USP and Fedex Gun Shippping Rules

[RussArkansas]

I sold a gun recently in an online auction but when it came time to ship I was in for a big surprise. Because I'm not an FFL I cannot ship by USPS so I have to go with UPS or Fedex. According to what I was told and have since read the only option is to ship over night express with either company. This turned out to be about $70 and I had estimated $19 so the whole transaction turned out to be a loss. Has anyone else run accross this? Are their alternatives? $70 seems like a lot to ship a single handgun.

 

[lpsharp88]

As far as I know, there aren't any other alternatives. Before I decided to sell a gun online, I read http://www.gunbroker.com/support/supportfaqview.aspx?faqid=1118
and adjusted the price a little bit to account for it.
**Add**
Another option could be to take it to your LGS and see if they'll ship it, for a fee probably. I believe they can ship for a much better rate than a non FFL holding person.

 

[Captcurt]

Cheaper for a Dealer.

Most dealers will charge $20 to $35 plus shipping. I have shipped using USPS flat rate boxes for $6 and up to $70 to ship a rifle to Alaska. Insurance will run around $7 for a $500 gun. I shipped a Walther PPK insured for $3100. I think that it ran $44.

 

[gspn]

Those are the rules. Many times at FedEx or UPS you'll find employees that don't even know the rules. Many will tell you they can't ship them at all.

It must go priority overnight and I always explain that in the "shipping" section of my online sales.

 

[sig228]

Use a dealer next time to do your shipping or factor the expensive diy shipping option into your auction price. Been there myself and, like you, learned the hard way.

Once bitten, twice shy....

 

[Deus Machina]

Been there. The next time, I asked and found my dealer to be half the cost and within walking distance, instead of the UPS depot almost into the nect town.

 

[RussArkansas]

Promises Promises

Now i find out that the package that they made me send over night on 09/19 will not be delivered until 04/23. Pretty good trick if you can get away with it. They won't LOL. I'll be getting some kind of refund, guarantee that.

 

[On An Island]

Russ, 7 months???? WTH?

 

[medalguy]

Gotta be a typo. I hope.

 

[RussArkansas]

Sorry - 09/23

LOL sorry about that. Yes it should be 09/23.

 

[Rock185]

Russ, I share your pain. The last time I shipped a gun at the local UPS place it was $81.00 IIRC. We don't have an official FedEx place that will accept firearms so that is not an option, but I have no doubt the cost would be similar to UPS. Of course I have known for a very long time that a non-FFL/ individual cannot legally ship handguns through the Post Office. Some people brag on the internet about shipping their handguns through USPS, saying it's "machined parts", etc. I take laws relating to firearms Very seriously, but some folks obiviously don't, implying those of us who play by the rules are fools. So be it. I now ship through a local FFL, pay the Priorty Mail/insurance charges,etc, and FFL's fee and still save money over what my personally shipping through UPS or FedEx would cost. Still not dirt cheap, but at least it's legal...ymmv

BTW, Another local FFL told me he would charge me $100.00 to ship a handgun. Once I found out what USPS charges him for shipping a handgun by Priority Mail, I realized I had made the wrong career choice.

 

[jr_roosa]

That's a bummer. Long guns are cheap with FedEx ground.

I sent a Garand to Arizona for $22 and it got there 2 days later.

-J.

 

[Bubbles]

Another local FFL told me he would charge me $100.00 to ship a handgun.

Talk about a ripoff, we charge transfer of $10 plus actual shipping with insurance, even a really large expensive handgun won't be more than $40, and most are $20-25 if they're small enough for a regional rate box.

 

[dogtown tom]

Bubbles

Quote:
Another local FFL told me he would charge me $100.00 to ship a handgun.

Talk about a ripoff, we charge transfer of $10 plus actual shipping with insurance, even a really large expensive handgun won't be more than $40, and most are $20-25 if they're small enough for a regional rate box.

+1
That's what I charge as well.

Rock185 ....Once I found out what USPS charges him for shipping a handgun by Priority Mail, I realized I had made the wrong career choice.

No, you simply chose the wrong dealer.

 

[herkyguy]

I just sent my XDs via FEDEX today for the recall. The lady didn't ask any questions and I didn't volunteer anything more than the instructions provided by Springfield.

Am I missing something about shipping firearms?

 

[lono]

I sent a shotgun "887" back to Remington yesterday via ups. It was in a long gun box with Remington on the outside so when asked i disclosed its contents. My local UPS store wouldnt take a firearm, I had to take it to the UPS hub here in town. No special costs or anything else except having to drop it off at the actual ups facility. Cost was the same as anything else that weighed less than 10lbs.

 

[Owen]

In general the UPS stores won't take guns or anything that requires a hazmat label. Those things have to be handled by the hubs.

 

[Cricoid]

You may catch grief even at the UPS hub. Despite what their corporate policy is, the guy behind the counter is likely to start stuttering when you tell him that there is a gun in the box. I had to talk to two managers last time I shipped my 1911 out to be hard chromed. They finally relented, but it made me think twice about disclosing what I'm shipping next time.

 

[Orlando]

If its a longarm it is totally legal to ship USPS. Unfortunatly handguns must go UPS or Fed Ex overnight. Jus part of the expense you need to figure in

 

[NavyLCDR]

I just sent my XDs via FEDEX today for the recall. The lady didn't ask any questions and I didn't volunteer anything more than the instructions provided by Springfield.

Am I missing something about shipping firearms?

Not at all. That's the way it should have worked.

 

[mm6mm6]

Let's see:

1) The US Postal Service is losing money because they don't have enough letters and packages to ship.

2) It is perfectly legal for a non-FFL to ship a .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifle to an FFL.

3) It is perfectly legal for a non-FFL to ship a semi-automatic shotgun to an FFL.

4) It is perfectly legal for an FFL to ship a handgun to another FFL.

5) If is perfectly legal for a non-FFL to give a handgun to an FFL and then have the FFL ship it to another FFL.

6) But it is illegal for a non-FFL to ship a handgun to an FFL.

If the law was changed so that a non-FFL could simply ship a handgun to an FFL, the USPS would get a heck of a lot more business. As a matter of fact, I believe that if they charged $25 (which is more than standard Priority Mail shipping, but much less than UPS and FedEx overnight), they would instantly take all firearms shipping business away from UPS and FedEx.

Hmmmmmm.

Speaking of which, want to hear something even more stupid? Here in Illinois, I can buy ammo from any of the other 49 States and have it shipped to my front door legally. But it is illegal for me to buy ammo from anywhere within Illinois (say a gun store 300 miles away, but still in Illinois that has a good deal on ammo) and have it shipped to my front door. Which, by the way, the State of Illinois would make sales tax on. When I get it from out of State, I don't pay sales tax.

Crazy, eh?

 

[mgkdrgn]

I'll be getting some kind of refund, guarantee that.

good luck with that

 

[dogtown tom]

mm6mm6 Let's see:

1) The US Postal Service is losing money because they don't have enough letters and packages to ship.

It's not the fault of USPS.............it's 100% our fault. The geniuses WE elected to Congress have the post office in its current financial situation.

USPS is prohibited by federal law from turning a profit. Their "losing money" is directly related to Congress.