Son is flying to Alaska to work as a guide and needs to carry a sidearm. Has no NYS pistol permit, does not need one up there. Wants me to ship my 44mag to a FFL up there, was told all legal in Alaska. So... I can ship it USPS to the gun shop, or do I have other options? Can I bring it to the airport and check it in with TSA?
He was told there's no large caliber handguns to be found up there right now or he could have tried to purchase a used one when he got there.

Aimless, two gun shops up there already told him if it's shipped from him to him they will accept the pistol and just turn it over to him, perfectly legal up there. They have 0 concern with NYS. My concern is here. TSA said they do not check for permit but advised to call local leo.

Sounds like you got your solution right here.  Wait till he gets to Alaska then take the gun to FedEx or UPS and ship it to him overnight.

Both shops advised against using either Fed-X or UPS. Said use USPS.

The original question is a mess - it's a mix of how to mail it to Alaska, mixed in with random TSA stuff.

Let's separate these two options out.

Ship to Alaska Option:

First off, a non-FFL holder can not use USPS to mail a handgun.  You have to use UPS or FedEx, and usually you have to both go to an actual company shipping office (not the strip mall Mailboxes USA style affiliates), and then use some high priced 2nd or Next day shipping.  But since all this is company policy not law, what's enforced and what isn't varies from time to time and store to store.

As stated, I don't think a non-Alaska resident can fly up there and receive a shipped handgun from an FFL.  It's my understanding that you need to be a resident of a state to buy/transfer handguns to you.  Now he could ship it to himself - but then he's "possessing the gun in NY to ship it, and local outfits there might want to see his NY pistol license before they ship it for him.   Plus once it's up there, he can't mail it back to you, as I'd think a NY FFL would want to know why you're receiving a pistol that's already on your license.

Fly with it option:

This is where the TSA stuff comes in, not with the shipping of it.  As above, if your son doesn't have a pistol license, he can't fly with it under stupid NY laws, and they would let an armed robber out of prison gladly to put your son there instead.  So he can't travel out of state with it, and also would be dicey brining it back into the state.

There is one solution, which both solves the problem and does well for you.  You tell your son that he needs to pay for you to fly with him to Alaska, so that you can take the handgun with you, and then leave it there with him.  Then fly up there when he leaves and bring it home.  That way you get a free Alaska trip out of it too.

Now just tell him he can't lose it, as I'd suppose on the stupid NY license you have to account for all your guns, though you could say you'd lost it yourself while up there.

Correct. Shipping paperwork has to show my son as both the shipper and recipient. He had hoped he could have me accompany him to the airport and check it in with TSA. Waiting for Sheriff's office to call back now.
Now when he returns to NYS he will have the Alaskan gun shop ship it to an FFL here for me to pick up.

You are mixing in "shipping" which usually means UPS or Fed Ex, with TSA and airport, which means he's flying with it. We can't understand which one it is.

Is the plan for him to fly with the pistol on a plane?  Or have it sent to him via shipping company?

Well... unless something has changed, people who get jammed up at New York airports are those trying to fly out and get caught declaring at the counter. Those flying in pickup their unmarked luggage at baggage claim and leave.

And won't the NY FFL wonder why you're getting in a handgun that's already on your license?  It's not like you shipped it in for repair or gunsmithing work.

I can't believe that a guiding outfit doesn't have guys who work there that, like the rest of us, have about 4 times more guns that we can possible use.  Surely there's someone at work who can let him borrow a good sized handgun for the job, in return for some ammo or booze.

Indeed.  I'd rather face a bear with some hot sauce that have to do anything but the simplest, most common firearms transactions in NY.  When I visited my dad there I just took a crow bar for my self-defense instead of my usual Glock 19 or even a shotgun.  

Figured there was less risk of being attacked by a criminal, than attacked by the Criminal Justice System.  Both will destroy you for the slightly personal gain.  

I'm looking into all options that would be legal. On return the pistol would be shipped from the Alaskan gun shop to my FFL here. That should not be any different than when firearms are shipped for any work on them, right?

Word has it lots of people resorted to flying in/out of PA due to covid-czar Cuomo's decree of no travel....(fuck that asshole)

YOU cannot ship a Handgun USPS, but a FFL can.

TSA/Airlines: usually  they call Law Enforcement working the Airport to verify the Handgun Licenses.  The Carrier supplies the "Declaration Tag"  TSA opens the lockable container/suitcase, to see if there's actually a gun, and that ammunition isn't loose. (must use Factory packaging, or the hard plastic containers with dividers for each round are acceptable) lock it, hand you the key, and at your destination a representative from the Airline will give you your Bag(s) which cuts down on theft.

County by County its a crap shoot what the Licensing officials will or won't do...what was that advise about "not inviting the man into your life"?:  In the situation you described, I'd ship the handgun and all the ammo I could to a Dealer up there, or to the Address were I was headed in care of someone responsible there.

Give us an update with details...there ARE those of us here that would love to go to Alaska!

You cannot ship a handgun USPS
Your local FFL you use can ship via USPS

I hope that you aren't going through your local FFL when you're shipping guns back to the manufacturer for work

Good Reply and best/fastest way to have a local PO drag his feet to cause a missed flight.


More like, Click/Ratchet - Click/Ratchet, Welcome to intake.

Bill

Spoken from experience!
JFK, is not like it was years ago.  

I have seen PAPD do some real stupid things both ways, missing arrests or arresting someone who was totally legal.  

At least now they are not arresting every person who accidentally dropped one round of ammo in their back pack during their last range trip!  If you are a city resident, all bets are off!  I believe they still arrest you for the ammo.

Still working on this. Question, how could going to PA work? I don't have a PA permit so would be totally illegal. Correct?

Pa only has LTC=license to Carry.. aka concealed.  There are no laws in pa that makes you have a LTC.. you could always apply for one. I believe scranton is still doing out state LTC... Since u need you permit in nys to get one in pa your fine. 45 day turn around time... front and back of a paper to be filled out.. thats it.