USPS Regulation 431.3

[orpington]

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_008.htm#ep344370

Does anyone with a legal background wish to comment on what one can or cannot ship as a pre 1899 firearm through the USPS.

MANY grey areas as to the ammunition part.

We shall assume that all firearms in this discussion are known to be pre 1899 by serial number and date of manufacture.

What about a Colt 1877 in .41 Long Colt? What if in .38 Long Colt?

What if a Colt Single Action Army revolver that being antique would be one that I, personally, would only fire in a black powder loaded cartridge, such as .45 Colt or .44-40? What about a Smith & Wesson New Model No 3 in .44 Russian? What if in something less common such as .32-44 Target?

It would be a whole lot easier if the USPS would just leave it as Pre 1899 and leave the murky stuff out.

 

[Jim Watson]

I am not a lawyer, but I read it to say that the available ammunition business only applies to replicas.
"or ANY firearm manufactured on or before 1898".

You will have trouble getting that past MY hysterical postal clerk, though.

 

[cjwils]

This comes up over and over, and lots of people are still confused. The important thing is to read 432.2, which says handguns cannot be legally mailed by most people. Section 432.2 has no exception for antique status, replica status, availability of ammo, etc. The definitions in 431.3 do not apply for mailing a handgun of any age, for most people. Unless you are in certain special classes of people listed in 432.2, you cannot legally mail any handgun, including an antique or replica handgun.

There are other considerations for mailing long guns, but the OP's examples were all about handguns.