ShipMyGun by Bud's Gun

How many here have used the ShipMyGun service offered by Bud's Gun Shop? I have been a curio & relic collector for years and am now considering greatly reducing my holdings to avoid dropping a great responsibility on a unknowledgeable spouse. I've contacted RIAC for some high-end items as a start and want to use this service for transport.

SMG seem to be a somewhat small operation currently but frequently busy phones and a limited database of receiving FFL's, Rock Island Auction wasn't on there list and it is taking 2-3 days to get them added. Anyone able to share real experiences using this service, are their real cost savings?

I too am curious to hear of actual experiences. I don't sell many guns but my last GB offering - a shotgun - ran $68 for shipping and FFL fee, and that was only from IL to MO.

dmn57 said:

I too am curious to hear of actual experiences. I don't sell many guns but my last GB offering - a shotgun - ran $68 for shipping and FFL fee, and that was only from IL to MO.

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I haven't used ShipMyGun, but I've never paid more than $35 to ship a firearm using my local FFL. Why was it $68?

StephenWhoDat said:

I haven't used ShipMyGun, but I've never paid more than $35 to ship a firearm using my local FFL. Why was it $68?

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Must be nice.

All the FFL's in my area charge $40 just for a transfer.

Traded a revolver with a forum member, and my FFL charged me $70 to ship a 3" K frame.

I don't sell a gun very often, but when I do I don't ship using a FFL from my end unless the buyer insists on it. I ship to a FFL as required by law, but not from one. If your hometown FFL won't receive from a properly identified individual you need to find one who will. There's plenty of them out there. The only way I will ship from FFL to FFL is if the buyer insists on it and the buyer pays for it. When I ship direct to your FFL the buyer is going to save up to $50.00 on my end for not having to pay my FFL.

It's threads like this that make me so glad that I'm an FFL.

I just consigned my decent sized 300+ gun collection to Morphy's for their next year sale. They came to my house and picked up all the guns at no extra charge.
Jim

I did not realize, per Charlie’s post, that it was legal for a non-FFL to ship by common carrier a handgun to an FFL.

Here’s that reg, and some others that might prove useful from the BATF site:

charlie sherrill said:

I don't sell a gun very often, but when I do I don't ship using a FFL from my end unless the buyer insists on it. I ship to a FFL as required by law, but not from one. If your hometown FFL won't receive from a properly identified individual you need to find one who will. There's plenty of them out there. The only way I will ship from FFL to FFL is if the buyer insists on it and the buyer pays for it. When I ship direct to your FFL the buyer is going to save up to $50.00 on my end for not having to pay my FFL.

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Let's get some clarity, please. So many folks get wildly confused here, let's hash this out a bit.

If a non-dealer ships a handgun to an FFL, this is legal but only if the shipping method is anyone other than USPS. And for most that means UPS or FedEx. And UPS and FedEx rules require shipment by air. Also must be noted that the receiving FFL must agree that he is willing to accept a shipment from a non-dealer. His business, his rules, nobody gets to tell him otherwise and many FFL's don't want the hassle of accepting shipments from non-dealers. Your mileage will vary based on each individual FFL.

On the other hand, if you have a good relationship with your local FFL and he is ready, willing and able to ship a handgun outbound for you, he can ship via USPS Priority which costs him about $15 if I recall. Most small shops that offer inbound and outbound FFL transfers will send a handgun out for you for $35 or $40.

Shipping a handguns via UPS or FedEx and using their required air service isn't going to happen for $35 or $40. You could ship through UPS or FedEx at the basic ground level and simply not tell them what you are sending, but you will have zero recourse if it is lost or damage. USPS Priority insures to $1,000 I believe.

While it is legal and possible (if the receiving dealer allows) to ship a handgun without using your FFL for outbound, I can't find any good reason to do so. Your answer might possibly be different if you don't have a local FFL that you know and trust, but I can't imagine any way that you can ship a handgun yourself for $35 or $40 without breaking UPS/FedEx rules, leaving your shipment at risk.

Is there anything I have missed or gotten wrong here? It is illegal for a non-FFL licensed dealer to even attempt to ship a handgun via USPS. Not the case for long guns, but this is law for handguns.

I never use an outbound FFL. Receiving FFLs that require a gun to come from another FFL have serious problems. On one hand, they support the second amendment. On the other hand they don’t support gun sellers rights.

StephenWhoDat said:

I haven't used ShipMyGun, but I've never paid more than $35 to ship a firearm using my local FFL. Why was it $68?

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wood714 said:

Must be nice.

All the FFL's in my area charge $40 just for a transfer.

Traded a revolver with a forum member, and my FFL charged me $70 to ship a 3" K frame.

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Must be nice is right. Cheapest for me through a dealer was $50.00 ($25 shop fee plus $25 actual USPS shipping cost with insurance). That was done as a special favor to me as the shop's normal incoming or outgoing transfer fee is $40. My gun had been on consignment for a while in his shop and the shop owner felt bad that it hadn't sold, so he cut me a break when I put it on GB.

StephenWhoDat said:

I haven't used ShipMyGun, but I've never paid more than $35 to ship a firearm using my local FFL. Why was it $68?

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Several scenarios enter into shipping a handgun for $35 by USPS thru an FFL.
!. The FFL is not charging a transfer fee.
2. Not insured for value of the gun
3. Or insured cheap gun
4. Not having Adult Signature Required. I'm not positive if this required or not but I always purchase it.

The cheapest I can ship & insure a $500 gun is $24.00 and that is using a Regional Flat Rate A box and purchasing on line thru USPS Click & Ship. Most Handguns will fit it this box but if the larger Medium Flat Rate box is needed the cost is about $30.00. A $1000 gun would be $35.50.
These figures are cost with no FFL transfer fee.

StephenWhoDat said:

I haven't used ShipMyGun, but I've never paid more than $35 to ship a firearm using my local FFL. Why was it $68?

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$25 for the FFL and $43 for the actual shipping, insurance, etc. He used UPS, not USPS. No idea why. Whew.

My FFL accepts from individuals , my old one didn't . You'll notice I said old . The fees also dropped from $35 to $25 . What Sevens said is right . But I didn't notice if he said this . When I shipped myself via UPS , it had to go overnight . That's where the cost comes in . An FFL can ship 2 day air via USPS . Maybe someone can answer this . I was told by the ATF that you can ship to a persons house if you both live in the same state . But it seems like UPS and FedEx will not ship via an individual any more . I called both and I was told no . Anybody have any insight into this ?

challer61 said:

I never use an outbound FFL. Receiving FFLs that require a gun to come from another FFL have serious problems. On one hand, they support the second amendment. On the other hand they don’t support gun sellers rights.

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So, do you use a Common Carrier (UPS or FedEX) as required by law, ship next day Air & adult signature required as required by the carrier, and inform the carrier that it is a firearm, and insure for full value? What does it cost you?

Forgot, and enclose a photocopy of your drivers license. The receiving FFL must know who the gun came from.

cherrypointmarine said:

I was told by the ATF that you can ship to a persons house if you both live in the same state . But it seems like UPS and FedEx will not ship via an individual any more . I called both and I was told no . Anybody have any insight into this ?

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You have to go to a UPS Hub or UPS Customer Service Center, a UPS Store or other shipping centers will not ship firearms.

Amazing how often this topic comes up and the results are the same

Sevens said:

..... You could ship through UPS or FedEx at the basic ground level and simply not tell them what you are sending, but you will have zero recourse if it is lost or damage....

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One minor correction to your otherwise excellent dissertation:

This doesn’t just violate UPS or Fedex rules, but federal regulations per BATF. To quote from the BATFE site (FAQs):

“A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm.”

challer61 said:

I never use an outbound FFL. Receiving FFLs that require a gun to come from another FFL have serious problems. On one hand, they support the second amendment. On the other hand they don’t support gun sellers rights.

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To expect or demand that an FFL accept a shipment from a non-FFL when he license doesn’t require him to so is as ludicrous as expecting you to buy my Glock for $625 because obviously you like handguns or you wouldn’t be active on the S&W forum.

Absolutely, change your FFL and suspend your business with him if he doesn’t offer the service that you want, but expecting that some other buyer’s random FFL that is a thousand miles away should accept your package simply because you are Pro-2A is as silly as you calling his shop a thousand miles away and telling him that he should be open til 8pm and that he’s got serious problems if he isn’t.

Just a bit to add. If shipping via USPS how many folks are aware of Form 1508?? Which must be on file with the shipping USP office or filled out each time?? My Oh My that will send the USPS clerk into orbit!


https://about.usps.com/forms/ps1508.pdf