To start the process either call me (preferred) or email me and let’s talk about what you need done to your firearm. Print and fill the form (link located below) out completely - you may want to make a rough draft before contacting me initially as it will aid our discussion. Email me a copy and include a copy inside your shipping container. I’ll tell you how to package your firearm below.
For FIRING, FEEDING, EXTRACTION, or EJECTION problems, sighting issues, you MUST ship me at least 50 pistol, 10 shotgun, or 10 rifle rounds (as appropriate) of the ammunition you use in a separate shipment or I will charge you to purchase the necessary rounds. Include a copy of my shipping information form with the ammunition as well as the firearm. Also, for FIRING, FEEDING, EXTRACTION, or EJECTION problems please include at least one uncleaned FIRED cartridge (that was fired in the firearm you are shipping me) in a sealed plastic bag with the firearm and NOTE you have done so in the problem description area of my shipping form.
PACKAGING:
Of course the firearm MUST be unloaded. Also, if you are shipping ammunition you may NOT ship the ammunition in the same shipping container as the firearm. Include at least one magazine with the firearm and any magazines you need cleaned, repaired, or modified. If you have the original manufacturer’s shipping box (plastic or cardboard), wrap your firearm in either bubble wrap or heavy brown paper (like used for paper bags). Do NOT put tape directly onto the firearm! Place your firearm inside it’s original manufacturer’s container inside a second, unmarked box – do NOT use plastic shipping bags! If you do not have the original manufacturer’s box warp your firearm in heavy brown paper then bubble wrap the firearm with magazine installed in at least two thicknesses of bubble wrap and place inside a box. Seal all box joints with shipping tape. CLEARLY label the outside of the container with a shipping label and TAPE over the entire label with clear tape. The only markings on the outside of the exterior box should be your return address and my address.
SHIPPING:
Some firearms can be shipped through the U.S. mail. Whether certain firearms can be shipped through the U.S. mail depends on what type of firearms they are. Simply, long guns: yes; handguns: no. However, under federal law, a non-licensed individual may not transfer (and this would include shipping to someone) a firearm to a non-licensed resident (non-FFL) of another state. (To learn more about selling/gifting to a person in another state click: Selling Firearms across state lines) However, a non-licensed individual may mail a long gun to a resident of his or her own state, and they may also mail a long gun to an FFL of another state.
The USPS recommends that long guns be mailed via registered mail and that the packaging used to mail the long gun be ambiguous so as to not identify the contents. Handguns are not allowed to be mailed through USPS. See 18 U.S.C. §§1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5), and 922(a)(2)(A). Rather, handguns must be shipped using a common or contract carrier (e.g., UPS or FedEx).
Under federal law, a non-licensed individual may ship a firearm (including a handgun) by a common or contract carrier (e.g., UPS or FedEx – unfortunately, neither UPS or FedEx will allow a private individual to ship using their services any longer. Please check with the carrier of your choice regarding their firearm shipping policy) to a resident of his or her own state, or to a licensed individual (FFL) in another state. However, it is illegal to ship any firearm to a non-FFL in another state. The carrier must be notified that the shipment contains a firearm, however, carriers are prohibited from requiring any identifying marks on the package which may be used to identify the contents as containing a firearm. See 18 U.S.C. §§922(a)(2)(A), 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5), 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30.
As of August 29, 2022, shipping firearms via UPS will no longer be allowed for private individuals. According to their publication: 2022 UPS® Tariff/Terms & Conditions of Service – United States, only licensed dealers with a pre-existing contractual relationship will be able to ship firearms using Big Brown. The new policy reads in relevant part:
“Firearm Products” are accepted for transportation only as a contractual service and only from Shippers who are licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors (as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the United States Code). To transport Packages containing Firearm Products, the Shipper must enter into an approved UPS agreement for the transportation of Firearm Products.
The FedEx Service Guide prohibits firearm shipments. However, customers holding a Federal Firearms License (FFL) may work with their FedEx account executive to obtain approval to ship firearms with FedEx. This will require customers holding an FFL to execute a FedEx Firearms Shipping Compliance Agreement. For more information, contact your FedEx account executive.
Shippers that do not hold an FFL are not eligible to obtain approval and are prohibited from shipping firearms with FedEx. Shippers that have not received approval, regardless of their FFL status, are prohibited from shipping firearms with FedEx.