Moving guns you already own state to state.

[seattlewingsfan]

I've been a resident here in WA for almost 6 years now. It took a while to get settled in and the business up and running. My GF of almost 8 years is not a gun person to say the least, due to a situation she was put in many many years ago at college abroad (held for ransom in Morraco). She has always known I like guns, even knows I have a few But I never kept them around her because I respect her wishes to not really be around them.

Fast forward to now. She is becoming more tolerant of gun magazines laying all over the house and me going shooting with friends. She knows the day will come when I have a safe in the house and they are stored at home. She says she is ok with it now. Problem is....

I have half a dozen here that I purchased here or moved with me from michigan. What is the best way to move lets just say "alot" here that I have owned for a decade. With washington laws about collecting a "USE" tax on the retail value I do not see an easy or any affordable way, short of flying back and loading them in a uhaul truck and driving cross country. This was the recomended course the local gun shop suggested. That isn't very affordable either. I was thinking about just checking a few every year when I fly home at christmas. But that would take forever as well.

This will also become an issue when my dad finally decides to pass on his collection and my grandfathers as well. They are both in Texas.

I'm sure other have had similar issues. SUGGESTIONS?

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[nubus]

It is not illegal to ship guns you own to yourself.
You are the shipper and the recipient, all good.
Pistols I think have to go 2-day priority with UPS.
Not totally sure on the 2-day part, but 100% on the first statement.
Fly home, pack a crate, be home to sign for it.
Be sure to insure the shipment!!

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Thanks,

I was told by several local gun shops that this was not an option. I was told that all shipments of firearms had to be from dealer to dealer. But clearly after 20 minutes of reading different sections of the ATF website you are correct! Maybe they didn't understand my question, doubtful... Or maybe they were hoping to get transfer fees on all of them at 40 bucks a pop thats over a grand. Do the dealers get to keep the whole transfer fee?

 

[nubus]

Dealers file paperwork.
That's what the fee is for.
They pay for an FFL to be able to file paperwork.
Yeah, they keep the whole fee.

 

[mjbskwim]

I'm not too busy right now,I could go get them for you,for say 1/2 the guns?

Just another option to think about.
And you could store them right here too.I would make sure they function properly and care for them.Keep them clean,you know.

Let me know when I should pick them up for you.

More of a wonderful guy than just nice.

 

[Redcap]

Perfectly legal to ship them to yourself.

 

[seattlewingsfan]

I'm not too busy right now,I could go get them for you,for say 1/2 the guns?

Just another option to think about.
And you could store them right here too.I would make sure they function properly and care for them.Keep them clean,you know.

Let me know when I should pick them up for you.

More of a wonderful guy than just nice.

Hmm.. let me think about that.... I'll pass. lol thanks for your wonderful offer.


In all seriousness the shipping to myself is awesome. Going to have to have my brother back east take some measurements so I can design some shipping crates to build.

I have a question about safes and tax, but I'll do a quick search to see if it's answered first.

Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[Mark W.]

I would suggest a road trip. I recently did 3400 miles in 5 days (spent a day at the turn around point) all to retrive my mom and about half a small pickup load of her stuff. Granted having a small pickup that would do the run at 20+mpg and being used to driving 10 hours a day sure helped.

You could fly to TX for christmas then rent a car or if need be a small truck and run it back to WA. Making sure you have the firearms packed in a crate etc. to keep them secure on the way home.

I just sent a pair of stereo speakers to CA from OR and at only 50lbs (say equal to 6 guns with sheet styrofoam packing) Via FED EX GROUND (limited insurance) and it cost me about a buck a pound. TX is going to run much more per pound maybe double that.

the 3400 miles cost me roughly $800.00 including food and lodging (2 motel nights)

 

[seattlewingsfan]

I'm not worried about Texas yet, that won't come for years I hope. After most of his stuff sittig for 10 years, I am getting him back into shooting as a hobby.

I like the idea of driving just because it's not that bad. When I moved here I took my Jimmy and packed 5 aluminum rifle cases, 2 suit cases of clothes, and some carpeter tools... left everything else in michigan. I got here in 51 hours. I'll come up with something. I shipped a heavy Rod hockey table to Michigan for a christmas present and it was 250 dollars for shipping. but it was 400 pounds.

Does anyone know if the law permits shipping to your business address or just house address? I get frieght deliveries to my shop.

 

[Rix]

I've been wondering about this as well.
My Dad has a bunch in NY, many of which he wants to bring out here. Road trip is out of the question. (he's too old) and I thought you HAD to ship them FFL.

 

[nubus]

Does anyone know if the law permits shipping to your business address or just house address? I get frieght deliveries to my shop.

You could ship to yourself C/O The Four Seasons in Las Vegas if you wanted to.

 

[seattlewingsfan]

This shipping thing is great! Even though I am not sure I want to ship everything. I can get a few here that I miss like my Trubor, and my first shotgun an old but flawless 1100 Rem my dad gave me.

Maybe I'll ship a Win 1300 ranger first to see how they get handled in shipping.

 

[darkminstrel]

I would suggest a road trip.

This right here.

Make it something fun and adventurous. Take the lady with you! Don't drop too much cash on fun, make it a good, cheap outting.

 

[mjbskwim]

I'm not worried about Texas yet, that won't come for years I hope. After most of his stuff sittig for 10 years, I am getting him back into shooting as a hobby.

I like the idea of driving just because it's not that bad. When I moved here I took my Jimmy and packed 5 aluminum rifle cases, 2 suit cases of clothes, and some carpeter tools... left everything else in michigan. I got here in 51 hours. I'll come up with something. I shipped a heavy Rod hockey table to Michigan for a christmas present and it was 250 dollars for shipping. but it was 400 pounds.

Does anyone know if the law permits shipping to your business address or just house address? I get frieght deliveries to my shop.

Well the guns will add up in weight real fast,so maybe figure an approximate weight/shipping cost and then the fuel costs?

BTW where are you in Lakewood? Just moved out of there a year ago.Felt I was going to start using my guns,so I moved.

 

[seattlewingsfan]

I live within walking distance of town center, and I'll leave it at that. Yeah there has been some questionable occurances. The last being a month ago.

I was at my shop working on a car it was probably 9 pm and getting dark. I left the shop lights on and locked up to run to 7-11 for a drink. Came back and there was a guy laying on the ground behind a costomer car parked by my office door. When I pulled in he jumped up and ran down the street. He was obviously waiting for someone to come out of the office and lock up for the night.

I feel my house is pretty safe, and I am not worried at my shop. I am rarely there alone. And never in the shop without a gun. I either concealed or open carry all the time, depending on what I am doing in the shop. I have gun magazines in the waiting room. Targets hanging up or on my desk all the time. I get comments all the time saying things like "bet nobody messes with your tools". There was a drug raid of a house down the street from my shop a year ago. 20-30 cops with assault weapons, snipers set up. The cops sit in my parking lot to catch speeders all the time. It's pretty controlled.

An off duty cop came into the shop a few days ago returning a moving truck. (Yes I have access to rental trucks, still have to pay though) Anyway he was moving back and told me he wouldn't live in Lakewood for anything. He used to be a cop here when they filmed COPs tv show. said it's worse now than it was. Shrug. told me "I hope you have some guns..." I said indeed I do.

A friend that is SF saw a guy casing customers while in Applebees, ended up tracking and communicating with lakewood cops... guy was wanted on several warrants and was primary suspect in a murder investigation. So you do never know.

 

[mjbskwim]

So you're over by the doughnut shop? Man that place has some good doughnuts.

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Lol. Yes kind of. Yes the donuts are good. Everybody loves that place.

 

[clearconscience]

Just a question,

Does anyone think they will report him for shipping a large quantity of firearms, even if done legally?
I would think that would arouse suspicion, even though completely legal. If it was 1-5 firearms then no big deal, but if you have "alot" you say then that may warrant a call to the ATF, Police, Feds to check it out.

I would not do it, call that is, but look at all the libby gun nuts that will.

I would go talk to the guys at the UPS, or whatever and say hey this is the situation, this is what I want to do, do you have a problem with that?

 

[mjbskwim]

I wouldn't say a word to anyone.I would just load em,cover em and haul em

And drive VERY defensively

 

[seattlewingsfan]

Yeah I have decided to not ship a bulk amount, you never know who is watching the forums. I may wait to see if my mom and brother move here. She informed me a month ago she was thinking of putting the house on the market.

This could all be a moot point, I am just trying to find all options and help inform people. I clearly wasn't the only one that was curious.

I have what I "NEED" here already. whats some more time.