Shipping and packaging long gun sales
 

So I'm selling and then needing to be packaging and shipping some long guns.
Any quick advice on this.. Best shipping Co. Insurance, FFL's also generic packing that works best for folks?

Thanks for any help. I do appreciate it.
Jesse

This is the box I use, high quality
https://www.cameronpackaging.com/gun....html#TakeDown

I spent 2 hours once looking for the sources of these boxes. This is excellent, thank you.

These are the boxes I use. I also buy micro fiber towels from Costco and use rubber bands not tape to hold the towels in place and protect the individual pieces. Followed my bubble wrap also held on with rubber bands.
Finally I tape the box closed using a water activating packing tape.

I bought a bundle from U-Line of 36x10x4 boxes (25 to a bundle). They work ok, but the box shown above is superior. Also use peanuts salvaged from incoming shipments and air bags to fill gaps around a very generous amount of bubble-wrap on the individual pieces. The only shortcoming of the boxes I have is that there is a full-length seam to seal and it requires more packing to keep the seam solid so it is not pushed in under handling. Still, every shipment I have sent out arrived unscathed. Can't say the same for some incoming guns.

I like Phil's method of using rubber bands instead of tape around the bubble-wrap.

Cheap plastic hardshell foam lined case

Carrier: I only use USPS. I have never had a problem. Just remember you do not have to declare it is a gun to avoid a hassle at the window, but you must ship to a FFL holder, and you do not have to pay one to ship it for you.

Most of those cheap cases do not have thick enough foam in them to hold the gun still. I would never trust one of them by itself to protect from damage.

packing????
 

I seem to recall one particular packgage the had pecans as the packing, worked very well!!!!!!:rotf:

Could you explain this?

A non FFL holder cannot ship directly to another non FFL holder. In other word, a private sale through the mail, or any other method. But an individual can ship to a FFL holder that must log it into his books as received, and a background check is done for modern guns when the person picks it up. Many people believe that one has to go to a FFL holder to have them ship it to another FFL holder, thereby about doubling one's cost to ship, as the shipping FFL holder never does it free.

Unfortunately there are some receiving FFL holders that will simply not accept shipments coming in from non FFL holders.
Despite it being perfectly legal as far as I know. Possibly there are some state or local laws that I am not aware of that prohibits individuals from doing this that I am not aware of.

One always has to prearrange with the receiving FFL holder to make sure they will accept it. But you find one that will do the transfer. Do not just pick one to send it to. The receiving party bears the responsibility to coordinate this to make sure it will work out.

I was referring to your statement, “ you do not have to pay one to ship it for you.”.

I always double wall pack. Inner box gun well secured,reduced to its shortest dimension barrel and buttstock separated. Outer box with crushable padding, mostly foam peanuts between the two.

45 years with three ship owners most cargo damage was due to inadequate packing. No control over handling, it varies widely. Package the best defense.

William

One refers to paying a FFL holder to ship it for you. Lots of people go to a gun dealer thinking that it has to be shipped by a licensed dealer to another licensed dealer.

Jerry is correct with a few exceptions. Some states, like NY, require there FFL's to only receive a gun shipment from an FFL. I love my "live free or die state" of NH,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,very few gun laws. :)

I have to correct Steve in the above post.
NYS does not require that NYS FFL's only receive and transfer from another FFL. Individual non FFL holders can ship a gun to a State FFL for transfer.
The Law relates to all gun ownership transfers require FFL Tranfer.
Bob Jurewicz

Oh, now it makes sense. I was reading it as an FFL would ship it for free. :rotf:sorry

Art's Gun Shop in Missouri sees a lot of guns coming and going. They have some good tips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRr7lHiUaaQ

What jerry was saying is that any FFL is going to charge you for the service of packing and shipping a gun for you.
It takes time and if they are providing packing materials, there is that too. They are providing a service.

When someone sends me a gun for repair, if they say they are going to have their FFL send it to me, I always clarify a few things. Mainly that if it cones from an FFL, I have to return it to an FFL, which means they have to do a check on it to get it back. But if they send it to me directly, I can return it to them directly.

Some people prefer to deal with an FFL because they dont want to deal with packing the gun, or getting packing materials. So on and so forth.