Firearm Shipping out of state

[sivart]

I was selling my 1861 Springfield and I found a buyer, and I want to ship it to him. Do these rifles have to be shipped any special way, or can I just mail it to him thru USPS. It is a repro, but I thought that I read somewhere that being a repro of a antique than it qualifies as a antique? I really need help on this one. Do I have to ship it thru FFL qualified dealers? HELP

[JimKindred]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

Not required by Federal law to be shipped through an FFL, they do not consider it a firearm. I would recommend UPS over the post office as the rates will be much less expensive and you can track the package much more efficiently. Their insurance works a damn sight faster too if you ever have need of that.

One suggestion, mainly due to the fact most UPS (postal as well) counter employees do not know the Federal regulations or their own company rules, do not tell them it is a firearm. List it as gun parts and let that be it.

[major]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

Travis
Jim is correct when he says that most UPS clerks don’t know the law and some will give you a hard time or even refuse to ship a gun to anyone except to an FFL. I ship muskets all the time and I never refer to them as Guns or Firearms this raises a red flag in front of a dim witted clerk and an argument can develop. On the line asking what is in the box, be as vague as possible such as “Antique1861 Springfield”. If you run into a problem stand you ground demand to talk to a supervisor and keep going up the ladder until you reach someone that knows the law. Remember “never take a No form someone that doesn’t have the authority to give you a YES”. One other thing pack it real good especially on either end because both the USPS and UPS have trained gorillas working for them and they love to drop thing on the ends just to see it they can get a crunch out of them (if anyone out there works for either of the outfits the gorilla thing is just an attempt at humor, so don’t take it personal).
Terry

[Johan Steele]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

1st take it to a UPS hub, NOT a UPS store. The required IQ & sense of responsability to work there is considerably lower than that of a Wal Mart cashier. If you want to do it 100% right and make a good impression buy some sheet foam. disassemble the rifle and put all screws in a baggie, barrel bands in another etc. Then cut out the sections for the ramrod, lock, stock & barrel. Make certain a complete inventory is included both inside & outside the box along w/ a picture of the contents.

You are then shipping "gun parts" and not an assembled gun... less of an argument and you don't have to be evasive.

Good Luck

A friend of mine recently received a defarbed armisport in this manner, UPS had no issues. And he was increadibly impressed as it allowed him to inspect every part as he assembled the rifle.

[BigMike]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

1st take it to a UPS hub, NOT a UPS store. The required IQ & sense of responsability to work there is considerably lower than that of a Wal Mart cashier.

Wow, that was pretty low. I don't know how things are up in Minnesota, but most of the locations that I know of down here in North Florida handle things in a very professional way. Feel free to take it to the hub, but find out their hours of operation before you go. For the most part they are only open for limited hours.

[JimKindred]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

I would not recommend disassembly of the rifle. The barrel adds the rigidity that the stock, especially the forearm, needs to prevent it being broken in shipping, much more so that foam packing material will provide.

I agree that the best place to take is the UPS terminal, most there are a little bit more educated on the shipping policies. If you ever do have one give you a hard time keep asking for the next higher up until you get satisfaction or have them call their district office.

I have rarely ever had a clerk ask me the contents of any thing I have shipped. I ship modern military firearms on a fairly regular basis and they never ask any questions, of course if they did I do have an FFL which would solve any problems.

Be sure to insure the rifle for the highest retail amount you can find for a replacement. If you don't you are probably stuck with less than what it will take to replace it.

[BrianHicks]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

I've shipped mine cross country, twice, via UPS in the last six months.

Each time, I marked the shipment, "Non-Firing Reproduction Antique Fire-Arm".
I removed the Cone and placed it in a baggie thus rendering the weapon inoperable.

Each time I shiped the Rifle, I had no problems or questions at all. And I shipped them from the local UPS Store, insured for $600.00 (just in case).

[Johan Steele]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

Big Mike,

I typically ship & or receive 6-8 packages a week most via FedEx. I have NEVER had a problem w/ either UPS or FEDEX when it comes to their handeling and delivering to me. However, and it's a BIG however I've had serious problems w/ the UPS stores in the Minneapolis/St Paul area. To include them opening packages to check what's in them, after I left the store. Spilling coffee on an address label so they couldn't see where it was supposed to be going and then waiting for me to come in again to ask where it was supposed to go, the Fedex slip w/ my phone number was still visable. I could go on but in the last three years up here I've learned that if a package can be messed w/ the UPS store (I had few problems when it was Mail Boxes etc) can and will do it. I've never quite figured out why they have had the issues...

Ironically, after I switched to the Post Net stores I've had good luck.

Of approx 400 packages sent in the last two years, there were problems of one sort or another w/ more than a dozen. After the second lost shipment I switched to another drop point.

As to the packing foam set up, what I saw was better than 6" thick w/ 2" on either side of the rifle parts. This wasn't the styrafoam packing peanut. This was the foam used to line tool boxes or other such items. There was enough give that it would bend a bit, but when it was that thick it bent very little. All in all it looked very professional and impressed both myself & the customer.

[JimKindred]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

"1st take it to a UPS hub, NOT a UPS store. The required IQ & sense of responsability to work there is considerably lower than that of a Wal Mart cashier."


I could not help thinking about this comment late this afternoon while I was at the post office. Not all the dumb ones are behind the counter, I watched as the clerk had the most difficult time explaining to a man that the USPS was not UPS and he could not send his UPS Next Day Air parcel through the post office. I don't think he ever did understand the difference.

[Michael McComas]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

I must be the only person who has never had a problem shipping or receiving an antique gun via USPS Priority or Express Mail. Of course, the local postal clerk is a buckskinner and black powder shooter, and he recommended that I remove the lock and ship the guns labeled "machined parts". Many of the guns I've received have been labeled "antique Martini" or "antique Burnside". Brevity is the soul of wit after all.

My only problem with UPS is that when they deliver, they leave the package on the front porch because "they have my signature on file". USPS Insured requires that someone actually take possession of the parcel or actively sign a waiver for them to leave it.

[JimKindred]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

The only problems I had were twenty some odd years ago. I ship weapons every week with no hassles.

I don't have problems shipping now and neither should anyone else. As I said in my original post, under Federal law and nearly all state laws this item is not considered a firearm. That being said, UPS or the USPS have no regulations barring its shipment other than idiots working for them who do not know the rules.

Package the musket carefully, put a label on it, take it to UPS, lay it on the counter, and pay the clerk. That is all you need to do. I don't recommend the post office as over 4lbs the UPS rates are usually less expensive.

Do not mark on the box it is a firearm unless you want to increase the chance of it being stolen in transit.

[Fod]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

Well we had this discussion before the crash of 2003, but here's the link again for those wanting to mail a musket. I've found USPS to be the easiest and most reliable.

Your reference is the Domestic Mail Manual section C024

http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm/C024.htm

Regards,

[sivart]

Re: Firearm Shipping out of state

Thank you all for your help!
I shipped it out today, thru USPS with no problems (so far) :D

[Silas]

Ship to a UPS hub

When I went to Tennessee last November, I shipped a large box with two muskets and leathers to a UPS hub in Murfreesboro. Just ship it to yourself care of the local hub. I shipped mine back the same way. This gets around the problem of where to ship items when you don't have a local contact. Further, the box will be secure because it's not left on someone's doorstep. The hubs will hold your box for five business days at no charge. Details can be found on the UPS website. You have to do some digging to find it.

I concur with the sentiments about people working in the UPS stores. The stores are independently run and operated. They're not UPS. For example, the local Staples office supply store offers UPS services and is listed as being with UPS as being a UPS store. In shipping my box from the store, I had to sign a form stating the box didn't contain "firearms". They don't list repro's as an exception. Having gone through the rules on the UPS website, I knew the muskets were okay, but I didn't want to get into a long discussion with Bipsey behind the counter about the difference between a musket and an AK47. Antique or modern, they're both firearms for all Bipsey cares. I told the gal the items were "Civil War reproductions." Being too many words, Bipsey wrote, "war", as a description on the receipt.

I didn't dismantle the muskets. Both had canvas bags so I filled the box with newspaper until the contents didn't rattle. Worked great.

I'll ship a box for Reams via UPS even though the post office may be cheaper. The ability to track the box was good for my blood pressure as I knew where the box was and when it would arrive. (UPS Ground guarantees five business days cross country. One of the shipments arrived in four business days. Not bad.)