doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Question re: Shipping firearms ??

Come to think of it, the 36" barrel could have caused the "non-standard length" overcharge.

For the same reasons that I no longer do any business with Dick's Sporting Goods, I choose to not utilize shipping companies that impose additional restrictions or hurdles on law abiding gun owners who simply wish to ship a firearm in compliance with Federal and State laws.

In addition, I really don't care for FedEx anyway, because the only gun I had broken during shipping was shipped FedEx. I have also received guns shipped FedEx that had the barrels poking through the box, and other boxes that showed signs of very rough handling. Only careful packing by the seller prevented damage. Another shotgun shipped by FedEx to my FFL was not delivered correctly. Tracking said it went to her business, but it wasn't there. Three days later, it was located at a Walgreens Drug Store in another town about 10 miles away. So I am expected to comply with firearms shipping and transfer regulations under penalty of law, but I guess it's OK for a FedEx driver to drop a gun off anywhere???

Keith,
Agree with you on Dick's. Haven't stepped foot in there since they made a statement by no longer selling AR's.

Both Fed-ex AND UPS have changed their rules to state individuals cannot ship firearms. The only option (excluding handguns) is USPS and its hit or miss if your post office will actually ship it. USPS is a big no no for handguns. Here are the scumbags that sent the intimidation letters.

Edward Markey, Dick Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Dianne Feinstein, and Chris Murphy.

I walk into ups ground hub with the ffl of the buyer in my hand (one in the box also) and ship shotguns often. Shipped one in December and one goes out this Friday. Shotgun is broken down and I let them know it’s in pieces with no ammo if they ask. Probably shipped 6 now over last 18 months. You can’t do this at a UPS store! If they ask for ffl,hand them the one in your hand(buyers who the gun actually belongs too since he paid for it already) never had much problem. I guess if we were talking mailing your own gun to a shop, have the shops ffl in your hand and do the same thing. Now obviously they won’t mail it back to you, must get mailed to FFL.

From UPS website:

How To Ship Firearms
Shipments containing Firearm Products are accepted for transportation only from SHIPPERS who are federally licensed and have an approved UPS agreement for the transportation of Firearm Products.

Id bet all hub locations are not up to speed yet.
At my hub, If you declare it they wont take it with out the shippers (mine if I had one) FFL. My PO told me the same although by USPS requirements, I should be able to ship long guns to an FFL as an individual.

I've always printed my own shipping label at home when I've shipped long guns via USPS. Since everything is paid upfront, there's no reason to discuss insurance. There's nothing for the USPS person to do but weigh to confirm the shipping weight that's on the label, and scan the bar code. As mentioned earlier, I've never had anyone at the Post Office ask what I am shipping. I had a Fedex clerk years ago that was very curious about a guitar I was shipping since I had doubleboxed and gone way overboard with a big outer carton. She kept asking if I was shipping golf clubs for some reason. There was nothing rattling or loose, or shifting around, why golf clubs?

Steve, do your self-printed labels have a peel off backing? Is there a special type of paper available to use when printing shipping labels?

Nope, I just use plain inkjet printer paper. I've shipped guns, electronics, and dozens of other items over the years (having sold DVDs and junk on eBay) using the inkjet paper. I just tape around the edges of the label using standard clear shipping tape, try not to tape over the barcode area.

I use the PayPal Shipstation function to print labels, even when I haven't used PayPal for payment on the item. The USPS website links to stamps.com, which I haven't used, but a lot of folks do. I have a small AWS digital postal scale I got off Amazon for $20 or so a few years ago that is very accurate. It allows me to weigh up to 55lbs, which is useful for heavier items.