How to Ship my Rifle?

N2DADARK

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 3, 2010
328
0
40
Im looking to send my rifle to a gunsmith if/when I get home next month, and knowing many of you have done just that I'm looking for some advice. Pics would also be appreciative. Who's the best currier, packing material, shipping container, you know that kind of stuff. Thanks.
 
Re: How to Ship my Rifle?

Get a plastic hard case from your local sporting goods/gun store & see if they have a box it'll fit in (chances are good that they do). Put your rifle in the case, case in the box and take it to either the USPS or FedEx.

*If you ship via USPS, pay for insurance and Delivery Confirmation.

*If you ship via FedEx, put a declared value and pay for Direct Signature Delivery.

Either way you ship, make sure that the cased rifle isn't moving around in the box (pad it up/make it secure & immobile in the box) and make sure that there aren't any marks on the outside of the box identifying it as a rifle or it will get "lost" in transit. S<span style="font-weight: bold">hip only to a FFL dealer or FFL'd gunsmith</span>.

*Keep all of your receipts from the shipment.

It's just that easy for a rifle/shotgun.

*A handgun on the other hand, that is a different set of rules - <span style="font-style: italic">unless you have an FFL</span>, it has to be shipped Priority Overnight through FedEx or UPS and <span style="font-weight: bold">you CANNOT use the USPS</span>....but that doesn't really apply to your question.
 
Re: How to Ship my Rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dtask</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get a plastic hard case from your local sporting goods/gun store & see if they have a box it'll fit in (chances are good that they do). Put your rifle in the case, case in the box and take it to either the USPS or FedEx.

*If you ship via USPS, pay for insurance and Delivery Confirmation.

*If you ship via FedEx, put a declared value and pay for Direct Signature Delivery.

Either way you ship, make sure that the cased rifle isn't moving around in the box (pad it up/make it secure & immobile in the box) and make sure that there aren't any marks on the outside of the box identifying it as a rifle or it will get "lost" in transit. S<span style="font-weight: bold">hip only to a FFL dealer or FFL'd gunsmith</span>.

*Keep all of your receipts from the shipment.

It's just that easy for a rifle/shotgun.

*A handgun on the other hand, that is a different set of rules - <span style="font-style: italic">unless you have an FFL</span>, it has to be shipped Priority Overnight through FedEx or UPS and <span style="font-weight: bold">you CANNOT use the USPS</span>....but that doesn't really apply to your question. </div></div>

If it's your rifle or reciever no reason to ship from an ffl.Just have a copy of the recievers ffl when you go to ship it makes things easier.If going through USPS remove the bolt from the weapon.
 
Re: How to Ship my Rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dbateman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ok so where are you sending the rifle from ? in the same country ?
</div></div>
It's going US to US so no worries about that.

The plastic gun case w/ box sounds like the way to go w/ insurance. And just because I dont want to have it floating around in the postal service it will be overnighted. Thanks for the info guys its what I was looking for.
 
Re: How to Ship my Rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dmg308</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> If it's your rifle or reciever no reason to ship from an ffl.Just have a copy of the recievers ffl when you go to ship it makes things easier.If going through USPS remove the bolt from the weapon. </div></div>

dmg308 is correct - Sorry If my post was unclear. You do not need an FFL to ship a firearm. <span style="font-weight: bold">However, you must ship to an FFL</span>. You also must have a signed, current copy (faxed, scanned & emailed or hard copy) of the receiving party's FFL in your possession <span style="font-weight: bold">prior to shipping</span>.
 
Re: How to Ship my Rifle?

You may find a local dealer that has a high volume discount with his shipper. I shipped My M700 through My guy a while back, from here in Indiana, to the Gunsmith in California, for a little over 12 bucks. I buy a lot of stuff from these folks though.
 
Re: How to Ship my Rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dtask</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get a plastic hard case from your local sporting goods/gun store & see if they have a box it'll fit in (chances are good that they do). Put your rifle in the case, case in the box and take it to either the USPS or FedEx. </div></div>

I tried to follow that same logic a while ago. I checked with three different name sporting goods stores, plus wally world and found that:

1. The plastic cases typically come two or three to a box and are not individually packaged. I had seen them packaged individually in the past, but not anymore.

2. Unless the store just received a shipment, they don't keep the boxes.

I was able to get a box that had multiple cases in it and had it cut down to fit.

Good luck.