Posted: 10/22/2005 1:10:01 PM EDT
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I want to sell a gun, maybe even in the EE. What is the approx shipping charge for a gun? If I list it 300 + shipping, how do I know what to tell the person for shipping? I will have to pay an FFL to send it, right, so I should figure that into my price too. They will send me a check or m.o. with a copy of thier FFL's license, and then I will take it to an FFL to ship it, right? Sorry I'm a total newb 
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You can ship it yourself; it has to be shipped to a FFL if out of state. Shipping cost depend on where it is shipped and what is shipped. Rifles can be shipped US mail or FedEx/UPS, handguns must go UPS/FedEx overnight. Go to the UPS and FedEx web sites and use their shipping cost calculators Rifles usually cost around $20 but can be a more shipped west of the Mississippi. |
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There is no LEGAL requirement for it to be shipped FROM an FFL, although some receiving FFL's require it as a matter of store policy. Legally, you can ship a rifle through USPS, UPS and FedEx, and a handgun UPS, FedEx - you can ship it yourself, but you are correct that you have to VERIFY the receiving FFL - which is usually done with a signed copy of the FFL, but I believe fax is now okay, since you can go online to the ATF and verify the address of current FFLs there. |
If you are shipping a rifle, yes. (Although it helps to know where in the Domestic Mail Manual the regulations are, so you can point it out. Sometimes the clerks and psotmasters don't know their own rules. It's on-line, so you can look it up before you go, just in case)) ETA: However, it is usually CONSIDERABLY cheaper to ship a rifle UPS. I've found that the Post Office is almost twice as much. So I'd recommend UPS, but post office is certainly legal. |
Yep. It's fun too to see the looks on their faces. "Hi, I need to ship this and declare it as a firearm" [postal worker] <gulp>, uh, is that legal? Let me check with my supervisor. I once had to argue with the Postmaster for a while until he dug up the DMM (their big mail policy book - domestic mail manual) and found where it's allowed. |
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Your shipping charge is going to depend on how you ship it and the destinantion. |
Yup.
I don't believe that's a legal requirement, and I have never heard it before.
The interpretation on this one VARIES. I say that you ARE required to inform them, other (like RikWriter) says you are not. Here's the argument. The DMM states that the post office is allowed to inspect the package to verify that the firearm is unloaded. However, the DMM does not explicitly say anywhere that you have to actually tell them that it is a firearm. My interpretation is that since they have no way of knowing that it is a firearm for them to incpsect (if they want) UNLESS you tell them, there is no reason for the DMM to even mention the inspection unless it is IMPLIED that you have to tell them. The counter-argument is simple - since it doesn't say that you HAVE to, you don't have to. Simple. I'm paranoid - so I always tell them. But I don't really think it's a big deal to not tell them. Sometimes they ask BEFORE I even get around to telling them, and in that case, I personally believe it would be a really, really bad idea to lie to them. YMMV.
Again, I don't believe that is a legal requirement either. There is nothing in the DMM about providing proof of a legal FFL to the post office when you ship. The DMM clearly states that you have to comply with all federal laws regarding firearms (which included the FFL requirment obvoiusly) but does not state that you have to prove any of that to the Post Master.
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The easiest way to ship a rifle is to go to the FedEx website, and fill out the online shipping form. Print out the shipping label, and tape it to the box. Then go drop it off at a FedEx counter. BTW, FedEx is considerably more gun friendly than UPS in my experience. |