I know I can ship my own gun to a 'smith via one of these carriers, but it has been about a million years since I've shipped any guns.

Will I be able to get them to do it at a hub without shitting a brick?

I do have a UPS hub a reasonable distance away where I had to pick a package up once. Could I ship from there?

According to UPS policy, you can can ship the pistol from a hub. It has to go Next Day, with Adult Signature Required. (Next Day Air Saver is typically the least expensive option for Next Day service.)

But the tricky part can be finding a UPS employee at the hub that knows what they're doing. At my local UPS hub, it can be hit or miss. There are four people who typically rotate through working the counter during the week. Of them, one is great when it comes to shipping guns or ammo, two are decent, and the fourth is just awful. That last one not only doesn't have any idea what she's doing, she makes up arbitrary rules and laws about guns and ammo on the spot, and argues when confronted. It's gotten to the point where if the last one's working when I show up to ship a gun or some ammo, I leave and come back later.

Bookmark the UPS tariff, go to the hub to ship it. If the staff say no, show them the tariff.

Oh, and sell a kidney beforehand. It's going to be expensive.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Oh, and sell a kidney beforehand. It's going to be expensive.

Yep. The few times I've shipped a handgun myself, it's been $80-$100 through UPS, with Next Day Air Saver shipping plus Adult Signature and Insurance fees.

It's usually much cheaper to have my local FFL ship handguns through the USPS for me. It comes to about ~$40 total: $20 transfer fee, plus about another $20 in Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping plus Insurance.

Long guns are much more affordable through UPS, since they can go UPS Ground. It's usually $30-$40 total to ship a rifle or shotgun.

I've had better luck with UPS hubs than FedEx but now utilize a local FFL who will ship guns for me for a reasonable price. You should see if you can do that too.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I've had better luck with UPS hubs than FedEx but now utilize a local FFL who will ship guns for me for a reasonable price. You should see if you can do that too.

Yeah, after hearing those prices, I'll probably just call up the kitchen table FFL I use. He's also a lot closer than the hub in West Chester.

The last time I sent a gun it was over $50.00 to overnight it and it was a rifle. I just go through a ffl dealer now and don't have to deal with the idiots who work at either company.

Go through an FFL Dealer or Pawnshop since they get discounted shipping rates.

I'm reasonably sure the $50 shipping only includes basic insurance- if any.

My FFL told me USPS is easier to deal with if the package is damaged or lost.

There is no email address in your profile.

Contact me, if you wish, via the email address in my profile. I'll tell you how I recently shipped one.

I would rather have this conversation offline, not in a public forum that is readable by anyone who is not a member here.

 
I have to chuckle at the hoops some of you (have to) jump through to ship a gun. Yes, using your FFL is usually cheaper and easier. However, in this small town, we have a single authorized agent for UPS and FedEx. They are not a "hub". They are a vacuum cleaner and sewing machine store which also ships packages. They ship guns for me, and they have researched all of the carrier rules to make sure they are doing it right. With FedEx, it can go second day air, which saves some $$. I have received guns shipped by Robert Burke to my FFL that came FedEx second day air, adult sig required. The "UPS Stores" may not accept guns and require it to go to a hub, but a hub is not an absolute requirement. It is a burden imposed on you by not having a good shipping agent.
 

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:
 
I have to chuckle at the hoops some of you (have to) jump through to ship a gun. Yes, using your FFL is usually cheaper and easier. However, in this small town, we have a single authorized agent for UPS and FedEx. They are not a "hub". They are a vacuum cleaner and sewing machine store which also ships packages. They ship guns for me, and they have researched all of the carrier rules to make sure they are doing it right. With FedEx, it can go second day air, which saves some $$. I have received guns shipped by Robert Burke to my FFL that came FedEx second day air, adult sig required. The "UPS Stores" may not accept guns and require it to go to a hub, but a hub is not an absolute requirement. It is a burden imposed on you by not having a good shipping agent.
 

You can chuckle now, but you won't be chuckling when a firearm goes missing and your insurance claim is properly denied.

From the current UPS Tariff, section 3.6.1:

Firearms (including handguns) are accepted for transportation only via Scheduled Pickup Service or at a UPS Customer Center. Firearms (including handguns) are not accepted for transportation via UPS Drop Boxes or in response to a request for UPS On Call Pickup service, and are not eligible for Delivery Change Requests (including, but not limited to, requests to hold for pickup) or UPS My Choice requests, or drop off or pickup at UPS Access Point locations or Third Party Retailers. UPS Returns Services are not available for Packages containing firearms.

Per FedEx's tariff:

Firearms must be shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight service. FedEx Express cannot ship or deliver firearms C.O.D. Firearms shipments cannot be placed in a FedEx Express Drop Box.

…

Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx Express is required to notify FedEx Express that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm.

…

If you tender packages to a consolidator instead of to us directly, the following limitations apply:

A. Consolidators are not agents of FedEx, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions made by them.

B. Inquiries or claims regarding shipments tendered to a consolidator must be directed to the consolidator. We cannot assist the shipper, recipient or third party in these situations, nor do we have any liability for lost, damaged or delayed shipments. The consolidator is the shipper in such cases.

It's clear, therefore, in both instances that if you manage to get a non-"hub" to accept a firearm for shipment, you'll be SOL in the event something goes missing.

Looks like your sewing & vac guy is in it for the money. Wonder if he'll make good on a claim?

-Rob

quote:

I know I can ship my own gun to a 'smith via one of these carriers, but it has been about a million years since I've shipped any guns.

Will I be able to get them to do it at a hub without shitting a brick?

I do have a UPS hub a reasonable distance away where I had to pick a package up once. Could I ship from there?

If it's a rifle you can legally ship thru USPS. Either way expect when you tell them it's a firearm that they will all look at you like deer in the headlights.

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:
Looks like your sewing & vac guy is in it for the money. Wonder if he'll make good on a claim?

-Rob

Well, they charge all of $3.00 per shipment of any kind, in addition to the actual shipping charges, so they're not getting rich from the shipping business. What you quoted sounds pretty ominous for their arrangement. But I do recall when they first moved here (about the time I did), and I wanted to ship a handgun directly to H&K, this was their first, and she did extensive research with both carriers to find out the rules. This is an older couple who are very conservative and very very cautious when it comes to firearms shipments. Perhaps their status with the carriers somehow falls through the cracks of all those definitions above. They are authorized shipping agents for both, though.
 
I don't think the 2nd day air is right. I think correctly there are two options for overnight (early morning delivery and later in the day delivery), with the later one being somewhat cheaper, and that still qualifies.
 
I use my FFL for all shipments these days, anyway, as he is a lot cheaper.
 

quote:

Originally posted by braillediver:
Go through an FFL Dealer or Pawnshop since they get discounted shipping rates.

I'm reasonably sure the $50 shipping only includes basic insurance- if any.

This is what I do.
The last time I shipped a handgun to S&W, I used my local Scheels.
S&W fixed it and shipped it back to them and they called me when it came in. No NICS check needed and it cost me $15.

Someone suggested that you can field strip (or remove the cylinder) your gun and ship two separate packages. The carriers don't consider the disassembled gun to be a "Firearm".
Is this lawful? I thought the serially number frame constitutes a firearm.
Anyone ever do this to avoid the high costs?
Apologies if this is a derail.

Oat-

Check the USPS Regs. If You are shipping to an Authorized Service Center....whatever that is...or another FFL. It can go USPS Priority. WAY cheaper and safer than the other two.

Your FFL would have to fill out a USPS Form showing TO and FROM, that goes on file.

The ONLY firearms I have EVER lost in 45 years of this....Both were through UPS. And on BOTH I had to damned near get an Attorney to get paid for my loss.

FN in MT

I just used Ship My Gun service which is part of Buds Gun Shop. It was half the price of going though UPS or FedEx directly, but they use FedEx next day air.
You go online to shipmygun.com, put in the zip where it is going and if the FFL has an account with Buds they will just email you a label and you just box it up, attach the label, and drop it off at a FedEx hub counter (not a FedEx kinkos or retail store)
Pretty easy and much cheaper than going to FedEx on your own.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Someone suggested that you can field strip (or remove the cylinder) your gun and ship two separate packages. The carriers don't consider the disassembled gun to be a "Firearm".
Is this lawful? I thought the serially number frame constitutes a firearm.
Anyone ever do this to avoid the high costs?
Apologies if this is a derail.

I have an 03 FFL, and the frame/receiver is the firearm, no matter how far broken down it is/number of separate packages sent. Sucks, but simply shipping the frame = shipping a complete firearm in the eyes of the law.

I just recently returned a pistol to S&W for warranty service. S&W via E mail sent me a prepaid FedEx 2nd Day Air shipping label. If I had wanted I could have contacted FedEx for pick up from my residence. I packaged the pistol and took it to a facility that had a FedEx account thus shipping it from there. They scanned the label and gave me a copy that it had been received for shipment for my records. I was never questioned concerning the contents of the package.