manuals
dmm review: shipping firearms — clarification
Beginning November 7, 2011, the Postal Service™ will revise the United States Postal Service Mail Standards, National Mail Manual (DMM®) 601.12.1 through 601.12.3 to clarify the standards surrounding the ability to mail firearms.
these clarifications were developed in collaboration with the office of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives (atf), and do not expand or limit the current requirements for shipping firearms through the u. yes postal service®. Prior to this clarification, firearms shipping options were only provided to the potential shipper through an ATF contact. The primary purpose of this article is to provide clarity for those seeking advice on shipping firearms and related items and to help reduce the number of questions sent to ATF.
In addition, the Postal Service provides guidelines for shipping airguns, which reflect reasonable practices commonly used in the industry.
Postmasters can provide these revised guidelines to firearms shippers immediately.
United States Postal Service Postal Regulations, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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600basic standards for all mail services
601mail capacity
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12.0other restricted and unmailable subject
[revise the title of 12.1 as follows:]12.1firearms
12.1.1definitions
terms used in this standard are defined as follows:
[remove the current 12.1.1a and 12.1.1g items entirely and replace them with the following.]one. firearm means any device, including a starter pistol, that is either designed to, or readily convertible to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm silencer or firearm silencer; or any destructive device; but the term will not include an antique firearm.
b. The frame or receiver of a firearm is that part of a firearm that provides housing for the hammer, bolt or breech and firing mechanism and is usually threaded at its front to receive the barrel.
c. pistol (including pistols and revolvers) means any firearm that has a short stock and is designed to be held and fired with the use of one hand and subject to 12.1.1a, or a combination of parts from which can assemble a gun.
d. Other firearms that can be concealed on the person include, but are not limited to, short barrel shotguns and short barrel rifles.
e. short-barreled shotgun means a shotgun that has one or more barrels less than 18 inches in length. the term short-barreled rifle means a rifle that has one or more barrels less than 16 inches long. these definitions include any weapon made from a shotgun or rifle, whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such modified weapon has an overall length of less than 26 inches. a short-barreled shotgun or larger rifle may be considered unshippable when it has features that allow the person to be concealed.
f. federal firearms licensee (ffl) firearms manufacturer, dealer, or importer means a manufacturer, dealer, or importer duly licensed by the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives (atf) under chapter 44, title 18 , united states code (u.s.c. ).
g. curio and relic collector means a person licensed by the atf to transfer or receive only those firearms defined as curios or relics by the atf under title 27, code of federal regulations (cfr), section 478.11.
h. Antique firearm means any muzzle-loading rifle/shotgun/pistol that is designed to use black powder or a black powder substitute and cannot use fixed ammunition (except those incorporating a firearm frame or receiver, any firearm firearm that converts to a muzzleloader, or any muzzleloader that can be easily converted to fixed ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, bolt, or any combination thereof); or any firearm (including those with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in or before 1898, or any replica thereof, if such replica:
1. Not designed or redesigned to use conventional rimfire or centerfire fixed ammunition.
2. uses conventional centerfire or rimfire fixed ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the united states and is not readily available through ordinary channels of commerce.
me. air gun means a gun that fires a projectile by means of compressed air or other gas (including paintball and pellet guns).
12.1.2guns
[check 12.1.2 as follows:]Guns and other firearms that can be concealed on the person may not be mailed unless mailed between the parties listed in 12.1.3 and 12.1.5 after the filing of an affidavit or statement required by 12.1.4 and 12.1.6, and are subject to the following:
one. firearms that meet the definition of a handgun under 12.1.1b, and the definition of curios or relics under 27 cfr 478.11 may be mailed between curio and relic collectors only when those firearms also meet the definition of Antique firearm per 12.1.1g.
b. firearms that meet the definition of a firearm under 12.1.1b that are certified by the curator of a municipal, state, or federal museum that exhibits firearms as curios or relics of museum interest may be accepted for mailing disregarding 12.1.3 through 12.1.6.
c. BB guns that do not meet the definition of a firearm under 12.1.1a that can be concealed on a person may be mailed; but must include adult signature service per 503.8.0. shippers must comply with all applicable state and local regulations.
d. Gun parts may be mailed, except for frames, receivers, or other parts or components regulated by Chapter 44, Title 18, U.S.C.
e. senders are also subject to applicable restrictions by state, territory, or district governments.
12.1.3authorized persons
[revise the introductory sentence of 12.1.3 as follows:]Subject to 12.1.4, handguns may be mailed by a licensed firearms manufacturer, a licensed firearms dealer, a licensed firearms importer, or an authorized agent of the federal government or government of a state, territory, or district, only when directed to a person in one of the following categories for use in the person’s official duties:
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[revise title and text of 12.1.5 as follows:]12.1.5manufacturers, distributors and importers
Guns may also be mailed between licensed firearms manufacturers, licensed firearms dealers, and licensed firearms importers in regular commercial shipments, or for repair or replacement parts.
[revise title and text of 12.1.6 as follows:]12.1.6certificate of manufacturers, distributors and importers
A federally licensed firearms manufacturer, dealer, or importer need not file the affidavit under 12.1.4, but must file with the postmaster a statement on Form 1508 signed by the sender that he or she You are a manufacturer, distributor, or importer of firearms. the shipper must also represent that packages containing guns, or gun parts and components under 12.1.2d, are shipped in usual commercial shipments or contain such items for repair or replacement parts, and that to the best of their knowledge, the recipients are licensed manufacturers, dealers, or importers of firearms.
[revise title and text of 12.1.7 as follows:]12.1.7Federal Agencies and Other Law Enforcement
Guns may be mailed regardless of 12.1.3 through 12.1.6 if the item is:
a. directed to a scientific laboratory or to a crime detection office of any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency whose members are authorized to serve arrest or commitment orders.
b. sent by an authorized agent of the federal government as an official shipment to any recipient qualified in 12.1.3, or to a licensed firearms manufacturer, dealer, or importer, or to a federal agency.
[delete 12.2, old firearms, in its entirety and renumber current 12.3 through 12.22 as new 12.2 through 12.21.]12.2rifles and shotguns
[review the new 12.2 numbering as follows:]Except in 12.1.1d and 12.1.2, downloaded rifles and shotguns can be mailed. shippers must comply with the rules and regulations under 27 cfr, part 478, as well as state and local laws. The USPS may require the sender to establish, by opening the package or by written certification, that the rifle or shotgun is unloaded and not ineligible for mailing under 12.1.1d. the following conditions also apply:
a. Subject to state, territory, or district regulations, rifles and shotguns may be mailed without restriction when shipped within the same shipping state. these items must bear a “return service requested” endorsement and must be sent by express mail (“signature required” must be used on delivery) or certified mail, or must include insured mail service (over $200) that requires a signature on delivery.
b. a shotgun or rifle owned by a person other than ffl may be mailed out of the owner’s state of residence by the owner to himself, in the care of another person in the state, where he intends to hunt or engage in any other legal activity. These submissions must:
1. be addressed to the owner.
2. include the “in care of” endorsement immediately before the name of the applicable temporary custodian.
3. be opened only by the owner of the rifle or shotgun.
4. be mailed using the services described in 12.2a.
c. rifles and shotguns may be mailed domestically by a non-ffl owner to an ffl dealer, manufacturer, or importer in any state. USPS recommends that these items be mailed using the services described in 12.2a.
d. Except as described in 12.1.2a, licensed curio and relic collectors may mail firearms that meet the definition of curios or relics under 27 cfr 478.11 nationwide to licensed curio and relic collectors in any state. USPS recommends that these items be mailed using the services described in 12.2a.
e. firearms certified by the curator of a municipal, state, or federal museum displaying firearms as curios or relics of museum interest may be accepted for mailing without restriction.
f. air pistols that do not meet the definition of a firearm under 12.1.1a may be mailed. a shipment containing an air pistol with a muzzle velocity of 400 or more feet per second (fps) must include an adult signature service per 503.8.0. Shippers must also comply with all applicable state and local regulations.
12.3Legal Opinions About Shipping Firearms
[review the new 12.3 numbering as follows:]Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any firearms shipment. More tips and ATF contact information are available at http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/.
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We will incorporate these revisions in the next monthly update to the online dmm, which is available through postal explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
: product classification, prices, 10-6-11