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Posted: 3/24/2008 5:12:14 PM EDT
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Ok guys, i think i know the answer to this but i want to make sure. If i purchased a MG from someone in western PA and the form 4 was approved do i need to meet for a FTF hand off or can he ship it (and the approved form 4) to me in eastern PA via us postal service? I think that shipping is ok (legal) since we are in the same state --- what do you say? I think with today's gas prices, it will be cheaper to have him ship it insured to me than it will be to spend the day and gas to drive across the state. Thanks |
I'd like to know as well, I have a similar situation. For me I'd prefer to get the gun asap and not have to worry about the seller not shipping it asap or god forbid it getting damaged in shipping. How much did you spend on this thing? You're worried about saving how much in gas money?  BTW, excellent suggestion for long drives to / from NFA deals... Download World War Z or the Zombie survival guide on audio book and listen to it from your laptop on the way! The drive to go do my paperwork (long story) was exactly as long as it took to play World War Z (6.5 hours). When I go to pick it up, I'll be listening to the Zombie Survival Guide :) |
It's only an m11-9. While it is exciting getting a new FA toy, after a few, it is really no big deal. I am completely ok with not spending 10-12 hours of my time driving round trip and $200 in gas---i have a full size chevy 4wd pick up---i don't have a little honda that gets 30+ mpg---on a good day, my truck gets 14mpg. So, does anyone know for sure if same state shipping is ok---or point me at where to look---i'd really like to avoid calling the atf. Thanks |
Maybe he has saved his money to buy this (and many) NFA weapons. I know that a lot of people have given up something to be able to afford a machine gun. So wasting money driving to pick it up might not be the best thing for him.  I know that I wouldn't do it either. USPS Express mail will cost less than $40.00 (even with $3000.00 of insurance) for next day delivery. |
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Unfortunately, under federal postal-regulation law you cannot legally mail it. An M11/9mm is considered "a concealable firearm," and like handguns, SBRs and SBS's it can only be mailed FFL-to-FFL. And that would require two more $200 transfers. An M16 rifle or an RDIAS is mailable, but an M11/9 is not. Dont'cha love it? 
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Wow Tony way to burst a guys bubble----who makes up these silly rules. It boggles my mind that a FA m16 is ok but an m11-9 is not. An nfa it is an nfa item---or so i thought. Oh well, i guess this is just one more of those silly .gov regs. Guess i'll be taking the long drive. Thanks for setting my straight Tony. |
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Yeah, it really sucks. But when the postal regulations were written way back when, they did not take into consideration NFA items -- they decided that "long guns" would be mailable by individuals and "concealable firearms" would not. For "long guns," they borrowed the federal definition of Title 1 rifles and shotguns (16"/26" for rifles and 18"/26" for shotties); anything less than that fell into the "concealable" category. My understanding is that the regs were written at a time when, although large (rifle-length) boxes were delivered to front doors, 99% of the small mail was placed in street- or road-front mailboxes. They didn't want bad guys driving from box to box and ripping off guns post-delivery but before the addressee could get it from the mailbox. Life may have evolved, but mail regs have not.
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Sure. Common carrier is OK, but USPS mail is not. But: Both FedEx and UPS have horrible track records at (a) losing guns, and (b) refusing to pay the "insured" value. Only Registered mail is (in my experience and apparently most everyone's) 100% reliable. In addition, even though federal law allows interstate common carrier shipments of firearms between non-FFLs, both FedEx and UPS have their own requirements that the recipient have a valid FFL, and they want to see a copy of it. I've never been able to get them to see past their internal requirements ... and worse, if you do get 'em to agree and the package is subsequently lost, there is no way they would reimburse you. (AFAIK, every FFL who has lost one in transit has been unhappy with the financial outcome, so I don't imagine a non-FFL violating their internal rules would do any better.)  YMMV. |
Ouch, didnt think it was that bad lol, I take my wifes 2 door yaris and it gets something like 35-40 mpg and the trip im taking is only 6.5 - 7.0 hours round trip |
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