At my local Post Office where I have shipped literally 100's of Airguns from in the last 16 years I was denied priority mailing them to Texas and California today. They told me I needed a FFL license. Just a FYI .... so I'll try UPS tomorrow.
U.S P.S no longer allowing airguns to be shipped
- Thread starter dayjd
- Start date
Must be where you live, because I ship them all the time in TN. I had a problem once years ago, but it was not USPS policy, it was just an incompetent employee.
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The Usps by my house has no such rule yet. But ups will not ship any type of gun including air guns but they are privately owned. So if if I drive to ups main office in the City they will ship my airguns. I guess we all have to deal with different rules and self implemented regulations pending where we live.
I think that is the policy of The Ups Store, not UPS. My local The UPS Store also won't take any shipments when their insured value is $1,000 or more (and you have to print out the extra forms to be signed upon receipt).
I once had to go to a different The UPS Store which was nearer to my local UPS hub, when the hub was temporarily shut down due to COVID. That store's owner confided in me that UPS based insurance was almost useless (could never collect) when the shipment originated at a The UPS Store.
Now I use Pirate Ship for my UPS shipments, and they use a different insurance. I never have needed to use it, so I don't know personally whether it works any better. But it doesn't require the separate UPS forms when insured for over $1,000, so I can sometimes still get away with dropping it off at the nearer The UPS Store. Especially for shorter air guns which don't look like packaged air guns.
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USPS - No regulations restrictions on airguns other than requiring adult signature and obeying state laws.
Same paragraphs appears under Handguns and Rifles (link didn't work but the wording came through)
http://Air guns (see 431.6) that do not fall within the definition of firearms under 431.1 and are capable of being concealed on a person are mailable, but must include Adult Signature service under DMM 503.8. Mailers must comply with all applicable state and local regulations.
UPS (and FED EX) have not allowed franchise locations to accept guns or airguns for quite a while for liability reasons, as i'm told. The local shipping hubs / corporate locations / shipping depots (pick your name) have no issues with airguns in general but usually ask (me at least) about any pressure vessel that powers them being empty. If you have any hope of making an insurance claim, don't mislead them on contents and be prepared to answer the questions.
Yes, employees without the knowledge to understand airgun as something different than a firearm will make it a bit harder with any of the shippers.
I always seal my boxes before I leave the house but I also always take my shipping tape with me. Have never needed it to repack after an inspection but I know others have.
Same paragraphs appears under Handguns and Rifles (link didn't work but the wording came through)
http://Air guns (see 431.6) that do not fall within the definition of firearms under 431.1 and are capable of being concealed on a person are mailable, but must include Adult Signature service under DMM 503.8. Mailers must comply with all applicable state and local regulations.
UPS (and FED EX) have not allowed franchise locations to accept guns or airguns for quite a while for liability reasons, as i'm told. The local shipping hubs / corporate locations / shipping depots (pick your name) have no issues with airguns in general but usually ask (me at least) about any pressure vessel that powers them being empty. If you have any hope of making an insurance claim, don't mislead them on contents and be prepared to answer the questions.
Yes, employees without the knowledge to understand airgun as something different than a firearm will make it a bit harder with any of the shippers.
I always seal my boxes before I leave the house but I also always take my shipping tape with me. Have never needed it to repack after an inspection but I know others have.
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Strange, USPS only asks if it's hazardous, liquid or fragile which I say no. Item sent. My UPS did ship air rifles but became a nuisance with the questions. But they may have changed their policy.
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Ask for the supervisor when you're dealing with a moron. Experienced employees have to correct the less experienced ones at my my post office on a regular basis. You see a lot of that type in government jobs.
I'd call it a pneumatic tool or pneumatic pellet projector rather than airgun. It's fair and legal.
I'd call it a pneumatic tool or pneumatic pellet projector rather than airgun. It's fair and legal.
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The UPS Store by my house won't ship anything it deems to be firearms related, to include air guns, scopes, etc. So, I spoke with the driver that delivers in my neighborhood and he just told me to keep an eye out and flag him down if I have something I want to ship. So, that's what I do now. It's usually on my street delivering something everyday!
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I don't think the USPS can lawfully refuse to ship an airgun. That of course doesn't mean some idiot employee won't refuse to take it. But under federal law there is no restriction and the policies of the USPS allow shipping of airguns.
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The clerk you spoke to assumed an airgun was the same as centerfire or rimfire firearms.
An FFL can ship firearms thru the USPS, I've done it personally when I was an FFL. A private citizen cannot. When I was 20 years old and going to college, I told my father I was headed to the local post office on my weekend visit to get my CMP M1 Garand and he thought I was either confused or crazy. Sure enough, all I had to do was sign for it and take it home.
Airguns are not FIREARMS per federal law so, firearms laws do not apply to airguns at the post office. They can whine about air cylinders on PCP airguns though.
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Yes morons are everywhere, but respectfully a blanket statement of government jobs. The USA government has a long history of being the biggest employer of ex military in all branches . I believe we all have family and friends
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I had that happen at my post office too. I went home, printed out the applicable info. Guy said, oh, it changed since then. I said, show me. He went and got his book of regs and proved himself wrong. I got to mail my "bb gun" finally...
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I did speak to a female who the clerk went to see after I told him he accepted and I paid for shipping and insurance on the air rifle I had sent earlier in the morning to Texas.
She told him to go find the package and give it back to me plus a blank Money order for what I paid to ship it. Frankly, she was a real act. Never seen her around there before but I believe she is the postmaster for that PO. Here are pics of the first transaction I sent at 11:19 this morning. Came back in the after noon after getting a shipping box for the second rifle I was sending (02:18). The Money order they gave me for what I paid to ship the Regal to Texas. So I took that one home with me too.
She told him to go find the package and give it back to me plus a blank Money order for what I paid to ship it. Frankly, she was a real act. Never seen her around there before but I believe she is the postmaster for that PO. Here are pics of the first transaction I sent at 11:19 this morning. Came back in the after noon after getting a shipping box for the second rifle I was sending (02:18). The Money order they gave me for what I paid to ship the Regal to Texas. So I took that one home with me too.
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D
Deleted member 38071
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That's a kick in the pantaloons. I wouldn't touch the money order and move up the chain of command. She has a boss.
I shipped an air rifle last week. Even $4000 in insurance wasn't enough to make the clerk ask extra questions.
I shipped an air rifle last week. Even $4000 in insurance wasn't enough to make the clerk ask extra questions.
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In PA you can even ship any long gun to another PA resident without FFL.. Most folks don't know that.
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Actually, even in NY you can ship a long gun without an FFL, as long as you are shipping it to an FFL.
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The unofficial sign in the my local post office says " No firearms allowed " So I commented to the clerk. That's funny, I'm allowed to ship them here. And they've delivered quite a few to me at home. He said yeah I know that's just weird.
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