How much does it cost to ship a handgun via FedEx?

[triage1998]

I sold two handguns last week and shipped them FedEx this week. Per FedEx policy, I had to ship them overnight.

I had shipped a handgun I had sold in Nov 2003 and it cost me with insurance $25.00.

Well this time, thinking it will cost me a total of $50.00 for both, I got a hell of a shock.

FedEx employee says "that will be $98.00". I'm like "are you sure, because last time I shipped a handgun it was $25.00". She was like "I guess the prices went up " I'm like "Up 100%, are you kidding me!" She says "No I'm not kidding you sir"

So how much does it cost everyone else in the country, excluding me, to ship a handgun via FedEx? Am I nuts to think this was a mistake?

 

[sturgeon]

I just shipped one two days ago, and with insurance and priority overnight, it cost me $46.00.
So It would cost me about the same as you paid, if I shipped 2.

 

[71Commander]

I just shipped one using UPS and the charge was 43.00. I believe the price change as you cross more zones.

 

[krang]

$50 Missouri to Arizona with insurance.

 

[Shorts]

I paid $32 overnight/next day w/insurance UPS sending my gun from WA to FL.

 

[alamo]

I've found many Fedex clerks don't know their own regs. I disclose that I am shipping a pistol but don't ask to ship it Priority Overnight per their rules. I wait to see if they will ask me how I want it shipped. Last 2 times they did and I asked what my options were. Both times I choose 2nd day delivery which is considerably cheaper.

 

[lbmii]

I shipped my Kel Tec in for service and paid less than $8 because I shipped it UPS ground. I wrote in the space for what I was shipping, "Machine Parts".

 

[Zeke Menuar]

$40 bucks to ship a 4" M686 from Monsoon Central (Oregon) to Hurricane Central (Florida) with insurance.

ZM

 

[Bob79]

I always ship mine via their 2-day method. They never ask whats in there, and I don't tell them. It usually costs about $12-14.

I understand that if something should happen to it they could argue and say they're not covering it because I didn't tell them what was in the box. I've never had a problem with lost/damaged items, and I understand there's a slight risk. I suppose if something happened I'd claim ignorance, and roll the dice.

 

[cane]

Federal law requires you to notify the carrier if you are shipping a firearm. Those "machine parts" could cost you 10 yrs/$10,000, is it worth it? I wouldn't admit on a public forum that Id violated federal law.

 

[SIOP]

Not only that, but if you don't declare it and it gets lost or damaged, you're SOL because the shipper will be under no obligation to pay the claim, whether you insured it or not.

Dan

 

[Wildalaska]

About $35 priority overnight...I tend to use that method the most as the gun is picked up from us by noon and is at destination by noon the next day...worth the few extra $$ IMHO

We ship alot I may add....

WildshippingmavenAlaska

 

[9x19]

cane,

Quite simply... you're wrong.

The belief that one must notify the carrier that the item being shipped is a firearm likely comes from a statement on BATF's website that is, at best poorly referenced, and at worst, just plain false.

I'm referring to:
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b9

B9) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by carrier?

A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by carrier to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm. [18 U. S. C. 922( a)( 2)( A) and 922( e), 27 CFR 178.31]

The law this bit of disinformation references is at:
http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/gca.htm

922. Unlawful acts

(a) It shall be unlawful --

(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; except that any passenger who owns or legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported aboard any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or ammunition into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or operator of such common or contract carrier for the duration of the trip without violating any of the provisions of this chapter. No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other container contains a firearm.

In other words, if you are shipping the pistol to a federally licensed entity, which you should be if its crossing state lines, then you don't have to tell the carrier anything.

Another guy put alot of this information together on his website, here:
http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/shipping.htm

 

[lbmii]

Like I said before, it cost less than 8 dollars to ship machine parts.

The UPS cops can come take me away.

 

[9x19]

SIOP,

Is that a legal opinion, or just a layman's?

No offense, but I doubt that contents will change the contract you make with a common carrier for shipment... if they lose the item, they are liable for the loss/damage... but I'll check with the wife's law firm to be sure.

 

[LBTRS]

I made the mistake of agreeing to a deal of covering the shipping charge on a handgun I recently sold. I got a rude awakening when the lady at the FedEx counter told me I owed her $51 to ship the handgun.

Learned a lesson on that one.

 

[SIOP]

9x19 -

Here's the info from UPS' web site. It clearly states that you must use Next Day Air and inform the clerk you are shipping a handgun. Thus, if you fail to comply with these requirements, you are in breach of contract through fradulent misrepresentation. It would be as if the contract never existed. So, when you show up with your damaged handgun that you told the clerk was "machine parts", good luck collecting.

Mind you, I'm not taking sides here, I think the policy sucks, too. That's why I ship handguns USPS at half the price.

Dan


Shipping Firearms

Special Procedures for Shipping Firearms

Use These UPS Services for Your Firearm Shipment
Firearms will be transported only between licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, and licensed collectors, as defined in the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, law enforcement agencies of the United States or of any department or agency thereof and law enforcement agencies of any state or department agency, or political subdivision thereof, and between persons not otherwise prohibited from shipping firearms by federal, state or local law and when such shipment complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws.


You must ship your packages that contain handguns with UPS Next Day Air Early A.M.®, UPS Next Day Air®, or UPS Next Day Air Saver® services
Your packages that contain firearms will not be accepted for shipment at UPS Drop Boxes, with UPS SonicAir® service, at locations of The UPS Store or any third-party retailer, or with international services.





Follow These Packing Requirements
Your packages that contain handguns must be separated from other packages being delivered to UPS
Ammunition cannot be included in your packages that contain firearms (including handguns)





About Documentation and Labeling
When you are shipping your package that contains a firearm with UPS, you must affix a UPS label requesting an adult signature upon delivery





Getting Your Firearm Shipment to UPS
You can only ship your package that contains a firearm from UPS daily pickup accounts and through UPS Customer Centers
When you are shipping a package that contains a handgun, you must verbally notify the UPS driver or UPS Customer Center clerk
You can use UPS daily pickup accounts to ship firearms, not including handguns, through UPS Internet Shipping, UPS On-Call PickupSM, and One-Time Pickup
Your packages that contain firearms will not be accepted for shipment at UPS Drop Boxes, with UPS SonicAir® service, at locations of The UPS Store or any third-party retailer, or with international services
See the terms and conditions in the UPS Tariff for shipping firearms

 

[71Commander]

About Documentation and Labeling
When you are shipping your package that contains a firearm with UPS, you must affix a UPS label requesting an adult signature upon delivery

UPS doesn't follow their own guidelines. On two seperate occasions I have came home and found a handgun left unattended on my porch.

 

[lbmii]

Here's the info from UPS' web site. It clearly states that you must use Next Day Air and inform the clerk you are shipping a handgun. Thus, if you fail to comply with these requirements, you are in breach of contract through fradulent misrepresentation. It would be as if the contract never existed. So, when you show up with your damaged handgun that you told the clerk was "machine parts", good luck collecting.

There is nothing in the UPS paperwork that I signed that mentioned anything about a handgun. There were no signs or instructions visible in the store concerning shipping a handgun. So UPS did not state to me in any way anything about shipping a handgun.

 

[Super Trucker]

The UPS cops can come take me away

I think you misunderstood, it is not the UPS cops they are refering to. It is a federal law. If the serial number of the gun "machine parts" is in the box it is a gun like it or not. That is the law

 

[45Badger]

Find a cheap FFL to process the outbound and use USPS. My guy charges $15 (used to be $10!). Some will do it free for good customers.

Priority Mail runs @ $7, and insurance adds $5-10.

It's a better deal, and you're not supporting Useless Parcel Service's "let's screw the gun owner" policies. :banghead:

 

[MillCreek]

I have wondered about the merits of shipping via USPS, UPS and FedEx. I recall that UPS and FedEx require the overnight or priority shipping at least in part as a response to employee theft of firearms. I guess that the reduced transit time in shipping must reduce the incidence of theft, or something.

Does the USPS have a similar theft problem? My wife and I met a supervisor for the USPS while on vacation. He was talking about people shipping illegal things through the mail and theft. According to him, if a staff member is caught stealing things from the mail, the postal inspectors (or whatever they call the law enforcement arm of the USPS) comes down like a ton of bricks. They apparently like to make a point of arresting such people at work and making them do the perp walk in front of everyone else in the postal facility. It is supposed to send a message to the troops.

I would suppose that theft from the USPS is a federal crime, where as theft from a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS is not. So from a safety/loss perspective, is it better to ship via USPS?

 

[SIOP]

Quote:
There is nothing in the UPS paperwork that I signed that mentioned anything about a handgun. There were no signs or instructions visible in the store concerning shipping a handgun. So UPS did not state to me in any way anything about shipping a handgun.


Quote:
UPS doesn't follow their own guidelines. On two seperate occasions I have came home and found a handgun left unattended on my porch.



Well, hell, boys, that changes everything.

 

[Ringer]

Just shipped a handgun Fedex from MI to MA. 1.6 lbs, declared value of $700. Total cost was $33, including $4 for insurance.

 

[SIOP]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of handgun was that? Most of the ones I ship weigh in at around 5 pounds with box, packaging, etc. That gets the overnight bill up there in a hurry. When I ship them USPS registered/insured it generally runs around $17, but they also have a $7.50 flat rate box to anywhere in the country, any weight. All you have to add is insurance.

Dan