Shipping A Rifle With USPS

[Phydeaux642]

This isn't a question about regulations. I know that's been asked. This is a question about cost. I've got a couple a Saiga rifles in 7.62x39 that I think I'm going to sell. I've decided that they just are not what I am interested in. Has anyone shipped a rifle about the same size and weight as one of these lately with the USPS? If so, what did it cost you? I don't know if there are extra costs beyond what it would cost shipping another package of this size that wasn't a rifle. Thanks.

 

[jerry45100]

I ship a fair number of rifles and use ups exclusively just because of convenience factors, but I believe they are competitive as well. ups is usually 12 to 15 bucks and I dont think usps would beat that.

 

[dogtown tom]

I ship both rifles and handguns every week.

Without question it is cheaper and faster to use USPS Priority Mail to ship a handgun. (only firearms dealers are allowed by law to mail a handgun)

Rifles and shotguns? I've found UPS Ground is cheaper than USPS Priority Mail for almost all shipments.

It would be a WAG if someone were to give you a $$$ amount for cost of shipping. Weight, box dimensions, and distance all affect the total cost.

It's easy to estimate the cost of shipping once you know those factors......just go to ups.com and use their shipping calculator.
https://wwwapps.ups.com/ctc/request?loc=en_US&WT.svl=PNRO_L1

 

[Phydeaux642]

So, basically with UPS it's just another package and you can go by their shipping calculator?

 

[navyretired 1]

It is legal to ship handguns to manufacturer for non-FFL's. Did it Friday manufacturer told me if the post office asked it was machined parts, thats all it is if its broke.

 

[DougD]

I shipped a shotgun to Arizona from Texas recently via FedEx and it cost me $16. I also recently received a heavy Remington 700 from Georgia and the shipping cost via UPS was approximately $15. Having shipped a few long guns via USPS, I recall that they are usually slightly more expensive than the private shippers...but within about $5.

IMHO, cost is not the major factor at play when trying to decide between using USPS and a private shipping company such as FedEx or UPS. It's dependability and accountability.

With USPS, the "tracking numbers" are not really tracking numbers at all. That big number on your receipt can only be used to to tell you when the package was delivered. It cannot be used to tell you (or the buyer/receiver) where their rifle is at any given moment during the shipping process. The tracking numbers with FedEx and UPS can be used by the sender and receiver to confirm exactly where the rifle is.

At the risk of offending any USPS employees here, I'd like to explain why I will never use USPS for shipping firearms again unless I have no other choice: If you have a problem with a USPS shipment, you'll be lucky if you get any meaningful response. I once sold a rifle to someone and shipped it to the buyer via USPS. A full month later, the rifle still had not arrived. The buyer was starting to think that I had ripped him off and the postal service could not tell me where the rifle was. Phone calls to the number provided to me by the local postmaster only got me in touch with several different stereotypical government employees who literally sounded like they were filing their fingernails and sucking food fragments out of their teeth while either trying to convince me to just wait a little longer or repeatedly mumbling, "Uh huh," and "I don't know," to my stated concerns about trying to locate an expensive firearm that was in the possession of the USPS. Promises to call me back were not kept. Assurances that they would look into the problem were not reassuring. I finally filed the requisite paperwork for a lost property claim. The rifle turned up at the buyer's house a full two months after I shipped it. No explanation was ever given for the extreme delay. USPS provided no response of any kind to the problem, not even the claim I filed.

So...when it comes to long guns, I will always use UPS or FedEx. If I have to ship a handgun, I guess I'll be forced to use USPS but I still don't like it. YMMV and this is just my opinion but if you're looking for accountability and dependability in shipping, FedEx and UPS are light years past the postal service.

 

[mgkdrgn]

who's cheaper? Look here

http://www.shippingsidekick.com/getrates.wml

couple of points:

1) Size matters. If you package gets too big, it "dims out" and they will charge based on the size, not the weight. The box I ship rifles in is 51" x 10" x 4".

2) If you ship out of state, you can ONLY ship to an FFL, AND that FFL must agree to accept a shipment from a non-ffl.

3) Don't forget insurance! If you do not insure, and something goes wrong, the max you can get back is the shipping charges. Do you feel lucky? Well, do you?

4) Use =good= packaging. Even if you -do- insure, and you do a ****ty packing job, your claim will be denied. I am an FFL that will accept shipments from individuals ... some of the krap I see come in here that passes for a 'box' is just beyond belief.

5) NO markings, of any kind, on the outside of the box that would indicate that there is a firearm inside. This is true for all carriers.

6) For FedEx and UPS, you are suppose to indicate to them at time of shipment that there is a firearm inside. Is it required by law? Nope. If you have to file a claim, and you have not declared the contents to be a firearm will they pay your claim? Nope.

 

[bonza]

You can get a good idea of USPS shipping rates here:
http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm?from=home_header&page=calculatepostage
Just enter in the size of the package along with weight & destination & it will tell you how much.

 

[Oro]

6) For FedEx and UPS, you are suppose to indicate to them at time of shipment that there is a firearm inside. Is it required by law? Nope. If you have to file a claim, and you have not declared the contents to be a firearm will they pay your claim? Nope.

Correct on the last part, but notice to them for interstate shipment is indeed required by law. BATF statement and relevant code citations below.

(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?

A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract 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), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

 

[W.E.G.]

I shipped a FAL from the east coast to Montana recently.

Priority mail with insurance and delivery confirmation was $57.45

 

[nalioth]

I don't know if there are extra costs beyond what it would cost shipping another package of this size that wasn't a rifle

It doesn't matter what you're mailing.

You don't have to declare anything to the USPS, and even if you do, they don't have "special gun rates".

It is legal to ship handguns to manufacturer for non-FFL's.

It's legal to ship handguns to someone in the next (instate) town over, too (local and state laws willing) - you just can't use the postal service to do it.

 

[Phydeaux642]

FedEx was originally going to be the way I shipped, but after looking on their website I thought that they required you to ship FedEx Overnight Priority on all firearms, and that is expensive.

 

[DougD]

FedEx was originally going to be the way I shipped, but after looking on their website I thought that they required you to ship FedEx Overnight Priority on all firearms, and that is expensive.

That's only handguns and you are right....it is expensive! Rifle and shotguns can be shipped regular ground.

 

[dogtown tom]

You just committed a felony..........

navyretired 1: It is legal to ship handguns to manufacturer for non-FFL's. Did it Friday manufacturer told me if the post office asked it was machined parts, thats all it is if its broke.

You are correct that it is legal to ship a handgun to a manufacturer.(as long as the nonlicensee uses a common carrier).
But you are ABSOLUTELY, 100%, POSITIVELY committing a violation of Federal law if you mailed that handgun and you are not a firearms dealer. It doesn't matter what a manufacturer told you, what a postal clerk told you or even what I'm telling you- you need to read for yourself what is allowed to be mailed. See the link below for the info straight from USPS.

In addition, a broken firearm, even if in a million little pieces, is STILL A FIREARM. Those itty bitty pieces will have the serial number and THAT is the part the ATF considers a firearm. If those broken pieces are a handgun, it is ONLY mailable by a licensed firearms dealer.

USPS Regs on shipping firearms:
http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm#wp1065404

Oro: ...Correct on the last part, but notice to them for interstate shipment is indeed required by law. BATF statement and relevant code citations below.

You got that info from the ATF "FAQ'S". It's incorrect, but ATF doesn't expect anyone to actually go and read those citations. When you do you will see that this FAQ is in error.

§ 478.31 Delivery by common or contract carrier.
(a) No person shall knowingly deliver or cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce to any person other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector, 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...

Note that the "notice" must be written and is only required when shipping INTERSTATE to someone OTHER than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector. Federal law does not prohibit instate shipments to nonlicensee's and no notice is required under Federal law.

FedEx & UPS have their own policies regarding shipping of firearms. Failure to follow their written policies may result in them not honoring any insurance claims you may file. If the counter clerk at the UPS Store or Mailbox Etc. says "it's no problem....you can ship your loaded handgun with ammo in the box by UPS Ground...." Too bad. You may save a few bucks but you have no recourse if that shipment is lost, stolen or damaged. That clerk can't change company policy and doesn't actually work for UPS- she works for a franchisee.

 

[mgkdrgn]

It is legal to ship handguns to manufacturer for non-FFL's. Did it Friday manufacturer told me if the post office asked it was machined parts, thats all it is if its broke.

You might want to consider removing this post. You just admired to committing a crime. If you are not an FFL, you can not, ever, ship a handgun via the USPS.

 

[navyretired 1]

If you call Ruger and ask for warrantee service they will send you a shipping box, tell you to wrap in brown paper, insure for a certain amount and ship directly to their authorized repair facility. I've did it dozens of times.
I do have an FFL but it doesn't count as it's a C&R.
Approx. 4 weeks ago I called High Point with problems with my 9mm carbine. They are the ones who said to mail to them without telling it was a firearm.
I've been sending guns to manufaturer for work for at least 30 years and even had to report one as lost to ATF later to be found. ATF never said anything except they wanted written form of missing gun vice phone call.
I never break law on purpose and feel that gun manufactures know the shipping laws better than me. Hell I don't even speed on purpose. So I will not admire to breaking law.
I trust the moderator to he feels I'm wrong he will act. But I keep all my receipts and communications with manufacturers.
An FFL has more strict requirements than a private owner because he must log gun out to repair facility.
you might should read 478.31 again it say's exactly what I said. written notification only has to be given if going interstate to person other than licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer or licensed collector.
Your original receipt for weapon is the requirment for insurense claims, no matter what you claim they'll only pay your shipping and proven cost of item.

 

[nalioth]

They are the ones who said to mail to them without telling it was a firearm.

They are NOT the ones who are going to jail if they're caught sending a handgun through the US Mail.

Only an FFL01 can use the USPS to mail handguns.

 

[zoom6zoom]

You might want to consider removing this post.

Won't do him any good if someone else has quoted it...