Shipping a handgun- CT to PA

[45Badger]

:banghead:

OK, Maybe I've got this all wrong.


I just bought a Smith and Wesoson 642 from a guy in CT. Sent my money and FFL copy to him. He was gonna ship it via common carrier (FEDEX/UPS) to my FFL. His local FFL told him it was illegal to do this, got the local ATF foks on the phone and they condfirmed it! He sent it through the FFL and got whacked an extra $20.

My seller used the word mail in his PMs to me, and I fear that his choice of words ("mail" vs. "common carrier") may have gotten him the confusing answer. ATF website pretty clearly states that non-licensees may not use mail, but may use common carrier to ship handguns and that they are NOT required to ship from an FFL.

Am I nuts, or did I miss some new regulation forbidding non licensees to ship handguns directly to FFL holders. Or did my seller get screwed by his local ffl? Please and thanks!

 

[P95Carry]

Hey Dawson

I seem to see a gray area here - well in some ways. Strictly speaking, as I understand it - the gun must go FFL to FFL.

I had one gun come thru to my guy, sent by someone direct, who had established the bona fides of my guy's FFL number and validity - but when it arrived he did comment that it was ''shakey''. He entered everything up in his book but since then I have made sure FFL to FFL and no other way.

I think the receiving FFL needs to log the outgoing FFL info.

 

[SIOP]

No gray area at all. Nonlicensees can ship a gun directly to a licensee in any state, handgun or long gun. A nonlicensee cannot ship a handgun via USPS, only FedEx or UPS.

 

[EOD Guy]

The whole confusion may have been over "mailing the handgun." If the seller wanted the handgun mailed then both the dealer and BATF were correct. A nonlicensee cannot ship a handgun via the USPS except in very limited curcumstances.

Depending what the total charges were, the seller may have gotten a bargin. It is much cheaper for a dealer to mail a handgun than it is for a nonlicensee to ship one overnight via UPS or FedEx.

 

[EOD Guy]

No gray area at all. Nonlicensees can ship a gun directly to a licensee in any state, handgun or long gun. A nonlicensee cannot ship a handgun via USPS, only FedEx or UPS.

I believe that New York is the exception. The NY State Police, who regulate firearms dealers, insist that handguns go to/from FFL holders.

 

[Atticus]

State laws may vary...but there is no Federal requirement that the shipper be an FFL (unless U.S. Postal Service is used). This is no different than the seller wallking in to the shop and selling his gun to the dealer. There is no paperwork required for that end of the transaction.

Sadly, you can call five FFL's and get five different opinions. One would tend to believe, they are either not aware of the laws that govern their business, or they are in league to generate income for other FFL's. I tend to believe it's the latter.

http://www.thegunzone.com/ship-guns.html

 

[SIOP]

I believe that New York is the exception. The NY State Police, who regulate firearms dealers, insist that handguns go to/from FFL holders.

You "believe" or do you know this to be a fact?

 

[EOD Guy]

You "believe" or do you know this to be a fact?

I would say with 99% certanty that it is a fact.

 

[jazurell]

FFL from another list told me:
FFL to FFL can go via USPS, everything else must go overnight via commercial carrier, UPS or FedEx for example.