Sending a handgun back to the S&W service center

[Iggy]

Talked to a service rep at the custom service center and he said send the gun back by FedEx or UPS on overnight shipping. He gave me
"special" address and said if they ask, tell them Machinery parts or Sporting equipment and insure it.....

He said if you tell them it is a firearm, they will put a stamp on it, that tells any employee that it is a firearm.

Seems to me if something happens, they will not be willing to pay for a $800 piece of sporting equipment or unspecified machinery parts.

Comments or advice??

 

[OKFC05]

Failure to notify the common carrier that the shipment is a gun is a violation of Federal law and voids your insurance.

B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier? [Back]


A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. 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 and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b8



I have never had a common carrier put any marking on the outside of the package to indicate the contents.

No guarantee you will not run into a clerk that does not know his own company rules.....

 

[Iggy]

That's kinda what I thought.

I appreciate your response and help.

 

[wsl1971]

If i need anything sent back for service i take it to my local dealer and let them take care of everything.

bill

 

[xray97]

Iggy,
I received the same advice and shipped by UPS about 2 weeks ago. As I was directed I shipped "2nd Day Air" as "sporting goods machine parts". When asked I placed the value at $1000. It reached S&W with no problem but my concerns were the same as yours about my status for restitution should something happen during shipment.

 

[Iggy]

Thanks for the info guys.

I am a little leery of the sporting goods route.

I ain't convinced Fed EX would buy me an $800 dollar football.

 

[oldRoger]

I am a little surprised the S&W would give you that advice. As OKFCOS says it's against the law. The box does not get marked, but you must tell the UPS employee what it contains.
S&W can send you a UPS sticker which is prepaid, you can then hand the package to any UPS driver.
If FedX buys you a $800 football, be sure you post a copy of the check here for us to see.

 

[cshoff]

The last one I shipped went via Fed Ex. I brought it in the original S&W pistol case it came in, told them what it was, they placed it in a box, filled out the insurance card, and shipped it off with absolutely no sticker or other identifying mark that denoted it as a gun. Fed Ex told me all guns were required to ship via Next Day service.

Sounds like you were given some pretty bad advice to me. I would be likely to call S&W customer service back and ask them why they instructed you to violate the law.