Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds FIREARM SHIPPING WITH THE USPS???

Not in Alaska........

SO iff I MIS- understand you incorrectly. It's OK to pay for 2 to 3 day PRIORITY shipping delivery. And even iff it's insured! AS long as it makes to the 30 day destination delivery date it's ok. Get real! Iff you pay for 2 to 3 day priority shipment then, BY GOD that is what you should get. Any thing lesser is fraud. Thats whats wrong with AMERICA TODAY! The USPS is out of controll, Look at the PRICE OF STAMPS going up EVERY three MONTHS with no FIGHT from CONGRESS. I expect a PACKAGE TO BE DELIVERED TO A VIABLE ADDRESS within SEVEN DAYS iff PAID FOR A 2 to 3 DAY AIR DELIVERY period.

I tried to ship a rifle USPS today and was told that they have changed their policy. An individual can no longer mail a rifle or shotgun. Has to be mailed by a dealer. I called him on it, and he made a phone call right then. They corroborated his story.
They sure haven't updated their website to show this. I mailed a shotgun several months ago.
Melvin

Wish I had your problems........

Melvin,

They're wrong. It's still legal.

I shipped a rifle today USPS Priority.

Handguns require an FFL licensee on both ends.

$bob$

Yeah, that's what I thought too, until today.

I normally ship FedEx ground, depending on where it's going.

I took a rifle in today, and was informed that it HAD to go PRIORITY OVERNIGHT!

I questioned them, saying I had done it in the past. She showed it to me, in writing. (Amongst other things, i.e. no individual to individual, no ammo, etc).

I had committed to shipping the rifle today, couldn't get to the post office in time, so had no choice but to suck it up and send it. The price difference was more than FIVE TIMES what it would have been vs ground.

It left such a sour taste that I doubt I'll sell any more rifles other than face-to-face. To get a buyer to pay the true cost (even USPS insured was over $30, plus a box, gas, etc), or to eat part of it on every deal, pretty much takes the fun out of it.

Oh, I was PI$$ED at FedEx today....

STILL NO DELIVERY! SHIPPED ON 12/28/2007. This SUCKS BIGTIME!

This happened to me last year. The USPS allows up to 14 BUSINESS days for delivery; you've only passed 9.

Only gun I've ever had lost in transit was by USPS. It was a beautiful and very rare Krieghoff Mauser. The seller insisted on shipping USPS.

I'm sure it's sitting in the back of some postal workers closet and he has no idea what this beautiful gem is worth. He'll probably kill his boss on retirment day with it. My only hope is he turns it on himself.

Yea, I hear all the good things about USPS, but they tried to deny the claim on the rifle also. IMO, they're no better than the rest.

Terry

Yep. USPS REGISTERED!

If you send it registered, it will take a bit longer for delivery than ordinarily, because each transfer within the postal system has to be documented. It's really rare for registered packages to wind up in postal workers closets, because they have to demonstrate to snoopy postal inspectors that they handed it off properly.

If you're really concerned, ask for a return signature delivery.



--Bob

Same story at my P/O.

Terry

Hey Hogbuster-

I'm a manager with the USPS. I'd like to help you out. Please check your PM.

Jeff

Ngrumba,

What is the real policy? Straight from a USPS Manager ?

What I have found is no hastle when I ship from my Post Office in Sioux City, IA, the Morningside branch.

But my brother in Bondurant IA gets the "We can't ship guns" runaround from his local Post Office.

Inform us.

Thanks,

F1

There ya go.

I shipped a rifle just this week. It seems to me, the best thing a guy can have going for him when shipping USPS, is to know the rules and procedures for shipping longarms and cite them to the clerk at the first sign they are uncertain. It's worked for me everytime, though some look at you like you're a criminal......grin

You could answer that question for yourself if you took the time to look it up on the USPS' website. It's pretty well spelled out in plain English.

http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/601.htm#wp1099754

"11.3 Rifles and Shotguns
Although unloaded rifles and shotguns not precluded by 11.1.1e and 11.1.2 are mailable, mailers must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18 USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR 178, as well as state and local laws. The mailer may be required by the USPS to establish, by opening the parcel or by written certification, that the gun is unloaded and not precluded by 11.1.1e.

11.4 Legal Opinions on Mailing Firearms
Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any shipment of rifles or shotguns. Contact the nearest office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for further advice."

For one thing, sometimes it takes a while for websites to be updated! When I was turned down trying to ship a rifle recently, he said it was recently decided that the USPS would not ship rifles, shotguns from private citizens. I had only recently shipped a shotgun from this same P. O. I had a copy of the regs from the website, and called him on it. He made a phone call(to who knows where?!) and they confirmed the rule change.
So, what is a person to do??
Melvin

It's said that for a long time. The two paragraphs above refer to shipping firearms that are not legal.

If you read the posts above you would see the problem isn't the legality of shipping but whether or not the PO employees know their own rules. I can read, can you?

Uh, call the postal inspector's office. Your local post office is feeding you a line of crap in the form of their personal beliefs. (Website update my ass. They have the exact same damned domestic mail manual in the post office.) I've been through this and met the same ignorant intolerance. The postal inspector's office put an end to it for me.

You and your local post office need to pay particularly close attention to this item:

"Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any shipment of rifles or shotguns."

My post office has no problem with shipping a rifle or shotgun. My problem is some ignorant, nothead that has probably been on the FED payroll for 30 days and misunderstands the regulation on FIREARM SHIPMENT. He or she probably put a hold on the item or something like that. My only regret is not getting a tracking # and signature confirmation like I ask for at the counter. And the counter person just blew me off I guess. I just ASSUMED it was on my receipt. After checking closely, after a couple days guess what, neither was added to the package. LESSON LEARNED!
Thanks for the input so far.

"1.4 Legal Opinions on Mailing Firearms
Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any shipment of rifles or shotguns. Contact the nearest office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for further advice. "

You left off the rest of that regulation about the ATF
Of course they aren't allowed to give opinions on ATF regulations! But they are certainly able to give postal regulations. The above regulation posted is talking about whether it is legal under ATF regulations, which of course they can't comment on.
I'm definitely NOT taking up for the P.O. I have an inquiry in now for an official ruling, which I will definetly print and keep with me.
Melvin