Shipping firearms???

BoFuller · Dec 5, 2011

Anybody have experience shipping firearms? I have a problem with my Glock and after calling the tech department in Georgia, they said to ship it to them. I live in Arizona and I'm shipping to Georgia.
Do I use USPS? FedEx? UPS?
Do I send it in the Glock case and then pack that in a box of padding?
Do I insure? Register?
Do I have to mark/label it firearms?
Do I have to go through a FFL in AZ? I don't think so.
Any experienced shippers with advice?

Thanks!

dusty3030 · Dec 5, 2011

Can't use USPS for a pistol, long gun yes pistol no unless you are a dealer.
Fed ex and ups require next day or second day air, it's their company policy.
I use lot of bubble wrap and the free box from fedex. Do not mark anything on outside of box indicating firearm. Do enclose instructions and return shipping info in box for the repair center. Insure it for sure. A non licensed person can ship a firearm for repair or service to the manufacturer and they can ship it back to you without going through a ffl.

yooper1 · Dec 6, 2011

Like mentioned above, UPS and FedEx use next day / second day and cost a fortune.

If you have a favorite dealer ask him / her if they would ship it for you. They can send it via USPS and it is greatly cheaper.

I used to ship guns for customers when I had my FFL. I would find the appropriate sized flat rate priority box and ship it that way.

Priority boxes would run you in the $10.95 or $14.95

https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-flat.htm?

IF your dealer is a decent guy / gal, he will ship just for the cost of shipping.

I did it because I wanted the customer back as a customer and to spread the word that I was good to deal with.

You do not NEED to use an FFL person, but it should / would be cheaper.

If you go it alone by UPS or FedEx it will be expensive and good luck with the counter people they have. It seems not many of them know the correct company policy.

UPS Shipping info:
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/re...nes/firearms.html?srch_pos=1&srch_phr=firearm

FedEx Shipping info:
http://www.fedex.com/us/freight/rulestariff/prohibited_articles.html

Postal service shipping info:
http://pe.usps.gov/text/pub52/pub52c4_008.htm

forgeblast · Dec 6, 2011

I have used ups, to ship back a pistol for repair. just let them know whats in there and do delivery confermation. It was real easy.

RobertN · Dec 6, 2011

UPS can ship your weapon. Juts make sure to heavily insure them. 12 years ago, I had two pistols shipped. They were in one box; UPS "lost them in shipment".

Our local UPS guys seem pretty good, but I generally still have bad feelings towards that company...

I got insurance money for them. But, a year ago, one of the weapons was found/used with a criminal at a crime investigation.....

If I ever have to ship a weapon again, it will be in two pieces, two seperate boxes. Barrel and slide, or bolt in one box, action/frame in a second. At least if "lost in shipment", criminals will not get an operable weapon.

Army grunt · Dec 6, 2011

brings to mind a funny story. This was in 67.A Buddie took a ak47 off a Vc. An sent it home as lamp parts

yes for you gun guys know it was a real keeper. It was complete an battalion wanted it he told some Lt. to go get his own if he wanted one.Just recalled that as a thing that was common place back then, **** on the ride home on a commercial airliner the fellow sitting next to me was a "Long tab"carried a ak on the plane an held it next to his side the hole ride, an was never asked about it.That was then.
Army Grunt

Western · Dec 6, 2011

I sent a Sig to the factory for an overhaul, checkup, and spring replacement last year. On the factory web sight they pretty much spelled out how to ship to them, so you may check where your sending yours.

I used Fed-ex overnight, and bought insurance, I think I also had to include a return shipping label, but cant remember.

My shipping both ways ran me about $90 w/ insurance, Service on my Sig was not much more.

BoFuller · Dec 7, 2011

I received an instruction sheet from Glock and decided I was going to have my local FFL ship it because I will be moving in the next few weeks, and I don't want to take a chance on it getting "lost" because I changed addresses.

The gunsmith at the FFL ask if he could take a look, since he is a certified Glock armorer. After about a half hour of trying just about everything, he found out the problem was a bad firing pin safety. He replaced it and now it works like a charm. I went into their range and fired off 100 rounds and it was just slicker than snot.

Now I don't have to ship, won't worry about being without it for 3-4 weeks, and they didn't charge me a penny, not for time or parts. I was wearing a US Flag tie with a Pearl Harbor Memorial on it. He said, "for wearing that tie, you get any free service you want, and I'll give you 10% off anything in the store". So I bought a Mossberg 12 ga. shotgun!

Thanks for all the responses! :thumbsup:

yooper1 · Dec 7, 2011

Now that sounds like AWESOME service and sounds like an FFL that I would definitely do business with again and send friends to.

Glad it worked out.

tomd999 · Dec 7, 2011

Hiya,

Just a word to the wise about shipping older firearms through an FFL holder to a factory service center for repair.

First, some FFL dealers in less than friendly gun states will process your firearm through the NICS process before they return it to you upon it's return to them. If your firearm is pre-GCA'68 this will bring it into the registration DB. I had one dealer that said it was store policy to transfer the firearm to the bound book and then transfer it back on a 4473 and NICS check when it returned from the service center, needless to say, I haven't been back to them since. (Also, unless the law has changed since I had my FFL, repairs done "While you wait" do not require either a gunsmith service book nor a bound book entry as you are still there and haven't given it to the gunsmith. This will keep your pre-gca68 FA off the books)

Second, since all makers have lawyered up to the max, any trigger mods or other gunsmith work you have done to the action will, in most likelyhood be "repaired to factory specifications" in order to assure they cannot be found to be returning "out of specification" firearms. Case in point, I purchased an early TC Contender with a wonderful 2 lb trigger that TC used to have right out of the box, Since it was an un modified frame, none of my barrels would fit, I sent it back for the "Free modification", it came back with a fully lawyered up 6 Lb trigger that felt like I was dragging a steel trashcan down the driveway. Cost me a few hours of my time to stone it back to serviceable condition.

My 2 cents,

Tom