Successfully ship using USPS?
 

Hi,

Anybody use the USPS to ship a Luger.

I have health issues and want to get it to my brother on the East coast.

Thanks

Karl

You can only ship a handgun via the USPS if both shipper and receiver are 01FFLs. A non-FFL can ship a handgun via UPS and Fedex if the receiver has an 01 or 03FFL, and the 03 only in the case of shipping a C&R handgun. If you and/or your brother are not FFL holders you must use the services of a friendly 01FFL.

I may be wrong, but it's my understanding you can ship a gun to a family member as long as your not selling it to him. I have used UPS with no problems.

Harry

Shipping a Luger
 

Ive shipped my 1918 DWM a couple of times....both to have some work done on it and when I had the 1918 date reingraved back on.....shipped it by FEDEX....just broke it down......marked "Gun Parts" on form....and never had any problems .....plus you can ship "Next Day" and know it will definitely get there.......Ive go an Internet business selling Militaria and over the years...a couple of times (mainly Canada shipping...which takes a long time)...a customer will write complaining they havent received item as yet....I have gone to my local post office and tried to trace it....and I get just the old Blank stare.......they always say the customer has to trace it....so my $0.02 is to use FEDEX as you KNOW it will get there.....and its amazing how fast it moves too..........Hans Fischer

The US Air Force uses the Postal Service to ship all our M9 [Beretta] pistols to our local air base. They come in via Registered Mail. Both handguns and rifles being sent back for survey or repair go out the same way.

I won't use FedEx because they require a signature. I'm at work all day/week and the only FedEx terminal is at Buffalo airport...a two hour drive [round trip] from me...I'll refuse delivery before I'll waste twenty dollars of gas to pick up a parcel I already paid shipping on... :grr:

"I have gone to my local post office and tried to trace it....and I get just the old Blank stare.......they always say the customer has to trace it."

Boy, I dunno. If that happened to me I would ask to speak with a supervisor. They will hand you a tediously long tracer form to fill out, but I guess most people just look at it and say never mind.

Since Canada Post was privatized, it has slowed down to nearly stopping at times. I've talked with Canadians who call it "Canada Post and Storage".

The PO will give you a tracking number, but it is worthless. They never keep it up to date. Fedex is the best, you know where you shipment is at all times. UPS is pretty good too about keeping you up to date on your shipment.

Harry

USPS offers a "Delivery Confirmation" number, not a tracking number. It Confirms Delivery. Tracking numbers are only available with Express and Registered mail.

I beg to differ, they will give you a tracking number with priority mail, but it is worthless.

Harry

Differ all you want to Harry. You are incorrect, it's not a tracking number. It's called a Delivery Confirmation number. And it's offered at an additional charge. Insurance is offered also, but Insurance numbers are not accessable to the public and are not used for tracking. Priority mail is not numbered in any form unless requested.

Don't Certified and Registered mail provide a tracking number?

Marc

Certified mail provides certification of delivery. It requires a signature, and address of delivery at the time of delivery. You can request and will receive a photo copy of the signature of the person who signed for it. You can also add a Return Receipt at the time of mailing. It is returned to you with the Signature and address of the recipient.

Registered mail has a tracking number, and is accounted for at every weigh-point. Each time it changes hands it is signed over to, and signed for, by every employee who assumes responsibility for it.

ron

WRONG... shipping a firearm to anyone (Including family members) except a bona-fide C&R or FFL license holder will get you tossed in the pokey...and the firearm probably will be confiscated if you get caught... if you have gotten away with it before, count yourself lucky. Sending if off for repair or customization is legal ONLY if the recipient is a license holder.

I alway use FEDEX, and to make theft unlikely, I ship only the registered part in one box, and the remaining parts separately (They can be shipped via USPS). I have never had a Priority Mail package lost... Delivery confirmation does cost more if you do it at the post office. If you buy your mailing label online at USPS.com, there is no additional charge for delivery confirmation

The USPO is ever changing..I have a good Friend who is a Post Master..Recently they have realized the shortcomings of delivery confirmation and have mandated that if a pkg goes thru your hands you should scan it. This makes the delivery confirmation a little handyier..You MAY get to track it here and there. It cannot be tracked unless it IS scanned. Before the recent change it was only scanned apon delivery. Now it is scanned apon pickup too..might be scanned elsewhere giving you a chance to see it on it's way.
I use the USPO almost exclusively for several reasons..in 12 years they have NEVER lost one of my packages. They have been misplaced but they always show up sooner or later and delivery confirmation HAS helped me find several. And I ship a LOT of packages.
Secondly I believe we need to support the USPO ..we sure as heck don't want them to disappear. They do a great job in my opinion and there are Post Offices in almost all small towns. Think about it..how would you like your local PO to shut down? Support them..they are good and need it. To hell with fed ex ...and NEVER put GUN anything on a pkg. Thieves see that as STEAL ME!
Same with insurance too..just a red flag to draw attention.

Registered mail has a tracking number, and is accounted for at every weigh-point. Each time it changes hands it is signed over to, and signed for, by every employee who assumes responsibility for it.


You want something to get there? Registered mail is the absolute best. Only trouble with it I have seen..it's slower because it has to be signed for and locked up.

Read the regulations...

http://www.atf.gov/publications/down...f-p-5300-4.pdf

For this, I would still send via an FFL, if you carried it in your vehicle, it would be totally legal, note, that this can be interpreted to mean that it can legally be received, does that mean shipped?

So, if I own a gun that has gone through the paperwork at an FFL dealer, I can send the gun to a restorer that has an FFL license, no problem. Now after the gun has been restored, he has to send it back to my FFL dealer again and not straight to me, is that what you're saying.

Harry

That is a different part of the regulations and a different question than above.

You can send a gun to a restorer (in most states) and it be sent back to you.

You can down load the reg and do searches...

Roadtrip

That's definitely the most fun way!
Now, make sure you check all the different state laws on your route!;)

:typing:Get a C&R license, then any gun on the list or any gun over 50 yrs old can be sent to you without going thru a FFL dealer. It has saved me a lot of money!:)

The only problem is when you renew it don't answer the question "how many guns have you sold & purchased on your license in the past 5 yrs" with "50"!!!!:nono: Since the "gun trafficking" problem has reared its ugly head, that creates a "red flag" and they will inspect you!:grr:

The last time I renewed my license, I made that mistake and got a visit from my local BATF agent. :crying: I was lucky that he was a young super nice guy. :D I asked him why the audit, and he said the number of guns transferred raised a red flag and a visit.:rtfm:
He said that his office (in Houston) had never audited a C&R licensee before, and they weren't even sure how to go about it!:confused:

So we sat down and checked off all the guns I had recorded as "received" to be sure that I had the guns in my possession.:thumbup: I explained to him that my collecting had taken a change in direction, and he could see in my book that most of the guns sold were Lugers and the ones bought were Colt SAA's. ;) That satisfied him that I wasn't a "strawman" or "dealing in firearms" and everything was cool.:rockon:

Yeah, but the OP just wants to send his pistol to his brother. The brother would need to get the C&R. Seems like a waste just to receive one pistol, don'tcha think.

Have the brother contact a local gun dealer who has a federal firearms license to receive the gun for his for a fee.

... or if the OP wants to identify the locality where his brother lives, perhaps a forum member might volunteer who has a C&R and could receive the gun for him...

just stay withing the law... it isn't worth the chance getting caught... having federal charges brought against you, having the gun confiscated, etc.

Boston Mass. Does it get registered in the process? I'm a conscientious objector to gun registration. Keep and bear arms is pretty clear to me.

"... or if the OP wants to identify the locality where his brother lives, perhaps a forum member might volunteer who has a C&R and could receive the gun for him..."

Sorry, but that is not a legal operation for a C&R FFL, you may only receive guns for yourself, not for transfer.

Johnny is absolutely correct, you would set yourself up as a straw buyer and it is highly illegal.
A C&R holder is a collector not a dealer. Recieving and transfering a weapon like this for someone else in your bound book would be BAD. Don't do it.