how to ship a firearm
If you haven’t shipped a firearm yet, chances are you will in the future. Guns are not only shipped for sale, they are also shipped for repairs, custom cerakote® finishes and more. however, you can’t just throw your gun in a box and mail it using whatever means are most convenient at the time. There are federal and state laws in place regarding shipping firearms that you should be aware of and follow. remember, claiming ignorance of the law is not a valid legal defense.
how do i ship a firearm?
When trying to figure out how to ship a firearm through the mail, you may find conflicting information about packaging methods and the documentation to include. First of all, follow the rules and regulations set forth by the carrier you are going to use. Second, if you send a gun in for repair to the manufacturer or a gunsmith, they will most likely give you specific instructions for packing the gun.
Documentation that should generally be included when shipping guns is a copy of your valid driver’s license and a copy of the Federal Firearms License (FFL) from your local store. it can also be a good preventative measure to include a copy of the destination ffl (take a moment to mark which ffl is the recipient’s ffl). You’ll find that most, if not all, shipping destinations require a copy of your driver’s license to be in the box with the firearms for their own records and also to complete a transfer, if one is taking place.
Please note that modern firearms generally need to be shipped to an ffl. however, when shipping from one non-licensee to another non-licensee within the same state, there may be exceptions. According to the ATF website, “an unlicensed person may not transfer a firearm to an unlicensed resident of another state. An unlicensed person may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state.” Please note that some states have laws that require all transfers to go through an ffl. It is also important to note that a person may only transfer a firearm to a person who has no knowledge, or reasonable cause to believe, that the person is prohibited from possessing firearms. An exception exists with respect to the transfer of firearms between unlicensed residents of a different state if the transfer is to a nonresident who inherits a firearm by will or state law upon the death of the firearm owner. fire.
atf continues:
united states postal service recommends that long guns be shipped by certified mail and that no marking indicating the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any package containing firearms. pistols cannot be mailed. a common or contract carrier must be used to ship a firearm.
As mentioned above, it’s important to know the specific rules of the carrier you plan to use. Just because it’s legal to ship a firearm doesn’t mean the carrier allows it. For example, FedEx specifically prohibits the shipment of firearms by unlicensed persons, regardless of any exceptions the law may establish regarding the transfer of firearms.
how do i ship ammunition?
ammunition can be shipped via ups. from the ups website:
ups accepts for carriage ammunition that constitutes “cartridges, small arms,” as defined in 49 c.f.r. § 173.59. all other permitted ammunition shipments are accepted only on a contractual basis and must be prepared in accordance with the rules for a fully regulated hazardous material. ammunition will be transported only when packaged and labeled in accordance with 49 c.f.r. § 172 (Hazardous Materials), and must be shipped in accordance with the UPS Guide for Shipping Hazardous Materials by Ground and Air. To comply with the Limited Quantity Exception, ammunition may be shipped via UPS Ground only within the 48 contiguous United States, UPS Ground within Oahu and intra-Alaska.
To qualify as cartridges, “limited quantity” small arms ammunition must be: ammunition not to exceed 12.7 mm (50 caliber or 0.5 inches) for rifle or pistol cartridges or 8 caliber for cartridges shotgun; or ammunition with inert projectiles or blank ammunition.
usps does not allow the shipment of ammunition.
fedex will not ship dangerous goods such as ammunition that are division 1.3 explosives.
how to ship a usps firearm
it is possible to ship firearms through usps. from the usps website:
432.1 general
Senders must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968, all provisions of the postal law at 18 u.s.c. 1715, and all other federal and state regulations and local ordinances affecting the movement of firearms. the following also applies:
a. the postal service may require the sender to open packages containing firearms or BB guns or to certify in writing that the weapon is unloaded and cannot be concealed.
b. short barreled rifles or shotguns that can be concealed on the person cannot be mailed.
c. No markings of any kind indicating the nature of the contents may be placed on the outer wrapper or container of any piece of mail containing firearms.
d. Material that can be mailed must be properly and securely packaged within the general packaging requirements in dmm 601.1-7.
e. Except for shipments between authorized dealers, manufacturers, or importers, all regulated firearms must be mailed using a USPS product or additional service that provides tracking and signature capture upon delivery.