First time sending gun thru mail..need some pointers!

Yep. Although you did say "mail" in your post. "Mail" means US Postal Service which is illegal for Joe Citizen to use for handguns. Rifle/shotgun would be no problem mailing via US Post Office.

Fedex company policy requires that you tell them it is a gun being shipped.

Might be cheaper to have a local gun shop send it in for you - they can use post office for handguns and the savings in shipping cost may be greater than whatever fee they might charge you.

The gun will come back directly to whomever sent it in to the manufacturer - directly to your doorstep if you ship - to the local gun shop if they send it.

Go here http://www.fedex.com/us/service-guide/terms/express-ground/index.html then select "Express US terms" then "firearms" and read their terms

I sent an HK from South Carolina to Texs to get refinished. My wife brought me a box from her work and I just packed it up in news paper and taped the box. Then I took the box to my local ups store, and said "I need to ship this to Texas". She weighed the package, then put a lable on it and that was it.

keep us posted with what it cost if you do not mind. inquiring minds want to know

I've shipped guns via fedex and have never been asked what it is. However, the concern is that if it gets lost, and you claim a gun but didn't tell them it was a gun, they may try to deny the insurance claim. I'd probably tell them what it is, pay the overnight shipping fee, and insure it for the full replacement value. Or, go to the gun shop and have them do it for you.

You can ship a long gun via usps, but not a handgun as long as you comply with their regulations.

Go to a main hub and declare what you are sending. Walk in and say loudly, "I got a gun!". Just kidding. I had to send a Sig556 back for warranty repair and they sent me a fedex mailing label so i happily stuck it in it's box, taped it up and dropped off at a local Fedex Hub/Store. When i tried to track it a few days later to verify it arrived there was no record of it being shipped. Upon calling they told me i was supposed to have taken it to the main hub since it was a firearm. Sig failed to mention this. For several days they allegedly could not find the package and then it magically indicated delivered, which i confirmed with Sig. I'm pretty sure they notified some gov't yahoo, did an investigatoin, yada, yada, found out it was legal and sent it on through.

It is required by federal law that you disclose that the package contains a firearm when shipping by common carrier. Some people will suggest that you label it "machine parts" or something similar, but if the package is lost or stolen, you could be in hot water. Neither Fedex or UPS will let you ship a firearm from their retail stores, you can drop it off at a hub, or schedule a pickup. They also require handguns to go by air, which is super expensive, so it is usually cheaper to have your FFL ship it USPS priority.

rule303 said:

It is required by federal law that you disclose that the package contains a firearm when shipping by common carrier.

Click to expand...

Not if the package is remaining in the same state or if the package is going to an FFL. In this case the package is going to an FFL (the manufacturer), so Federal law does NOT require notification to the carrier. The carrier's company policy (UPS or FEDEX) does, however.

18 USC 922 (e):
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922

(e) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to deliver or cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, to persons other than licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors, any package or other container in which there is any firearm or ammunition without written notice to the carrier that such firearm or ammunition is being transported or shipped;

Just for infom http://www.ledgernews.com/news/503-...entenced-in-federal-gun-trafficking-caseation, scroll down and notice what "Quinn" was convicted of,

cane said:

Just for infom http://www.ledgernews.com/news/503-...entenced-in-federal-gun-trafficking-caseation, scroll down and notice what "Quinn" was convicted of,

Click to expand...

Completely irrelevent to the topic of this thread. Quinn and Moore were UNLICENSED individuals residing in different states shipping firearms between themselves. The key word being UNLICENSED. The topic of this thread is NOT shipping firearms between two unlicensed parties. The topic of this thread is shipping a firearm to a LICENSED manufacturer. Entirely different scenario.

Thank you for your contribution.

Sending it in its original box, inside of another box of course, would provide an added measure of protection and padding, but is not absolutely necessary.

I sent an HK from South Carolina to Texs to get refinished. My wife brought me a box from her work and I just packed it up in news paper and taped the box. Then I took the box to my local ups store, and said "I need to ship this to Texas". She weighed the package, then put a lable on it and that was it.

Click to expand...

Not exactly Kosher - you did not declare the item to be what it was, the local stores do not accept firearms, it needs to go through the hub and via overnight. had that been lost, you would have been out that HK, an expensive lesson

I'm not in your state, but I charge $50 to mail handguns as I'm a dealer. That's a great deal cheaper than you'll spend if you ship it through a common carrier according to their policies. I'd suggest that you ask around amongst the FFLs in your area.