Shipping a rifle?

[HTSmith]

I am considering selling a rifle on this board. I'm not an FFL and assume I'll be selling it to a non FFL. What are the rules around this and which Carriers will ship? Any other "gotchas"? Thank you for your help.

 

[243winxb]

Shipping out of state- FFL to FFL- FedEx & UPS.

USPS (12.2 Rifles and Shotguns)

 

[Uncle Grinch]

You may check to see if the receiving FFL will accept your DL from a non-FFL holder. I have done this before with no issues.

 

[wsmallwood]

I've done that too but not sure it's allowed now. I know if you ship your rifle to a gunsmith you must send to an FFL and get it back through an FFL. That's changed because before you could ship to the gunsmith FFL and then get it back without the FFL.

It seems like a hassle but really it's a non-issue. I've found that shippers (FFL holders) can ship much cheaper than I can and most pass that on to you. If they don't find another. There are plenty.

Even in your state, if you ship, it's FFL to FFL. The only time I know of when it's not is if you sell to a resident of the same state and it's a face to face sell.

 

[br1111]

There is no longer any way for an individual to ship. Everything is FFL to FFL.

USPS was our last option, and that’s gone now as well.

i have shipped many usps. i just looked it up atf and it doesnt forbid longguns through the post office out of state but must go to ffl holder. atf recommends registered mail no markings indicating firearm.some clerks at post office say no but they are not trained properly. the last one i shipped she had to look it up in her rules book before she shipped.ups and fedex will only ship if you have a label allredy on the package from an account holder. Verify this info just to be safe. i hope this helps. ps I wouldnt ship any longgun now i would wait till the 2nd week of january.shipping now could end up lost or damaged.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

I've done that too but not sure it's allowed now. I know if you ship your rifle to a gunsmith you must send to an FFL and get it back through an FFL. That's changed because before you could ship to the gunsmith FFL and then get it back without the FFL.

It seems like a hassle but really it's a non-issue. I've found that shippers (FFL holders) can ship much cheaper than I can and most pass that on to you. If they don't find another. There are plenty.

Even in your state, if you ship, it's FFL to FFL. The only time I know of when it's not is if you sell to a resident of the same state and it's a face to face sell.

As far as I know at least in the last 12 months you can ship (USPS) to an FFL gunsmith and if it is your rifle they can ship it back to your legal residence address.

Lee

 

[AlNyhus]

I've shipped many guns with USPS. It's simple and easy.

A non-FFL holder (individual) can ship to an FFL provided the receiving FFL accepts from an individual. Your buyer needs to check with the FFL he'll be using on his end to make sure they will accept from an individual. You need to bring a copy of the receiving FFL's license to show the USPS. The outside of the box can't have any reference to there being a firearm inside. In the box, include the name of the person you sold it to so the FFL can notify them when it arrives. Also include a copy of your drivers license so the receiving FFL can do the 4473 transfer paper work to your buyer.

UPS/FedEx require shipping to be FFL to FFL. That's their corporate policy...has nothing to do with laws.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[AlNyhus]

As far as I know at least in the last 12 months you can ship (USPS) to an FFL gunsmith and if it is your rifle they can ship it back to your legal residence address.

Lee

That's correct. -Al

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

That's correct. -Al

Thanks for confirming

 

[AlNyhus]

Thanks for confirming

I shipped one via USPS four weeks ago. And one is coming to me now, the same way.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[LuvDog]

If it's a long gun, then you can still ship via USPS to an FFL. But the receiving FFL may or may not accept being sent something from an individual. Some FFLs only want things coming from another FFL.

If it's something other than a long gun, then you can use a service like ShipMyGun.com since they have an FFL and accounts with UPS. You can use them for long guns too, and it's actually my preference for shipping everything since it's much cheaper than doing it on your own. I think Gun Broker came out with something similar, but I've never used it.

For any firearms or firearms accessories (Scope are excluded), UPS and FedEx require you to have a special account and an FFL associated with that account.

You might be able to talk to the receiving FFL and see if they have an account with UPS/FedEx and if they'd be willing to provide you with a prepaid label. Maybe offer to pay them for it. That way it's on their account and FFL.

 

[RCE1]

Where I live, it has to be FFL to FFL. They generally use UPS. I've tried just shipping to FFLs in other states as an individual and they refused to accept a non-FFL shipment.

 

[Rob01]

Where I live, it has to be FFL to FFL. They generally use UPS. I've tried just shipping to FFLs in other states as an individual and they refused to accept a non-FFL shipment.

Use shipmyguns.com and you can ship UPS as an individual because you use their FFL.

 

[k260]

Where I live, it has to be FFL to FFL. They generally use UPS. I've tried just shipping to FFLs in other states as an individual and they refused to accept a non-FFL shipment.

That may be the policy of the receiving FFL but there's no law that prevents it. I don't understand why some FFL's won't accept it from an individual but that's on them.

 

[butchlambert]

I've done that too but not sure it's allowed now. I know if you ship your rifle to a gunsmith you must send to an FFL and get it back through an FFL. That's changed because before you could ship to the gunsmith FFL and then get it back without the FFL.

It seems like a hassle but really it's a non-issue. I've found that shippers (FFL holders) can ship much cheaper than I can and most pass that on to you. If they don't find another. There are plenty.

Even in your state, if you ship, it's FFL to FFL. The only time I know of when it's not is if you sell to a resident of the same state and it's a face to face sell.

Mr Smallwood, that is not correct.

 

[LuvDog]

That may be the policy of the receiving FFL but there's no law that prevents it. I don't understand why some FFL's won't accept it from an individual but that's on them.

From talking with a bunch of FFLs that I know, they prefer to inbound items from other FFLs because other FFLs know to include their information so that it can be logged in correctly.

When they get stuff from individuals, they forget to include a copy of their DL, the packaging is terrible, and stuff just comes in as a mess, even loaded on occasion.

 

[k260]

When they get stuff from individuals, they forget to include a copy of their DL, the packaging is terrible, and stuff just comes in as a mess, even loaded on occasion.

You ain't kidding, there's a bunch of idiots out there. I have a check from out of state sitting here with zero information, no phone number on the check, no nothing. I went to the trouble of calling the bank and of course they won't tell me anything. I guess it'll sit here until somebody contacts me.

 

[wsmallwood]

Mr Smallwood, that is not correct.

It may not be. Last time I sent one out it wen FFL to FFL and had to come back that way. I'm tired of reading gun laws or arguing for no purpose so I just accepted it. As I said, for me at least, it was the best way.

 

[Walt Krafft]

Some of the bs is state bs not federal bs. Some people bring problems on themselves. Biggest one I see all the time is hand written addresses. Get a label printer. All the shippers use automated readers that dont know chicken scratch from hog droppings.

 

[LuvDog]

If you use an FFL to send something to a smith, then the smith has to send it back to that FFL, because that's how they recorded it in their book.

If you sent it directly to the smith, then they can ship it directly back to you.