Hi all-

I'm gonna ship a rifle to an FFL in WAAAAY rural Wyoming within the next few days.  Since UPS doesn't regularly service there, it looks like my only option is the Postal service (USPS).    

I am wondering, has anyone ever shipped a rifle by USPS?  It looks like it's possible; looking at the regs I intend to do the following:

1. pack the rifle
2. call for a pickup  (I was going to deliver it to the counter, but then I remembered the "no guns" sign in the post office and thought that might not be the best idea).  

Are there any other hitches I need to be aware of?

Thanks,

G1

I shipped my HK-94 ($3500 rifle) to ADCO (the FFL on the receiving end) through the USPS with no problems whatsoever. Here's what you need to know:

- Under no circumstances should there be any markings or words on the outside of the box that might indicate that the box contains a firearm. This is per the USPS regulations.

- Get a copy of the receiving FFL (signed in red ink) and bring it with you the Post Office just in case they

- Go to the USPS web site and print out a copy of their regulations just in case the counter person gives you a hard time and they can't/won't look it up in their manual.

- Tell the counter person what you are shipping (a long arm, rifle)

- Disassemble it enough (remove the bolt) so it cannot be fired. This is per their regulations.
want to verify that is going to an FFL.

- Get insurance and ship it using the fastest method fiscally possible.

Some folks will tell you not to tell them (USPS) what's in the box but I'll leave that up to you. If you have to file an insurance claim and you didn't tell them what you were shipping, well you might have a big hassle getting paid for the claim.

Thanks, Matt.

Sounds good.  So, I guess the "no guns" sign on the front of the post office doesn't apply to those who are shipping long arms?

G1

The sign in the USPO does NOT apply to anyone who is there for any LAWFUL purpose! Period! Read the USC and CFR referenced and you'll get a very different take than what is printed on the poster (hint: I think Sarah Brady designed the poster).

Be aware that the USPS has a long-standing reputation of NOT paying off on insurance claims regardless of what you ship! You pay a lot, they will bury you in paper (forms to fill out) and eventually (6-12 months later) pay you a pittance vs. what the item is worth.

Hi,
 Just went through a big hassel down at the post office. some big bull dyke said I could not ship a firearm through the mail, period.
 As I had their regulation book, along with a copy of the ffl, and a letter certifying that the firearm was not a short barreled rifle or shotgin, and that it was not loaded, and a copy of the Brady Bill, stating it was legal to ship a rifle through the mail, for repair or to ffl holder. she still would not do it!!
 So, I asked her to get a supervisor, to which she said she would not!! I was pissed off now, and started to raise a little fuss. Finally, the head post master poked her head out of the office, and asked if there was a problem? After about 20 minuets with her, she had no choice but to accept the firearm for shipment. I told her it was pitiful that the people that worked there, had no clue as to the regulations!! She just gave me a dirty look, and walked off.

these are the type of folks that are on the public dole, as it were!!

UPS will make you totally un-pack a rifle or shotgun, so they can verify what it is, and that it is not loaded. Who to use??? I don't know. I have heard that Fed-Ex will not ship firearms at all??

Cheers,
Wayne

Well, to add to the knowledge base-

I went to the big regional post office (open til midnight weekdays, 9PM on Sat., and 9-5 on Sunday!).   I talked with an old-southern, white male postal clerk who said I was good to go.  

I brought it in, and it appears there is a form the post office wants you to fill out to waive legal liability (basically "I know that the other party is a liscence holder under pain of perjury").  


I guess it depends on who.  My recommendations:

1. read up on the postal regs.  Go to the ATF site, and also read USPS Pub. 52, "Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail" at USPS.com.

2. Get the ink signed FFL, box the rifle and prepare the labels.  BE SURE THE BOX AND LABELS GIVE NO INDICATION THAT IT'S A RIFLE OR THAT IT'S GOING TO A DEALER, GUNSMITH, ETC.   Talk to the FFL about this if you have questions.  

3. Go to the PO.  [optional step] Leave the box in the car. [/optional step] Go to the clerk, tell him/her "I need to ship a firearm to a licensed dealer.  Federal law and postal regulations allow me to do this; what do you all need from me?".     If the clerk is uncooperative, talk to the manager.  

Try to avoid clerks who are obviously new immigrants, liberals, or anyone who you think would be anti-gun or play funny with the postal regulations.    

4. bring in the rifle in if you haven't already, fill out the "I certify I'm sending this to an FFL"  form, and then send the rifle out.    

Quoted: UPS will make you totally un-pack a rifle or shotgun, so they can verify what it is, and that it is not loaded. Who to use??? I don't know. I have heard that Fed-Ex will not ship firearms at all??

Wow. Sorry to hear about your ordeal. Out of curiousity, was the Post Office in a small town or medium sized city?

Fed-Ex ships firearms no problem. I shipped my Springfield to factory with them and they were the carrier when it was returned to me. The only thing I had to do when it was returned to me was go to the local hub to pick it up. They had to have my signature which I felt was good security on their part.

I have shipped out a rifle FedEx gnd before. After the clerk was able to find the info in their tariffs, no problem at all. Didn't have to unpack anything or show them any FFLs, etc.

I have shipped a handgun FedEx overnight (pre-paid label), no problem at all . . . just drop and leave at local FedEx depot. Had to go back there and sign for it (with showing ID) to pick it up as I wasn't home when they attempted delivery. Gonna do same thing again in next week or so. Again, no unpacking, no FFLs, etc.

You can create an account online with UPS, USPS, FedEx and you print pre-paid labels. When you do this, all hassles should disappear. At least that has been my experience.

I have NOT used USPS to ship long guns since they do not pay out on insurance if there is a loss, they just bury you in paper until you give up. In fact I shipped some computer and gun parts (2 shipments) a few weeks ago via USPS Priority Mail (all labeled and paid for via computer), didn't take insurance (since they won't pay anyway) and dropped both boxes in the USPO wall slot. [I had to drop them off ~0630, long before the counter service opened.]

If I were to ship a long gun from USPO, I wouldn't expect a hassle at my local PO as everyone on the counter and the Postmaster know me by name. If you are friendly to the help normally, you'd be amazed at how they will treat you when you have that "oddball request"!

YMMV

Be sure to use delivery confirmation.  If you use registered mail, the package has to be sealed with the kind of paper tape that requires water (not the self adhesive sticking type).

i just went through the same thing.
I did my research,  and here are a few sites to help you
www.thegunzone.com/ship-guns.html
www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52.htm
copy the section from the  USPS manual concerning firearms,( section 43) hilight the specific areas, hand the clerk a letter certifying  that you are in compliance with  with the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-618) and 18 U.S.C. 921, is not a short barreled rifle, is not a short barreled shotgun, is unloaded, and you should be good to go.

basicaly according to the USPS, this is the guideline

Unloaded Rifle or Shotgun
Short-barrelled rifles or shotguns that can be concealed on a person are nonmailable.
Mailer must comply with Gun Control Act of 1968 and with the state and local laws. USPS may require mailer to open parcel or give written certification that weapon is unloaded and not concealable. Registered mail service is recommended.

it says nothing about removing the firing pin, or dissassembling the rifle.
they tried that crap with me, and i just said, ":get the manual and show me"
and i also pointed out this regulation

434 Legal Opinions on Mailing Firearms
Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any shipment of rifles or shotguns. Mailers should be referred to the nearest regional ATF office for further advice. See 435 and Exhibit 435.

I told them that the manual does not say  it has to have the firing pin removed, and they are not in the position to make  opinions on the legality of me shipping my rifle with the firing pin in.
the supervisor shrugged, said I was right, and took my rifle.

Sorry to hear you have such losers working at your post office.  I've shipped several rifles through the post office and have had different experiences.  The one I go to now the guys are real pro-gun and the guy started talking up a conversation about all the ones he wants to get.  

In the past though one post office I went to in a different town, you could tell the people there were anti-gun or afraid of guns.  First a lady said it couldn't be mailed then I told here no that wasn't right, she got all agitated and they tried to tell me I had to send it registered mail and that the firing pin had to be removed which wasn't right either.  

What you need to do when you send one is just make an extra copy of the FFL for them and a signed statement saying it's unloaded and legal to ship.  Declare that it's a firearm and also send it insured.  Besides not having any info saying it's a gun on the box, that's pretty much all you need to do.  You don't need delivery confirmation, insurance takes care of that.  

Since you have idiots working at your post office, I'd file a formal complaint with a head office.  They can get into some serious trouble for denying to ship it.

I had the same problem mailing a rifle in my Home state of West Virginia....I tried to mail it in a little Po-dunk town by the name of princeton....the postal clerk wouldn't even look at their manual or the copy of the reg's that I took wiht me....so I called the regionla post master, he met met me at the post office the next day and we got it mailed.....I hear tell that the employee who was so rude to me and wouldn't listen took an early "retirement" fromt the postal service.......Personally I think that if someone doesn't know a postal regulation as important as this one, they have no business being a USPS employee

I have tried t compile some of the laws regarding shipping a gun and I welcome any additions:

www.quarterbore.net/forums/showthread.php?t=135

I just had similar problems trying to ship a rifle via UPS.  My problem wasn't with UPS it was with all the stores here in the Philli PA area that wouldn't take a package withe a firearm...  I did get the rifle shipped but I did so through my local post office and sent it Priority mail...

Quoted: I have tried t compile some of the laws regarding shipping a gun and I welcome any additions: www.quarterbore.net/forums/showthread.php?t=135 I just had similar problems trying to ship a rifle via UPS.  My problem wasn't with UPS it was with all the stores here in the Philli PA area that wouldn't take a package withe a firearm...  I did get the rifle shipped but I did so through my local post office and sent it Priority mail...

UPS Stores (and I suppose FedEx/Kinkos) are PROHIBITED from accepting firearms of any sort for shipment. Don't know if it is Fed Law or just a "rule" of the carrier. Only counters or drivers can be given firearms shipments.

If you setup an online account, you can do everything needed (assuming you invest $40 in a scale to weigh the package), slap a pre-paid label on it and find ANY UPS/FedEx truck to hand off the package to the driver. That's what I do . . . but I haven't done that with any firearms, yet.

I was told it was UPS policy - only shipping hubs (as in the main/real UPS counters) can accept firearms and not the tertiary branches (as in the stores).

Quoted: UPS Stores (and I suppose FedEx/Kinkos) are PROHIBITED from accepting firearms of any sort for shipment. Don't know if it is Fed Law or just a "rule" of the carrier. Only counters or drivers can be given firearms shipments.

I'd bet it has something to do with a background check for "direct" UPS/FedEx employees or the low caliber (no pun intended) of the people hired to work at the UPS stores and Kinko's.

Quoted: Quoted: UPS Stores (and I suppose FedEx/Kinkos) are PROHIBITED from accepting firearms of any sort for shipment. Don't know if it is Fed Law or just a "rule" of the carrier. Only counters or drivers can be given firearms shipments. I'd bet it has something to do with a background check for "direct" UPS/FedEx employees or the low caliber (no pun intended) of the people hired to work at the UPS stores and Kinko's.

Could be.  I had to go to an acutal UPS hub to ship my pistol back to Springfield; the local Mailboxes Etc. and other UPS outlets wouldn't touch it.  Of course if I would have said it was "machine parts" they probably wouldn't have known any different.  I just wanted to make sure it was properly insured in case it was lost and then turned up in some crime somewhere.

The sad thing is all these rules they have imposed isn't because of the firearms safety, it's primarily to prevent employee theft by the shippers themselves.