Can someone explain to me how shipping a gun works

[tnieto2004]

I have been trying to find out information on sending a Kel-Tec back to the manufacturer. FedEx says they wont do it, but UPS says they will ship it next day air it for $45.00. When I mail it to kel-tec, will they be able to mail it right back to me or will they have to mail it to a FFL and I have to go pick it up? Does $45.00 sound right for a little kel-tec p11 to be shipped from Texas to Florida? Seems high to me and kel-tec says they may or may not reimburse the shipping charges. The gun is not firing at this time .

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Sounds right, although I thought FedEx would do it overnight. Make sure to check with an actual FedEx depot and not the FedEx Kinko's goofballs.

Handguns have to ship overnight, which means they ding you for high shipping. Kel-tec will (or at least they should) ship it directly back to you.

Edit: See FedEx's firearm rules here: http://www.fedex.com/us/services/terms/us.html#firearms

 

[highfive]

Depending on where you are in Texas, a lot of dealers will mail it for you, specially if you bought the gun there.
I got mine shipped for $30.00 and it was a 38 spl snub nose. The dealer called me when he got it back.
Central Texas area though. Good Luck

 

[DragonFire]

Fed-Ex will take firearms, but they have to be sent overnight. The firearm can be shipped back directly to you without going through a FFL.

Most manufacturers will cover the cost of shipping if the work they do is covered under warranty.


$45 dollars for shipping may seem like alot, but ask your local gunsmith what his hourly rate it. I bet $45 doesn't cover a full hour of his time.

 

[DogBonz]

liars

FedEx says they wont do it

the person who you spoke to lied to you. Either that or they are ignorant of their own policies. You may have to ship it from a hub (not a FedEx Kinkos type place).

 

[tydephan]

You must either ship it (overnight) via a commercial carrier (UPS or FedEx) or use your FFL. A lot of times, your FFL can ship it cheaper as it is legal for him to use USPS. My guy does it for $20.

Kel-tec should pay for the shipping if it's warranty work. I've learned to avoid companies that do not treat their customers properly during warranty work.

 

[MrBorland]

I just my revolver shipped back from S&W after some warranty work. They paid for the UPS shipping, and I simply packed the gun & took it to a UPS drop-off. No questions asked. Assuming it had to come back to an FFL, I included the shipping info of our local range. To my surprise, S&W shipped it directly to my home! The next day, I bought a Ruger Blackhawk and was reading the little book, and came across the section below (bold mine). Implicit in the bold is that if it's legal in your state to recieve it, and you didn't send it via an FFL, it gets shipped directly to you.

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/PDF/InstructionManuals/10.pdf

The Federal Gun Control Act, as well as the laws of most States and localities, do not prohibit an individual (who is not otherwise barred from purchasing or possessing a firearm) from shipping a firearm directly to the manufacturer for repair. However, before shipping your firearm to us, be certain that your State or locality does not have a law or regulation which will prohibit you from receiving it from us after it has been repaired. If such receiving is prohibited, then please have a Federally Licensed Firearms dealer ship the gun to us. If your gun is sent to us by a dealer, it will be returned to him after being repaired. If a handgun (pistol or revolver) is shipped by an individual who does not hold a Federal Firearms License, it must be shipped for overnight delivery via U.P.S., Federal Express or other, similar private overnight service. NOTE: Firearms may not be shipped via U.S. Mail. Persons who do not hold a Federal Firearms License are prohibited by Federal law from shipping a handgun by Mail. Handguns mailed in violation of the law are impounded by the Post Office.

 

[Lashlarue]

An ffl can send it priority mail, to kel-tec and they can return it back to them.I sold two pistols this year on GB cost the buyers $40, $45 respectively and I had to ship to their ffl.Fedex sucks, they want the gun disassembled before they will ship it.Ups only requires you use a hub, not an Ups store.

 

[tnieto2004]

So where will it be sent BACK to me at? My home?

 

[nalioth]

So where will it be sent BACK to me at? My home?

It is legal for you to ship your firearm off for repairs and have it returned directly to your home.

 

[tydephan]

tineito,

For simplicity's sake, pick #1 or #2:

#1 - Package your gun and take it to a UPS hub and mail it overnight to Kel-tec (probably will cost you $45-60). The gun will be mailed back to your residence (probably signature required).

#2 - Take your gun to your FFL and have him ship it (probably won't cost as much as UPS). Gun will be mailed back to your FFL and you will need to go pick it up.

 

[NavyLCDR]

You can have the manufacturer send it back to you anywhere that you can legally possess that gun and where you will be physically present to sign for it. It will probably come back by UPS, which is what my Contender did.

Contrary to popular opinion, FEDEX/KINKO's is able to ship handguns. FEDEX/KINKO's is owned by FEDEX and has real FEDEX employees working there. I took a Thompson Contender to FEDEX/KINKOs, told the guy what it was, he asked if he could open the package. He opened the package, looked at it, then asked if I wanted it shipped ground or air. Knowing full well that according to FEDEX rules it had to go air (which would have been $56), I told him ground and he took like $9.60 from me and sent it ground!

All went well, less than 4 weeks later UPS shows up one day with the frame, I had to sign for it. Next day UPS showed up with the barrel, I had to sign for that as well. All delivered to my home address which happens to be on an Air Force Base!

But, by the letter of the rules it will cost you over $40 to ship it yourself. An FFL might do it cheaper for you, and you can still have it returned to your home. Also call the folks at the gun manufacturer, they will help you as well. BTW, when they receive your gun, they will probably send you a card in the mail saying they have received it, what address they will return it to and who to call for information.

 

[Deanimator]

Unless they've changed since last year, Fedex WILL ship a firearm from an individual to a dealer/manufacturer. When I had to ship my Model 29 to S&W for repair, I called Fedex and got specific instructions on what to do. I used the generic address specified by S&W. I boxed the gun with accompanying letter. I took it to a Fedex HUB, NOT a Kinko's. It HAD to be shipped overnight, which was expensive. It was fully ensured (contrary to some alleged instructions from S&W), but got there unharmed. I've seen at least one person in a forum claim that S&W told them not to enter a value on shipments to them, as they would "replace" any guns lost or permanently damaged. DON'T follow any such advice on an out of production gun!!! S&W damaged the barrel on my Model 29-2 and had NO replacements. If they can't replace a barrel, do you think they can replace the entire gun? What would they replace it WITH?

When I had to return the gun to S&W because of damage they'd caused, I sent it UPS with an S&W supplied label. I took it to their local hub, NOT a UPS store. When it had to be sent back to them for a third time, it went on their Fedex account, this time by pickup.

So that amounts to TWO Fedex shipments of a gun to a manufacturer. Bear in mind that in at least two of the three instances, I had to talk to a superviser regarding the ACTUAL rules. In the third, UPS didn't know what to do with the gun when I brought it to them. Fortunately, our old UPS driver happened to be in the lobby of the hub, and HE told them what to do.

 

[gunfighter48]

I have shipped with FedEx but had to go to one of their teminal locations. The local FedEx/Kinkos would not except guns for shipment.(may be a local thing) They do have to go overnight shipping.

 

[Archer1945]

Any one at FedEx who says they don't ship guns is either lying, too lazy to read their own rules or very, very new. I just shipped my XD45 to Canyon Creek with no problems at all. Cost, $33. You do have to go to a FedEx depot, not a satellite location or Kinko's.

I had made a copy of their regulations but didn't need it as the lady at the counter pulled them up on the computer before I even said I wanted to ship a handgun. I was going to go in with the gun already boxed to go but a friend who'd shipped his a couple of weeks before me said they'd want to make sure it wasn't loaded. I wasn't even asked.

I have heard of some problems with UPS but I wonder if it might because people take the gun to one of the distribution centers. If taken there they have to then transport it to a flight center. I took my gun directly to the FedEx terminal at the airport.

 

[Troutman]

<<have heard of some problems with UPS but I wonder if it might because people take the gun to one of the distribution centers.>>

Now I know why, S&W sends you a pre-paid label for repairs from their account (S&W) with UPS. One can have it either picked up at your door or one can drop it off at the distribution center (no staples centers). It’s either next day air or next day air saver. And gets sent back the same way, at your doorstep (adult sig. required) on the return.
Depending?, for me the cost of shipping (both ways) was picked up by S&W, as well as the cost of the repair.

 

[gezzer]

My shop will ship your Kel-Tec to the factory for $15.00. We will receive the gun back from them and then give it back to you.

It will be logged into our repair book from you and logged back out to you. If you bought they gun from our shop in the last year there will be no charge for this service. Best reason to use your local shop.