Just wondering, but are there any FFL dealers who would take a gun from me and ship it across state lines? I'm in Tuscaloosa but am willing to drive an hour away.

I really don't want to pay the UPS or FedEx rates to overnight a gun. I tried calling a few places in town, but noone will do it.

Mark's Outdoors in Vestavia has shipped them for me on more than one occasion.

Shipping plus transfer fee.

Not inexpensive, but definitley worth it.

SG

How much does it generally cost?

Why not ship it yourself? Get a copy of the receiving FFL in the state you are shipping to and mail direct to him. That will save the transfer fee. I sometimes sell a gun or give as a gift and I mail myself.

Because FedEx/UPS wants to reward their own dishonesty by jacking up their prices for shipping handguns. I want to go to a FFL because I don't to pay the higher prices or break any laws/policies.

EDIT to ADD: Basically, what alaman said.

Quoted: Because FedEx/UPS wants to reward their own dishonesty by jacking up their prices for shipping handguns. I want to go to a FFL because I don't to pay the higher prices or break any laws/policies.

You're NOT breaking the Federal law by shipping handgun yourself thru UPS; you're only breaking unethical UPS internal policy.  UPS wants you to Overnight for handgun. FedEx states you must be FFL licensed to do so.  If you are gonna going thru an FFL to ship anyway, then let your FFL ship thru US Postal Service as they cost much less.

You Shipping UPS Overnight:
Upon receiving a RED-ink (preferably) signed FFL from your buyer's FFL and ship to the address on that buyer's FFL, then you are NOT violating any Federal law.   You need to check the buyer's specific state law also, those states may have their own restrictive laws and maybe at the city level too.

Where all in T-town have you called?  That is totally ignorant and stupid on the dealers part for not doing so...Check Simmon's Sporting Goods in Bessemer and ask for Dan...see if he can do it for you.

Have you tried Tuskaloosa Pistol? Don't bother w/ Woods & Water (W&W) as I don't know if they will ship OUT to ANOTHER STATE.

Last time W&W did a transfer for me (Nov '99), lady @ BATF in B-ham literally specifically stated to me to tell the FFL holder @ W&W to contact the BATF directly if W&W need verify that there's nothing wrong with doing a transfer for me from out of state.  That's how ignorant most FFLs are.  BATF even gave me the USC statutes for me to give to the FFL holder, if needed.

So basically, don't ask, don't tell?

So just ship via UPS ground?

Quoted: So basically, don't ask, don't tell? So just ship via UPS ground?

No, I didn't say both of that....I said that's there's no Federal law prohibiting YOU from shipping to FFL in another state.  That's the carriers' such as UPS, FedEx, and Postal Service own internal policy.

Only carrier that allows YOU to ship to out-of-state FFL is UPS and their Overnight or Overnight Saver (which I normally use) service.

Every other carrier internal policy requires that you MUST be FFL holder or licensed (Title 2, gunsmith, etc) to do so.

And there's no mention of a handgun inside, right? Because that pretty much doubles the cost at least according to their website.

Well, UPS requires you to disclose that you are shipping handgun AND to ship via OVERNIGHT or OVERNIGHT SAVER, for handgun.

Federal states that the CARRIER (or anyone else) should NOT put any marking on package indicating that the package contains a firearms.

(and my own precaution) Don't address the name of the business or dealer to indicate as such either.

If it's shipping to: "Tony's Guns and Things", their address, city/state, zip.  One should, for example, abbreviate and use "TGT" and their address below it, on the shipping label, when addressing the package.  You get the idea right?

I understand what the law says, but the point is that I don't want to pay $80 or so to ship a Kel-Tec. If I go around the FFL, that's what I'm supposed to pay, at least according to the UPS and FedEx websites.

I understand that I'm not obligated legally to tell UPS/FedEx that there's a gun inside, but that is their own policy. Doing so is supposed to double the rates.

I tried calling Tuskaloosa Pistol and they wanted to do the same overnighting thing and add a transfer fee on top of that. WildWoods didn't even understand what I was asking. FOP wouldn't do it at all, at least since Dan's left. Quik Pawnshop wouldn't either.

I guess I'll just PM AlaDan at Simmon's. He's a big poster on THR and would hopefully help me out.

Thanks for the info!

Yeah, I hope AlaDan @ THR can help you.

That's pathetic that they ask you to pay that much...transfer fee was capped @ $25, according to ATF and shipping UPS overnight should be no more than $40 max for most items.

Why don't you just pay Overnight Saver rate and ship the Kel-tec yourself and be done with dealing w/ FFL issues.?

Shouldn't be anymore than $30 UPS Overnight SAVER for a kel-tec, depending which states it's going to.

There's 2 types of UPS Overnight: Overnight and Overnight Saver.  Overnight Saver cost LESS than Overnight.

But there's no legal requirement to ship overnight. Isn't that just a UPS/FedEx Policy?

How much do you pay when you ship? So you say Overnight Saver and there's a gun in the box?

Quoted: But there's no legal requirement to ship overnight. Isn't that just a UPS/FedEx Policy? How much do you pay when you ship? So you say Overnight Saver and there's a gun in the box?

That's correct, not legal requirement regarding Overnight, but Overnight has 2 rates: Overnight and then Overnight Saver.

The Saver mode doesn't have to be delivered to the business until like late in the day while Overnight
has to be there by a certain time in the morning of that day, hence Overnight cost more than Overnight Saver.  It's just my way to cutting some shipping fees when dealing w/ handguns.

I don't know how much it cost in your case but it's a hell lot lower than $80 charged by your FFL and a little cheaper than Overnight (usually $7-12 less for Saver).

Remember this HAS-TO-BE-SHIPPED-OVERNIGHT by UPS applies to HANDGUNS only, not rifle or shotgun (they can go regular Ground).

Get a copy of the receiving FFL to you are covered from that viewpoint. Wrap the package and mail. Makes you feel better, take apart and mail two or three smaller packages.  Send barrel in one, frame in another, and mages in third. Save money and no violations.

I'm sorry but I've mailed probably 15 guns, including machine guns, and know of what I speak.  I take mine to local mailing store, he can mail UPS, USPS, or FedEx, and give him a copy of the FFL.  He simply wraps it and mails it with proper insurance I've sent a few MG's overnight when buyer was paying costs but not when I was paying. Most are sent regular shipping , This is no big deal unless you make it one.