Shipping pistols via UPS with a FFL C&R permit...

[JoseM]

I was reading the UPS requirements...
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/guidelines/firearms.html

And the part that says...

"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..."

I have a FFL C&R permit, so I'm assuming that this is acceptable since I"m a "licensed collector".

Has anyone with a FFL 03 permit used UPS before?

 

[GRB]

You left out an important part of that poaragraph about who can ship firearms:

...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.

I have shipped through UPS many times. They only required that the person receiving a longarm have the FFL. As for handguns I believe both shipper and consignee must have an FFL, and it has to be the FFL that corresponds to the type handun being shipped for the shipper; of course, the consigneee always has to have the correct FFL.

GunBroker.com has a good webpage about federal shipping regulations. Remember though, there can be different rules enforced by the state from which you ship, and the state to which you are shipping.

All the best,
Glenn B

 

[deadin]

And, as discussed many, many times, it also can depend on how your local UPS/FedEx office has decided to interpret their own rules and regulations.

Dean

 

[JoseM]

Glenn,

I left that part out because I was shipping to a FFL dealer (the buyer is sending a signed FFL license with payment) and was mainly focusing on whether my FFL 03 would be sufficient for the UPS store to send the shipment.

Thank you though...

 

[deadin]

Both shipper and consignee must be dealers, manufacturers, etc. (Not including FFL03's) to ship a handgun via USPS. Longarms can be shipped USPS by anyone as long as the addressee is an FFL.
The FedEx/UPS regs actually only require that the recipient be an FFL(including FFL03 if the longgun/handgun qualifies as a C&R).
However (and this is a big one) Some FFL01's refuse to accept a shipment from anyone other than another FFL. Some UPS/FedEx offices refuse to ship except between licensees.
One exception is that a firearm may be RETURNED directly to the owner if it has been previously sent in for repair. There is also a way to ship to yourself, but explaining this to some UPS/FedEx clerks is like trying to explain the Theory of Relativity to a stump.

Dean

 

[orionengnr]

There is also a way to ship to yourself, but explaining this to some UPS/FedEx clerks is like trying to explain the Theory of Relativity to a stump.

My nominee for Quote of the Week!

 

[GRB]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Support/SupportFAQView.asp?FAQID=1118&NoCount=1

That is the link for the Firearms Shipping guide at GunBroker.com, it is pretty good.

There are also easy to follow regs at ATF's website and at the postal website.

In most instances where UPS gives you a hard time, if you can pull out a printed copy of their regulations and show them to a manager, whom you politely asked to see before you ulll out the regs, they usually accept it for shipment. Most times you don't even have to pull out the regs from what I have heard, just ask to speak to the manager BUT AGAIN DO IT POLITELY. I am speaking of real UPS locations, not those storefront businesses that take your package then ship it through UPS for a much higher fee. A lot of them will not take any guns for shipment, it is their decision to make as it is their business. I always have gone to a regular UPS hub.

I prefer UPS over the US Postal Service because they handle packages better, in my opinion.

I had a hassle only once, then asked for the manager, who also gave me a problem, then I pulled out a copy of the consignee's FFL, and a copy of the UPS regs, discussed the issue politely, and have never had a problem again at that facility. I have only shipped less thana dozen guns, but have shipped both handguns and rifles through them.

It has been a couple of years or just under that since I last shipped one, so it is possible they have changed the rules since then, but I think not.

All the best,
Glenn B