OT shipping a rifle to my son in Ca., need info

[Bis]

I am trying to ship a Marlin 336 to my son in So. Cal. I am told that I can just ship it to him, but he has a friend with a FFL so I will ship it to him.
I have read several horror stories about people using UPS so I will use US Mail.
I have the original box, but was thinking about buying a cheap plastic gun case that is lockable. The Marlin box just seems to scream this is a gun so steal it.
If any of you folks have shiped a rifle , I would sure appreciate any handy info. I have never done this before. If this works, I will then try to ship him my Python.
Thanks for the info.

[TomD]

Look at the instructions on levergun.com. Very good. I said levergun.com

[AJMD429]

I'm not all that expert in this, but I'm about POSITIVE you can't just ship a firearm to someone like that. Granted, I'm not really sure of a valid reason it should be a 'crime', or what good any law prohibiting it would actually have any hope of accomplishing (other than de-facto gun registration), but I would NOT ship directly like that unless someone you are SURE knows the laws says you can.

[Ysabel Kid]

Since he has a friend who is an FFL, the best approach would certainly be to ship it to the FFL. I'm sure you'll need to do that for the Python anyway.

It is all a matter of preparation. Get that plastic gun case, then put it in an oversized box with plenty of packing peanuts on all sides of the case. Cardboard, peanuts and tape are cheap - overuse them! What's an extra $20 in shipping to really protect the gun (probably won't be that much). I darn near mummify things when I ship them, but have yet to have anything broken. Expect airline baggage-handlers will handle your package and plan accordingly!!!

[Bis]

Thanks for the info, I looked for the instructions but could not find it.

The plastic case with an oversized box sounds good. Where did you find a box that long?

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Ok, here's the info from the ATF's FAQ's.

Under #1 To whom may an unlicensed person transfer firearms under the GCA?

A person may sell a firearm to an unlicensed resident of his State, if he does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the person is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. A person may loan or rent a firearm to a resident of any State for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes, if he does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the person is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. A person may sell or transfer a firearm to a licensee(meaning FFL) in any State. However, a firearm other than a curio or relic may not be transferred interstate to a licensed collector.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(d), 27 CFR 478.29 and 478.30]

Now, if your son comes to Texas and picks the gun up (long gun only) that is allowed. But technically it still needs to go through a Texas FFL.


Under #2 From whom may an unlicensed person acquire a firearm under the GCA?
A person may only acquire a firearm within the person’s own State, except that he or she may purchase or otherwise acquire a rifle or shotgun, in person, at a licensee’s premises in any State, provided the sale complies with State laws applicable in the State of sale and the State where the purchaser resides. A person may borrow or rent a firearm in any State for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(b)(3), 27 CFR 478.29 and 478.30]


Again, this only applies to long guns. The Python will need to be sent to a Cal FFL then 4473 (yellow sheeted) transferred to him.

Now, if the gun belonged to him before he moved to Cal. that's different. There's a grey area about sending gun to one's own self.

See #9 Q: May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?
Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.

[Bis]

Your post explains the answers I got today. I went to the post office and was told they would ship to a FFL if the rifle was broken down. How far down I don't know. UPS would only ship to a manufactor. The gal did say, as I was leaving, that I could come in and ship it if I didn't say what was inside (I don't think so).

I guess its off to the nearest gun shop which means 110 mile round trip. At least its closer than driving to Ca.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Your post explains the answers I got today. I went to the post office and was told they would ship to a FFL if the rifle was broken down. How far down I don't know. UPS would only ship to a manufactor. The gal did say, as I was leaving, that I could come in and ship it if I didn't say what was inside (I don't think so).

I guess its off to the nearest gun shop which means 110 mile round trip. At least its closer than driving to Ca.

Both the USPS person and the UPS person gave you the wrong info.
Here is the;
USPS PUBLICATION 52
This is the guidelines for mailing Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail
Go to page 77. Article 43 Firearms. There is nothing in there about breaking it down.

432.1 General
The following conditions apply:
a. Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on
the person (referred to as handguns) are nonmailable in the domestic
mail except as permitted in Exhibit 432.1 and DMM C024.1.0.
b. The disassembled parts of a handgun or other type of nonmailable
firearm that can be readily reassembled as a weapon are nonmailable
except as permitted in Exhibit 432.1 and DMM C024.1.0 or C024.2.0.
c. Unloaded antique firearms sent as curios or museum pieces are
generally permitted as specified in Exhibit 432.1 and DMM C024.2.0.
d. Unloaded rifles and shotguns may be mailed if the mailer fully complies
with the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-618) and 18 U.S.C.
921. The mailer may be required to establish, by opening the parcel or
by written certification, that the gun is unloaded and not excluded from
mailing because of the restrictions in 431.2b and c.[/quote]

To comply to GCA 68 only means you are not illegal to possess and the gun is not illegal as in machinegun or short barreled. There is nothing in GCA 68 that requires the long gun to be disassembled.

As for the UPS rules, I don't have them in front of me but I suspect she doesn't know that FFL's are the same as manufactures when it come to receiving guns. That "don't tell" idea of hers is wrong too. In the event it's lost you will be SOL collecting any insurance.

Usually the misinformed UPS counter person will tell you the gun has to go overnight. That's true of handguns but not long guns.

Now days I use FedEx Ground but I do receive guns shipped UPS. But not even UPS's sale reps know their own rules. Recently I had one of their salesman call on me to solicit my shipping business. When I ask him what the current UPS rules were pertaining to guns he told me that UPS doesn't ship guns so we couldn't do any business. We were discussing this when my local UPS driver shows up with a gun for me.

Bottom line is the counter folks sometimes just don't have a clue. So when one of my customers tells me about shipping problems I now offer to email them a shipping label on my FedEx Ground account. The way it work is, I send them a Prepaid label on my FedEx Ground account, my customer attachs it to the box and drops it off at the FedEx Ground counter in his area. With my account number on it, the counter people don`t give it much thought, they just send it out.

Good luck.

[Bis]

Thank you SO MUCH for the info.
I guess I need to take the questions a little higher up the food chain at the local PO. I live in a town of 1472 people and just getting your mail is a stuff shoot. Your reference to USPS Pub. 52 may help a lot.
Its not like I am a gun runner, all I want to do is give my son a 30-30 for his birthday and for Christmas I wanted to give him my Colt Python. Health issues make me want to expidiate this.
Thanks again for the great info.
Ken

[m.wun]

Pack it up real tight with bubble wrap and newspapper,put it into a long box and call it mini blinds!There is no long gun registration out here yet to even link the gun to an owner.I also was told that out here if a person wanted too transfer a gun between family members that
there was no wait and a small fee but dont "quote" me on that...

[Bis]

Thats what my son was told and the fee was $19.00.

If/when your bill1810 passes, long guns will be treated like handguns as far as paper work goes.

[Bis]

After two discouraging talks with UPS and the post office, I talked to a friend that works at a UPS distribution center. She said that I need to bring a copy of the FFL license of the guy I am sending it to, show them that the gun is empty and marke the weapson in operable, in that you could not open the box and chamber a round and go. I can live with that.
Now my question is how hard is it to remove the lever? I re-read the owners manual again (8 years later) and it looks easy I think. Are there any pit falls to placing the hammer safety button on, opening the lever half way, removing the lever screw and then the lever and then shipping the gun?
I would just put the Calif. approved lock plate on, but the thing goes all around the action and I am afraid that it will screw up the finish in transit.
Thanks for any input.