Can primed brass be shipped via USPS?

[bubbapug1]

I have received primed brass via USPS before. However, I am not sure its legal to ship it USPS. I read the definition of explosives, and primers in brass are not listed.

The vendor who shipped them to me swears primed brass is OK, primers are not..

Does anyone know for sure?

any postal employees out there??

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I don't think it is legal to ship primed brass via the USPS, but many people disagree with me on this. Even though primed brass is exempt from hazardous shipping restrictions by DOT, the wording of the USPS shipping rules seems to ignore that exemption.

Here is a link to the USPS publication on Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail...

http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52.pdf

If you scroll down to page 131 you will see Cases, cartridge, empty with primer and Cases, cartridges, empty with primer both listed as "Prohibited" items.

[EOD Guy]

[bubbapug1]

I don't think it is legal to ship primed brass via the USPS, but many people disagree with me on this. Even though primed brass is exempt from hazardous shipping restrictions by DOT, the wording of the USPS shipping rules seems to ignore that exemption.

Here is a link to the USPS publication on Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail...

http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52.pdf

If you scroll down to page 131 you will see Cases, cartridge, empty with primer and Cases, cartridges, empty with primer both listed as "Prohibited" items.

I see it - prohibited

[kemasa]

See page 144, it refers to another name, "Cases, cartridge, empty with primer" and is prohibited.

Ammunition, SA (small arms), see
Cartridges for weapons, etc.

Cartridge cases, empty primed, see
Cases, cartridge, empty with primer

[Mssr. Eleganté]

It doesn't say prohibited, its blank....

At the link I provided it says prohibited...



Do you have a more recent copy of USPS Publication 52 that says otherwise?

[ParallaxTactical.com]

Don't do it. The postal police will go postal on you.

[GetBulletsandBrass]

Its prohibited, if you need to hear it from the horses mouth, call your local postmaster. He/she will repeat what's been said several times on here by a few folks who know a thing or two about shipping brass and primers.

The DOT and USPS are two separate government agencies and they dictate what can and can't be shipped. USPS says no to primed brass.

Don't do it. The postal police will go postal on you.

[bubbapug1]

got it. I'll let my vendors know too. Better legal than is stripes is my belief.

UPS for me!

[kemasa]

it is clearly prohibited. I think that part of the problem is that people see the entry, which says to see another entry, but the reference listing does not say that it is prohibited and so instead of following the trail until the end, they think that it is not prohibited.

The section was posted above and it is clearly says "prohibited".

[NorCal Mtn Flyer]

Wow... this is interesting. I recently received a large shipment of pre-primed cases and bullets from a company. The weight of the package was such that the local carrier would not deliver it to my door. So I got a call from the local PO Manager, asking if he could hand deliver it to me.
And yes, this was the USPS! Obviously, the PO didn't know what was in the package (a large flat rate box, doubled up).
So I'm quite suprised that a ?reputable? company would take such a risk as to ship this material if it is clearly prohibited!

[Mssr. Eleganté]

...So I'm quite suprised that a ?reputable? company would take such a risk as to ship this material if it is clearly prohibited!

It's not that surprising. The fact that DOT says primed brass shipments are totally unregulated in domestic transportation leads many people to believe that it's okay to ship it through the USPS. We even used to debate the subject here on Calguns.

[jtmkinsd]

It's not that surprising. The fact that DOT says primed brass shipments are totally unregulated in domestic transportation leads many people to believe that it's okay to ship it through the USPS. We even used to debate the subject here on Calguns.

Used to???

[EOD Guy]

It's not that surprising. The fact that DOT says primed brass shipments are totally unregulated in domestic transportation leads many people to believe that it's okay to ship it through the USPS. We even used to debate the subject here on Calguns.

I was one of those that thought it was ok since DOT didn't consider primed brass to be hazardous material in domestic transportation. I didn't go far enough into the Postal regulations until someone pointed out the section posted above. I guess I can be wrong once in a while.

[GreyMinotaur]

Hmm...That's really surprising. What I'm reading on page 131 is that any primed cartridge--even if the primer has already been struck by the firing pin--is prohibited. It looks like the only way to ship spent brass through USPS is to first de-prime it. Am I right?