Shipping a gun for repairs, any FFLs in Yamhill county that can help?

[CLT65]

I need to ship a handgun back to the manufacturer for repairs. My understanding is that there are two choices for shipping:

Ship it myself via common carrier (UPS, FedEx) overnight only, to the tune of about $70 for a very small box.
or,
Find an FFL who can legally ship it via USPS Priority for less than $10 insurance included, plus whatever they would charge for their time.

Does anyone know if my understanding is correct on this, and if there are any nearby FFL holders who might be willing to help?

Thank you!

Read More

 

[Nwcid]

The 3rd option depending on the gun and situation is make the manufacture send you a prepaid label. They get much better rates.......

 

[orygun]

What he said! ^^^

If you could get the manufacturer to send you a label, you wouldn't spend a dime. I doubt that any FFL is going to do it for free, either.

Also, if you send a firearm you will need to go to a UPS hub. The UPS Stores won't do it. I know it's money, but I'd do it myself (if the manufacturer won't help) just to keep other "fingers out of the pie".

 

[speeddemon94]

Also, if you send a firearm you will need to go to a UPS hub. The UPS Stores won't do it.

Yes, they will. SIG sent me a shipping label, I packaged it up in the factory box and took it to the UPS store in King City...They took it no problem, and it was delivered back to my door 2 weeks later.

 

[CLT65]

Well, Taurus said they would sell me a discounted label for $50. They would ship it on their dime if it was less than a year old, but it's a couple years old so they won't. I was thinking if an FFL even charged me something it would still be cheaper, but maybe it's not worth the hassle.

 

[pokerace]

See Force Ten in Newberg. They can help.

 

[DeanfromOregon]

Tuarus has a lifetime warranty, don't they?

 

[01rednavigator]

I have had to send a sr1911 back to Ruger two time for repair and had to send back a 10/22 for repair. All three times they paid for UPS overnight shipping, they just emailed me the label and I printed it out, tape to the box and drop it off at ups.

Ruger has the best customer service in the business, after the 2nd time of sending my SR1911 back they ended up sending me a brand new SR1911 and they paid for the ffl transfer fee and the backgroung check.

 

[orygun]

Yes, they will. SIG sent me a shipping label, I packaged it up in the factory box and took it to the UPS store in King City...They took it no problem, and it was delivered back to my door 2 weeks later.

Surprising. Even UPS says the UPS stores won't accept them. But, I did ship a rifle from a UPS store with a preprinted label. I just dropped it off and didn't say a word, but when I tried to ship my rifle back to Kimber (who said go to a UPS hub) from a UPS store, I had trouble. I insured it for the value and when asked what it was I told them it was a rifle. Oh, my! you could watch the train wreck in her head. I went to the hub and got no trouble.
This is what I gather..
Preprinted label, no problem.
Trying to ship insured from a UPS store, no go.
When I shipped a handgun back to S&W a handful of years ago, I received a red label tag to put on it and they just asked that I inform the driver that it was a handgun. I received it back with my signature required.

Not sure how I feel about telling the driver that the package I just gave him was a $1000 handgun.. At least it was a driver I knew well and trusted.

 

[TCOV]

" after the 2nd time of sending my SR1911 back they ended up sending me a brand new SR1911 and they paid for the ffl transfer fee and the backgroung check. "

Taurus replaced a 22 auto with a cracked frame (the little tip up barrel) with a new pistol numbered the same as the broken one and sent it directly to me, no transfer or ffl needed. Ruger could probably have done that.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Surprising. Even UPS says the UPS stores won't accept them. But, I did ship a rifle from a UPS store with a preprinted label. I just dropped it off and didn't say a word, but when I tried to ship my rifle back to Kimber (who said go to a UPS hub) from a UPS store, I had trouble. I insured it for the value and when asked what it was I told them it was a rifle. Oh, my! you could watch the train wreck in her head. I went to the hub and got no trouble.
This is what I gather..
Preprinted label, no problem.
Trying to ship insured from a UPS store, no go.
When I shipped a handgun back to S&W a handful of years ago, I received a red label tag to put on it and they just asked that I inform the driver that it was a handgun. I received it back with my signature required.

Not sure how I feel about telling the driver that the package I just gave him was a $1000 handgun.. At least it was a driver I knew well and trusted.

About 5 years ago I shipped a rifle from Oregon to Colville, WA for repairs via UPS. They balked at first, but when I showed them the pre-printed label with my UPS account number on it they said, "Oh, OK." Realize that the "UPS Store" is not really UPS. It's a privately owned franchise. UPS does not like taking responsibility for things accepted for shipment by these franchise stores because they are not really a part of UPS, and UPS really doesn't have much control over what they do and how they do things. Nor are their employees subject to the same background checks and discipline as UPS employees.

Last year I shipped my Bushmaster to Remington for repairs, and due to the stated value ($2000) I had to take it to the UPS Center on Swan Island, even though I was shipping it on my on UPS account.

And BTW, for repairs, where ownership is not changing, an FFL is not required on either end, although most gunsmiths have one.

 

[duane black]

I think alot has already been addressed but I will add a few things as this is a subject I know alot about having to send all sorts of guns to different folks for repair. This is for handguns only. Long guns can be shipped a little differently. This subject is more complicated than it needs to be. I have tried to support my info with facts from the ATF website, as well as fed ex and ups. As every internet post, I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice, YMMV.

A non licensee can ship a handgun to a liicensee interstate or intrastate.

USPS info from ATF.gov:

A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another State. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. The Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.
[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A)]

Contract Carrier Info ( UPS and / or Fedex )

A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

Please make a special note of the part ( I have a story )

Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.

Now we need to look at UPS and Fedex RULES, NOT LAW. I am including the important parts relevent to the discussion.


UPS:

Handguns, as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 921, will be accepted for transportation only via UPS Next Day Air Services, specifically, UPS Next Day Air® Early A.M.®, UPS Next Day Air®, and UPS Next Day Air Saver®.

Firearms (including handguns) may be shipped only through a UPS Scheduled Pickup Account (specifically, Daily Pickup, Daily On-Route Pickup, UPS Smart Pickup®, and Day-Specific Pickup), or through a UPS Customer Center (counters at UPS operational facilities). Note: Firearms (including handguns) are not accepted for shipment via UPS Drop Boxes, UPS On-Call PickupSM, or at locations of The UPS Store® or any third party retailer.

Fedex :

Firearms
Carrier will transport and deliver firearms as defined by the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, between areas served in the U.S., but only between:
Licensed importers; licensed manufacturers; licensed dealers; licensed collectors; law enforcement agencies of the U.S.or any department or agency thereof; and law enforcement agencies of any state or any department, agency or political subdivisions thereof; or Where not prohibited by local, state and federal law, from individuals to licensed importers, licensed manufacturers or licensed dealers (and return of same).
Carrier cannot ship or deliver firearms C.O.D. Upon presenting the goods for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to Carrier is required to notify Carrier that the shipment contains a firearm. The outside of the package(s) must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package(s) contains a firearm. The shipper and recipient must be of legal age as identified by applicable law.
The shipper and recipient are required to comply with all applicable government regulations and laws, including those pertaining to labeling. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can provide assistance.

Firearms must be shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight service. FedEx cannot ship or deliver firearms C.O.D. or with a signature release. Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx is required to notify the FedEx employee who accepts the package that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm. Firearms shipments cannot be placed in a FedEx Express Drop Box.

______________________________________________________

I have shipped guns via both carriers. Hadguns shipped via UPS will need to be shipped specifically, UPS Next Day Air® Early A.M.®, UPS Next Day Air®, and UPS Next Day Air Saver. The saver is the cheapest if memory serves me correct.

The handgun MUST be brought to a UPS hub. NOT a UPS store or 3rd party UPS retailer. The gun can NOT be dropped in a UPS drop box. The most important part is the notifying of the package contents to the UPS agent, as this is LAW. I have done this in the past and let me tell you, it gets interesting. I got into a verbal altercation with a UPS employee in front of a room full of people about his companies own rules and federal law when I did this once. I was armed with a print out from the UPS website and it still didnt change his mind. I left before the cops got called, came back and repeated the process without issue with a nice lady. She didn't care whatsoever there was a glock in the box. YMMV

OP

Open a fedex and or ups account. It's free and easy. Box your gun and print a label at home for it. Find the local UPS hub and take the gun down there. Tell them it's a gun and hand them the box. Watch them scan the gun into the system and get a receipt.

Done

Remember my story about notifying them. It will make for a exciting day.