Shipping Primers?

[Bkimsf85]

Was able to secure some SPP for my brother the other day but he lives out of state. Read online that it needs to be shipped with proper hazmat credentials, etc.

Anyone know of or have experience shipping primers through UPS/FEDEX hubs or through a third party shipper?

Thanks!

[edgerly779]

Look for ffl with that license. Cost 150-300 for individual to get certified. Some clueless buyer asked me to ship him primers and powder..

[fnlrun]

You can ship it fedex ground just fine. I sent off a bunch of blanks with no problems

[fnlrun]

Originally Posted by edgerly779

Some clueless buyer asked me to ship him primers and powder..

Seems a bit harsh considering the guy didn't know........

[divingin]

Originally Posted by fnlrun

You can ship it fedex ground just fine. I sent off a bunch of blanks with no problems

Blanks are not primers. Completely different regulations. Even primed but otherwise empty cartridge cases are regulated differently than discrete primers.

Seems a bit harsh considering the guy didn't know........

Which is why the word "clueless" was in there.

[1911-CV]

Couple of threads on this, good luck finding anyone who can legally ship them. Primers are in a different 'hazard' category than ammo, primed cases or firearms. BIG fines if you are caught circumventing the regulations.

Could you put the SPP in some cases and ship those? A LOT easier to ship.

[fnlrun]

Well blanks have a loaded primer in them. sooooooo, your wrong Plus my Brother is the Ground manager up here in Redding and if he says it cool then its cool

[mikeyr]

OP, sounds to me like a road trip to your brothers needs to be scheduled, any reason for a road trip is a good reason, but seeing your brother and picking up primers is a really good reason.

[jeffyhog]

Originally Posted by fnlrun

Well blanks have a loaded primer in them. sooooooo, your wrong Plus my Brother is the Ground manager up here in Redding and if he says it cool then its cool

That is not accurate. Loaded ammunition, blanks, even primed brass are fine to ship as a limited quantity (formerly ORM-D). Primers are a different hazard class and require full haz-mat shipping papers generated by a shipper with a commercial haz-mat account.

[fnlrun]

So which is it? Primed brass is fine to ship or require a butt load of paper work? Because I literally payed $12 declared the contents and they were off.

[beetle]

Originally Posted by fnlrun

So which is it? Primed brass is fine to ship or require a butt load of paper work? Because I literally payed $12 declared the contents and they were off.

primed brass is not considered a regulated item, and can be shipped via UPS or FedEx ground. Note that primed brass means that there is the primer and brass, but it cannot have powder or a projectile.

blanks and loaded ammunition are considered can be shipped in limited quantities when declared to UPS or FedEx and labeled with the appropriate sticker. Note that the previously allowd ORM-D sticker has been replaced with the square with two edges blacked out.

Powder and stand alone primers are out of the realm for normal people to ship. requires special training and certification to ship.

[fnlrun]

I think were on the same page but speaking a different language lol

Primers are fine to ship. No issues. That's what I was referring to. Were you referring to Powder?

[1911-CV]

THIS IS NOT CORRECT - "Primers are fine to ship. No issues.".

You said you shipped "blanks"; primers in a case. That is easy. A bunch of primers by themselves (not in cases) goes into a different hazardous goods category. I suspect they are more concerned about some kind of chain reaction if the primers are not in cases.

[kcheung2]

Originally Posted by beetle

primed brass is not considered a regulated item, and can be shipped via UPS or FedEx ground. Note that primed brass means that there is the primer and brass, but it cannot have powder or a projectile.

blanks and loaded ammunition are considered can be shipped in limited quantities when declared to UPS or FedEx and labeled with the appropriate sticker. Note that the previously allowd ORM-D sticker has been replaced with the square with two edges blacked out.

Powder and stand alone primers are out of the realm for normal people to ship. requires special training and certification to ship.

This is correct. A box of primers, for practical purposes, can't be shipped by normal people.

Primed brass (otherwise empty cases, but with a live primer) can be shipped with minimal regulations.

Ammunition can be shipped but must be declared. Take it to the main UPS facility, not the local UPS Stores.

[divingin]

Originally Posted by fnlrun

I think were on the same page but speaking a different language lol

Primers are fine to ship. No issues. That's what I was referring to. Were you referring to Powder?

Read the above posts.

Primers and powder are hazmat. They can be shipped, but require someone trained in hazardous materials shipping to initiate the shipment. There is a route that will allow a non-certified person to ship, but will run several- to many- hundreds of dollars in fees.

Primers put into otherwise empty cartridge cases are classified differently than primers alone. They are fine to ship via USPS, UPS, Fedex, etc.

Primers put into cartridge cases along with powder and bullets become (formerly) ORM-D restricted (which is different than hazmat, but precludes using USPS to ship, I believe.)

[kevin c]

I have read that primed cases via USPS is a no no?

[LynnJr]

OP
Go to a UPS hub not a parcel store and ask them in person.
They need the box left open so they can see the contents and they will either agree or disagree.
What I see most often is employees who don't know assuming they do.
I work for the largest shipper in the world and our employees hand out bad information all day long.

[M1NM]

Originally Posted by fnlrun

Well blanks have a loaded primer in them. sooooooo, your wrong Plus my Brother is the Ground manager up here in Redding and if he says it cool then its cool

Blanks are treated just like loaded ammo. ORM-D sticker is fine.
Primers and powder require hazmat shipping. Per the feds not your brother.

[bumpo628]

OP, if I were you I would just try to buy more primers and have them shipped to your brother's address. It will be a lot easier to do that than find a legal way to ship them.

[sl0re10]

divingin

Yep; no usps. I also know the limited quantity should be sent at a ups hub. No ups store, home, or normal business pick.

[divingin]

Originally Posted by sl0re10

divingin

Yep; no usps. I also know the limited quantity should be sent at a ups hub. No ups store, home, or normal business pick.

UPS Stores are not UPS; they are a separate company with agreements in place with UPS. They do not necessarily follow the same rules that UPS does.

No USPS; fair enough. My point was that bulk primers were categorized differently than primed brass or loaded ammo.

[Slugo]

Don't even bother its a BIG PAIN. Tried UPS, FedEx, DHL. Unless you have all the permits, license, no one will ship for you. Even spoke to hazardous material department of each company got a big NO WE WILL NOT DO IT UNLESS YOU HAVE LICENSE ON FILE.

[sl0re10]

divingin

"No USPS; fair enough. My point was that bulk primers were categorized differently than primed brass or loaded ammo."

Which is why I said Yep, no usps.

"UPS Stores are not UPS; they are a separate company with agreements in place with UPS. They do not necessarily follow the same rules that UPS does."

Which is why I said no UPS stores. That and the UPS web site said not to take ammo to them.

[sl0re10]

Slugo

I was able to do it from a UPS hub location. They didn't have any "limited quantity" stickers so I'd print out and tape your own to the box.

[1911-CV]

"I was able to do it from a UPS hub location"... oops. Unless you are Hazmat certified (you, not them) shipping just primers (primed brass or completed rounds are a different category) is not legal and can result in 6 figure fines.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by fnlrun

Primers are fine to ship.
No issues.
That's what I was referring to.
Were you referring to Powder?

Primers that are NOT INSTALLED into cases are NOT OK TO SHIP without a hazmat certification and papers and a hazmat tag with the shipper.

Same deal as powder.

When you install a primer and powder in a case and hold the powder in place with a bullet, then it can be shipped as limited quantity ammunition.

[sigstroker]

Originally Posted by sl0re10

Slugo

I was able to do it from a UPS hub location. They didn't have any "limited quantity" stickers so I'd print out and tape your own to the box.

You were able to do it because you didn't tell them you were shipping primers. It's easy to do something illegal if nobody knows about it.

[1911-CV]

More likely a simple mistake. Unless you checked carefully beforehand, why would anyone think that primers are in a different hazardous goods class from primed cases and completed ammo? Once it's packaged up with labels on it and a signed certification; what are the odds the clerk understands the ins and outs of the details?

Could be a costly mistake to make...

I posted earlier because a forum providing wrong information leads to others making the same mistake.

DON'T TRY TO SHIP PRIMERS (that aren't pressed into a brass case).

[bumpo628]

OP,
Why don't you have your brother mail you the brass (and dies if necessary) and then send him back primed brass. More labor, but perfectly legal.

[JagerDog]

Originally Posted by beetle

primed brass is not considered a regulated item, and can be shipped via UPS or FedEx ground. Note that primed brass means that there is the primer and brass, but it cannot have powder or a projectile.

blanks and loaded ammunition are considered can be shipped in limited quantities when declared to UPS or FedEx and labeled with the appropriate sticker. Note that the previously allowd ORM-D sticker has been replaced with the square with two edges blacked out.

Powder and stand alone primers are out of the realm for normal people to ship. requires special training and certification to ship.

^^^this

FWIW, when I wanted to ship some shotshells for testing, FedEx was no help...even at their distribution center. Said I'd need a Ground account.

UPS didn't bat an eye at their distribution/customer service center.

[JagerDog]

Originally Posted by fnlrun

I think were on the same page but speaking a different language lol

Primers are fine to ship. No issues. That's what I was referring to. Were you referring to Powder?

NO!

Same class as powder.

[the86d]

I know a guy out of state, and he has shipped primers in prior panics, with a sealed box, well padded, and just STFU...

Not sure what the fines would be for fibbing, if caught, but I heard it has been done...

[sigstroker]

I suspect most of the people on gunbroker are doing the same. I won't do it because the electronic trail right back to you is so easy to follow that Stevie Wonder could nail you. If it's a choice between a thousand bucks for shipping primers or a stretch in federal PMITA prison, I can do without the money.

[edgerly779]

fnlrun upcoming brig bunny. Can ship if not caught. Illegal without hazmat cert.