Shipping Costs

[Nardo1895]

I know there are too many variables for an accurate answer to my question but I'd like to see what you think. For shipping handguns USPS is my best option. Maybe large wholesalers and retailers can get a better deal with UPS or Fed Ex but for my volume USPS is the cheapest.

I've not found a sweet spot for longguns. I don't ship very many so my experience is limited. It seems like whenever I ship one it ends up costing around $80. When scrolling through Gunbroker, it seems most people charge around $40 for long gun shipping. I assume they ship at a loss but hope to make it up in the sale?

What do you typically pay to ship a longgun? I know it varies by weight, size and distance, but do you have any "rule of thumb" costs you use?

Thanks

[kemasa]

USPS tends to be the cheapest for handguns due to UPS/Fedex policy requiring overnight shipping. You need to compare the rates for the regional flat rate boxes with the flat rate to see which is best.

Fedex Ground tends to be the cheapest for long guns. Customers can ship long guns directly.

[sass2924]

[ugimports]

Also for the guys shipping ~$40 they might be self-insuring the boxes. I don't ship enough to do that so I pay for carrier insurance.

[RoundEye]

I thought handguns had to be shipped at least 2 Day (FFLs), and Overnight (Non-FFLs). Rifles can be shipped ground.

I thought it was unlawful to ship handguns and ammunition via USPS. I was under the impression that it was long guns only, and they only wanted to deal with FFLs.

I know I read all of the above somewhere, I just don't have time to find the sources, but I'll try and dig them up.

As for the OP, Bud's Gun Shop runs a site called ShipMyGun (https://www.shipmygun.com/go/) where they pass some of their bulk shipping saving on to you.

[kemasa]

I thought handguns had to be shipped at least 2 Day (FFLs), and Overnight (Non-FFLs). Rifles can be shipped ground.

I thought it was unlawful to ship handguns and ammunition via USPS. I was under the impression that it was long guns only, and they only wanted to deal with FFLs.

I know I read all of the above somewhere, I just don't have time to find the sources, but I'll try and dig them up.

As for the OP, Bud's Gun Shop runs a site called ShipMyGun (https://www.shipmygun.com/go/) where they pass some of their bulk shipping saving on to you.

There is no legal requirement for shipping handguns overnight or second day air, that is company policy for UPS/Fedex. Second day air is only allowed with a contract and conditions with those companies.

It is illegal to ship handguns USPS unless it is between dealers and you fill out form 1508. Anyone can ship long guns USPS.

While you might be able to dig up where someone claimed that, you won't be able to back it up with facts because what you think is actually wrong. Go to the USPS web page and you will find the shipping requirements. You can also look at the UPS/Fedex web pages and see their actual policies. As a side note, you would need to look at the common carrier laws to see if violating a common carrier's policy is illegal or not.

[RoundEye]

There is no legal requirement for shipping handguns overnight or second day air, that is company policy for UPS/Fedex. Second day air is only allowed with a contract and conditions with those companies.

It is illegal to ship handguns USPS unless it is between dealers and you fill out form 1508. Anyone can ship long guns USPS.

Good to know.

[Nardo1895]

Just to clarify, I have a FFL which is why I can ship a handgun via USPS. Wouldn't want someone out there thinking I was breaking the law :-)

As to the OP, the rifle I was shipping was a complete AR10 lower so not reflective of the true cost to ship a complete rifle. Its going to NorCal from CenCal so not a great distance either. It was $24 to ship UPS. It would have been $33 to ship USPS and $27 to ship Fed Ex. The UPS price included a $3 promo code so it appears UPS and Fed Ex are pretty comparable. Those prices include insurance and signature required.

Not sure how this would compare with a longer distance or heavier/bigger package.

As I said in the OP, I don't ship a lot of rifles as most of my customers will ship those themselves, but I have one customer who prefers that I ship long guns for him.

[audiophil2]

set up accounts with the carriers.

I can ship a pistol into CA for $12.
Long guns average $30. Sometimes as low as $17 to socal.
sig required

my business insurance covers loss.

usps for pistols
ups for long guns

you have to be creative with shipping long guns. ups dimensions can bump up the cost a lot if oyu like shipping air inside a box. learn how ot make a box smaller. I hate RSR boxes since they ship in 2 different oversized boxes.

[SVT-40]

Just to clarify, I have a FFL which is why I can ship a handgun via USPS. Wouldn't want someone out there thinking I was breaking the law :-)

As to the OP, the rifle I was shipping was a complete AR10 lower so not reflective of the true cost to ship a complete rifle. Its going to NorCal from CenCal so not a great distance either. It was $24 to ship UPS. It would have been $33 to ship USPS and $27 to ship Fed Ex. The UPS price included a $3 promo code so it appears UPS and Fed Ex are pretty comparable. Those prices include insurance and signature required.

Not sure how this would compare with a longer distance or heavier/bigger package.

As I said in the OP, I don't ship a lot of rifles as most of my customers will ship those themselves, but I have one customer who prefers that I ship long guns for him.

A "complete AR-10 lower" would fit into a USPS large flat "game board" rate box for $19.95 shipping...

https://store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/priority-mail-large-flat-rate-board-game-box---gbfrb-P_GB_FRB

I just checked... With the grip removed a 16" barreled AR-15 upper will also fit inside the above box...