Shipping Primed Brass USPS ?

[hylander]

Is this a problem ?
Do I have to send it UPS ?

[Mssr. Eleganté]

It has to go UPS or FedEx Ground.

Postal regs forbid mailing anything that has primers.

[EOD Guy]

It has to go UPS or FedEx Ground.

Postal regs forbid mailing anything that has primers.

Not true.

They can be mailed. Empty metallic or plastic cartridge cases with primers are not regulated as a hazardous material in domestic transportation per 49 CFR, Section 172.102 (Special Provision 50).

I know it doesn't seem logical since primers and loaded ammunition are regulated as an explosive material, but the Department of Transportation grants a special exemption for empty primed cartridge cases since they are not subject to sympathetic or mass detonation.

The USPS defers to the Department of Transportation for hazardous material classifications.

Here is an excerpt from the regulation:

TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

PART 172_HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TABLE, SPECIAL PROVISIONS, HAZARDOUS

Subpart B_Table of Hazardous Materials and Special Provisions

Sec. 172.102 Special provisions.

50 - Cases, cartridge, empty with primer which are made of metallic or
plastic casings and meeting the classification criteria of Division 1.4
are not regulated for domestic transportation.

[hylander]

Not true.

They can be mailed. Empty metallic or plastic cartridge cases with primers are not regulated as a hazardous material in domestic transportation per 49 CFR, Section 172.102 (Special Provision 50).

I know it doesn't seem logical since primers and loaded ammunition are regulated as an explosive material, but the Department of Transportation grants a special exemption for empty primed cartridge cases since they are not subject to sympathetic or mass detonation.

The USPS defers to the Department of Transportation for hazardous material classifications.

Here is an excerpt from the regulation:

So looking at that it should be fine to ship primed brass through USPS

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Not true.

They can be mailed. Empty metallic or plastic cartridge cases with primers are not regulated as a hazardous material in domestic transportation per 49 CFR, Section 172.102 (Special Provision 50)...

...The USPS defers to the Department of Transportation for hazardous material classifications.

EOD Guy,

While Special Provision 50 exempts primed brass from DOT regs while it is being transported in the U.S., wouldn't U.S. Postal Service regs come into play here? In USPS "Publication 52 - Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail" they seem to list primers as prohibited from mailing...

341.21 Nonmailable Explosives

Nonmailable explosives include, but are not limited to, the following...

c. Small Arms Ammunition. Ammunition is classified as a Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, or 1.4 explosive, depending on the degree of hazard. Ammunition that is regulated as a Class 1 explosive and designed to be fired from a pistol, revolver, rifle, or shotgun, as well as associated primers and blank cartridges (including those designed for tools) and propellant powder for use in any firearm, is prohibited from mailing.

While the USPS does defer to the Department of Transportation for hazardous material classifications, they still sometimes prohibit the mailing of things that are otherwise legal to ship per DOT regs.

For USPS purposes, wouldn't primed brass qualify as "associated primers" for Class 1 explosives. They are not Class 1 explosives themselves, but they are "associated" with Class 1 explosives, which seems to be what 341.21 bans.

[ar15barrels]

A box of "primed" brass is NOT the same as a box of "primers" as far as shipping is concerned.

Primed brass is getting to be less common.
It used to be the absolute best way to order new brass and primers and
get around the hazmat fees back when hazmat fees were only $8 or so...

[EOD Guy]

EOD Guy,

While Special Provision 50 exempts primed brass from DOT regs while it is being transported in the U.S., wouldn't U.S. Postal Service regs come into play here? In USPS "Publication 52 - Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail" they seem to list primers as prohibited from mailing...



While the USPS does defer to the Department of Transportation for hazardous material classifications, they still sometimes prohibit the mailing of things that are otherwise legal to ship per DOT regs.

For USPS purposes, wouldn't primed brass qualify as "associated primers" for Class 1 explosives. They are not Class 1 explosives themselves, but they are "associated" with Class 1 explosives, which seems to be what 341.21 bans.

I believe that they are talking about the primers associated with loaded ammunition, cartridges for tools, or blank cartridges classed as Class 1 explosives. Primed brass is removed from the Division 1.4 explosive classification for domestic transportation. However, if anyone has any doubts, just ship UPS. There should be no problem there.

[VeryCoolCat]

Let me solve this question... why would you ship USPS anyways? You get ABOUT the same cost of shipping if you ship an object with a tracking number. I wouldn't ship anything of value without a tracking number. If it goes missing, yer pretty much screwed.