Shipping a rifle to myself?

[engineer40]

Straight from the ATF's website:

I have a friend who lives in Texas. He invited me down for a hog hunt. I'm confused by the verbiage on the ATF's website. Specifically where it says "take possession of the firearm".

I just want to make sure I am reading this correctly. I can ship a rifle to my friend's address as long as my name is on the package. Legally he just cannot open it. Only I can open it when I get there.

The Post Office will still deliver it to his address correct? The Post Office will not hold the package at their location until I get there? I'm just trying to think through the timing of everything and I know the Post Office will only hold a package for so long.

Thanks!

 

[FearNoWind]

I read it the same way. As long as the package remains unopened until I open it personally I'm OK. Caveat - the guy who actually handles the shipment may or may not read it the same way and, regardless of how it works out in the end, if he decides to hold up shipment until he gets a "clarification" none of that matters. Good luck ....

 

[86alaskan]

I believe you are ok. I have shipped long guns like that before and they go through ok. Just pack it up tight and inform the USPS agent at time of shipping. I don't think they are allowed to label the outside of the package based on its contents, so the end deliverer may never know there was a gun inside. Plus, it helps if the recipient knows the post master where he lives. Go luck hunting hogs.

 

[sable tireur]

engineer40,

Fear of making a mistake causes most of us to overwork what is written on the ATF website.

Address TO:
Your Name
c/o Your Friend's Name (in care of)
His Address

The Post Office doesn't ask about shipping rifles or shotguns, in fact they have told everyone I know that they DON'T want to know and it should not be in or on the label.

The wording called into question has to be read as one sentence all together:

"Persons other than the owner should not open the package AND take possession of the firearm." They will be taking possession of the package for you but they cannot open it.

I've done this a hundred times if I've done it once and it works every time and it's perfectly legal. This works especially well if you have to fly and don't want to hassle with TSA, although I've never had a problem with TSA when transporting a rifle on a plane either.

Regards.

 

[Rick Richard]

Just curious. Why don't you just address it to the person at the address and send?

 

[engineer40]

Just curious. Why don't you just address it to the person at the address and send?

I have always been told it's not legal to do that across state lines. Is that not true?

 

[Dr. Vette]

Address it to yourself c/o the other person, as stated above. It's only one extra line on the address, and it's just too easy to do right.

And, despite what is mentioned above, do NOT tell the post office what is in the box. There is no legal requirement to disclose it, and why advertise that you want them to steal it?

 

[MOA Chaser]

Learned something new. I didn't know you could ship firearms through the US mail.

 

[sable tireur]

Just curious. Why don't you just address it to the person at the address and send?

It is illegal to ship a firearm interstate without going through an FFL. If the package was addressed to that person out-of-state without using an FFL you are going to jail. That's why you put your name on the package and the recipient can't open it.

Learned something new. I didn't know you could ship firearms through the US mail.

Regular citizens can ship long arms (rifles and shotguns) through the U.S. Postal Service without declaration. However, handguns have to be shipped through an FFL in order to go through the USPS. Shipping a handgun through UPS or FedX requires expedited service (overnight) and is outrageously expensive in order to prevent theft by those corporations employees. At least that's the supposed reason...

Regards.

 

[shooter7]

I have flown with firearms on several occasions and found it to be less a hassle than shipping. Besides the extra five minutes to check the firearm, it all went very smooth. TSA pulled me aside showing my case being loaded into the plane and they assure me that an agent would be bringing it to me at the baggage claim upon landing. Like they said there was a TSA agent there. I really think they're scared of losing guns.

 

[The Oregonian]

I have flown with firearms on several occasions and found it to be less a hassle than shipping. Besides the extra five minutes to check the firearm, it all went very smooth. TSA pulled me aside showing my case being loaded into the plane and they assure me that an agent would be bringing it to me at the baggage claim upon landing. Like they said there was a TSA agent there. I really think they're scared of losing guns.

I agree...my experience is that it is very easy to fly with a long gun.