doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com USPS firearm shipping

In trying to ship my gun to the stocker, the local USPS clerk told me the regs say I have to send through an FFL holder, then the supervisor told me the same thing. Can someone with experience please cite where in the regs I AM able to do this, so I can show them?

Any help will be EXTREMELY appreciated!

Norm Growden

Ask them to bring the regs out to the counter to prove it. They won't be able to, or print out a copy and bring it with you.

I have shipped guns all over the country using USPS without a problem.

They dont know what they are talking about. ATF allows consumers to ship directly to dealers/gunsiths for repair/modification and sale to a dealer.

No surprise here. Try a small post office in a rural area, they seem to know the regs much better and have probably seen a firearm shipment or two.

Jim

Thanks guys, this is the first time I've had any trouble. Things went smoothly when the metal went out for engraving and finishing. Figures the last step in the process would be the hitch.

The folks at the post office are trying to find the proper regs, but we seem to be going in a loop that leads him to saying I have to ship through an FFL.

Can anyone cite a source for me?

Thanks for your consideration.

They are wrong. I think? How did they know you were shipping a gun? I've sent rifles and shotguns USPS many time and never was asked what I was sending, just how much I wanted it insured for. So far I have had great service from them.

I've shipped with both UPS and USPS without any hitches. Both outfits knew it was a gun being shipped, and the only question was,"is it unloaded." If memory serves, I do believe that the regs state for a rifle, the bolt needs to be taken out, and for a shotgun, it needs to be broken down.

I took this off the gunbroker site.

B9) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by carrier?
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by carrier to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm. [18 U. S. C. 922( a)( 2)( A) and 922( e), 27 CFR 178.31]

B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U. S. Postal Service? [Back]
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

I agree with ben-t. I have never told them what was in the package and they have never asked. I sent a shotgun a week ago Friday from Calif to St. Louis area to a gunsmith, by Priority Mail, insured and it arrived the following Monday. UPS would have taken 7 business days.
I have never had a problem with the USPS.

"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. "

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm#wp1103548