PDA

View Full Version : USPS Shipping Experience


babaracus
10-23-07, 21:30
I sold a rifle and shipped it with the USPS today. After walking in, I told the clerk I needed to ship a firearm. She said, "NO FIREARMS, NO" shaking her head. I thought "oh no, I hate confrontation" and responded, "Yes, USPS can ship rifles and shotguns, but not handguns or 'concealable' firearms (by unlicensed)". I offered the ATF and USPS policies I printed and she and a co-worker consulted their restrictions poster. I affirmed that I was shipping a rifle and she said "I stand corrected". She asked if it was unloaded, to which I said yes and I asked if she would like to inspect it. She said, "The only one I know is the M-16 so..." to which I said, "Well then, you're in luck." She looked over the upper, lower, and magazine and we talked about her days in the Air Force then I packed it up and paid the shipping.

Thankfully it was a smooth transaction and we ended up having a friendly conversation out of it.
Shihan
10-24-07, 01:54
If you took it in to a UPS store they are not a part of UPS and that is normally there policy. Here in AZ even as a FFL I have to drive to the UPS Center and ship things out.
Bigun
10-24-07, 04:39
He was using usps not ups, as long as you have the regs in hand I know people tend to get more cooperative. My local post office dont even ask anymore. Neither does the local UPS store. Ive beaten them down with their own regs.:D
SperlingPE
10-24-07, 12:43
I have looked a couple of times for the shipping regulations for weapons on the USPS web site. Do you have a link?
CarlosDJackal
10-24-07, 15:36
You gotta remember, the only individual in any given Post Office branch who would know these regulations is normally the Post Master. After the initial encounter with that woman, I would have asked for him or her and chances are, you won't need to refer to the printed laws and regulations. JM2CW.
mark5pt56
10-24-07, 17:01
She should be commended for being reasonable instead of putting up the wall and refusing to stand corrected.
Don Robison
10-24-07, 18:28
That was pretty much my experience last year when I was mailing my M14 to myself. I was mailing it from the small town where I grew up back to my home in FL. I stopped in the day prior to "get a feeling" for their reaction to mailing a rifle. I showed up the next day with a copy of their rules, the lady read them shrugged her shoulders and said no problem.
chrismartin
10-24-07, 18:32
I mailed two stripped lowers via USPS for engraving. VERY small box. I told the lady I was shipping a rifle to get some work done on it and as you can see by the box, it's disassembled and not loaded :) She gave me a little bit of a funny look, but said "Delivery Confirmation and Insurance?"
KLR_Redux
10-24-07, 18:35
You don't need to bring the regs. I figured this one out a while ago. They have a poster somewhere in the front area listing what is mailable, hazardous, etc.

http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/posters/pos138/pos138_back.html

I just suggested that the clerk look behind her. :D
Shihan
10-24-07, 18:40
He was using usps not ups, as long as you have the regs in hand I know people tend to get more cooperative. My local post office dont even ask anymore. Neither does the local UPS store. Ive beaten them down with their own regs.:D

My bad I miss read it.
Nathan_Bell
10-24-07, 19:01
If you took it in to a UPS store they are not a part of UPS and that is normally there policy. Here in AZ even as a FFL I have to drive to the UPS Center and ship things out.


Same here, the UPS store owner stated that she was warned that UPS would yank her franchise if she moved guns or gun barrels; accesories are fine, but not the Ser# part or a barrel. So I have to drive an extra 10 minutes to ship a gun UPS.
babaracus
10-24-07, 19:15
Good to know about UPS store, that was my second choice.

Yes, they looked up the mailability on the poster behind them. The shotgun/rifle section was on the back. The front of the poster had a pistol in a buster sign, so I assume that's where the no guns idea came from.

Here is the link to the firearm mailability code (http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm#wp1065404) referenced by KLR_Redux.

The clerk was never nasty, just firm, and it was unnecessary to escalate. The other mail clerk was excited that she got to see her first gun and even "got to touch it". :p (maybe that should be a sad face instead?)
aloharover
10-25-07, 12:19
I shipped one time via USPS and since then its all FedEx.
USPS needs to go via registered mail and its cheaper for me at least, to use FedEx.
Complete ARs run 12$ with insurance. Most I have ever spent was a customer purchased 2 ars, an FAL, and a shotgun and it was <30$

And FWIW FFL holders CAN ship pistols between each other via the USPS.