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Mailing/shipping a rifle

brummiejim
Hi, Experts. I'm sure someone has asked this question before, but can I mail or ship or send a rifle to a dealer in another state? I'm not a dealer. The rifle is pre-war Winchester '94. If so, how do I do it? Which firm is the best to use? FEDEX? UPS? Postal Service? Thanks for any input. Jim
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  • mark christian
    First thing is to be sure that the dealer on the receiving end will accept the rifle from you, a non licensee. The regulations allow you to ship to an FFL, but some dealers will only accept firearms coming from another FFL. For a rifle you can use UPS, FedEx or the US Mail. Prices vary between carriers based on weight, distance and services like insurance and delivery confirmation (UPS wants $6 for delivery confirmation while the Post Office charges under a buck) so the choice mostly depends on the costs involved.
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  • moreammoplz
    An individual (nonFFL) can not use the US postal service. I tried a couple of months ago and there is a form to fill out. Even though I was shipping to an FFL they refused my package. This was at the main branch in Louisville.

    I gave it to my FFL and he was able to mail the long gun through the mail.
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  • tsr1965
    quote:Originally posted by moreammoplz
    An individual (nonFFL) can not use the US postal service. I tried a couple of months ago and there is a form to fill out. Even though I was shipping to an FFL they refused my package. This was at the main branch in Louisville.

    I gave it to my FFL and he was able to mail the long gun through the mail.


    You are totally incorrect. I mail long guns all the time for friends selling them on auction. The USPS has regulations that NO AMMO be shipped, and the fire arm is unloaded. HANDGUNS must be shipped by a dealer thru the USPS.

    Tell the person who gave you the hastle at the service counter that you want to talk with his/her supervisor to report harrassment, and they will be the most helpful person you could ever imagine. If you can post on this site, you can also go to the USPS website and get their regulations, as well as UPS, and FEDEX. The anti's that work for USPS, UPS, FEDEX and others often use their job to exploit their views.

    Best
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  • perry shooter
    I also ship rifles by USPS never a problem I have a C&R but never been asked ANYTHING about IT. DO NOT MARK the package with Firearm gun shop etc. make sure it cant be damaged in the packing.

    EDITIF you get delivery conformation and or customer signature required then you will have online tracking Insurance is also cheaper then UPS/FED-EX
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  • ruger41
    quote:Originally posted by moreammoplz
    An individual (nonFFL) can not use the US postal service. I tried a couple of months ago and there is a form to fill out. Even though I was shipping to an FFL they refused my package. This was at the main branch in Louisville.

    I gave it to my FFL and he was able to mail the long gun through the mail.


    you are wrong that you cannot ship LONG guns because you can , but you may have encountered what I did at the local post office--Ignorant of their own rules employees. You may have to get the post master involved and tell them to check their own darn Domestic Mailer Manual. I tried shipping an antique rifle via the post office and got the same run around as you did--went to a different office and the person behind the counter said no problem where do you want it shipped.

    Scroll all the way down to 11.2 in this link from the Post Officehttp://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/601.htm

    and here is 11.4: Legal Opinions on Mailing Firearms
    Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any shipment of rifles or shotguns. Contact the nearest office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for further advice.
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  • nmyers
    All of which is WHY you don't discuss the contents of your package with a postal clerk. YOU have to know the law, & YOU have to follow it. All you do it place your package on the counter & tell the clerk how to ship it. The clerk will only ask you The Four Questions (Is it fragile? Is it liquid? etc), & you must truthfully answer YES to all of them. The clerk may ask you to open the package if he has reason to believe that there is a problem with the contents, but, if the long gun is well packaged, there should be no reason for it to be questioned.

    Neal
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  • ruger41
    Section 11.3 regarding fireams you are legally supposed to inform postal employees there is a firearm in the box and they are allowed to ask you to open to verify it's unloaded.
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  • Mark G
    An non FFL individual can ship a long gun via USPS. I have done it many times. You MUST tell the clerk what is in the package as there is a special form that must be filled out. DO NOT label the package as a firearm and if it shipping to "Steves Gun Shop" you might want to address it to "SGS" instead. I took the USPS postal regs and the Gunbroker shipping guide with me the first couple of times until I figured out which clerks knew what they were doing. After that, I would wait for them. The only real downside to USPS is they don't have online tracking like UPS or Fedex. They will just tell you when it has beed delivered.
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  • mark christian
    quote:Originally posted by moreammoplz
    An individual (nonFFL) can not use the US postal service. I tried a couple of months ago and there is a form to fill out. Even though I was shipping to an FFL they refused my package. This was at the main branch in Louisville.

    I gave it to my FFL and he was able to mail the long gun through the mail.


    Not true, the Postal regulations clearly allow the shipping of long gun by non dealers. If you were stopped at the customer counter then it was by employees who do not read or understand the regulations.
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  • mark christian
    We have covered this same subject so many times before that I don't see much point in dragging the post out any longer.
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