a few years ago I sent watch for repair. I insured it for 5k. I had it all packaged and when i got to ups they had me open it and they verified contents and took a picture of the watch.

question for those t hat have shipped firearms recently.


I presently have a firearm sale pending. When time comes to ship,will they ask me to open it also? will insure it for 1800.00.

Ship it from the Post Office...I hear the insurance can be troublesome - IF they loose it...but it is much cheaper and no hassle.

+1 about the post office.  I've shipped several long guns and insured them and they have NEVER asked me what I was shipping (nor did I volunteer it, since it is NOT required that you inform the post office if you are legally shipping a long gun).

I only had a post office ask once to inspect the firearm being shipped.  When the postmaster opened the outer box and saw bounds of packing noodles and two sealed inner boxes, he put everything back together and said I "should keep it quiet that he didn't inspect them."



Umm, 'kay...

Other than that, no problems.

Mike

I have shipped a couple of times and used USPS. No hassle, no inspection. If you declare it and let them know you are aware of the regs and the gun is unloaded, no ammunition in the package, (preferably mechanicaly unable to fire, for example, bolt removed)  they probably won't bother you.

If you get a hardass, you can let them know that Postal Regs allow a written declaration that the firearm is unloaded as an acceptable alternative to an inspection of the package. It helps to have read the regs and carry a printout if you are worried about it.

Be sure that you are shipping legaly ie. to an FFL if out of state. You cannot ship handguns, an ffl has to do it for you. The postal regs say you must ship according to laws, the ATF FAQ is a good guide for this and I would reccomend a printout of this as well to answer any challenges.

If you are in a larger town, the main post office may have a seperate business counter for bulk mailings and other business mailing seperate from the regular counter. You might find that a better way to go.

I never had to open up a weapons box when shipping UPS.

Hell, UPS packed one for me!

Since I'm overseas I asked my Mom to ship a rifle back to the factory for me. She put it in the factory box, but when she got to the UPS office they didn't have a box that the factory box would fit in, so the woman just took my rifle out of the box and told Mom she'd repack into a suitable container before their shipment went out. No muss or fuss or treating the weapon like a ticking bomb- she set it to the side on the counter and helped the next customer!

I love being from the country.

UPS and FedEx never opened mine

I shipped one out USPS and I had every one of them a gun hater in there.
Lady at the counter tells me that I have to be an FFL to ship a firearm. I pull out the regs posted on thier website and inform her to look at the regs. She looks at it and tells me that i now have to open the box for her to look at it. I showed her the regs and pointed out the paragraph that I can declare it safe, legal and unloaded and have a signed statment of that for her. No no no not good enough...

Now she calls over 'Hank' the only guy in there to look at it to see if its unloaded after she marveled how nicly I had it packed up. So now I have to ope the box and pull out the rifle oto the counter and had the bolt seperate and plunked that down on the counter. 'Hank' sais "gee what kind of assault rifle is this? Why would anyone want to own one of these?" after showing Hank the regulations and obligations he was still trying to tell me that I had to be an FFL, never mind the large croud in the place watching this event going on. After telling 'Hank' that it is not an assault rifle but a semi-automatic firearm and showing him the clear chamber I am allowed to try and repack the rifle and associated gear. 'Hank' had no clue of what he was looking at and the clowns have no clue of thier own regulatios even after I gave them copies of thier own published stuff that was not good enough.

I dread the thought of having to go through that circus act again with the USPS. I think I will not volenteer what is in there next time on the long guns.


My only hope is that in this town that if I send out another firearm they will not make a mockery of my rights again due to thier own attitudes against gun owners

Quoted: I shipped one out USPS and I had every one of them a gun hater in there. Lady at the counter tells me that I have to be an FFL to ship a firearm. I pull out the regs posted on thier website and inform her to look at the regs. She looks at it and tells me that i now have to open the box for her to look at it. I showed her the regs and pointed out the paragraph that I can declare it safe, legal and unloaded and have a signed statment of that for her. No no no not good enough... Now she calls over 'Hank' the only guy in there to look at it to see if its unloaded after she marveled how nicly I had it packed up. So now I have to ope the box and pull out the rifle oto the counter and had the bolt seperate and plunked that down on the counter. 'Hank' sais "gee what kind of assault rifle is this? Why would anyone want to own one of these?" after showing Hank the regulations and obligations he was still trying to tell me that I had to be an FFL, never mind the large croud in the place watching this event going on. After telling 'Hank' that it is not an assault rifle but a semi-automatic firearm and showing him the clear chamber I am allowed to try and repack the rifle and associated gear. 'Hank' had no clue of what he was looking at and the clowns have no clue of thier own regulatios even after I gave them copies of thier own published stuff that was not good enough. I dread the thought of having to go through that circus act again with the USPS. I think I will not volenteer what is in there next time on the long guns. My only hope is that in this town that if I send out another firearm they will not make a mockery of my rights again due to thier own attitudes against gun owners

You are NOT required to inform the USPS that it's a gun (only contract carriers). Next time, don't bother.

Haven't done a long gun but UPS in Kokomo IN didn't open my package when I sent a handgun to AR recently. The lady behind the counter treated it like any other shipment.

Quoted: I shipped one out USPS and I had every one of them a gun hater in there. Lady at the counter tells me that I have to be an FFL to ship a firearm. I pull out the regs posted on thier website and inform her to look at the regs. She looks at it and tells me that i now have to open the box for her to look at it. I showed her the regs and pointed out the paragraph that I can declare it safe, legal and unloaded and have a signed statment of that for her. No no no not good enough... Now she calls over 'Hank' the only guy in there to look at it to see if its unloaded after she marveled how nicly I had it packed up. So now I have to ope the box and pull out the rifle oto the counter and had the bolt seperate and plunked that down on the counter. 'Hank' sais "gee what kind of assault rifle is this? Why would anyone want to own one of these?" after showing Hank the regulations and obligations he was still trying to tell me that I had to be an FFL, never mind the large croud in the place watching this event going on. After telling 'Hank' that it is not an assault rifle but a semi-automatic firearm and showing him the clear chamber I am allowed to try and repack the rifle and associated gear. 'Hank' had no clue of what he was looking at and the clowns have no clue of thier own regulatios even after I gave them copies of thier own published stuff that was not good enough. I dread the thought of having to go through that circus act again with the USPS. I think I will not volenteer what is in there next time on the long guns. My only hope is that in this town that if I send out another firearm they will not make a mockery of my rights again due to thier own attitudes against gun owners

You shouldn't have told them...you are NOT required to by law.

Quoted: You cannot ship handguns, an ffl has to do it for you.

You can ship a handgun. Just use Fed Ex and you can ship it to an FFL.

i shipped a long gun USPS  last month.   they taped it up while I was paying her for the insurance