Shipping Firearm Advice - Florida

[Jeff686]

I am going overseas on business. On my return to the USA, I am going straight to Florida to begin a vacation.

I want to shoot in a couple of local matches while I am there. I CAN NOT take my pistol with me overseas (too complicated and hard to explain to my traveling companions).

Is there any way I can ship the pistol? My parents live in Florida. It is not a transfer, just travel. Am I allowed to ship it to myself? How? Can I go through an FFL without paying a transfer fee and background check?

What are my options, if any?

Or, does anyone shoot at Central Florida Rifle & Pistol Club or St. Augustine Practical Shooting Association, and would be willing to loan me a single stack 1911 in 45ACP. I can ship EVERTHING else.

[jtielke]

Yes you can legally ship it to yourself.

(B9) 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.

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b10

It is against USPS rules however. Other shipping companies have their own rules you have to follow. Here is an overview of some different shipping options.

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

[Jeff686]

Yes you can legally ship it to yourself.

(B9) 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.

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b10

It is against USPS rules however. Other shipping companies have their own rules you have to follow. Here is an overview of some different shipping options.

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

Thank you for the reply and link. It sounds like a real pain in the butt.

My two options appear to be:

FedEx: Have my FFL ship it to me at my destination.

UPS: Make some sort of letter stating that it is legal for me to ship it, and get it 'on file' with UPS (WTF?). Then ship it to myself.

Shouldn't there be an easier way????

[open17]

OK----A non FFL may not ship a handgun via USPS. A FFL can. Knew that.

Can a FFL ship a handgun via USPS for the OP , addressed to him at his parents address

in Florida?

or is FFL handgun shipping via USPS strictly FFL to FFL??

[XD Niner]

Jeff,

Please PM me. I shoot at St. Augustine regularly and would be happy to loan you my .45 SS (Springer Black Stainless target model) ong with all the necesary gear and mags if that would help you out.

Kent

Edited January 31, 2008 by XD Niner

[Jeff686]

Jeff,

Please PM me. I shoot at St. Augustine regularly and would be happy to loan you my .45 SS (Springer Black Stainless target model) ong with all the necesary gear and mags if that would help you out.

Kent

Thanks Kent! PM sent.

Now I don't have to fuss with shipping, hotels, cable locks, and worries about lost or stolen firearms.

[Joe4d]

I tried similar. Tried to mail myself my own gun from Hawaii to Virginia. I spoke with manager at Post office who of course didnt know but was professional enough to look it up with me. You can mail a handgun to a gunsmith or manufacturer with a FFL and that FFL can mail it back to you. So basically either the sender or reciever has to be an FFL for the post office.

[Dan Sierpina]

I tried similar. Tried to mail myself my own gun from Hawaii to Virginia. I spoke with manager at Post office who of course didnt know but was professional enough to look it up with me. You can mail a handgun to a gunsmith or manufacturer with a FFL and that FFL can mail it back to you. So basically either the sender or reciever has to be an FFL for the post office.

No handguns through the Postal Service, FFL or not. Long guns are okay. Handguns must be shipped through a common carrier, UPS, FedEX.

[CAB33]

No handguns through the Postal Service, FFL or not. Long guns are okay. Handguns must be shipped through a common carrier, UPS, FedEX.

My FFL uses USPS everytime.

[open17]

Found it---go here--- http://pe.usps.gov/search/jsp/search/vv_do...mp;dtype=2#hit0

Scroll down and start reading at 11.1.3

Briefly, YES a handgun can be mailed. Form to be filled out, must be FFL/manufacturer to

FFL/manufacturer. Bunch of interesting exceptions to that in 11.1.3a-11.1.3g.

The whole document is interesting. I did not know that you can mail live adult chickens!

Bill

[Dan Sierpina]

Like all things government, the regulations change. Handguns must be between dealers, no private mailing to a dealer.

[racerba]

According to the ATF online:

(B7) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service?

A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a nonlicensed resident of another State. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. The Postal Service rec¬ommends that long guns 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. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.

(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?

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

(F14) Who may ship handguns through the U.S. Postal Service?

Federal firearm licensees may send an unloaded handgun in the mail to another FFL in customary trade ship¬ments. Handguns also may be mailed to any officer, employee, agent, or watchman who is eligible under 18 U.S.C. 1715 to receive pis¬tols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person for use in connection with his or her official duties.

However, postal service regulations must be followed. Any person propos¬ing to mail a handgun must file with the postmaster, at the time of mailing, an affidavit signed by the addressee stating that the addressee is qualified to receive the firearm, and the affida¬vit must bear a certificate stating that the firearm is for the official use of the addressee. See the current Postal Manual for details.

The Postal Service recommends that all firearms 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. (See also Questions B7 and B8.)