Laws on Shipping Guns?

[Puffy69]

Maybe a dumb question but I have no clue..Any Gun guys out there that know about shipping them?..My Grandpa died 3 yrs ago and My Dad is trying to get his gun collection but doesnt know how to go about getting them..I cant imagine that all My Grandma has to do is put them in a flat rate box and ship..TIA for your help..

[monsoon]

IIRC ... and it was many years ago ... laws for this vary by state & by gun type (hand guns vs rifles/shotguns) ... it would probably be best to contact a local gun shop & ask .... it may be that you would need to have the guns shipped to a gun dealer in your state, for the sake of registration & paperwork.

[RGD]

As far as I know - legally they should be shipped from one dealer to another. Call a local gun shop and I'm sure they can tell you.


Ron

[Kayak_Rat]

Originally Posted by RGD

As far as I know - legally they should be shipped from one dealer to another. Call a local gun shop and I'm sure they can tell you.


Ron

Pretty sure its that way in Arkansas......the guns that are legal that is. Also might want to look into transporting them over state lines if you plan on driving to get them as a option.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by RGD

As far as I know - legally they should be shipped from one dealer to another. Call a local gun shop and I'm sure they can tell you.


Ron

I know that for handguns you need a FFL (federal firearms License) to send and receive. Not sure about long rifles and shotguns though.

[Ace$nyper]

Varries state by state, are they long arms or pistols?

I agree calling a gun store is your best bet, if titles need to be transfered they can do that with ease and get them shipped to them and you just pick them up.

[croatan]

I believe that, generally, firearms may be shipped from a private individual in one state to a FFL-holder in the other state. Handguns, if shipped through the USPS, must be shipped from one FFL-holder to another.

Basically, all you should need is a friend in your state who holds a FFL to receive the firearms and hand them to you. Since these were acquired by devise or descent, they shouldn't fall under the guidelines for interstate firearms sales.

[Puffy69]

pistols....i didnt think of calling a dealer being that they arent being bought by one but they certainly need to be registered so maybe calling a dealer needs to happen..thanks

[JohnnyFlake]

There is no variance by state! I held an FFL for over 15 years, having given it up in 2000. The Federal Law, of the Land, is plain and simple. Firearms of any kind, can only be ship from one FFL holder to another, Period!!!

Many gun shops will ship the firearms, for you, to a dealer in the area you want them sent to. They usually charge a minimal fee of $10 or $15 per gun plus the cost of S&H. The receiving dealer will also charge a fee, which will be a similar amount. It's the only legal way to do it.

The other way, if there are a lot of pieces, is to drive there and pick them up. You can legally transport them back to you home in a vehicle. There are a few regulations on how they should be packed but that's not a big issue.

Johnny

[croatan]

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlake

There is no variance by state! I held an FFL for over 15 years, having given it up in 2000. The Federal Law, of the Land, is plain and simple. Firearms of any kind, can only be ship from one FFL holder to another, Period!!!

If you have an FFL, you can only ship to another FFL, but I'm fairly certain that a non-FFL holder may legally send a firearm himself or herself without going through an FFL-holder on his or her end, as long as the recipient holds an FFL. For example, I should be able to send my Kimber to a gunsmith in New Mexico without going through a FFL here. For the nominal additional cost, however, it may be prudent nonetheless.

See 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5), and 922(e); 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30

You are, of course, correct about it being a federal issue. I'm unsure why anyone would think otherwise.

[AAlmeter]

Originally Posted by Rock Star

pistols....i didnt think of calling a dealer being that they arent being bought by one but they certainly need to be registered so maybe calling a dealer needs to happen..thanks

Your best bet is going to be a dealer or enthusiast who has his own FFL. A lot of smaller gunsmiths have FFLs and will do the transfer a lot cheaper than larger gun/sporting goods stores. They can get up to around $50 per transfer.

Seeing as how they are pistols, I would not attempt to transport them myself. You can get into poop loads of trouble if your paperwork and political donations are not up to snuff.

And also be prepared to fight to keep them and check into the laws in both states regarding the handling of pistols in an estate. Last I looked, here in NY the recipient had a fairly short amount of time and some pretty good expenses to incur in order to receive his/her inheritence.

Now, if this is all taking place within one state, I do not believe that you need to ship through an FFL.

More info here:

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/_fsot.php

and here:

www.packing.org


Good luck

[oddball]

In CA, a person can transfer a long gun to their spouse with no FFL involvement. Also, a parent or grandparent can do the same to their adult child. Handguns require extra paperwork and $19. No restricted firearms ("assault") are included in this exchange. All persons involved must be able be able to legally possess a firearm (no ex-felons). Your father's case may be able to fall under this scenario. Check your state laws if they follow a similar guideline.

I can't imagine why not; almost every other state has more rational firearm laws than we do...

[joed]

Originally Posted by Rock Star

pistols....i didnt think of calling a dealer being that they arent being bought by one but they certainly need to be registered so maybe calling a dealer needs to happen..thanks

Ok - I'll play the part. If the gun isn't registered - don't register it. I have shipped guns to various places for repair and modification. I used FedEx - you can't take it to them, but they will come and pick them up and then deliver. I think you only need to use the FFL if it's a sale.

The guns can always be broken down and shipped in two parts - the barrel separately from the stock.

I have also had guns shipped to me via UPS from a friend in Texas. Same deal, no registration, no FFL person involved.

Go ahead and call UPS and ask - I have a gun that I need to ship to my brother. They will give you the current situation in the states involved. But again, it's not a sale, so you are not required to go through a FFL dealer.

[M1903A1]

The only info I can contribute is that, AFAIK, you cannot ship firearms via the USPS. It has to be a private carrier.

[Ashcan Bill]

Firearms in the U.S. come under the jurisdiction of the ATF. States may pass laws regarding firearms, but the Federal law always trumps State law.

Here's a link to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Scroll down to around paragraph B7 and start reading.

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b7