Mailing/Shipping primed brass - The regs and the law

[Shooter2112]

Hello everyone -

Since this is my favorite forum, I feel compelled to share with all of you the REAL low-down on the laws and regs surrounding the shipment of primed brass.

After a ton of confusion, misinformation (on other blogs) and general assumptions regarding the shipment of primed brass, here are the particulars/facts and the regs that back it up. I have confirmed all of this with UPS and FedEx's hazmat shipping folks and they all confirmed.

FOR UPS AND FEDEX ONLY -

Cases, primed (up to and including 50 caliber) are regulated for shipment by ground only through 49CFR § 172.102 SP(special provision) 50 that states:
" Cases, cartridge, empty with primer which are made of metallic or plastic casings and meeting the classification criteria of Division 1.4 are not regulated for domestic transportation"
49CFR § 172.102 (page 312) - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title49-vol2/pdf/CFR-2010-title49-vol2-sec172-102.pdf

Primed cases meet the classification criteria of Division 1.4c UN0379 - however they are exempted and classified as NON-REGULATED (NOT ORM-D, NOT HAZ-MAT, NOT the new "Y" Limited Quantities classification that will replace ORM-D). Some manufacturers (as per the MSDS) classify their primed cases as UN0055, but the same DOT 1.4c classification applies, as does SP50.

Packaging for primed cases is regulated by 49CFR §173.62 - Packaging instruction #136, which specifies that the primed cases have to be in a bag or box, then packed in a UN 4G standard box - which is defined by 49 CFR §178.601 (g)(2). So - you can't just ship them to your buddy in a shoebox, but most of us out here have received boxes of reloading components from various vendors, and most/all of these shipping boxes meet this criteria. For more mind-bending regulatory details, refer to 178.601.
49CFR §173.62 - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title49-vol2/pdf/CFR-2011-title49-vol2-sec173-62.pdf
49 CFR §178.601 (g)(2) - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title49-vol2/pdf/CFR-2010-title49-vol2-sec178-601.pdf


There is no hazmat fee, extra paperwork, no sign-by-adult or other hoops to jump through - BUT - both UPS and FedEX advised me to clearly mark (with a sharpee) "non-regulated as per SP50" on the outside of the box to ensure that no in-transit problems occur..........because I guess their employees can be as confused as I have been on this subject and you don't want your box torn or ripped into.

As per both UPS and FedEx - You CANNOT take packages with primed cases to your local UPS/FedEx store or mom-and-pop drop off service. They must be taken to a UPS/FedEx corporate-run package hub that has walk-in/retail shipping services.

FOR US POSTAL SERVICE -

Prohibited. Period.
See page 160 at: http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52/pub52.pdf
***USPS Publication 52, Appendix A, "Cases, cartridge, empty with primer"***
They don't have to subscribe to all parts of 49CFR § 172.102's special provisions......because they are special I guess.


I hope this clears it up.

Best regards,
S

 

[Forum Boss]

Thanks for the information. This confirms what I have told some folks privately. When I was shooting a lot of pistol, I would periodically buy primed brass (when it was on sale) and this would arrive, via UPS, without hazmat labelling.

Those were the good old days -- I could sometimes get bulk lots of primed, nickel-coated .357 and .38 special new brass for less than the cost of the brass by itself at most vendors. I suspect this was perhaps a police over-run contract. I think I got the cases from Wideners.com but can't say for sure.

 

[Shooter2112]

You are most welcome and thank you.

Hopefully the information will guide some through the myriad of regulations surrounding this type of reloading component.
I have been working on the ammo equation as well - so I could ship a little to my dad - stay tuned.

S

 

[Joe C]

Thanks for the great post. It is amazing how much mis-information is out there concerning shipping powder, primers, cases, primed cases and firearms!

 

[cmillard]

my postmaster has allowed me on several different occasions to ship primed brass. I repeatedly asked if it was allowed and she looked. I shipped without problems every time.

 

[rkittine]

I have been able to get the driver to actually take both restricted and high value items, not allowed in the UPS stores and only in the UPS Actual Walk In Depots. They seem to have the forms on the truck. Recently sent two actions that way as well as some primed cases.

Bob

 

[XTR]

I've posted some other long posts here regarding the transportation of HAZMAT or "Dangerous Goods" as they are called in the IATA regs that FedEx uses. (Usually regarding ammo or powder shipments)

The problem with UPS stores or Fedex Office locations is that the employees there do not have the training require under 49CFR sub part H. In the case if primed cases they probably don't need it but you will never convince them of that and you are putting their job at risk trying to get them to take it? That is a call for their regulatory compliance department not you or the guy at the store. Neither you nor he is qualified to interpret the PHMSA regs. He could get fired for taking your interpretation of a regulation he doesn't understand (and quite frankly neither do you) Don't got there.

Take your package to the fedex or UPS center staffed by trained transportation employees, not people who make copies and sell boxes.

Drivers are trained; however, it's a crap shoot as to whether you get a helpful one who remembers his training or one who takes the safe route and says "no". I usually use fedex for business and when that happens I call Memphis and get the hazmat department on the line and get things straightened out but that is my job.

For the record I do hazmat transportation and training for a living.