Rule change a month or so ago, I was told. Found out the hard way when I sold a gun and went to ship it:



Wound up going through an FFL. Cost me just over $100. FFL shipped by UPS. Said he was required to ship 2nd day delivery. With UPS insured for $500, was over $60+ and the FFL wanted $35 for his packing and other efforts, plus 4% for use of a credit card. $103.17 total.

Good grief.

I am not happy. My local LGS in Hawaii used to charge me $10 or so, his USPS cost. That was, oh, six or seven years back tho.

Anybody got a better legal solution for a non-FFL for shipping handguns?

That’s too bad. Seems these things are getting harder and harder to do as well as more expensive.
But remember….” These are the good old days”. 😳

That is a shame and will hurt business for Gunsmiths who don't have a shipping agreement with FEDEX.

I don't understand why your FFL couldn't go USPS for cheaper than UPS?

Might shop around and see if you can locate another FFL in your area to see if cheaper.

The FFL who has done some transfers for/to me recently told me he doesn't ship for customers. Found another FFL locally who said he would, but, at that price, I will look further if I need to ship another gun...

I don't care for FX anyway. Their shipping or receiving has generally been a problem for me when they are involved. So, I don't use them anyway.

Hoping here UPS doesn't follow their lead is all.

I wonder if this will effect people shipping guns back to the manufacturer for service. I assume that since the manufacturer is an FFL holder and is paying for the shipping it should be okay.

Well I just shipped off a gun to S&W using their label in November. DOn't know how this will affect it.

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Forum consigliere

I've used ShipMyGun.com several times with positive results. They serve as an FFL holder and provide a shipping label. The most I've paid has been around $45 including insurance.

Have not needed to ship anything but try this website.
Gun Shipping - Fast, Legal, Affordable

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Have Fun/Stay Safe

Thanks, guys. Good to know. I took a quick look at the site but could not figure out the process unless I actually started the process. How does it work? Do they ship you the box and then you pack and take your handgun to a participating FFL for shipment?

My FFL ships vis USPS. Don’t know anything about the regulations with them, but I do know private citizens can’t.

You follow the process through selecting the type of firearm, value and insurance then you select the buyer's FFL from a list based on zip code. Somewhere along the line you enter your info and payment method. A price is calculated, you pay it, and in a day or so you receive a shipping label. Pack the gun, add the label and drop it at UPS.

I think this is how it works.
Shipmygun is the (your) FFL, or at least provides a label. They have a list of FFL’s on file who will accept the shipment, you enter the zip code destination.
You need to put some form of ID in the box.

Hopefully the receiving FFL in on their list, and the one the buyer uses, most importantly.

They can send a box or you can package the gun yourself.
I was going to use them once, but the buyers FFL knew nothing about them and didn’t want to know.

I wound up shipping UPS Next Day Air Saver with a long running 40% discount. NDAS satisfies the overnight stipulation for non FFL’s, but generally delivers later in the day at a huge discount to early in the day delivery.
Current UPS discount code is SOAR.

It took me awhile to learn the process.

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Sure you did

Thanks, Ladder13. That's a very helpful explanation.

Is this an Oregon thing, or nationwide?

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Release the Kraken

It is a FEDEX policy. As I understand it, their company's nationwide policy, and nothing to do with state or national governments.

I believe FedEx is incapable of supervising their personnel adequately to prevent theft and delays. This is a move to reduce their headaches and increase profits.

I FedEx’d a gun back to the manufacturer for repairs last fall. A FedEx employee in the local distribution center stole it before it left my city.

I had a revolver being returned from Taurus to my home last week. FedEx didn’t tell me when to expect the “Adult Signature Required” delivery, so no one was home when the driver came at noon. He left a door tag that said he would be back before 8pm for redelivery. I waited seven hours, called FX numerous times with no results other than “I’m sorry we can’t do anything”. Driver was tired apparently at the end of the day so he didn’t come back, even though this was a 2-day shipment and it was already the third day. Yes, I waited the next day (4th day) until 2 pm when he showed up, again with no notice from FX about the delivery. Over 12 hours waiting in-person for delivery.

Then they actually asked me for customer input on their service! Hah! I rarely ship a handgun anywhere anyway, so this is a welcome change that parallels my choice of not using Fedex any more and not just for handguns.

Wonder if you had a 03 C&R FFL you could ship it with them?

And about the 4%, another good reason to carry cash.

I believe NON-FFL holders can ship long Guns just not handguns.

i have never used it!
But i just did Quick look around on the Website looked like i could ship a Handgun from Northeast Indiana to Portland Oregan for $57 and change. I am thinking if i sell any handguns i will probably use it .

I tried ShipMyGun only once and it was a frustrating failure. I never received a label. I tried calling several times but could never talk to anyone. I left a message and never heard back from them. The only positive thing was they never charged me either.

It still must be ok according to S&W.

They emailed a Fedex shipping label 1/19, I dropped it off at Fedex 1/20. Yes, I informed them it is a firearm going back for repair.

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Common sense isn't so common.

FedEx and S&W have a “relationship”, cheap rate for Smith, large volume for FedEx.

Last time I did a return to Smith and informed the clerk, she said “we know exactly where this is going by the address”
They must get a lot of returns.

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Sure you did

this is a real interesting thread .. I appreciate all the comments. I will keep the info for future reference. Thanks to all.

We get a lot of things delivered by UPS, USPS and FedX. Many times the driver will say something like got more ammo for you, or this comes from ______ Company. Even with plain Jane mailing procedures people that have been on the job know the other mailing/shipping address, techniques that many companies use.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

It's in a box. Wrapped up. How would they know?

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Live long and prosper

I enjoy my peace and quiet too much to ship a gun illegally, no matter how small the risk of discovery.

I don't ship guns often so I'm pretty ignorant of the whole affair, but is it illegal or against their policy?

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Live long and prosper

I believe it is illegal. The federal law is one must declare a firearm to the shipper, I believe.

This ^^^^^^

I cringe when I hear things like “machine parts”, or similar. No thanks.

I bought a handgun off this forum a couple years ago. Non FFL. It was sent USPS of all places in a flat rate box.
No padding, no paperwork, no ID.

my FFL was not pleased. The FFL didn’t know to whom the gun was for. I did have tracking so I knew it was there.
I got a copy of his DL later on.

All to save a few bucks?

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Sure you did

Fantastic information.


TY.

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Chris S.
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Required


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...l-1HFD0CGsciXV

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Sure you did

If you don't declare a firearm to the shipper the insurance if void. If anything happens to it you are just out the value.

03 FFL, (C&R), don't get any break and are treated the same as any other customer, under the same as civilian customers. There has been a movement for several years to get 03 FFL's the same status ad 01 FFL's, but no progress has been made that I have heard.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Shipping companies use several methods to screen packages...they have to know what's going onboard their trucks and airplanes.

That aside...if you send a package to 2100 Roosevelt Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts, do you think the local FedEx people in Springfield won't figure out what's in it?

This right here... ^

There are two federal agencies I don't ever want to tangle with: one is the IRS, and the other is ATF. If they think you're trying to skirt the law, or play cutesy with their regulations, they will be on you like piranha on a steak.

They were too expensive anyway, it was cheaper to pay my FFL to ship it USPS priority. Then if anything happened it was on the FFL and not me. But…my FFL was only $10 plus medium flat rate for a handgun.

I think USPS rates may have gone up for FFLs, too. Don't know details, but for whatever reason the FFL I used yesterday uses UPS (and told me their $60+ shipping price was discounted!)

As I said above, my FFL in Hawaii used to charge me $10 for USPS, too. I speculate that rate is long gone for FFLs.

There is no $10 flat rate box that a handgun will fit in, properly packaged. Medium rates start @14.25 for online, $16.10 @ the PO..

I have found most FFL’s, that I have used, prefer UPS or FEDEX because they come to the shop on a regular basis, so easy to ship.

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Sure you did

So, will BATFE amend their website removing Fedex from the "common carrier" list?

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Release the Kraken

Recon UPS will be next...

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Where is the list?

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Sure you did

No, they are still a common carrier that can ship firearms.
They just changed THEIR policy to say that only FFLs can ship with their service.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Guess that limits the sale of my 4506 to face to face.

I haven't sold many, but when I did I shipped them through a local FFL who used USPS. With the FFL fee and insured shipping the last one was only $65.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Not saying it can’t be done just don’t want the added hassle, besides I’m kinda attached to the old brick.

Smith And Wesson is the FFL holder doing the shipping

People (and FFL) don't realize that UPS (and I assume FedEX) will only ship overnight for an FFL. Their policy, online, does not allow an FFL to ship 3 day or ground. My Gunsmith in the middle of WY found this out the hard way. Since there is no such thing as overnight from where he lives he always shipped 3 day. One day he got a nasty note from the Casper hub saying he had violated their policy, was in danger of losing of being dropped as a customer, and if he wanted the package shipped he had to cough up the extra money and never, ever do it again. Now UPS and FedEX have 3 different overnight delivery rates, handguns only go overnight next morning. Rate is at least $100 plus insurance last time I checked. And to show you how UPS enforces their policy I ship UPS ground from my FFL with never a worry. He also uses UPS ground and has never been challenged. Regular gun shop so the driver knows what he is picking up and delivering. Point being no one knows the convoluted rules, inc. the employees.

Good point. I must be thinking of a website that explained the process and included a list, but was not the actual BATFE site Mea culpa and all that.

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Release the Kraken

No mea culpa needed, we’re here to help one another.

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Sure you did