Am I going to get into trouble?

[ec-10]

I just sold a stripped bolt for an M1A/M14 on Ebay. I had specified that I would not ship the bolt outside of the US. The buyer has contacted me and has provided the following address:

**** ******
USAG-J, Unit *****
Box ****
APO AP 96336


As I understand this address it would appear that the buyer is a member of the army who is stationed in Japan. He even mentioned that I might have to fill out a customs form when I send it. I can't ship gun parts to Japan can I?

 

[RNB65]

A stripped bolt or a stripped receiver?

If it's just a bolt, I don't see why not. Technically, you're not shipping to Japan, you're shipping to a US military post which happens to be located in Japan.

 

[K-Romulus]

I dunno about this

There are a l-o-t of State Dept/Commerce Dept. export control laws on firearms parts. You can't even ship Eotechs out of country!

Did you know the guy was overseas when he bid? If you got a lot of money out of the sale, I would use some of it to ask a lawyer before shipping anything.

 

[ec-10]

It's just the bolt. No firing pin, no extractor, no ejector. If there is a customs form involved I would think there could be trouble. :banghead:

 

[ec-10]

K-Romulus, I specified in the auction description that I would only ship the bolt to a US address. I had a Canadian guy try to buy it and have me ship it to WA state. Since his account said Ebay Canada I canceled his bid and put him on my banned list. I know the APO is supposed to be like shipping to a US p.o. box but with a gun part I'm not sure. I'm actually loosing money on this one. I should have just waited and sold it at the gun show in December.

 

[Erebus]

If you have already taken money you might want to return it and hold the item until you confirm it would be legal.

 

[Chipperman]

If you're losing money on this, just cancel it. You said in your description US only. He is not in the US, even though he may be on US property.

You'll be out a couple of bucks for the listing. So what?
If the guy makes a complaint to ebay, they will side with you based on your "US only" statement in the description.

 

[ec-10]

I have informed the buyer that he will have to provide me with a shipping address that terminates in the CONUS. When there is a doubt, there is no doubt. I just needed to hear it from someone. Thanks people.

 

[K-Romulus]

one idea

USPS has a whole webpage on mail restrictions re:shipping to APO/FPO, with a customer service number!

"Mailing to Military Personnel"

The page mentions that host country restrictions may apply.

It may not be the greatest advice, and you may a get a default "NO" answer when it comes to firearm parts, but at least it's free and "from the horse's mouth."

USPS has some info on export controls:

"Munitions and related"

Japan-bound mail's export restrictions (lot of gun-related no-no's)

 

[RNB65]

I looked as the USPO and FEDEX sites and both state that Japan prohibits imorting both firearms and parts of firearms. It looks like the buyer is out of luck.

 

[ec-10]

Thanks again for the help people. I am still waiting for a response from the buyer. If he provides me with a US address to ship to he will get the bolt. If not I will be contacting Ebay to have the auction canceled.

 

[lamazza]

I'd like to know why ebay didn't cancel the auction to begin with-I just tried to sell a 5rd AK magazine and they canceled the auction in about 5 minutes.

 

[Hoppy590]

why not just email him and ask if he is indeed in the military, and if so ask if hes got a home adress or parents to send it to. they can either hold onto it or send it to him. either way, u make your sale. he gets his bolt

 

[ec-10]

Lamazza, it is hard to understand the gun policy on Ebay because I think it changes based on who is working that day. I have seen an auction titled "AR-15 magazine" get pulled but right now there is an auction for a "bushmaster magazine" that ends in ten hours. I'm not sure what the difference would be there. I have purchased magazines for an M1A on Ebay. I guess your AK is just too evil.

Hoppy590, he had mentioned an address in Missouri. I sent him a request for that address to ship to but he hasn't responded. That and I noticed that it seems like I have been corresponding with two different people on this thing, the buyer and his "brother". It's starting to smell fishy. I'm going to give it another day and then cancel the auction.

 

[Gewehr98]

e-Bay operates on a whim, it appears.

Now I've sold many AK and AR hicap mags there over the last few years. What I didn't do, however, is give their automatic parsing software reason to believe I was selling banned items. If your auction title says "AK-47 30rd magazine, NIB" then chances are their software is going to flag it pretty soon and kill the auction.

You just have to be smarter than eBay. I sold a few AK stamped receiver furniture sets at the same time that others were getting their auctions yanked for the same items. It's all in the description. List a 30-round AK mag as a 10-round item, and when a potential bidder asks if the mag in the picture is really 10 or 30 rounds, then you respond (in private messaging) that it's a 30-round mag and legal for sale in states that allow them. But pay attention, some states have hicap mag bans still in effect, and if your bidder is from one of those states, they get tough love and no hicap.