Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

If I sell a firearm to a forum member can I ship it to their FFL dealer or do I have to have a FFL dealer ship it. Thanks for your help.

Yes, UPS Guidelines below.

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resour ... earms.html

Shipping Firearms

Special Procedures for Shipping Firearms
Use These UPS Services for Your Firearm Shipment
UPS accepts packages containing firearms (as defined by Title 18, Chapter 44, and Title 26, Chapter 53 of the United States Code) for transportation only (a) between licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, and licensed collectors (as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the United States Code), and government agencies and (b) where not otherwise prohibited by federal, state or local law (i) from an individual to a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector; and (ii) from a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector to an individual. The shipper must comply with and must ensure that each shipment complies with all federal, state and local laws applicable to the shipper, recipient, and package.

Firearms (including handguns) may be shipped only through a UPS Scheduled Pickup Account (specifically, Daily Pickup, Daily On-Route Pickup, UPS Smart Pickup®, and Day-Specific Pickup), or through a UPS Customer Center (counters at UPS operational facilities). Note: Firearms (including handguns) are not accepted for shipment via UPS Drop Boxes, UPS On-Call PickupSM, or at locations of The UPS Store® or any third party retailer.

USPS state only licensed individuals can ship.

http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_009.htm

As you can tell by reading all the regulations, it's a lot easier to drop it by a dealer and have them send it off. The dealer may get you a better rate than you could get also.

Thanks so much.

What's funny about shipping firearms, about 10 year ago is when I worked for a dealer in Harrisonburg. Around that time UPS required large orange stickers on the boxes stating "FIREARM INSIDE" or something like that. Gun thefts went through the roof for our distributors. Boxes of all kinds of handguns were coming up missing, all insured and UPS had their hands full with claims. It made things a mess for the distributors and serial numbers, and UPS employee's now had "unregistered" firearms. It seems all the boxes marked with firearms were destroyed as if they were ran over and items missing from pistols to boxes of ammo and sights.

I guess things have changed, as their regulations now state:

"The labeling and outer box markings on all firearms shipments should not identify the contents as containing a firearm."

Definitely declare the value when shipped, it will cost a little extra, but you'll be covered for more than the standard $100.

bdog308 wrote:What's funny about shipping firearms, about 10 year ago is when I worked for a dealer in Harrisonburg. Around that time UPS required large orange stickers on the boxes stating "FIREARM INSIDE" or something like that. Gun thefts went through the roof for our distributors. Boxes of all kinds of handguns were coming up missing, all insured and UPS had their hands full with claims. It made things a mess for the distributors and serial numbers, and UPS employee's now had "unregistered" firearms. It seems all the boxes marked with firearms were destroyed as if they were ran over and items missing from pistols to boxes of ammo and sights.

I guess things have changed, as their regulations now state:

"The labeling and outer box markings on all firearms shipments should not identify the contents as containing a firearm."

Definitely declare the value when shipped, it will cost a little extra, but you'll be covered for more than the standard $100.

They will also only ship next-day-air with none of the low-cost options available and this is why it usually costs a non FFL shipper an arm and a leg.

I'm wondering, if you break it down into parts and ship it in separate packages how would the regulations apply?

reminds me of that song....one piece at a time.....about a guy who worked at a car factory and stole one piece at a time till he built his own.

skeeterss0 wrote:I'm wondering, if you break it down into parts and ship it in separate packages how would the regulations apply?

reminds me of that song....one piece at a time.....about a guy who worked at a car factory and stole one piece at a time till he built his own.

Some do it calling the pieces "machine parts." Just be aware that's it's a federal crime (felony) to ship a firearm out-of-state via a common carrier such as FedEx or UPS without declaring it.

Sending the parts not considered by ATF as the firearm is no problem. Only that which the ATF says comprises the firearm (usually just the frame) is the problem.

^

Your correct as the you cannot ship a disassemble firearm that could be put together, as if you have enough parts the ATF can call it a firearm. A stripped receiver is a functioning firearm to the ATF and until it's all put together, it's just a $99 paper weight. I always thought it funny that you could build the nicest, most powerful, most expensive firearm out there, but without this $4.99 item...



it's completely useless and cannot "fire" anything.

"UPS accepts firearm parts for shipment, provided the part is not a "firearm" as defined under federal law; the contents of the package cannot be assembled to form a firearm; and the package otherwise complies with federal, state, and local law. (Note: Receivers or frames of a firearm, firearm mufflers and silencers are considered "firearms" and are accepted for transportation only if shipped in accordance with UPS's requirements for shipping firearms.)"

See 18 USC 921(a)(3).

Firearm parts such as a frame or receiver constitute a firearm under federal law. A do-it-yourself kit allowing a person to assemble a firearm, even without complete parts, can constitute a firearm.

The receiver is the part of a firearm that houses the operating parts, and is sometimes called the body. For a shotgun or rifle, the receiver houses the bolt firing pin, mainspring, trigger group, and magazine. In a handgun (pistol or revolver), the receiver is known as the frame, and it houses the firing mechanism. All firearms receivers should have a serial number.

A weapon that can be modified to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive also qualifies as a firearm.

You can ship everything on a firearm at one time except for whatever part the ATF keeps track of. Take an AR for example. Every part of that rifle can be shipped easily except for the receiver(lower). You can strip that part and send every piece of it as well. Just not the actual numbered receiver.

One last thing to be mindful of - NOT all FFLs accept transfers from private individuals. So the receiving FFL may require you to go through a dealer anyway. We don't have an issue with private shippers ourselves, but at NOVA Armament we're one of the few in the area that accepts them. So always check first!