Fedex AGGGGGGGggggghhhhhh....

[Neomet]

Went to Fedex.

Counter agent #1 "You have to have an FFL to send this to another FFL holder"

Me: "Uh, no not really. Inoperable firearm going in for repairs"

Counter agent #1 (insert blank stare)

Counter agent #2 "Oh yes we can do that but the recipient has to fax us their FFL"

I call and pester my guy to fax the FFL

Counter agent #2 "Let me call to see if there is a special form I have to use"

She calls and speaks to 3 different people on the phone, none who appear to know what a firearm is much less the rules for their company. She finally tells

the last one that she is going to put me on the line.

Telephone guy: "You have to have an FFL to send this to another FFL holder".

Me:

Telephone guy: "Thank you for choosing Fedex and have a GREAT day!"

I am going to try again at a different store today. Makes ya just want to say you are shipping machine parts. (I know I can't, but damn......)

[kgunz11]

Rick, do you want me to send you a shipping label? I'll need the address of who you want to ship it to and I can email you the label to print out, then you just drop it of for pick up. Nothing illegal about that.

[eerw]

I always go to the service hub. the store are the worst place for knowing the company regulations.

the people at the actual service hub seem to be up to speed. the local UPS here the two women are top notch, know all the regs about handguns vs. long guns vs. ammunition.

[BritinUSA]

Print this out and take it with you:

FEDEX Rules for Firearm shipping

Nowhere do they say the recipient has to send them an FFL.

[sperman]

Print this out and take it with you:

FEDEX Rules for Firearm shipping

Nowhere do they say the recipient has to send them an FFL.

I guess I've been lucky. I've always shipped it overnight, but I've never told anyone what the package contains.

[Neomet]

Bobby, Thanks, I did take a shipping label on the way out of the store so I am good there unless there is some specific one for firearms. I'm a little concerned about not following the Ps and Qs of declaring what I am sending.

I guess my problem is that I was being a good doobie and volunteered that I was sending a firearm.

Yeah, I pulled their regs up on my Droid and read it to the monkey on the phone. He was unimpressed.

Do I need to get something to certify that I am sending it to a licensed party?

[sparks40]

Just got back from my local Fedex. I was told that the pistol had to already be packaged and ready to ship before I brought it into the store and then they would ship it for me.

[BigTinVA]

Don't ask, don't tell?

Edited December 8, 2009 by BigTinVA

[speculatorking]

Last time I had to ship my gun off for repairs at the UPS service hub, they told me I needed the recipient's FFL number before they could ship the gun. First time they told me that.

Edited December 8, 2009 by speculatorking

[kgunz11]

Rick, if you take a package to a licensed shipper for Fed Ex or UPS, they will ask you to declare the contents of the package. If you are the registered account then it is your obligation to insure you are shipping within the guidelines. Kinko's and UPS "stores" have the right to refuse to ship any item and they don't really have to provide a reason. They are just "reselling" their shipping capabilities to you. A handgun must be shipped to an FFL holder if it is crossing State lines. That is Federal law which supersedes that of any State you might live in. Within State shipping does NOT have to go to an FFL. Intrastate and Interstate laws differ and your State might pose additional laws on how guns are transported so I suggest everyone know their specific State laws. In GA, I can sell a handgun to a non licensed FFL holder as an individual and ship right to that person, it does not have to go to an FFL as long as that person lives in Georgia and the gun is shipped to a GA address. I would not recommend doing that though; cover your bases by shipping to an FFL and you'll be safer.

[azeric]

I had a similar experience with the UPS store, they wouldn't take the gun. I looked on the UPS site and sure enough it said that firearms could only be sent from a hub. So off to the hub I went and they took it no problem, especially when I handed them a copy of the recipients FFL for their records. Big hassle but I got it done. I was told by FedEx that they didn't ship pistols at all, so I used UPS. It looks like they gave me bad info thanks to the link from sperman.

This is a valuable thread for all of us when it comes to shipping firearms. The carriers try to make it as hard and confusing as possible to get straight info. Links to the shippers sites certainly make life easier for those of us who rarely ship our trusty rifles and pistols.

Thanks To Everyone For This Valuable Advice.

[Neomet]

Well, perhaps I should change the title of this post to Uninformed/incompetent people AAGGGGGGhhhh... Ha.

Went to FedEx hub. Was helped by a knowledgeable young woman whose two questions to me were "Is it going to a licensee?" and "Is there any ammunition with the gun?" less than 2 min later I had a receipt in my hand and was walking out the door.

Nicely done to Amanda at FedEx.

Thanks much to everyone for the help on this. Hey Bobby, did you get my email with the insurance info?

[kgunz11]

Still nothing.

Are you sending it to sales@FreedomGunworks.com or kgunz11@msn.com? They both come to the same place either way, but it might help to try the other.

[MTBfarms]

Complicated. Complicated. Paperwork out the wazoo.

I just "enjoy" the reaction I get when shipping items/parts (not guns) to a gun shop. As soon as they see that evil word "GUN" somewhere in the name of the business I get the mean stare and the third degree.

[Neomet]

Bobby,

Having ugly issues with my Mac.com email. I resent it to both address from my gmail. Let me know if you don't get it.

[Hank Ellis]

Just got a call this morning from my gunsmith. My 1911 is ready. When we got to the point of shipping the person asked if overnight or standard ground.

"I thought all handguns had to go overnight?"

'If it's a handgun then yes. Break it down into 2 boxes then it becomes machine parts and it can go by ground.'

"Then send me my machine parts."

Always a loophole if you can find it.

[JimmyZip]

Just got a call this morning from my gunsmith. My 1911 is ready. When we got to the point of shipping the person asked if overnight or standard ground.

"I thought all handguns had to go overnight?"

'If it's a handgun then yes. Break it down into 2 boxes then it becomes machine parts and it can go by ground.'

"Then send me my machine parts."

Always a loophole if you can find it.

This is how I get them.

JZ

[Neomet]

Just got a call this morning from my gunsmith. My 1911 is ready. When we got to the point of shipping the person asked if overnight or standard ground.

"I thought all handguns had to go overnight?"

'If it's a handgun then yes. Break it down into 2 boxes then it becomes machine parts and it can go by ground.'

"Then send me my machine parts."

Always a loophole if you can find it.

Ummmm, I am not so sure that a frame with a serial number on it is going to meet the definition of machine parts, at least in the eyes of ATF. I am certainly not the authority on this though.

[Chris Keen]

Complicated. Complicated. Paperwork out the wazoo.

I just "enjoy" the reaction I get when shipping items/parts (not guns) to a gun shop. As soon as they see that evil word "GUN" somewhere in the name of the business I get the mean stare and the third degree.

Mike I never ship anything "face to face" anymore. When I'm shipping a pistol, I send it out the back door at work (Shipping & Receiving) and by the time the UPS driver sees it, it's already boxed up, and got a label on it. If I'm shipping parts or mags to Freedom GUNworks I usually use the self-help kiosk at the local post office. There I can weigh it, insure it, put a label on it, and drop it in the "mail" without ever having to deal with a non-informed, anti-gun type of person.

[kgunz11]

Handguns are suppose to be shipped 2nd day or faster. UPS has a different definition of "handgun" than USPS or Fed Ex. None of them worth going to jail over. The BATFE is not someone I want to tick off, play at your own risk. As irresponsible as all common carriers are, it's a matter of time before your package goes missing or gets busted open. You'd be surprised how often we see it. IMO $20 is not worth going to jail over, not to mention the moral decision of being dishonest. Good karma is always good to have. (not directed towards anyone)

[gm iprod]

QUOTE (Hank Ellis @ Dec 8 2009, 07:08 PM)

Just got a call this morning from my gunsmith. My 1911 is ready. When we got to the point of shipping the person asked if overnight or standard ground.

"I thought all handguns had to go overnight?"

'If it's a handgun then yes. Break it down into 2 boxes then it becomes machine parts and it can go by ground.'

"Then send me my machine parts."

Always a loophole if you can find it.

Ummmm, I am not so sure that a frame with a serial number on it is going to meet the definition of machine parts, at least in the eyes of ATF. I am certainly not the authority on this though.

I can assure you that a frame with a serial number with no other parts attached is not a machine part, that item is a firearm, by all definitions.

All "other" parts can be shipped as machine parts interstate. BATFE will take a dim view on this if you are ever caught out.

Do not piss them off for $20 as previously stated.

Take my word for that.

[Adam B]

here is the easiest way to solve this problem. Set up an account with UPS or Fed-Ex or both. Make and print your own labels at home and then just drop them off at kinko's or the UPS store and never be questioned again. I even go as far to abbreviate the name of the company I am shipping it to, i.e.-Freedom Gunworks=FGW, that way the overzealous clerk has no clue, all I do is tell them it is prepaid and get a receipt proving that the have received it.

[Precision40]

here is the easiest way to solve this problem. Set up an account with UPS or Fed-Ex or both. Make and print your own labels at home and then just drop them off at kinko's or the UPS store and never be questioned again. I even go as far to abbreviate the name of the company I am shipping it to, i.e.-Freedom Gunworks=FGW, that way the overzealous clerk has no clue, all I do is tell them it is prepaid and get a receipt proving that the have received it.

+1

BATF could care less how it is shipped as long as a transfer goes to a dealer. I was told that from the BATF themselves. They have NO authority to set or police postal reg's.

[kgunz11]

here is the easiest way to solve this problem. Set up an account with UPS or Fed-Ex or both. Make and print your own labels at home and then just drop them off at kinko's or the UPS store and never be questioned again. I even go as far to abbreviate the name of the company I am shipping it to, i.e.-Freedom Gunworks=FGW, that way the overzealous clerk has no clue, all I do is tell them it is prepaid and get a receipt proving that the have received it.

+1

BATF could care less how it is shipped as long as a transfer goes to a dealer. I was told that from the BATF themselves. They have NO authority to set or police postal reg's.

Transfers (if you mean personal gun sales) don't HAVE to go to dealers as long as they are intrastate.

[MTBfarms]

Shipping actual firearms is actually easy for me. Just south of the town I live is a UPS distribution center. The nice woman at the counter tries every way to get the bill cheaper when the computer shows how much it costs to send a handgun. She really tries to help.

Its the post office that gives the hard time when they see the evil word gun in the address. How about changing the name with the same address? Instead of Freedom GunWorks, how about sending mags to Bobby's Hair and Beauty Suuplies at the same address???? Think that will work?

Edited December 9, 2009 by MTBfarms