Odd Thing at FedEx Today

[Olympus]

I went into the local fedex location to ship a pistol like I've done countless times before. The gun is being shipped by me, a licensed dealer, to another licensed dealer for a transfer in another state.

I've got everything boxed up and I the label filled out and I tell the guy it's a gun and I'd like to ship 2-Day Air (I've used this method every time I ship a gun and I always inform fedex it's a gun each time). The guy pulls out a laminated card and starts looking at it. I can see it's a list of all the major gun manufacturers and big dealers like JG Sales, Aim Surplus, etc. The guy asks if the gun is going back to the factory for repair. I explain no and that it's going to another dealer like all the other guns I ship. So he looks at the dealers name on the box and starts looking for it on the laminated card. So he says since my dealer name isn't on the card and the other dealers name isn't on the card, then they can only ship the gun Priority Overnight and the cost is over $90!

I explain the situation and explain that I've been using 2-day air for all the other guns and it's been fine. So the guys says it's a new policy and gives me the corporate number to see if I can get added to his little laminated card.

Is this something new with FedEx now? If so, how are other dealers shipping guns?

 

[tarosean]

No clue about FedEx but if your an FFL. Why wouldn't you just ship USPS?

 

[Olympus]

No clue about FedEx but if your an FFL. Why wouldn't you just ship USPS?

I didn't think USPS would accept handguns, only long guns.

 

[tarosean]

Yes you can ship handguns via the USPS iffff and only if you hold a FFL license and use a 1508..

http://about.usps.com/forms/ps1508.pdf

 

[Olympus]

Did not know that. I've always just used fedex. So do I just fill out the 1508 and give it to the clerk?

 

[CoRoMo]

Yep. The postal employee should be educated on the 1508. Fill it out, sign it, they keep it on file.

From another thread though...

Handguns MUST go next day air per Fedex's regs.

Cheapest option would be to ... mail it Flate-rate priority. Only FFL's can mail handguns though USPS.

...

What's odd is that... IIRC... distributors like Davidson's Inc. use FedEx 2nd Day shipping but also offer Next Day Air too. Here's what FedEx's website states...

http://www.fedex.com/us/service-guide/terms/express-ground/

C. Firearms must be shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight service.

So don't ask me how it is that wholesale distributors are able to use 2nd Day shipping, rather than Priority Overnight.

 

[Jim K]

Note that that applies to FFL dealers and manufacturers only. C&R FFL (03) holders cannot mail (USPS) handguns.

Jim

 

[JRH6856]

While I was in a Fed-Ex store about a week ago, there was an FFL dealer there in the same situation. He left without shipping anything, but I think they gave him the names of a couple of local dealers that were on the list that he might be able to get to ship the guns for him.

 

[oneounceload]

When I shipped a revolver back to S&W for warranty work, they sent me a 2nd day air Fedex label and returned it the same way

 

[Olympus]

Looks like I'll be using USPS from now on. Thanks for the money saving tip!

 

[mgkdrgn]

Yep, that is per FedEx internal rules/tarrifs. Same with UPS. You got the one counter guy that was on the ball that day ... too bad.

Next time use priority mail and spend about 1/2 of what you were spending before, and if you use a flat rate box you'll pay even less ... and the box is free! And they'll pick up for free too! No need to go to the Post Office.

 

[DPris]

The high-volume names like Ruger and S&W work out their own contracts with FedEx and UPS that the rest of us don't share.

The card "list" MAY reflect that.

The guns I get are about 50-50 between the two shipping companies, and they come in a mix of schedules from overnight through second day to ground.
Those are direct FROM the makers, not distributors.

They do such a high volume the shippers deviate from standard policies for them.
Denis

 

[zxcvbob]

Telling him it was a gun was your first mistake.

Note that that applies to FFL dealers and manufacturers only. C&R FFL (03) holders cannot mail (USPS) handguns.

I really wish they would change that; all it would take is adding one word, "collector,", to the regulation. (not that I ship very many handguns, and I've never shipped a long gun)

 

[DPris]

It's pointless to bring up the old "don't tell 'em" dodge.
By doing so you give up any expectation or right to make a loss or damage claim later on because you've violated their policies.

Most of us choose not to gamble that way. Odds are in your favor it won't be stolen or damaged, but guns do go missing from both carriers.
I've had one shipped to me via UPS by S&W that never turned up, and I won't chance the un-covered loss in any gun I ship.

Follow their policies, realize it can be an expensive world to live in, and get on with life.
Or use the PO, if you have an FFL, which is much cheaper anyway.

Advising people to play games with the shippers is idiotic & adds nothing beneficial to this thread.
Denis

 

[cwbys4evr]

Federal law, I believe, states that you MUST ship according to the shipper's regulations. So not telling them seems like a violation of federal law. Not only on a firearms level but also willfully lying in the course of business is possibly fraud. It is better all around to let the clerk know.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[dogtown tom]

cwbys4evr Federal law, I believe, states that you MUST ship according to the shipper's regulations. So not telling them seems like a violation of federal law. Not only on a firearms level but also willfully lying in the course of business is possibly fraud. It is better all around to let the clerk know.

No such requirement in Federal law.

 

[DPris]

It's only company policy.

You play by their rules & if your gun gets stolen or busted up, they'll work with you.
You don't, they won't.

Shipped a $1500 rifle via FedEx to a business associate last year, with instructions to return it to the maker when he was done.
Got to him OK, but the stock was damaged between him & the maker later on.
FedEx handled the claim.

Had my associate played the "don't tell" game, it would have gotten ugly.
NOT worth it, I'll tell 'em exactly what's in the box & pay whatever it costs.
Just a matter of life in the fast lane.
Denis

 

[zxcvbob]

There's a difference between shipping a $1500 gun and a $200 gun. The laws are the same and the company policies are the same, but the risks involved are not.

 

[DPris]

My statement holds. I ship several guns annually, ranging from $200-$4500 in value.
I tell the clerk every time exactly what I'm doing.

You want to play games in shipping, your risk.
Just don't promote the idea with others, or tell them they made a "mistake" in being honest.
Denis

 

[dprice3844444]

some fedex substores are idiots.was shipping 3 glocks back for service to glock and the girl wanted to see glocks ffl,after i shipped a gun earlier in the day and showed her my pocket ffl card that's attached to my license.i ship usps now.just provide them the form in duplicate.they keep one,and stamp the other one that i attch to my bound book files with the proof of delivery info.

 

[DPris]

FedEx "stores" like Kinkos are contractually not allowed to ship firearms, only the hubs.
Same with UPS.

Some clerks don't know their own rules. Actually, many don't.
Denis

 

[dogtown tom]

DPris FedEx "stores" like Kinkos are contractually not allowed to ship firearms, only the hubs.
Same with UPS.

Not true.
FedEx Office locations are clearly allowed to ship firearms per FedEx tariffs. They are "company owned" not franchises. FedEx Office replaced FedEx Kinkos about five years ago.

 

[zxcvbob]

this was a whole lot simpler in 1967

 

[DPris]

Tom,
Not what I've been told by them.
Denis

 

[dogtown tom]

DPris ....Tom,
Not what I've been told by them.

Counter clerks will tell you what they think they know to be "the rules".

I've dealt with UPS Store clerks who firmly believe that its perfectly fine with UPS to ship guns via a UPS Store.

I've dealt with more than one USPS clerk who said it was illegal to ship ANY gun via USPS.

One USPS Customer Service Mgr. didn't even believe his own DMM and called a Postal Inspector who basically called him an idiot (conversation was on speaker phone).


If a McDonalds employee told you they don't serve hamburgers what would you do? You can either ask to see his manager or leave without your hamburger.

It is never a bad idea to be better prepared and more informed than anyone else. Whether you are buying a car, a steak or mailing a gun...........ignorance of rules and regulations puts you at the mercy of someone else.