What is going on with UPS?

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I usually ship guns registered mail, but the USPS has been such a nightmare past year or so I figured I'd give UPS a try.

Took it to the HUB (not a UPS store) the actual HUB. They absolutely wouldn't take it, said I had to have an "account" or some horse shit.

Called Dan May, who the gun is going to, he had no idea what they were talking about. He's getting guns through UPS regularly from regular folks like myself.

[Robert Redmond]

I believe it’s due to this rule (https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-special-care-regulated-items/prohibited-items/firearms.page) they have now UPS accepts packages containing Firearm Products for shipment only as a contractual service and only from Shippers who are licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors (as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the United States Code) to authorized recipients, as outlined in the approved UPS agreement for the transportation of Firearm Products.

To transport packages containing Firearm Products, the Shipper must enter into an approved UPS agreement for the transportation of Firearm Products.
and possibly the person you ran into. Since the rules have been getting stricter, I’ve had better luck sending Registered or Priority Mail at a supportive post office, buying the label from Pirate Ship.

[Phillip Carr]

Destry unfortunately Robert is correct. A friend of mine that has a gun shop now has to have two accounts. One for shipping guns an another for other items.
I am now forced to ship by USPS.

[Ken Hill]

I have had to guns shipped USPS registered mail in the last 3 months. No issues at all. Why not ship via USPS registered mail?

Ken

[Phillip Carr]

I ship using Priority mail, and use Pirate ship.

[Terry Hobson]

I just shipped a gun for repair a couple of weeks ago with UPS. I had a shipping label from the manufacturer. The agent at the counter said since I had a shipping label everything was fine. He said however I would not had been able to pay for it myself and ship it.

[Phil Yearout]

UPS has had this policy for some time. I always use USPS. No problems to date.

[Steve Leffler]

I just used ShipMyGun.com. It was inexpensive and worked great. I printed the label and dropped it off at the UPS hub without a hitch.

[CraigThompson]

UPS will not honor insurance unless a gun goes FFL to FFL period .

[Dean Romig]

I have NEVER had a problem shipping guns through UPS and I use the UPS Hub.





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[Bob Jurewicz]

https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-special-care-regulated-items/prohibited-items/firearms.page

Bob Jurewicz

[Brian Dudley]

Technically right now usps is the only carrier that an individual can ship a long gun through.

This is due to fedex and ups bowing to pressures from the house a few years ago changing their own rules regarding individuals shipping guns. Even if they are going to a dealer. They dont care.

[Larry Stauch]

Look, UPS and FedEx requires an account to ship these days. It takes like 5-10 minutes to open an account. Once you have the account you can take it to any UPS or FedEx shipping outlet an send it, since it will have a pre-paid label on it. NO QUESTIONS. The other thing you can do, once you print out the pre-paid label and put it on the box, is to give it to any UPS driver and they will take it. I sometimes have both systems open on my computer and compare the two to see which one is cheaper. DO NOT buy their insurance. Get one of these insurance companies that have been discussed here. Gun & Trophy or Collectibles from Hartford. And if you don't have one of these insurance companies you have a huge hole in you asset base; Huge hole! The USPS is THE most expensive of all of these, by far. And they will not insure anything over, I think, $5000 anyway. It ain't that big a deal.

[Frank Srebro]

Look, UPS and FedEx requires an account to ship these days. It takes like 5-10 minutes to open an account. Once you have the account you can take it to any UPS or FedEx shipping outlet an send it, since it will have a pre-paid label on it. NO QUESTIONS. The other thing you can do, once you print out the pre-paid label and put it on the box, is to give it to any UPS driver and they will take it. I sometimes have both systems open on my computer and compare the two to see which one is cheaper. DO NOT buy their insurance. Get one of these insurance companies that have been discussed here. Gun & Trophy or Collectibles from Hartford. And if you don't have one of these insurance companies you have a huge hole in you asset base; Huge hole! The USPS is THE most expensive of all of these, by far. And they will not insure anything over, I think, $5000 anyway. It ain't that big a deal.

Another aspect here: if you sign up for the Gun & Trophy insurance from Cushman Insurance agency that has a full page advert in the current Parker Pages, the policy also includes substantial coverage for your guns in transit and you don't have to buy insurance from the carrier (if it even would be honored). It's relatively inexpensive and depending on your coverage desired. Also if you're a pgca member you get a $25. rebate to cancel out the admin cost of the policy, at least I did. Be sure to state you're a pgca member on the on-line application. I am not affiliated with Cushman in any capacity except as a policy holder.

[Brian Dudley]

Look, UPS and FedEx requires an account to ship these days. It takes like 5-10 minutes to open an account. Once you have the account you can take it to any UPS or FedEx shipping outlet an send it, since it will have a pre-paid label on it. NO QUESTIONS. The other thing you can do, once you print out the pre-paid label and put it on the box, is to give it to any UPS driver and they will take it. I sometimes have both systems open on my computer and compare the two to see which one is cheaper. DO NOT buy their insurance. Get one of these insurance companies that have been discussed here. Gun & Trophy or Collectibles from Hartford. And if you don't have one of these insurance companies you have a huge hole in you asset base; Huge hole! The USPS is THE most expensive of all of these, by far. And they will not insure anything over, I think, $5000 anyway. It ain't that big a deal.



That is all fine and dandy. But if you process the label online (ups). They ask to disclose the contents. Before their regulations changes it was no issue to just put “shotgun” or “rifle” as the item description. Once those regulations changed the system will kick back as “prohibited” items if you are actually honest in what you are shipping.

Of course you can just put down whatever you want to get the system to take it, but if something happens you will not have a leg to stand on because you shipped prohibited goods by their standards.

[Brian Hornacek]

UPS and FedEx no longer accept guns from private individuals. If you ship it and are not licensed and give them false information about contents they will not pay insurance or be concerned about the gun.

UPS page
https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-special-care-regulated-items/prohibited-items/firearms.page

UPS web page - Shipments containing Firearm Products are accepted for transportation only from shippers who are federally licensed and have an approved UPS agreement for the transportation of Firearm Products.

FedEx page
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/how-to-ship-firearms.html

FedEx page - The FedEx Service Guide prohibits firearm shipments. However, customers holding a Federal Firearms License (FFL) may work with their FedEx account executive to obtain approval to ship firearms with FedEx. This will require customers holding an FFL to execute a FedEx Firearms Shipping Compliance Agreement. For more information, contact your FedEx account executive.

[Frank Srebro]

Thanks Brian and Brian for the info. I didn’t know UPS asks about contents when you do the shipping request and label using an on-line account. FedEx does not, at least it doesn’t ask me and there is no place on the Fedex on-line shipping template to do that. And while I am a 03 FFL, FedEx doesn’t know that. I once tried to execute a "Compliance Agreement" with FedEx and made several calls to locate my account executive but no one there knew anything about that position and who it might be. All this shows how confusing things are.

Well anyway, nowadays I will very rarely ship guns that are worth any more than a nominal amount. Better to show and legally sell in person, or consign to a reputable on-line auction service. Just too much of a hassle to ship, the seller takes all the risk, and often you have to deal with individuals who want to return the gun for casual reasons and that puts a stigma on it when you readvertise to the limited audience interested in vintage double-guns. All this is my experience and opinion of course.

[Larry Stauch]

You know some people shouldn't speculate and accuse others of doing things when they do not have the facts.

[todd allen]

What ever happened to "Shall not be infringed"?

[Phil Yearout]

The USPS is THE most expensive of all of these, by far.

Every time I compare shipping charges on ANYTHING UPS and FedEx are more expensive than USPS. JME.

Anyway, I'm not buying or selling guns online but I do occasionally send/receive a gun for repair.

[Ken Hill]

I agree with Phil. I’ve had an auction house send me a gun via USPS registered mail. They got back to me to give me the cost instead of their preferred UPS carrier. They called me back and said USPS was cheaper.

Ken

[Brian Dudley]

I have recently stated using Pirate Ship which handles USPS and UPS shipment.

The main reason was because of issues with the postal services website. I have used it for years but the last 8 months or so have been totally problematic and unreliable for me. It would work less than half the time and I found myself more having to ship at the counter again because of it. And their customer service regarding the issue was useless.

So I decided to use Pirate Ship and they have been great so far. And cheaper than retail.

[John Allen]

They started this about 2 years ago. UPS and Fedex will not take a gun from a non FFL even if you have an account with them. FFL holders must have current accounts with them or they will not take a gun from them. The post office is expensive and slow,but is the only way for a non FFL the ship a gun. The post office will only take a gun if you provide them with a copy of the receiving FFLs license. The easiest way to ship now is to make arrangements for your local FFL to do your shipping and receiving.

[Phil Yearout]

They started this about 2 years ago. UPS and Fedex will not take a gun from a non FFL even if you have an account with them. FFL holders must have current accounts with them or they will not take a gun from them. The post office is expensive and slow,but is the only way for a non FFL the ship a gun. The post office will only take a gun if you provide them with a copy of the receiving FFLs license.?? The easiest way to ship now is to make arrangements for your local FFL to do your shipping and receiving.

Experiences seem to be all over the place! I have received guns through UPS and FedEx but have never tried to ship with them because I've always found USPS to be cheaper. Not as much cheaper any more since they instituted the surcharge for long packages. USPS is rather inconsistent; can be show at times but not always. Never has the post office refused to take a gun from me, nor have they ever asked for FFL's etc. I have private insurance so I don't insure through the carrier. I can only speak to my personal experiences.

[Rick Losey]

Agreed Phil

I have shipped several though USPS And never been asked for FFL info

UPS tried to refuse to ship a non inletted stock blank because it was a “gun part”
(It was a rifle blank so the package shape caused the question)

[Brian Dudley]

Yes, the postal service regs state shipping to ffl to mirror the atf regs. But they do not have to verify. If fact, they dont even have to ask you what you are actually shipping. If any clerk insists on you disclosing exactly what you are shipping, they are acting on their own in doing so.

[Dan Steingraber]

I have used the counter at a couple different USPS locations exclusively and have never had a problem.

[RonKiska]

FedEx will ship a gun from a private non-FFL individual - I just sent a gun for repair by FedEx 3 weeks ago. However, it has to go to a FedEx registered FFL that is in their system. My mistake was I addressed it to the individual and FedEx refused but when I said he was an FFL they asked if he had a business name, he did, it was registered with FedEx, and off it went no issue with $5k insurance.

UPS is another story. They refused shipment even when I said it was going to an FFL for repair. They said I needed an FFL to ship.

USPS has no issues.

[Mark Britton]

They went Apes hit on me over sending about Sending a scope back to Leopold !

[Mark Britton]

Sorry just had eye surgery. YOU know what I mean !

[John Allen]

I have used several post offices in middle Tn. to ship guns. All of them require a copy of the receiving FFL which they attach to the shipping box. They say this is needed to allow their people who will handle the package to know it is going to an FFL. There is one PO in Nashville that flat refuses to take guns at all. I think that the decision might be left up to the local post master. I conducted an informal survey of 10 post offices in middle Tn. All but this one accepted guns as long as there was a receiving FFL.

[Larry Stauch]

I have used several post offices in middle Tn. to ship guns. All of them require a copy of the receiving FFL which they attach to the shipping box. They say this is needed to allow their people who will handle the package to know it is going to an FFL. There is one PO in Nashville that flat refuses to take guns at all. I think that the decision might be left up to the local post master. I conducted an informal survey of 10 post offices in middle Tn. All but this one accepted guns as long as there was a receiving FFL.

I guess it depends entirely on where you live and the attitude of the locals in those operations. :banghead:
This kind of reminds me of the different TSAs around the US. If you fly a lot you'll find that they are inconsistent as well.

[Samuel Gross]

I used to ship FedEx, but the last time was maybe 2 years ago. Back then UPS rules were that you could only ship from a UPS distribution center. FexEx you could drop off at any FedEx store (pre-packaged, with no indication on the packaging). Reading their rules now though, and it's clear USPS is the only way to go for the casual collector (handguns are a whole different matter now compared to a couple years ago)
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_009.htm
I'm reading a whole lot of red tape that wasn't there 2 years ago, and likewise for the FedEx rules. They used to be the easiest, except for handguns. Would be an interesting exercise to use the WayBack machine and provide a direct comparison of the escalation.