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Shipping firearms from individual to out of state FFL

Smitty192

Stand-up Philosopher
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Minuteman
Feb 23, 2017
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Deep East Texas
I recently moved to Texas from Illinois and I have a few firearms I want to sell. In Illinois it had to go FFL to FFL.

I believe I can ship directly to an out of state FFL from Texas. Can someone please confirm?

Also, are their any states to avoid shipping to? What documentation do I need to include in the package? FedEx, UPS or USPS - what is the best carrier for shipping a firearm?

Thanks in advance.
 
Some FFLs will accept a firearm from a individual(with a copy of your DL), up to the FFL, check with them to be sure.

As for the shippers, most require a copy of the FFL the firearm is going to. You can ship long guns through USPS, must be a FFL for handguns. Speak with the post master if the counter goons won't help. Not all post master's know the rules either. You will need to go to a ups hub for shipping firearms, handguns must go 2nd day air.

All states are different, CA is strict for semis, best to check with that state's FFL to see what is on their ok list.
 
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Some FFLs will accept from an individual and some won’t. So that depends on the buyers FFL. They usually want a copy of your drivers license and contact info. Also include the buyers contact info. FFLs hate getting mystery boxes with no info

UPS and FedEx will ship handguns, but their rules seem to change depending on who you ask and how you read them. Long guns can go with any carrier. FFLs can ship anything USPS.

If I’m selling out of state, I just drop off with my FFL because I’ve found that is usually cheaper.

When I’m sending something directly to a smith or OEM and having it returned then I’ll ship it myself because then they can ship it back directly.
 
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I mostly ship UPS. Sometimes they don't know the rules at the counter, though, so you might want to print them out the first time you use a location. You need to be shipping to an FFL. I always get bring an extra copy of the receiving FFL with me tp give to UPS.
 
The carrier you are using doesn’t need to know what you are shipping and doesn’t need a copy of the FFL it’s going to like one member posted because they don’t need to know what you are shipping like I said. Send it to an FFL only if out of state and include a copy of your DL. Of course talk to the FFL yourself so they are aware and to make sure they accept from an individual. Most will. Commie states sometimes won’t.

Feel free to ship accessories to restricted states. The receiving FFL probably won’t accept a rifle the state says isn’t legaI so I wouldn’t do that and tie up the rifle. I will gladly send mags and such to ban states. It isn’t your problem. It would be the problem on the receiving end as you didn’t violate federal law. It would be a commie state issue. I like to help out guys that push against the state.
 
The carrier you are using doesn’t need to know what you are shipping and doesn’t need a copy of the FFL it’s going to like one member posted because they don’t need to know what you are shipping like I said.
I know some folks send guns without telling the carrier, but the carriers all require that you tell them if you're shipping a firearm (or certain other items). If you don't tell them and there's a damage or loss claim, you'll be out of luck. Also, lots of stuff gets xrayed and the counter people now are often trained to ask what you're shipping. I always tell them and bring the FFL.
 
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The carrier you are using doesn’t need to know what you are shipping and doesn’t need a copy of the FFL it’s going to like one member posted because they don’t need to know what you are shipping like I said. Send it to an FFL only if out of state and include a copy of your DL. Of course talk to the FFL yourself so they are aware and to make sure they accept from an individual. Most will. Commie states sometimes won’t.

Feel free to ship accessories to restricted states. The receiving FFL probably won’t accept a rifle the state says isn’t legaI so I wouldn’t do that and tie up the rifle. I will gladly send mags and such to ban states. It isn’t your problem. It would be the problem on the receiving end as you didn’t violate federal law. It would be a commie state issue. I like to help out guys that push against the state.
This is a good way to lose a firearm, get fined or a visit from atf. Tell the shipper what you have and ask what is needed from you to make it happen.
 
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This is a good way to lose a firearm, get fined or a visit from atf. Tell the shipper what you have and ask what is needed from you to make it happen.
Fined for what? Don’t break federal law and you can’t be fined. It isn’t federal law to disclose what is in a package to be shipped. Neither is it breaking federal law to ship 30rd mags to ban states.
 
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Been there, done that, not going to argue about it. Stop giving out bad info.

To the op, let them know what you have.

If you have a cool FFL, it would be best to let them handle the shipping, could be cheaper also.
 
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Been there, done that, not going to argue about it. Stop giving out bad info.

To the op, let them know what you have.

If you have a cool FFL, it would be best to let them handle the shipping, could be cheaper also.
I’m not arguing. Just asking what law would be broken to warrant the consequences you laid out? Does federal law require a man to identify what is in a box? Does federal law ban 30rd mags and other accessories that some states don’t like?
 
I’m not arguing. Just asking what law would be broken to warrant the consequences you laid out? Does federal law require a man to identify what is in a box? Does federal law ban 30rd mags and other accessories that some states don’t like?
Not yet but why take the chance? If you have an expensive firearm in the box and tell UPS it's a used condom do you think they will help you if they lose it? There's no reason to not be straightforward with them.
 
Not yet but why take the chance? If you have an expensive firearm in the box and tell UPS it's a used condom do you think they will help you if they lose it? There's no reason to not be straightforward with them.
Do they ask you? I have never been asked whats in a package. Ever. If they did I wouldn’t feel obligated to tell them. It’s fine if you want to tell them. Its your call.
 
Do they ask you? I have never been asked whats in a package. Ever. If they did I wouldn’t feel obligated to tell them. It’s fine if you want to tell them. Its your call.
They ask me every single time. I have a hard time lying even when I want to. Post Office doesn’t ask. They only want to know if anything hazardous is in the box.
 
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They ask me every single time. I have a hard time lying even when I want to. Post Office doesn’t ask. They only want to know if anything hazardous is in the box.
There wouldn’t be anything to gain by lying anyhow.
 
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If it’s a handgun, you can be fined under 18usc 1715 for knowingly shipping though the post office. The law isn’t to “disclose” but the actual shipping of the firearm through the post office.

To my knowledge, that’s the only situation in which federal fines apply to shipping.
 
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If it’s a handgun, you can be fined under 18usc 1715 for knowingly shipping though the post office. The law isn’t to “disclose” but the actual shipping of the firearm through the post office.

To my knowledge, that’s the only situation in which federal fines apply to shipping.
Correct, the common person isn't going to know and when "they don't need to know what's in the package" is being said, lots of bad stuff can happen. Best to play it safe and ask what the shipper's regulations are on firearms.
 
Open up a FedEx or UPS account.
ship through the account
select “schedule a pickup” for it to be picked up the next day off your doorstep
print label, affix to package
set on front doorstep the next morning
watch FedEx or UPS guy pick it up without asking anything
track it’s progress until it reaches destination

there are no boxes to check or places to state that it is a firearm. They do have a box to check if you’re shipping ORM-D limited.