USPS Complaint

[Deleted member 48126]

Does anyone know why mail carriers deny shipping firearms with the proper paperwork? It's taken me a week to get a rifle shipped after being denied by USPS, FEDEX, and UPS and that's with me providing proper FFLs and my drivers license. I have a feeling that this is going to eventually bite me and I'm going to get negative feedback from someone. I had to go to my LGS and beg them to ship it for me. They are cool, it's just that shipping is getting so expensive that it's not worth their time anymore.

This is what I found with regards to shipping.


"A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another state. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of their own state or to a licensee in any state.

The U.S. Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms.

Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.

[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A); 27 CFR 478.31]"

Does anyone have advice on how to ship? I'm trying to be a good, law abiding citizen, but these gov employees are making it difficult. Yes, this is also me complaining / venting.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I've mailed rifles to FFl's (either gunsmiths or manufacturers) many times with no paperwork and no hassle. Are you mailing to an unlicensed person? Mailing to an unlicensed person infers a "firearm transfer". Are you shipping in state or out of state?

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I've mailed rifles to FFl's (either gunsmiths or manufacturers) many times with no paperwork and no hassle. Are you mailing to an unlicensed person? Mailing to an unlicensed person infers a "firearm transfer". Are you shipping in state or out of state?

I use two licenses, my FFL lets me use theirs on record at the post offices in town, and then the FFL that forum members send me to ship too. I include a copy of my license. I ship in state and out of state. I've been told several times by several shipping employees that my name isn't on any of the licenses so I'm not allowed to ship. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I've pulled up their company policies and they look at me with blank stares.

The only place that made sense are UPS storefronts since their policies are different from store to store. So if that store doesn't want to ship something for whatever reason, then they don't have too.

I'm in georgia too, btw, a very gun friendly state. It's probably bc I live in one of two only democratic held cities.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

You should be able to send a longgun to any FFL, in any state, without using a FFL to ship from. Some FFL holders choose to not accept a firearm from non-licensed persons but that has nothing to do with shipping regulations.
When I ship a longgun I declare what is in the box and that it is being sent for repair. I've never had a problem at our local post office and have never been asked for any paperwork. I generally don't even have the license info from the receiving FFL.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I think it is the politics of where you are. Here FedEx is no problem. USPS is hit or miss, and ups is the most difficult. The gal there where you drop packages has a problem with guns.

We have had guns shipped to us from all three. There has been a few times that we had to send our ffl to someone shipping a rifle to us so they could prove they were sending to a ffl.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I think it is the politics of where you are. Here FedEx is no problem. USPS is hit or miss, and ups is the most difficult. The gal there where you drop packages has a problem with guns.

I wasn't allowed to ship two rifle scopes when I was in Atlanta. That blew my mind. That was UPS and they said it was a firearm part. I went to fedex and had to lie and say it was a telescope. Life's crazy at times.

Well thanks gents. I'll probably drive a little further south, outside of my town to ship from now on. I thought I was going crazy.

 

[sierracharlie338]

With UPS, possibly fedex, you have to go to a hub to ship firearms ammo. The little individually owned stores almost never ship anything firearm related. I ship rifles fairly regularly with this method. Show up to the hub. Print ticket and it goes on the conveyor system. Simple as that with zero issues. Yes it's a little longer drive most likely but zero hassle.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

ups stores have a company wide policy that they do not ship any firearm related product. So we never ship anything ups.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Does anyone know why mail carriers deny shipping firearms with the proper paperwork? It's taken me a week to get a rifle shipped after being denied by USPS, FEDEX, and UPS and that's with me providing proper FFLs and my drivers license. I have a feeling that this is going to eventually bite me and I'm going to get negative feedback from someone. I had to go to my LGS and beg them to ship it for me. They are cool, it's just that shipping is getting so expensive that it's not worth their time anymore.

This is what I found with regards to shipping.


"A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another state. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of their own state or to a licensee in any state.

The U.S. Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms.

Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.

[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A); 27 CFR 478.31]"

Does anyone have advice on how to ship? I'm trying to be a good, law abiding citizen, but these gov employees are making it difficult. Yes, this is also me complaining / venting.

I ship and receive rifles and handguns out-of-state through a retired friend with an FFL and a registered business. I've never had any problems. He only uses FedEx and UPS. He charges a small fee. Have you got any friends who own or work at a gun shop or outdoors store?

 

[Muddyboots]

UPS at first would not take bullets for shipment until I told them they were shipped to me by UPS and call their corporate guru to "confirm" as ok. The local franchise owners really are not versed in legal requirements at all so the easy answer is NO. So I just demand they call UPS support and "usually" they do so they can document they were "told" by UPS corporate it was OK. This person was anti-gun so she was not too happy at all with the answer. Of course I didn't help when I told her I would bring her a copy of the Constitution to read in her leisure time. And yes, the package got there in perfect condition.

BATF language is clear, USPS can accept shipment from unlicensed to a licensed person for a long-gun. Maybe carry a photocopy of the BATF page as evidence so they can also state they did not make the decision. Or just ask for the postmaster.

I do agree with RockyMtnMt that likely anti-gun sentiment is driving the position is why you need to ask for the postmaster. The postmaster knows the requirements and also knows complaints against them doesn't fly well anymore.

LINK: Firearm Shipment

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I ship and receive rifles and handguns out-of-state through a retired friend with an FFL and a registered business. I've never had any problems. He only uses FedEx and UPS. He charges a small fee. Have you got any friends who own or work at a gun shop or outdoors store?

Good advice. I need to find someone who offers services like that. All my LGS are cool, but they say shipping / FFL transfers are not very profitable.

 

[Muddyboots]

You should not have to burden an extra cost because someone in government REFUSES to do their job. Personally, if the USPS keeps refusing I would bring in my local Congressional representative to "inquire" with the postmaster why they are refusing a legitimate request. This is the type of "problem solving" that Congressional rep's like to do so they can state they are helping their constituents. Plus if the inquiry comes from them the postmaster may "remember" it is perfectly legal to ship a firearm from an unlicensed person to a licensed FFL. Funny how that works.

 

[nkyshooter]

When shipping to another state - it must go TO an FFL. You should verify your state and the buyer's state laws on the shipment originating from an individual as they can vary.

If you package it up yourself (obviously with no indication of what is inside) and then go to the fedex website and enter all the dimensions, weight, etc and pay for the shipping there ...
1. It tends to be cheaper
2. There is nobody asking questions that are unnecessary/irrelevant/etc
3. You can just drop it off at any of the depot locations or "stores", etc

I would NOT recommend an unattended drop box though ... I always want to see that it was "scanned in"/"received".

I require the buyer to provide me a copy of the receiving FFL cert prior to shipment. I keep a copy and put a copy in the box along with the buyer's contact info.

All the above applies to Long guns ... handguns can have different requirements around declaration and method of shipment (air vs ground, etc).

 

[Dean2]

So my question is, why are you not filing an official complaint with USPS. The person running the post office is clearly violating USPS's rules and substituting their own. Had that issue with a postal outlet here, one complaint in writing through channels, new person now running the post office. If we let bureaucrats or anyone else abuse our rights and not do anything about it, it just makes them bolder.

Just noticed this is my 666 post, how appropriate.