Shipping Firearm to FFL... need help.

[Miller]

A couple of years ago I sold some rifles. I would get the buyer's FFL, go to a UPS Customer Center and ship. It was usually in the neighborhood of $30-$50 if I remember right.
Today I went to the Customer Center, and they told me that the rules have changed for them. The FFL has to send a shipping label to me. The buyer/FFL holder does not have a UPS account of course so out of luck there. I went to my local post office and the people working didn't say no, but they weren't sure... they definitely had no experience with shipping firearms.

So, all of that is there anyone that can point me in a direction of where to go to get this thing shipped in the Central Texas area. Maybe a post office they have used that does know the rules and how to do it? Or an FFL dealer that would do it for a fee somewhere in the vicinity of Wimberley. At this point I will just drive a ways to get this done.

Man this just gets harder and harder to do.

[Drycreek3189]

Postal Service is full of no account dummies, you’ll probably be out of luck there. UPS and FedEx changed their own rules if I’m not mistaken. The easiest way is to get an FFL to ship it, they use the Postal Service all the time. Go figure.

[JakeM]

A couple of years ago I sold some rifles. I would get the buyer's FFL, go to a UPS Customer Center and ship. It was usually in the neighborhood of $30-$50 if I remember right.
Today I went to the Customer Center, and they told me that the rules have changed for them. The FFL has to send a shipping label to me. The buyer/FFL holder does not have a UPS account of course so out of luck there. I went to my local post office and the people working didn't say no, but they weren't sure... they definitely had no experience with shipping firearms.

So, all of that is there anyone that can point me in a direction of where to go to get this thing shipped in the Central Texas area. Maybe a post office they have used that does know the rules and how to do it? Or an FFL dealer that would do it for a fee somewhere in the vicinity of Wimberley. At this point I will just drive a ways to get this done.

Man this just gets harder and harder to do.

what kind of guns are you mailing and to someone in texas?

[Miller]

Rifle. Out of state.

[JakeM]

USPS can ship it to an FFL out of state.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/may-nonlicensee-ship-firearm-through-us-postal-service

[M16]

Print out the usps regulations for shipping a rifle or shotgun. The first person at the post office told me you couldn’t do that. I handed her the regulations. She got the Postmaster. He got their big book of rules and regulations. Then made a call to what was probably a higher up. After he got through with the call he apologized for the delay and shipped the rifle.

Be courteous but firm and stand your ground. Educate your local post office personnel and shipping long guns will be a breeze in the future.

[Miller]

I appreciate the information. I know the Post Office can do it, but like mentioned they all aren't too knowledgeable on it. If someone knows a post office they have worked with recently or and FFL Dealer in the Central Texas Region they can point me to that would be greatly appreciated.

[andre3k]

Box up the rifle, weigh it, enter dimensions and weight on usps website, print out the shipping label, stick it on the box, take it the the post office and drop it off. I've shipped a lot of long guns through usps this way without issue.

When you pay for the shipping on the USPS website make sure you select an adult signature required.

[sneedb82]

The easiest way to do any shipping without any questions is to have it picked up from your home. Even with insurance over 1000$, and you have a form to sign, the driver will take care of it.

As an FFL that's the only way we do it, unless we are going to the Hub for something large. We learned long time ago that the UPS stores are a lost cause for anything other than a drop off of amazon packages now.

Between the big three, USPS is not one we like to use for large packages. Pistols, parts, etc. sure.... rifles, shotguns, or large boxes, UPS and FedEx everyday.

[RMW]

Never tell them what your shipping problem solved, no FFL needed anyway.

[SCHC]

A little off subject rant re USPS. I recently purchased a rifle off GunBroker from a dealer in Kentucky. Dealer did their part and shipped USPS priority. Estimated delivery was 3 days. Rifle got from Louisville to the Ft. Worth sorting facility in 1.5 days. Then it sat there for 11 dam days. It would probably still be there if I hadn’t asked for a postal inspector to get involved. Once they got involved, it zipped from Ft. Worth to my Waco dealer in 1/2 day. 13 days for a 3 day ride. The reliability of the USPS is nonexistent. If you ship with them, insure the item for all it’s worth.

[Drycreek3189]

If you don’t follow the rules, and your package gets lost, good luck collecting on the insurance.

[fish4food]

Even if you follow the rules, package gets lost, or damaged, good luck collecting on insurance.

[justletmein]

shipmygun.com

[Artos]

A little off subject rant re USPS. I recently purchased a rifle off GunBroker from a dealer in Kentucky. Dealer did their part and shipped USPS priority. Estimated delivery was 3 days. Rifle got from Louisville to the Ft. Worth sorting facility in 1.5 days. Then it sat there for 11 dam days. It would probably still be there if I hadn’t asked for a postal inspector to get involved. Once they got involved, it zipped from Ft. Worth to my Waco dealer in 1/2 day. 13 days for a 3 day ride. The reliability of the USPS is nonexistent. If you ship with them, insure the item for all it’s worth.

I can tell tales of failure from all three carriers & none are immune...last week my reg ups guy was off on vacation & had two high dollar long guns left at the front door step of a neighbor one block over that had adult sig required. She threw them in the garage knowing they weren't hers & forgot about them being out of site / mind.

Tracking said left at residence & customer thought all was well until they wanted confirmation of delivery from me that said I got it monday & it was friday when they actually asked...panic ensued until neighbor realized following week. Crap happens.