weapon shipping

[navyretired 1]

A few day's ago I got into some debate about mailing handguns. I'm afraid I'm having to eat Crow.
I've been mailing handguns for years to manufactures because of some bad gouge and some poorley written ATFE instructions. I work for a gun shop and have been legally sending handguns to manufactures for long time. I'm also familar with ATFE guidelines.
Well I just had a wake up. I talked to North American Arms about a mini revolver repair and was told go ahead and mail it and they would take care of it no charge. The next day while wriitting letter for shipment I'd forgot tech's name so called again.This time I got their automated number choice selection and chose ship guns to them for repair. the recording said very planly that FFL's could ship by USPS but individuals could only ship FEDEX or UPS.
This threw me for a loop and made me call ATFE and wonder of wonders I got through first thing. After 15 minutes of talking to 2 different agents would you beleave they were at opposing sides of subject and Now I know why I was confused.
To the guy's I opposed in that post I'm sorry, I definatley will ship properly from now on,, If not for that OP I'd still be thinking I was right and I am sure that other people are just as confused as I was.
OBTW when I said I work for a FFL dealer I was still talking about mailing my own guns not shop guns which is legal.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Part of the problem may be where you were looking for answers. The definitive answer to handgun mailing is in the Domestic Mail Manual:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm#11_1

11.1.2 Handguns
Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person (referred to as handguns) are nonmailable unless mailed between the parties listed in 11.1.3 and 11.1.5 after the filing of an affidavit or statement required by 11.1.4 and 11.1.6.

11.1.3 Authorized Persons
Subject to 11.1.4, handguns may be mailed by a licensed manufacturer of firearms, a licensed dealer of firearms, or an authorized agent of the federal government or the government of a state, territory, or district, only when addressed to a person in one of the following categories for use in the person's official duties:

a. Officers of the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Organized Reserve Corps.

b. Officers of the National Guard or militia of a state, territory, or district.

c. Officers of the United States or of a state, territory, or district, whose official duty is to serve warrants of arrest or commitment.

d. USPS employees authorized by the Chief Postal Inspector.

e. Officers and employees of enforcement agencies of the United States.

f. Watchmen engaged in guarding the property of the United States, a state, territory, or district.

g. Purchasing agent or other designated member of agencies employing officers and employees included in 11.1.3c. through 11.1.3e.


11.1.5 Manufacturers and Dealers
Handguns may also be mailed between licensed manufacturers of firearms and licensed dealers of firearms in customary trade shipments, or for repairing or replacing parts.

 

[hanno]

As a general rule, handguns can be mailed only by manufacturers and dealers and only between themselves. (there are some other extremely limited exceptions in the statute). This is a matter of federal law. If a person wants to mail a handgun, that person can take it to his FFL dealer and have the FFL dealer mail it to another FFL dealer.

The law:
Section 1715. Firearms as nonmailable; regulations
Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person are nonmailable and shall not be deposited in or carried by the mail or delivered by any officer or employee of the Postal Service. Such articles may be conveyed in the mail, under such regulations as the Postal Service shall prescribe, for use in connection with their official duty, to officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Organized Reserve Corps; to officers of the National Guard or militia of a state, territory, commonwealth, possession, or district; to officers of the United States or of a state, territory, or district whose official duty is to serve warrants of arrest or commitments; to employees of the Postal Service; to officers and employees of enforcement agencies of the United States; and to watchmen engaged in guarding the property of the United States, a state, territory, commonwealth, possession, or district. Such articles also may be conveyed in the mail to manufacturers of firearms or bona fide dealers therein in customary trade shipments, including such articles for repairs or replacement of parts, from one to the other, under such regulations as the Postal Service shall prescribe. Whoever knowingly deposits for mailing or delivery, or knowingly causes to be delivered by mail according to the direction thereon, or at any place to which it is directed to be delivered by the person to whom it is addressed, any pistol, revolver, or firearm declared nonmailable by this section, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
18 U.S.C. 1715
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001715----000-.html

Congress gave the USPS authority to promulgate regulations regarding the shipping of handguns between manufacturers and bona fide dealers. The USPS did so with the Domestic Mail Manual.
http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/dmm300_landing.htm

Exhibit 432.1
Mailability Requirements for Firearms

Handguns may be mailed by a licensed manufacturer or dealer, an authorized federal agent, or an authorized state, territory, or district agent ONLY when addressed to one of the following addressee categories for use in official duties:
Addressee Affidavit Requirements
a. Officer of Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or organized reserve corps.
b. Officer of National Guard or militia of a state, district, or territory.
Mailable with affidavit signed by addressee and certificate signed by commanding officer.
c. Officer of the federal government or a state, district, or territory whose official duty is to serve warrants of arrest or commitment.
d. USPS employees specifically authorized by the chief postal inspector.
e. Officer or employee of a U.S. enforcement agency.
Mailable with affidavit signed by addressee and certificate signed by head of agency employing the addressee.
f. Watchman engaged in guarding federal, state, district, or territory property.
Mailable with affidavit signed by addressee and certificate signed by chief clerk of department, bureau, or branch of government agency employing the addressee.
g. Purchasing agent or other designated member of an agency employing officers and personnel included in c, d, or e above.
Mailable with affidavit signed by addressee and certificate signed by the head of agency stating the firearm is to be used by an officer or employee cited in c, d, or e of the opposite column.
Unloaded Handgun
Mailer must be licensed manufacturer or dealer mailing to another licensed manufacturer or dealer. Addressee is FBI (or it's director) or scientific lab or crime detection bureau of any agency whose members are federal law enforcement officers, or state, district, or territory officers authorized to serve warrants of arrest or commitment. Manufacturers or dealers must complete PS form 1508, Statement by Shipper of firearms, and file with postmaster.
Postmasters may forward an unsatisfactory mailer statement to their RCSC for a ruling.
http://www.net-ffl.com/pub52_43.html

The Domestic Mail Manual defines manufacturers and dealers as: "Licensed manufacturer and licensed dealer mean, respectively, a manufacturer of firearms or a bona fide dealer of firearms, duly licensed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms of the Department of the Treasury, under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-618), 18 USC 921, et seq."

Here is the language from the Form 1508 a person must sign to mail a handgun:

"The undersigned is a manufacturer of firearms or bona fide dealer therein, and the parcels presented for mailing herewith are customary trade shipments or other articles for repair or replacement of parts. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the addressees are manufacturers of firearms or bona fide dealers therein."