Moving collection

[thatsteveguy]

It looks like I'll be transfering out of Cali this summer to Missouri. I've around 10 firearms; what is the best method of getting them safely and economicaly to the Midwest? Do I put them in the trunk of the car or ship them? Any legal issues I should know about when I transport them? If anyone's done this, I could use your input.

[leelaw]

If you transport, keep them in a locked container, unloaded.

It'll be outrageously expensive to ship them, unless you have a friendly FFL who will do them via SPS Priority Mail, rather than overnight UPS or FedEX

[hoffmang]

How are you moving the rest of your stuff?

My solution when I came out here was to lock my disassembled firearms into a case that didn't really look like a gun case and box that up for the movers. What they didn't know was in the box wouldn't hurt them and you break no laws transporting firearms you own with your household effects.

Just don't try to move Ammo that way as its illegal and a touch dangerous.

-Gene

[6172crew]

It looks like I'll be transfering out of Cali this summer to Missouri. I've around 10 firearms; what is the best method of getting them safely and economicaly to the Midwest? Do I put them in the trunk of the car or ship them? Any legal issues I should know about when I transport them? If anyone's done this, I could use your input.

If you have any handguns that have dropped off the list you might want to think about selling them here and picking them back up when you get to the land of the free.

[-hanko]

If you transport, keep them in a locked container, unloaded.

It'll be outrageously expensive to ship them, unless you have a friendly FFL who will do them via SPS Priority Mail, rather than overnight UPS or FedEX

+1 on the car trunk, unloaded. The trunk itself is a locked container.

You can ship the long guns to yourself via usps, handguns would need to be shipped by a licensee.

Have a safe trip.

-hanko

[SnWnMe]

Shoot all your ammo up first so you can make more room for guns you can PPT here

[tankerman]

Movers and carpet cleaners, two groups that I would not want knowing that I had firearms. Put them in your trunk.
Movers will not take gun powder or ammunition, at least that is the experience two of my friends have had with movers.

[TMC]

handguns would need to be shipped by a licensee.

-hanko

Why is that? I have shipped many handguns to smiths across the US. If you're shipping to your new residence then they are going to the legal owner. Why would an FFL need to be involved?

You just can't ship them as part of a sale to another individual out of state. Some of us have shipped our own match guns to locations we were flying to so we didn't have the hassle with them at the airport.

[-hanko]

Why is that? I have shipped many handguns to smiths across the US. If you're shipping to your new residence then they are going to the legal owner. Why would an FFL need to be involved?

You just can't ship them as part of a sale to another individual out of state. Some of us have shipped our own match guns to locations we were flying to so we didn't have the hassle with them at the airport.

Sorry, I should have clarified. Federal law permits shipping any gun you own to yourself. You can use any carrier, except federal law prohibits using US Mail for hand guns unless the shipper is an 01 licensee. You may ship long guns to yourself (unlicensed) via the post office. Same holds for shipment to manufacturers or licensed gunsmiths.

-hanko

[Miltiades]

Don't trust movers

I had a bad experience with a well-known national moving company many years ago, and had several valuable items disappear during the move. The problem is that the mover/truck driver will hire local casual day labor to do the heavy lifting, and they have no idea who these people are or how to find them later. And the moving company insurance is worthless for valuable items.

Fortunately my employer, who was paying for the move, had his own special insurance policy which covered me and reimbursed my loss.

I would strongly recommend keeping handguns in your personal possession during a move, locked in the trunk of your car unloaded. At night in a motel you might consider keeping them in your motel room, rather than out in your car in the parking lot.

[hoffmang]

If you have the easy option of eg placing things in your car, do it. However, If you have a couple of boxes that no one knows what is inside, you generally don't have problems.

The problem is when expensive items get packed and inventoried by your local mover.

-Gene