counter and they told me no. I went to the post office and they said no. I went to a local gunstore and they needed my gunsmith's ffl. Is there no easy way to mail a handgun? Before I moved I was able to take my pistol to UPS with no trouble. Have things changed in the last 8 months? Sigh, what does it take to mail a pistol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bulm5 Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Never had problems with fed ex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 FedEx is your last option as a civillian to ship a handgun. UPS will only accept them from FFL's. Sending through USPS is a Federal offense, so don't even go there. Be prepared to fight like hell to get FedEx to accept your handgun. I had to get pretty vocal in order to get them to do it. (Have I ever mentioned how much FedEx sucks and how much I despise them.....? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT Johnson Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...t=0entry87595 Think there might be a link to fedex policy in that thread that you'll want to print out. Be ready to ask to speak to the manager and budget at least a half hour of your time. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDH Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Be prepared to fight like hell to get FedEx to accept your handgun. I had to get pretty vocal in order to get them to do it. (Have I ever mentioned how much FedEx sucks and how much I despise them.....? ) This is why I 'may' end up going to the Summer Blast just to work it. I will either have to deal with Fed Ex on both ends (what if I can't get them to ship it back? ) OR I get to deal with the friendly Delta ticket agents and my good friends at TSA... Of course, maybe I could just run up to DC and buy some cheap piece of crap, and throw it in the river when I am done with it. Oh wait, there aren't any guns allowed in DC are there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Meek Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Haven't had any problems sending guns to various gunsmiths. My wife usually takes the gun to the UPS counter at the distribution center. Question I wonder about is the package addressed to a business or just the gunsmith's name. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shepard Posted May 14, 2004 Author Share Posted May 14, 2004 They didnt look at the address. THey just flatly refused to ship ANY firearm. THey wouldnt even let me separate it into multiple boxes. If I get an FFL would that allow me any other shipping options (for the future)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Was it an actual UPS office/hub or a UPS Store/ UPS counter at an office supply store? No retail location for any of the major private shippers (UPS, FedEx, etc.) can accept a firearm for shipping. It's got to go directly through a hub office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shepard Posted May 14, 2004 Author Share Posted May 14, 2004 ahh, it was not a hub office. So if I drive over 100 miles to the nearest hub (really) I can mail my gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 (edited) ahh, it was not a hub office. So if I drive over 100 miles to the nearest hub (really) I can mail my gun? Pretty much. See if FedEx has a location near to you. www.fedex.com (Make sure you're using MS IE and not Netscape or Safari... the site will hang up). You'll want a "FedEx staffed" location. Edited to add: "UPS Customer Center Staffed Location" is what you'd be looking for with UPS. Edited May 14, 2004 by 300lbGorilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Meek Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Sheperd, The following info is from www.ups.com. The Customer Counter should do the trick for you. UPS CUSTOMER CENTER STAFFED LOCATION 3735 HARTSFIELD RD TALLAHASSEE, FL 32303 800-742-5877 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ankeny Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I drive 44 miles to UPS a pistol. Be prepared for sticker shock, handguns need to go Next Day. Next Day Saver is the cheapest way. Track the gun and if it doesn't get there the next day you will be eligible for a refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Carter Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 UPS has an internal policy forbiding them to ship guns except from one ffl to another. Most of their employee's don't know the policy or get it wrong so it is possible to ship UPS if you happen to use one that doesn't know the company policy. You have a problem though if they lose your gun, they won't honor the insurance because it's against their policy to ship them. It's a catch 22 that cost a fellow an expensive shotgun as I learned on another board. UPS is also the company that decided they couldn't trust their employees to handle firearms and so required handguns to go Next Day Air at much extra expense. I have no idea if they require it when shipping diamonds, electronics, illegal drugs, or other expensive items. I wouldn't use UPS. I hardly hear of a problem with FEdEx, in fact most customers tell me that they didn't even ask them what they were shipping. I use FEDEX almost exclusively. I think FedEx is supposed to require next day for handguns but judging by the number i get in on 2nd day and saver they don't everytime. I would avoid FedEx ground as it is very slow and spotty service at least in my area. These are company policies, not Federal Law. Federal Law still allows and individual to send a firearm to a licensed gunsmith and for them to send the gun directly back to the owner. Some states may have additional laws I don't know. I know it's a crappy deal us gunsmiths have to deal with everyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Re: UPS having an internal policy to only ship from FFL to FFL ... That's not what customer service told me when they sent their official corporate policy to me about five months ago. Have things changed? Here is what they sent to me in December. Please note the section wherein they detail to whom a private individual (no FFL) may ship a handgun. According to the letter of the policy, it seems that you could run into trouble if the intent is a transfer of some kind as it is not explicitly listed in the policy. I prefer to ship from FFL to FFL when doing transfers anyway, so I'm not sure how big of a deal that is. Subject: UT20031223_0000010297 General Questions Thank you for your inquiry. The following list explains who can send and receive shipments of handguns or firearms through UPS: ___________________________________________________________ Shipper -Licensed Collectors Consignee -Licensed Collectors -Licensed Gun dealer -Gun Manufacturer (as a result of repair or adjustment only) -Law Enforcement Agency (not a police officer at home) Clarification: A police officer may be licensed to carry a handgun, but is usually not a licensed dealer. ___________________________________________________________ Shipper -Gun Manufacturer Consignee -Gun Manufacturer -Licensed Gun Dealer -Licensed Collector -Individual (as a result of repair or adjustment only) -Law Enforcement Agency (not a police officer at home) Clarification: A police officer may be licensed to carry a handgun, but is usually not a licensed dealer. ___________________________________________________________ Shipper - Licensed Gun Dealer Consignee - Licensed Gun dealer -Licensed Collector -Gun Manufacturer (as a result of repair or adjustment only) -Law Enforcement Agency (not a police officer at home) Clarification: A police officer may be licensed to carry a handgun, but is usually not a licensed dealer. ___________________________________________________________ Shipper - Individual Consignee Gun Manufacturer (for repair or adjustment only) and from a person not otherwise prohibited by Federal, State or local law to a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed dealer for the sole purpose of repair or customizing. ___________________________________________________________ Please note, the shipment of a firearm from an individual to an individual is prohibited in the UPS system. UPS will only accept handguns for shipment (from and to authorized legal parties) via UPS Next Day Air services (Early A.M., Next Day Air, or Next Day Air Saver). Handguns cannot be shipped from the following: One Time Pickup On Call Pickup Letter Centers Internet Shipping UPS Sonic Air UPS Authorized Shipping Outlets (ASOs) This UPS procedure change affects only handguns, not all firearms. As a responsible corporate citizen, UPS wants to ensure that handguns are transported as safely as possible by restricting them to special handling methods within the UPS system. We intend to continue serving our customers who lawfully ship handguns. Other firearms, including shotguns, rifles, etc. can continue to be shipped by authorized legal parties via One Time Pickup service, On Call Pickup, and UPS Customer Counters. Firearms will not be accepted for shipment from any Commercial Counter and/or Authorized Shipping Outlet. There cannot be anything written or printed on the package that indicates the package contains a handgun or firearm. The shipper cannot pack ammunition in the same shipping container as the handgun. The shipper must segregate handgun shipments for the driver. The shipper must apply the Adult Signature Required label (21 years of age or older). Antique Firearms Antique firearms may be shipped via the UPS system, and are not required to be shipped via UPS's Next Day Air service. An antique firearm is a firearm that was manufactured in or before 1898, or any replica, muzzle loading rifle, muzzle loading shotgun, muzzle loading pistol, which are designed to use black powder or a black powder substitute. An antique firearm cannot use fixed ammunition and is not considered a handgun for the purposes of determining the method the antique firearm may be shipped. Fireworks All common fireworks or fireworks devices suitable for use by the public and designed primarily to produce visible effects by combustion, and/or small devices designed to produce audible effects are prohibited in the UPS system. Ammunition: UPS accepts domestic ground and air shipments of ammunition that have been classified by the shipper as "Cartridges, small arms", or "ORM-D" (Other Regulated Material). The package must be properly marked according to the requirements of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR). A Hazardous Materials Transportation Contract may be required to ship such packages with UPS. Contact the Hazardous Material Support Center at 1-800-554-9964 for details on regulatory information. BB Guns, Pellet Guns and Air Rifles are not considered firearms and can be shipped with no additional restrictions. Please note, UPS cannot ship a CO2 cartridge that may be part of an Air Rifle. We hope this information is helpful. If we may assist you in the future, please let us know. Thank you for using UPS Internet Services. Becky UTA Customer Serivce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Interesting. I wonder if FedEx's policy on individual to individual shipping is the same. Intrastate, BATFE allows an individual to ship to another individual for the purposes of transfer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 So you know, the UPS policy stemmed from a huge internal theft ring where an employee(s) stole guns from known gun-shippers, then masqueraded as FFL holders and resold them. This is why UPS and FedEx now only accept guns as overnight packages and is also why most FFLs will no longer accept guns from non-FFLs. (The FFL must supply a copy of his license to the non-FFL, who then can take that license, copy it, and spoof as an FFL dealer. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I've always had good luck shipping anything with FedEx ( sorry Eric ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 just to clarify: It is *NOT* illegal to ship guns through the US Postal Service, you just need to be an FFL. If you are, it was and still is by far the most economical way. --Detlef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snokid Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I have a freind that ship's guns out with ups often and they go ground.... but.... it's funny how a gun can look just like dental equipement... LOL Bob ps. don't try it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 If driving to the nearest shipping hub is a long haul, sign up for an account. With a shipping account, they'll come to your door to pick it up when you ask them to. I did that for a while until FedEx opened a new location near me, and the route takes me past my favorite camera store. Now I just take a break and drive boxes over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 "it's funny how a gun can look just like dental equipement..." Hmmmm.....I wonder who that could be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishlad Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Does it make any difference if you ship just the frame, i.e. non-working handgun? Ship the slide in a different package. Or, the frame, bare or not, is the "handgun" and all shipping rules apply? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 just to clarify: It is *NOT* illegal to ship guns through the US Postal Service, you just need to be an FFL. If you are, it was and still is by far the most economical way.--Detlef According to a family member, who is a USPS employee: you can ship long guns USPS, but handguns are generally not accepted. USPS Mailing Guidelines Head to section 4, Restricted matter, on page 79 for details. The rules are contradictory. In one section, it excludes FFL to FFL transfers. In the next section, it lists the FFL to FFL transfer as OK. Only the BATF (the final regulatory authority) could tell you for sure what this really means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I've personally known of at least two instances of friends of mine having guns stolen from UPS, and once for one of my packages with a frame. Add that to everything else you hear, and it must be a widespread problem. One package was a Limited gun AND all the parts for a brand new Open gun (including frame). UPS didn't pay off on that claim for over 6 months, then they disputed the amount as unreasonable. Only paid after being confronted with calling in the ATF, and having an estimate drawn up by the gunsmith supporting the insurance amount. I've never had a problem with FedEx. (or USPS for that matter, for non-firearms). One obvious tip: NEVER put the word GUN or GUNSMITH or GUNSHOP, etc in the mailing address..... if its in the shop name, abbreviatte, or leave out.... or address to a person at the shop, with address only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 If ssending parts of entire gun for work, etc., you can state on the declaration that it is special tooling for a home security system... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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