Mailing a gun properly to myself in another state?

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Big Dave

New member
Aloha,

I'm going on a trip in a month and want to spend some of the time shooting. I have a 9 mm handgun in Hawaii that I want to mail to my mom's house in Louisiana. After the vacation I will need to mail it back to myself from LA to HI.

Can I just Fed Ex it to myself? Or do I need to go through a FFL on both ends?

Also, is Fed Ex the preferred carrier?

Thanks in advance.
Dave
 
H

Hkmp5sd

New member
Yes, you can ship it both ways directly to yourself. The first trip is to yourself C/O your mother's name and address. No FFL required. Or you could just carry it in your checked luggage.
 
T

TheBluesMan

Moderator Emeritus
Good post, Hkmp5sd.

Depending on the carrier, you could just send it in checked luggage. You have to comply with the airline's rules as well as federal regulations. The firearm has to be in a locked container inside your regular luggage. Federal law prohibits the airlines from tagging your suitcase in any way that notes there is a firearm inside.

More info may be found here: http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/tsa.htm

As far as shipping it to yourself in care of your mother, DHL won't take firearms, but both UPS and Fed Ex will. Print out a copy of their regulations so you can show them to their employee at their customer service counter. Chances are, they won't know their own rules.

Also - According to UPS rules, you can't ship a firearm from a third-party agent (Mailboxes etc., etc.) you have to go to a distribution center customer counter. http://www.ups.com/dropoff?loc=en_US
 
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Tamara

Moderator Emeritus
Also be sure to let your mother know that she is not to open the package. The ability to mail a gun to yourself is based on the fact that you are not "transferring" possession of the firearm to someone else. (Apparently, as long as it's sealed in a box, no one has possession of it.)
 
R

rick_reno

Moderator
Good info - does anyone know if you can ship it to a Post Office care of General Delivery? I keep thinking about riding a cycle to Alaska, and getting thru Canada with my handgun could be a problem.
 
B

Big Dave

New member
Thank you very much

My questions are answered.

I would send it in my luggage but we are making a stop over in Boulder, CO for a few days which complicates things. But, on the way back to Hawaii I will check it in with the luggage.

Mahalo,
Dave
 
D

Don H

New member
Please let us know what carrier you decide on and whether you have any difficulties shipping a declared handgun to yourself (I suspect you will due to company policy or clerical ignorance)?
 
S

Silver Bullet

New member
Recently in one of these threads (maybe over at THR) someone mentioned that the UPS and FedEx stores might not take guns, that you will have to go to one of the UPS or FedEx depots.

You might want to call first.
 
Z

ZeroJunk

New member
rick reno,I would check carefully before trying to get into Canada with a pistol.Even with a rifle they have a very precise process with several forms and descriptions of the weapon required .Serial number ,caliber,length of barrel,etc.And it had all better be correct.I'm not sure they allow pistols at all.Better check.
 
A

Ausserordeutlich

Moderator
Anybody ever wondered about what surveillance techniques the feds use, in determining who actually opens the package that one's sent to oneself? That's just befuddling to me! :)
 
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rick_reno

Moderator
rick reno,I would check carefully before trying to get into Canada with a pistol.Even with a rifle they have a very precise process with several forms and descriptions of the weapon required .Serial number ,caliber,length of barrel,etc.And it had all better be correct.I'm not sure they allow pistols at all.Better check.
Click to expand...

I visit Canada frequently, it's only about 35 miles away. There is no way I'd take a handgun there, that's why I'd like to mail it around/thru/? Canada to myself care of GD in Alaska. I can get an FFL to do the mailing on this end, I wonder if I need one on the other end when I pick it up?

Anybody ever wondered about what surveillance techniques the feds use, in determining who actually opens the package that one's sent to oneself? That's just befuddling to me
Click to expand...

I know - they've got a bunch of really tiny TSA (AKA Tiny Secret Agents) agents. When you hand your gun over at the PO they open it and put one of these agents inside the box, with food and water. Remember - they're tiny so it doesn't take much food and water. They travel with the gun and check ID of the person opening the box on the other end - and that person is required to take the little guy back to the PO so he can serve us again.
 
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TheBluesMan

Moderator Emeritus
I know - they've got a bunch of really tiny TSA (AKA Tiny Secret Agents) agents. When you hand your gun over at the PO they open it and put one of these agents inside the box, with food and water. Remember - they're tiny so it doesn't take much food and water. They travel with the gun and check ID of the person opening the box on the other end - and that person is required to take the little guy back to the PO so he can serve us again.
Click to expand...

That's hilarious! :D I think they use these tiny secret agents to make guns "go off" when nobody is touching them. Just to keep people on their toes... :rolleyes:

-Dave
 
K

Kelly J

New member
Plain and Simple , you can not legally do that, you would have to go through a FFL dealer on both sides of the transaction to get the weapon to where you want it to go.
 
D

Don H

New member
Kelly J,

It is not illegal according to the feds; it is possible that the states involved may have an issue.

(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity? [Back]


Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b9

It may be difficult to find a carrier willing to do it, however.
 
B

Big Dave

New member
I was going to ship it Fed Ex

But, their firearms policy states:

FedEx firearms policy:
Restrictions specific to FedEx SameDay (Excerpted):

2 (a): FedEx will only accept shipments of firearms when either the shipper or recipient is a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, licensed dealer or licensed collector and...

So, it looks like I will have to ship it to a FFL after all.

Thanks again,
Dave
 
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