Shipping an air rifle for the first time

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NickNorthGA

NickNorthGA

Member
Aug 22, 2019
302
7
GA, United States
So it's a first for me. Just wondering what is typical protocol for legality. Do I need to claim that it is an air rifle? What carrier etc. USPS is kind of crazy on their site with what can be shipped. Pretty much says that it has to be an air pistol and almost makes me think I need to ship it from somewhere with a FFL. Does the air tank have to be completely empty? I didn't think it would be this complicated but any help is much appreciated. 
 
The last time I shipped an airgun (Crosman Fire/F4), I think I shipped it with FedEx and all I did was tell the person at Walgreen's (Drop point) that it was an airgun.

As for the bottle, I really don't know, but I think most carriers limit such things to ground shipping if it is pressurized. Again I am not sure about that and I have never shipped any gun with UPS. And no, that is not a recommendation for any carrier. I just have limited experience shipping guns from me to someone else.

Yeah, I know this is not much help... Good luck! (smile)
 
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No need for that. Just let them know its and air rifle. Most of the time I don't tell them anything, but you will need to insure it. It is perfectly legal and after all, you're in a free state. There are no problems from UPS and Fedex and shouldn't be from USPS. Sometimes you get a clueless liberal who tries to impose their will on your freedom, but it should be rare in Georgia. It is your legal right to ship one. I ran into a few clueless people 15-20 years ago with UPS and USPS. I filed a formal complaint with their superiors, and never was bothered again. 
 
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The gun cannot be loaded or cocked so it can fire !! I use UPS the brown trucks, if you take it to a shipping station they will pack it...not recomended!! I always used the company I worked for as they were an authorized UPS shipper so no questions were ask and rates were far less. As an authorized agent you can pack your own stuff, if you go to a UPS station they pack, not you and I dont trust their packing and they will charge you alot more!! Do you have a friend that might work at a company that uses UPS? I still use my old company even though I have retired from there, I take the stuff I want to ship into the shop, fill out the paperwork, get a shipping weight, declare the value and the company runs it thru to find the cost and I reimburse them for the cost. I have had many negative issues with fedex and they are a pain to get a gun shipped thru, USPS is good but it all depends on the local postmaster whether they accept gun shipments. Best option is to find out if your company where you work will send shipments for you, or find a good friend that can ship thru his company. All of the various places I worked always allowed employees to ship there personal stuff !!
 
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SHIPPING AN AIR RIFLE FOR THE FIRST TIME

1-Pack the rifle well. If it’s a heavy 10 meter gun separate the stock from the action. Double boxed is a good start along with reinforcing both ends of the box because it will get dropped during shipping. Take pictures of your packing process for potential insurance claim. After packing if when you shake the box the rifle moves, unpack and start over. Yes, keep a minimal amount of air in a pcp.

2-Don’t ship using USPS. Their tracking sucks, their handling of insurance claims is abysmal and you’d have to stretch the truth when declaring that the package doesn’t contain hazardous material (a pressurized vessel)

3-If you ship using UPS know that many “drop off points” are franchises and have the right to refuse to ship airguns or any guns. It’s their right.

4-I use fedex. Prefer their tracking and handling of claims. Most importantly you can create labels online and take the completed package with shipping label to many “fedex drop off locations”, and get a receipt for your package that is dropped off, no questions asked. Completely legal and legit. I’ve done it for years with hundreds of guns.
 
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SHIPPING AN AIR RIFLE FOR THE FIRST TIME

1-Pack the rifle well. If it’s a heavy 10 meter gun separate the stock from the action. Double boxed is a good start along with reinforcing both ends of the box because it will get dropped during shipping. Take pictures of your packing process for potential insurance claim. After packing if when you shake the box the rifle moves, unpack and start over. Yes, keep a minimal amount of air in a pcp.

2-Don’t ship using USPS. Their tracking sucks, their handling of insurance claims is abysmal and you’d have to stretch the truth when declaring that the package doesn’t contain hazardous material (a pressurized vessel)

3-If you ship using UPS know that many “drop off points” are franchises and have the right to refuse to ship airguns or any guns. It’s their right.

4-I use fedex. Prefer their tracking and handling of claims. Most importantly you can create labels online and take the completed package with shipping label to many “fedex drop off locations”, and get a receipt for your package that is dropped off, no questions asked. Completely legal and legit. I’ve done it for years with hundreds of guns.
Click to expand...


This!
 
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I've used all three major shippers without issue. I've been told, should an insurance claim arise, UPS is the best with which to work. Pack well, insure, and photograph the packing process, both to verify proper packing, and to identify the item. Be aware that most insurance payments are based on "market value", which will include a depreciation deduction, it's not replacement value, so buying more insurance doesn't help. None of my local independent UPS stores will accept air rifles, it must go to a UPS hub. And that is within their operating instructions. One of the local owners showed me in his operating manual that air guns are specifically prohibited. I'll offer one tip. If you open an account with any of the shippers, you can then pay and print your shipping label at home, slap it on and drop it off, easy. One glitch, with USPS I haven't found a way to buy insurance from home through my account, it directs me to the post office. 
 
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Pack it better than you think it should be packed. If you heard anything rattling, repack.

You have to be careful you are not sending it to a state like N.J. where even a BB gun is considered a firearm. That could get you and the person you are sending it to in trouble. There are other states like that too.

I use the term, "machined parts" if asked and I have taken the rifle down a little for packing purposes.
 
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