Posted: 2/8/2013 10:02:05 AM EDT
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So I sold my upper and I am looking to get it shipped out. If you have any experience with this I could use your help.
I am asking because first I went to a UPS store and they said I could only ship it by taking it to a distribution center. I went to the distribution center for UPS in Elm Grove. They called their Hazardous materials hot line and they said I couldnt ship person to person. I couldnt even ship a flash hider because it was considered a "Gun" part according to the person I spoke with. It either had to go to a Licensed manufacturer or an authorized dealer. I went to Fed-Ex and they pretty much said unless it was going back for repairs to the manufacturer that they would not ship it. I then went to my local Post Office and they went through there hand book of regulations. There hand book only covered whole fire arms and anything that couldnt be identified needs to be approved by the ATF. So they gave me the number for the ATF office in Chicago. I contacted him to get his FFL's info but his nearest one is 50 miles and it would be easier to ship to him. Any help would be much appreciated. |
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Everytime I shipped something they ask what it was. What do I tell them? Tell them it's women's underwear? They typically only ask me if I'm shipping any hazardous materials (you're not) if I make a label at the counter. If you wish to avoid this interaction, open a UPS account online and print a label from home and simply drop the package off at your local UPS hub or a UPS store and they'll see it's prepaid, take the package and you'll be on your way. |
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Box it at home. An upper is not a firearm. Period! It is not hazmat either. Do not label anywhere on the box that there is a gun or in this case gun parts in the box. Doing so is against the law.
If they ask what it is just tell them it is machine parts. This in and of itself is not a lie. Be sure to insure it for it's value. They may open the box if it is packed poorly or over the burst weight of the box. Be sure to have the burst test stamp on the box visible for them to see. Most wont ever look at it, but some will. I have been called back to the UPS hub for such an event. It can happen. ETA you can ship USPS withou declairing anything. |
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Im just walking in with a tube thats taped. I guess I was being to honest and asked what the regulations were. Im going to go with the prepaid label and just shut up. That's the way I would go. You probably just got someone who is just misinformed or misunderstood you. If for some reason they did ask and you do opt to be truthful with them, have them take a peek at their own policy if they give you any flack: UPS accepts firearm parts for shipment, provided the part is not a "firearm" as defined under federal law; the contents of the package cannot be assembled to form a firearm; and the package otherwise complies with federal, state, and local law. (Note: Receivers or frames of a firearm, firearm mufflers and silencers are considered "firearms" and are accepted for transportation only if shipped in accordance with UPS's requirements for shipping firearms.)
Quoted from: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/guidelines/firearms.html |
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Im just walking in with a tube thats taped. I guess I was being to honest and asked what the regulations were. Im going to go with the prepaid label and just shut up. This... This... This... Especially when it's not even legally a firearm. You go to the UPS depot, not the store as well. They see the pre-paid pre-printed barcode sticker off of ups.com and their eyes glaze over and they just take it from you and say, "Thanks". One more tip, if you're say shipping something to Kel-Tec, put down "KT Inc." on the "To" label. A gun store called "Shooters World", put down "S. World" on the label. The UPS/FedEx workers who work in the destination area of the gun related business will know what the address is anyway, but everyone knowing that about them, and them knowing everyone knows too, they're not the big risk of theft anyway. It's the origin and midstream sorting guys that are generally the problem. |
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machined parts. +1 +1 When i ship anything gun related (except the actual firearm part of course) i claim the actual value, pay the insurance, and tell them "machine parts". Not lying and never get a second look. The other suggestion about prepaid labels and drop off works even better but then you need to know the weight |
They have the boxes -- of course the last place I saw them was the Elm Grove facility.  If you use their computer there, it asks what is in the package. If you use UPS.com at home and print out the label, it doesn't. Then you drop it off. You only have to ship actual firearms through the customer center. I didn't have a problem with even that but it was already packaged, etc. |
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They have the boxes -- of course the last place I saw them was the Elm Grove facility.
If you use their computer there, it asks what is in the package. If you use UPS.com at home and print out the label, it doesn't. Then you drop it off. You only have to ship actual firearms through the customer center. I didn't have a problem with even that but it was already packaged, etc. Not true. Your driver can take the package. 
Sadly I lost the driver I had. He had been delivering here for many years. Great guy. Always here withing a certain 30 minute window without fail. If I missed a packaged I could easily track him down and he would stop and let me get it, even if on the side of the road. Super guy, nice to talk with, then the asshats at UPS decided to put him on a different route. Now I have had 3 different drivers and they have been delivering as late as 6:30 at night. Never the same time frame twice, and they seem to want to bail right after they ring the doorbell. |
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They have the boxes -- of course the last place I saw them was the Elm Grove facility.
If you use their computer there, it asks what is in the package. If you use UPS.com at home and print out the label, it doesn't. Then you drop it off. You only have to ship actual firearms through the customer center. I didn't have a problem with even that but it was already packaged, etc. Do note that by law you're supposed to declare a complete firearm, or receiver anyway. UPS/FedEx failing to ask does not alleviate your legal responsibility in the matter. Although I do think this puts you at unnecessary risk of theft to do so. I leave that as a personal decision to each individual. 
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Quoted: Quoted: They have the boxes -- of course the last place I saw them was the Elm Grove facility. If you use their computer there, it asks what is in the package. If you use UPS.com at home and print out the label, it doesn't. Then you drop it off. You only have to ship actual firearms through the customer center. I didn't have a problem with even that but it was already packaged, etc. Do note that by law you're supposed to declare a complete firearm, or receiver anyway. UPS/FedEx failing to ask does not alleviate your legal responsibility in the matter. Although I do think this puts you at unnecessary risk of theft to do so. I leave that as a personal decision to each individual. I'm only talking upper here. Firearm addressed in next sentence.  Though I will add that I did a complete gun and told them and then watched them leave it sit where the public could take the box without trying. The place was packed and minor chaos was going on. I waited a few minutes and complained it should go in back. So they move it and put it on their far counter. I leave and pop the tracking in 10 minutes later on phone and see it not scanned in yet. I go back and it is still on the counter. I waited the hour until they closed just waiting to watch the big box walk out in to the parking lot. Scary place. ETA -- yes and if you don't tell them you won't likely be getting a payout on the insurance, plus insured values over $600 I believe have a form that they need to sign and date. |
| When shipping an actual gun, I print out the regulations from the UPS or USPS website and bring them with me. Both an entire post office staff and a UPS customer service center staff told me that an individual can't ship a firearms to an FFL and sent me home. Now I just bring the regs with me. |
| I dropped off a pre paid and labeled upper at the elm grove location. He must have recognized the box shape and asked if it was a rifle or anything like that. I just said no it's not a firearm as I walked out the door. I wondered if I would get a phone call later saying there was a problem. I don't know if they have x-rays or if he would have opened the box if he was suspicious. |