USPS Refusal to Accept Rifle for Shipment

[calgunguy]

Little surprises me in this state any more, especially when it comes to the general population's ignorance and fear of firearms. But when I go to the local post office to ship a rifle out of state and they refuse to accept the package because the "local Postal Inspector considers it a security concern", well WTF. Firearms are called out as "hazardous" items in the postal regs so the law-abiding have to cop to their being in a package. Ironically, the postal regs also speak directly to rifles and shotguns being "mailable" items. But a minor bureaucrat can turn both reason and regulation upside down. Seems the law comes in second to both political correctness and capricious enforcement/interpretation. The USPS supervisor encouraged me to use UPS or FEDEX. Your government at work for you.

I want to be proud of being a law-abiding person. Instead I find myself at the mercy of those who make no pretense about respecting the law if it does not suit their political ends.

Off to the UPS Hub in Oakland tomorrow to pay twice as much as I need to for creating my very own personal "security concern."

[Aeneas]

Little surprises me in this state any more, especially when it comes to the general population's ignorance and fear of firearms. But when I go to the local post office to ship a rifle out of state and they refuse to accept the package because the "local Postal Inspector considers it a security concern", well WTF. Firearms are called out as "hazardous" items in the postal regs so the law-abiding have to cop to their being in a package. Ironically, the postal regs also speak directly to rifles and shotguns being "mailable" items. But a minor bureaucrat can turn both reason and regulation on upside down. Seems the law comes in second to both political correctness and capricious enforcement/interpretation. The USPS supervisor encouraged me to use UPS or FEDEX. Your government at work for you.

I want to be proud of being a law-abiding person. Instead I find myself at the mercy of those who make no pretense about respecting the law if it does not suit their political ends.

Off to the UPS Hub in Oakland tomorrow to pay twice as much as I need to for creating my very own personal "security concern."

Buncha jerks!

On the subject, Remington paid for my rifle to be sent in for a recall, and they chose to use UPS. Perhaps they know of USPS shenanigans.

[doggie]

Yeah, it was a big mistake to try to use the USPS. I wouldn't trust them even if they accepted it.

[The Shootist]

I've always used ups and had a good experience with about a dozen or so thus far...

[P5Ret]

The local postal inspector does not have the authority to bypass national regulations. That was an excuse by who ever was at the counter. You should have asked to speak to the post master in charge of the facility.

[TRICKSTER]

I have never had a problem shipping a rifle via USPS. Go ahead and use someone else, but file a formal complaint against your local post office and whoever turned you away. They are required to follow their own rules.

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_009.htm

[Bobby Ricigliano]

The local postal inspector does not have the authority to bypass national regulations. That was an excuse by who ever was at the counter. You should have asked to speak to the post master in charge of the facility.

I have had FUD incidents with all 3 of the big carriers, whether it was firearms or ammunition. The advice above is exactly the way I have in the past, and would in the future, handle that situation. I am never rude or loud, but when I know ahead of time something is shippable IAW their own rules, I am not going to get blown off or shooed away by some employee made up FUD.

[Milsurp Collector]

Make sure the rifle is well-packaged -ideally in a hard plastic case, the way the CMP ships rifles by FedEx - and insured. I have seen reports of stock damage by UPS. I had a stock repaired (not damaged by UPS) and the guy who repaired the stock recommended shipping by Registered Mail.

We use and recommend you ship guns and stocks by US Post Office, REGISTERED WITH DELIVERY CONFIRMATION. with full insurance. The insurance is much less for registered on high value items. They lose less of them. This is the safest and fastest way to ship. Better than 2nd day or any other service. We get a lot of business from UPS and Fed Ex customers, who's stocks were damaged or broken during shipment. Never had a repair job due mishandling of a Post Office registered package.
http://www.stockfixrs.com

Also

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/has-anyone-had-to-sue-ups-for-firearms-damage.450428/

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?298250-Rifle-broken-by-UPS-What-is-the-procedure-now&p=3524236&viewfull=1#post3524236

If you are able to ship by Registered Mail be aware there are special requirements for packaging, such as you can only use paper tape not plastic tape to seal the package.

[Divernhunter]

I have shipped rifles and pistol frames with the USPS and received both types back safely.
It is perfectly legal.
UPS has damaged several rifles in shipping and "lost" one of my 50BMG rifles. They "found" it once the ATF was contacted and I got it used and scratched and it was in Chicago when they "found" it. The manufacture (no where near Chicago) redid it and returned it to me.
I was sending someone some brass the other day and the gal at the counter got all tweaky. I explained to her that is ok and I have done so and shipped rifles. I told her if any of the old people were still working there she could ask them. They all retired so I told her to read the rules and she would see I am right. ------------------Then I told her I sent a small hydrogen bomb off last week in a flat rate box and nobody said anything. Then I left

[Gryff]

I would follow Trickster's advice and see if you can get this petty tyrant's balls in a vice with his superiors.

[IVC]

Happens all the time.

A few years back, there was a lady at my local "Regional FedEx Center" who acted as if they couldn't ship a firearm, so I had to bring printout from their own website and have her call all the way up the food chain until someone told her to accept the shipment. She still acted as if there was something wrong and as if she was doing me a favor.

Fast forward a few years, the personnel at the same location know all about shipping firearms and the process is straightforward and easy.

It all depends on who works at the particular location.

[stilly]

Little surprises me in this state any more, especially when it comes to the general population's ignorance and fear of firearms. But when I go to the local post office to ship a rifle out of state and they refuse to accept the package because the "local Postal Inspector considers it a security concern", well WTF. Firearms are called out as "hazardous" items in the postal regs so the law-abiding have to cop to their being in a package. Ironically, the postal regs also speak directly to rifles and shotguns being "mailable" items. But a minor bureaucrat can turn both reason and regulation upside down. Seems the law comes in second to both political correctness and capricious enforcement/interpretation. The USPS supervisor encouraged me to use UPS or FEDEX. Your government at work for you.

I want to be proud of being a law-abiding person. Instead I find myself at the mercy of those who make no pretense about respecting the law if it does not suit their political ends.

Off to the UPS Hub in Oakland tomorrow to pay twice as much as I need to for creating my very own personal "security concern."

Wow man...

Package well with FEDEX- "SPORTING GOODS" if they ask /THREAD.

[Leel]

I'm sorry about your experience brother.

I had a similar experience the other day as a sub branch of UPS or whatever (not the hub) and was going to make a post.

I casually go in to ship a barrel out to have a fsp pinned. Everything goes good until i decide that it would be wise to insure the package for a few hundred bucks.

They ask me, "sure what is the description of the item?"

I tell them it is a barrel. The lady looks at me like she has just seen a ghost. Deer in the headlights..

I think in my head ohh here we go.. lol

They say that ups no longer ships gun parts or firearms and they are cracking down across the country. I proceed call the lady a gun nazi. hahah

I also tell her i could order a hundred of these and you would deliver them to my house! and frankly it is non of your business what is in my package and you wouldn't even know unless i just told you.. the lady literally tells me that you should have the package open when you bring it in here before we ship it.... Right..

She proceeds to call her manager and after a brief discussion I end up leaving disgruntled, go down the street to usps, insure it for less and they didn't even ask...

Is anything hazardous in this package? No. Thanks have a good day!

I call eventually call ups and they say basically bring it to there hub and they should be able to do it but were not 100 percent sure. (another sub branch tell me this).

Next time when they ask..

"Its a cold hard piece of steel stick it up your *****!"

What is this world coming to?

-Leel

[Librarian]

I'm sorry about your experience brother.

I had a similar experience the other day as a sub branch of UPS or whatever (not the hub) and was going to make a post.

...

It's well known that UPS is willing to ship guns only at their hubs.

It's a dumb way to do business, but it's their business.

[Leel]

It's well known that UPS is willing to ship guns only at their hubs.

It's a dumb way to do business, but it's their business.

Gotcha, way to make me feel dumb. haha