Shipping primers and powders.

[Megawatt maker]

Like most I suspect, I'm concerned about the disappearance of almost all reloading supplies. While I am still well stocked (Lessons learned from past Panics), I'm still on the constant lookout for replacement supplies...which leads me to Gunbroker.

On GB..there is plenty of primers and powders...at prices beyond LOL...OMG!

My question is...just how are those guys shipping that stuff? Hazmat isnt easy to ship legally. Its raises even more eyebrows when I see shipping for only 20 bucks.....

Am I missing something here, or are those guys pulling fast ones?

 

[BCR#1]

Am I missing something here, or are those guys pulling fast ones?

Bingo!

Bill

 

[TheBruce]

Most of them are rolling the dice. Not a chance I'd want to take. There's a good reason powders and primers are heavily regulated for shipping.

 

[Don_P]

Most of them are rolling the dice..........

I agree, look at the Gunbroker "primer sellers" number of transactions, which is often only 3 - 5, or check their other items for sale which most likely are more primers.

I have seen various gun forum for sale posts where the seller believes it to be perfectly okay to ship powder or primers via the USPS. Apparently, when (if) they purchased what they are selling on-line, they forgot they paid a hazmat shipping fee.

 

[dogtown tom]

In the last twelve years of being an FFL, I get at least one handgun a month mailed USPS flat rate box by a nonlicensee. That's a felony. If discovered it means that seller will never own or possess guns again. But hey, the TV commercial says "If it fits, it ships!".

 

[Captcurt]

You can bet your last box of 22LR ammo that they are shipping illegally. Not only do they have to pay hazmat, but it has to be shipped Fedex or UPS with the proper labeling. I believe that UPS went to $39 hazmat last December.

I had a customer that loaded some 357 Maximums for his son and shipped them via USPS. He also wrote a note that read, "Kill them all". It shipped to the wrong address, was turned into the police and Mr. Bud got a visit from the local police. Got off with a major butt chewing, but this could have been bad if the Feds had wanted to show their colors.

Another thing that gets shipped illegally is electronic sights that have lithium batteries. All it would take would be a fire while in transit and you better have some good liability insurance. Not sure that would help.

 

[Don_P]

I believe it is a USPS rule of employment that you be asked "anything liquid, fragile perishable or hazardous including lithium batteries or perfume" in any parcel you you send via USPS. The girls at my local post office ask me that question every time I send a package.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I worry that some fool will do this illegally, something bad will happen, and it will be another reason to tighten the screws on us. Sure, they "made" $x but it may cost them a lot and all of us more in the long run. Hope I'm wrong but it given enough chances something will go wrong and we'll all pay.

 

[George P]

I believe it is a USPS rule of employment that you be asked "anything liquid, fragile perishable or hazardous including lithium batteries or perfume" in any parcel you you send via USPS. The girls at my local post office ask me that question every time I send a package.

They post a chart with all things prohibited; basically anything liquid, flammable, poisonous, etc. is prohibited

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I believe it is a USPS rule of employment that you be asked "anything liquid, fragile perishable or hazardous including lithium batteries or perfume" in any parcel you you send via USPS. The girls at my local post office ask me that question every time I send a package.

In all my years shipping USPS I can count on one hand the number of times I have been asked the are you shipping anything illegal question.

 

[Megawatt maker]

You can bet your last box of 22LR ammo that they are shipping illegally. Not only do they have to pay hazmat, but it has to be shipped Fedex or UPS with the proper labeling. I believe that UPS went to $39 hazmat last December.

I had a customer that loaded some 357 Maximums for his son and shipped them via USPS. He also wrote a note that read, "Kill them all". It shipped to the wrong address, was turned into the police and Mr. Bud got a visit from the local police. Got off with a major butt chewing, but this could have been bad if the Feds had wanted to show their colors.

Another thing that gets shipped illegally is electronic sights that have lithium batteries. All it would take would be a fire while in transit and you better have some good liability insurance. Not sure that would help.

It's my basic understanding that in order to ship hazmat legally, as the shipper, you must have a response plan in place, insurance, training and proper labels..and of course the mommy may I licence from big brother himself.

That's all expensive and the reason why only the big players can ship hazmat to your house...for the heafty fee.

I'm sure there are many details I'm missing... but even the basics tell me those guys are "flying by night" and like as been pointed out...something goes wrong and property gets damaged or people injured or killed....its not good for any of us or our hobby/rights

 

[George P]

In all my years shipping USPS I can count on one hand the number of times I have been asked the are you shipping anything illegal question.

They ask me EVERY time; it is the same canned spiel at every PO - " is anything hazardous, liquid, perishable, fragile, yadda yadda, yadda"

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

USPS flat rate box by a nonlicensee. That's a felony.

I worry that some fool will do this illegally, something bad will happen, and it will be another reason to tighten the screws on us.

All of this illegal activity by on-line sellers, whether by ignorance or greed, is only more fuel
for those who want to restrict or eliminate on-line sales of all firearms, ammunition, and re-loading stuff
by anyone or to anyone who is not a licensed FFL dealer.

JT

 

[GJeffB]

A little while back I asked almost the same questions in https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/primers-on-the-auction-site.884138/#post-11835240
The general consensus seemed to be "eh, they ship them as they ship them." Discussion strayed to "I'd hate for some worker to be tossing my 1,000 primers like most of my packages look like they've been treated" and "who would be on the hook? Buyer or seller if discovered" and we ended discussion there.

I'm inferring most sellers without hazmat charges are skirting the rules while most buyers are are taking a "don't ask don't tell" attitude.

-jb, if this post is off topic or a violation, feel free to toss it

 

[DazedandConfuzed]

I have found it odd that they allow primered brass to be shipped without hazmat.

 

[Megawatt maker]

I have found it odd that they allow primered brass to be shipped without hazmat.

A lot lot safer. The primer explosion is contained in the brass if one goes off. Chain reaction impossible. A whole try? all within a 1/4 inch of each other? In a box of 1k or more.....

BIG BADA BOOM!

 

[film495]

you can just trade locally though right? like if a guy accross town and I swap powders and primers in person?

 

[Megawatt maker]

you can just trade locally though right? like if a guy accross town and I swap powders and primers in person?

Yes, that's possible. But I live next to a bunch of guys like me...we stocked up...and what we got is almost literally worth its weight in gold right now!

Ain't nobody wheeling and dealing around here.

 

[HankC]

I have found it odd that they allow primered brass to be shipped without hazmat.

When I was an automotive airbag engineer, it is not allowed to transport an airbag with a live inflator in car or shipped that way, due to HAZMAT, but OK if an airbag is installed in a steering wheel!

 

[jmorris]

Its raises even more eyebrows when I see shipping for only 20 bucks.....

That’s outrageous, I have 250,000 primers I’ll sell as one lot for $300/1000 and free shipping...

 

[jmorris]

I have found it odd that they allow primered brass to be shipped without hazmat.

I would find it really odd if otherwise empty primed brass was HAZMAT and loaded ammunition was not.