UPS won't ship gun parts?

[John Wayne]

I picked up a single shot CVA in .223 on a whim...I intend to use it as a plinker. Once I mounted my scope, I noticed that it was pointing badly to the right. Took the scope off and sure enough, the mounting holes weren't drilled parallel with the barrel. Upon further inspection, I noticed that there was a machining mark on the muzzle crown (something I should have inspected before leaving the store).

I called CVA and their reps were very friendly and told me to send the barrel back. Unfortunately, they said they did not offer reimbursement for shipping. Given that they are located one state over than me, I thought I would just send the barrel myself instead of having the store I bought it from send it back for me.

Well, I went to UPS and was packing my barrel (barrel only, no action/reciver) up in the store (would have preferred to pack it up at home, but had to buy shipping materials). The lady at the counter told me that because it was a gun barrel, I could not ship it by UPS--in any manner. I told her that I knew of no such restrictions, and asked her to provide me with documentation. She could not, but said that it was not allowed and would have to ship via USPS Ground.

Since there was only a few dollars difference in price, I figured it was easier to pay than argue with her. After I addressed my package and asked for a tracking number, she replied that there was no tracking service available at all if you were shipping a package USPS through a UPS store.

So now hopefully my barrel is en route to CVA, though I have no way of knowing for sure. Between shipping and packaging costs to send the damn thing less than 200 miles I am out $17.12. Keep in mind that is almost exactly 10% of the cost of the rifle, just to fix someone else's mistake!

Later that day, I recieved a lovely $187 speeding ticket...while going 42 miles an hour! I'm starting to believe there is truth to the whole "Friday the 13th" thing!

 

[35Rem]

UPS has no such policy. UPS STORE, and independant company, DOES.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

UPS will certainly ship gun parts. It's best to go to an actual UPS depot rather than the UPS Store, as the UPS stores seem to be more difficult to deal with.

 

[bluetopper]

When they ask me what's in the package I always say "machine parts".
I've been down that road.
Some times they don't ask at all.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Just do what many of us do: Pack it up at home and ship it with no info. They don't ask what it is unless you try to insure it for a certain amount ($500 for fed ex, UPS is probably similar). And in that case, write it up as precision machine parts. The only thing that has restrictions on what mode of shipment are handguns or handgun receivers, which must go overnight. Long guns and gun parts can go standard ground.

 

[MikePaiN]

When I'm shipping anything but the serialized gun.....it is "machined or polymer parts" ..that's all anyone needs to know.

 

[EddieNFL]

Uninformed, Picayune, Stupid.

 

[wow6599]

When they ask me what's in the package I always say "machine parts".

When I'm shipping anything but the serialized gun.....it is "machined or polymer parts" ..that's all anyone needs to know.

Same here......because that's truly what they are.

 

[CraigC]

The counter monkey is wrong, simple as that. And there are no restrictions on shipping gun parts, as long as it's not the serial numbered receiver, which must be shipped from a UPS hub. Next time just pack it up at home.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Don't ask, don't tell. If at all possible.

 

[DougW]

UPS Store refused to ship a barrel for me. So I would have to take it to the UPS Counter or ship USPS. I like "Click-N-Ship", so the USPS now has all my business shipping firearm related stuff.

 

[Vonderek]

I can't stand UPS stores. They screwed up probably a third of my shipments before I gave up and got a FedEx account. Items lost (or stolen), shipments not on time or disappeared and so on. And some store owners/employees are surly to boot. The convenience is not worth the aggravation. Go to an actual UPS hub or ship FedEx.

 

[dogtown tom]

John Wayne:...Well, I went to UPS and was packing my barrel (barrel only, no action/reciver) up in the store...

Major mistake. Never do this. Ever. It gives the UPS/FedEx/USPS counter monkey an opportunity to invent nonexistent rules.

...but said that it was not allowed and would have to ship via USPS Ground...

There is no such service as "USPS Ground". For a gun barrel sized package you could use Express Mail, Priority Mail or Parcel Post. "Ground" is a UPS or FedEx option.

Since there was only a few dollars difference in price, I figured it was easier to pay than argue with her. After I addressed my package and asked for a tracking number, she replied that there was no tracking service available at all if you were shipping a package USPS through a UPS store.

USPS only offers tracking on Express Mail ($$$$). You could also choose Signature Confirmation or Delivery Confirmation for a couple of dollars.

She sounds like a minimum wage clerk with very little experience in UPS, FedEx or USPS policies or services.

 

[Nomad]

REM35 is right. I'll bet it was not a regular UPS shipping center. I ran into that same issue a year ago when I had to ship ammo to someone in another state. Also I have sent an entire rifle via UPS for rebarreling and declaired it as a rifle.

 

[ms6852]

Had the same problem with UPS store which is independently owned. I finally found one in which the owner or the employee working was a retired LEO and he let me ship the parts. You have to go to the main depot or distribution center for ship guns or gun parts.

 

[atomd]

I've sent complete AR uppers through a UPS store before with no problems and I told them what it was. I've also sent a barrel too. I guess it all depends on who owns that particular franchise and who is working behind the counter when you walk in.

 

[JTHunter]

Be VERY careful; in sending ammo via UPS as it is considered both an explosive and a hazardous substance. UPS does not like "hazardous substances".

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Be VERY careful; in sending ammo via UPS as it is considered both an explosive and a hazardous substance. UPS does not like "hazardous substances".

This is simply not true. Loaded ammo is ORM-D and UPS ships it all the time.

 

[W.E.G.]

You boys who are shipping serial-numbered receivers or complete firearms by UPS without telling the WHOLE TRUTH about what is in the box are flirting with going to jail.

Please read:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000922----000-.html

(e) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to deliver or cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, to persons other than licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors, 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; except that any passenger who owns or legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported aboard any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or ammunition into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or operator of such common or contract carrier for the duration of the trip without violating any of the provisions of this chapter. No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other container contains a firearm.
​

Note however, the United States Post Office is NOT a "common or contract carrier."

 

[GBExpat]

Be VERY careful; in sending ammo via UPS as it is considered both an explosive and a hazardous substance. UPS does not like "hazardous substances".

On a number of occasions I have shipped ammo (properly marked with ORM-D stickers) via UPS ... and they even came to my house to pick it up. It is not a big deal with UPS.

 

[Centaur 1]

Most of these people just find it easier to say no than it is to fully understand the law. I recently tried to ship a couple of guns to myself. They were my fathers and he passed away, so I inherited them. Legally, you do not need an FFL to ship your own gun to yourself. UPS won't ship handguns unless you have an FFL, but FedEx does. The only requirement that they have is that you have to ship it overnight, and it must be sent from a FedEx location. I left the box open so that I could prove that they were unloaded and that the box didn't contain any ammo. I found all this info by calling a friend back home who has an FFL, and he even said to ship it to him if they give me a hard time. I double checked the FedEx website and confirmed what he told me. I then called the FedEx/Kinkos closest to where my father lived, and they man that I spoke with told me that it was no problem to do this. Unfortunately, he wasn't working the next day when I brought the package in for shipping. That guy said they only ship FFL to FFL, he wouldn't even let me ship them to my friend because I don't have an FFL. To top it all off, I was flying home that afternoon. The airline that I was flying home on only allows passengers to transport one firearm. All I wanted to do was bring home a couple of guns, and you would have thought that I was terrorist the way that I was treated.

 

[nwilliams]

I ship guns or anything gun related via FedEx only. I've had problems in the past trying to ship firearm related stuff through UPS but have never had a single issue with FedEx.

As the for the UPS Store forget it! The UPS Store won't touch anything firearms related and the prices they charge in general are outrageous. I seriously don't understand why anyone in their right mind would use the UPS Store for anything

 

[zxcvbob]

WEG, you bolded the wrong portion:

(e) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to deliver or cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, to persons other than licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors, 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; except that any passenger who owns or legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported aboard any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or ammunition into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or operator of such common or contract carrier for the duration of the trip without violating any of the provisions of this chapter. No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other container contains a firearm.

 

[Harold Mayo]

I was actually told that I couldn't ship a HOLSTER at a UPS Store a few years back.

 

[dogtown tom]

W.E.G..
You keep posting the below citation from the US Code, but I don't think you've actually read it.

It is a violation of Federal law to ship or mail a firearm interstate to anyone other than an FFL (AKA licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors). Do so using a common carrier or the USPS and you'll do time.

No where in the passage you cite does it make it illegal to ship a fiream and not tell the common carrier that you were shipping a firearm. You'll only violate that portion of the US Code if you ship interstate to someone who IS NOT an FFL (AKA licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors).

It WOULD be a violation if you were to ship a firearm interstate to your cousin Bubba who IS NOT an FFL AND you failed to notify the common carrier that he does not hold a Federal Firearms License.

What does this mean? Shipping that firearm interstate to your cousin is a violation AND a separate violation for failing to notify the common carrier that you are violating Federal law. Two violations.

If you ship a firearm interstate to an FFL (and do not notify the common carrier) you are not violating any law and will only suffer a problem if your firearm is lost, stolen or damaged- you stand to get zip on an insurance claim. Why? The common carriers tariffs and policies require the sender to notify them when a firearm is being shipped. Fail to abide by those written policies and your insurance is void.

W.E.G. You boys who are shipping serial-numbered receivers or complete firearms by UPS without telling the WHOLE TRUTH about what is in the box are flirting with going to jail.

Please read:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/ht...2----000-.html

(e) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to deliver or cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, to persons other than licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors, 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; except that any passenger who owns or legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported aboard any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or ammunition into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or operator of such common or contract carrier for the duration of the trip without violating any of the provisions of this chapter. No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other container contains a firearm.