shipping a pistol to a manufacturer

[orionengnr]

I did a search, and all I came up with was shipping to a dealer, shipping to an FFL, shipping to yourself. Here is my situation:

I have an, um, 1911 that is giving me some trouble. The ah, let's call the Original Equipment Manufacturer says to send it in and they will fix it. The address they gave me is a PO Box, and FEDEX does not ship to PO Box addresses. So, I will use UPS, correct? Even though what I read about UPS is less than encouraging...

1. Can I legally ship to the OEM using UPS?

2. Will/can the OEM ship back to me or will they have to ship it to my FFL? If the latter is the case, am I better off taking it to my FFL and asking them to do both send and receive, and pay them the charges?

3. And, finally, since I bought this FTF and no FFL was involved, there is no (Federal) paper trail except for the Bill of Sale between the seller and me (legal FTF in TX). Will my shipping using my FFL to/from the OEM result in a Federal paper trail? Paranoid, maybe, but after the recent developments in N.O., if I own it and they don't know about it, +1 for me...and I'd like to keep it that way. It's not like the OEM is the only one who can make a 1911 work correctly...

Thanks as always..

 

[railroader]

Don't know about a paper trail but I'm pretty sure UPS doesn't ship to P.O. boxes either. You need a regular address to ship to. Mark

 

[orionengnr]

Interesting,

Because the OEM specified UPS..

 

[Hkmp5sd]

1. Yes, legal. (PO box may be trouble - tell them you want a copy of their FFL and send it to the address on the license).
2. They will ship it back to you.
3. Yes. They will log the gun in their bound book when they receive it and when they transfer it back to you.

 

[obm]

sounds like the manufacturer is a shadetree gunsmith w/o an FFL. if that's the case i would just use another gunsmith to fix it.

 

[orionengnr]

no, they are a major maufacturer and importer.

They specify a US address but the addressee is an abbreviation rather than the name spelled out. A friend recently sent a revolver to S&W and their addressing was similar. I think it is to keep light-fingered UPS/FEDEX employees from reading "Smith and Wesson" on the label, putting two and two together, and costing FEDEX $600 in a "lost" package claim...

 

[SMMAssociates]

Bought some odds & ends (actually, a magazine and a couple of T-Shirts) from S&W the other month.

From: "SAW" or something like that....

Guess those things move, too....

SO, how do you abbreviate "Colt"?

Regards,

 

[orionengnr]

Cii?

Colt Industries, Incorporated?

 

[riverdog]

When I shipped a revolver to S&W, they sent me a FEDEX shipping label so there was no doubt as to where it was being shipped, next day air IIRC. Contact the OEM and ask for a physical address where FEDEX/UPS can deliver.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

SO, how do you abbreviate "Colt"?

CMP

 

[shooting time]

Call them like Riverdog said and get their shipping address I am a dealer and ship them UPS all the time amd most major companies have 2 addresses one for corespondence and one for receiving goods.