Thread: tips on shipping a rifle?

Hey Folks,
I recently bought a new .22 pump action rifle. Special ordered it at Wally World, rather than at a dealer, to save a few bucks. Mistake... I think it may have been a display model at another store, so I want to make sure it's right.
Rather than exchanging it at the store, I'm sending it to the manufacturer for them to inspect and tweak. I'm hoping to get a couple upgrades done to it, too.
I've never shipped a rifle before. The mfr. is sending a label, but I want to make sure I package it well. I'm sure common sense prevails here, but does anyone have any specific tips?
Thanks,
Parry

No advice, but I am just glad you can still buy guns in America.

Peace,
Steven

I've used one of these to protect rifles on many international flights, they have never let me down. On the down side they are a bit pricey if you're never going to use it again.

I believe you can only ship using a business or individual w/ a current Federal Firearms License (FFL). To find individuals in your area that have a FFL and are willing to do this go to gunbroker.com's FFL holder finder.

Good point, I'd forgotten about that part.

Originally Posted by Dick Danger

Good point, I'd forgotten about that part.

Generally their fees are very reasonable. I use a local guy that charges $10 to cover the paperwork hassle. Good Luck!

Fulton Armory used a really stout cardboard box with lots of foam padding to ship my match M1 sometime back. At that time in Iowa, they were able to return it directly to me, no FFL involved.

Good luck.


Wayne

Here's info on this topic I found searching for steel protection.

"You can minimize damage when shipping guns by being sure that the guns are so firmly packed and wrapped that they cannot move, especially toward their muzzles. Rifle barrels can act as pointed battering rams so effectively that the gun may arrive at its destination with the muzzle protruding from the package, sometimes by as much as a foot! It is so important that the package, especially if it contains only one rifle, cannot bend that experienced gun shippers sometimes pack a board along side the well-padded gun or ship the gun in a wooden case. If a long delicate barrel can be easily removed from the gun, an excellent way to pack it is to encase it in a piece of PVC or ABS plastic pipe, suitably packed with tightly wadded papers, and sealed at the ends with a plastic pipe cap or fiberglass tape. Each individual gun should be firmly “mummy-wrapped” with several sections of newspapers, well taped all around the papers – preferably with fiberglass strapping tape or fiber reinforced packing tape. Do not allow any packing tapes or “bubble-wrap” to touch any part of the gun; I have received guns which had a permanent print of the bubble-wrap design over the stock work and metal finish!. Plastic air bags and foam pebbles generally are worse than terrible as gun packing material - guns simply move through such material with ease and are soon poking out into the cruel world. Overlap bands of fiber reinforced tape around the outside of the box in every direction. Do not apply any labels, even peel-off labels, directly to the gun. I have a wonderful, very valuable Giffard CO2 rifle from the 1800’s which reminds me of this every time I see the circular blemish on the stock where the seller had applied an adhesive price tag.

When shipping a gun, never give any external clue as to the contents. The Acme Gun Repair Service should give the sender’s name as the AGRS Company and provide similar gun-free, brand-free naming for the recipient. Marking the outside as “Fragile – Pneumatic Device” may reduce interest in a rifle-sized box. Of course, you may have to tell the shipper of the true contents, but U.S. law no longer requires external identification of gun bearing packages, even on the airlines. When asked if it is a firearm, firmly tell the shipper, very truthfully, that it is NOT a firearm, that it is “just”a “BB gun” or a “pellet gun” – preferably a non-functional one. Or avoid the "G word" completely and refer to it as a "pneumatic projector". Generally one should not use U.S. Postal Services when shipping guns, especially to a rural destination. Air pistols are not allowed in the mails and the USPS may leave a shipped gun in a remote mailbox or on a doorstep. UPS, Airborne Express, and FedEx generally will take the package directly to the door, even a very remote rural door, and require a signature from an adult. After the 9/11 event, many carriers started to refuse shipments containing guns, even airguns. Note that it is not illegal to do something, like ship an airgun (except an air pistol by US Postal Service); it is just against the carrier's policy. One service that still accepts guns is UPS Ground and their rates generally are lower than any other carrier including the US Post Office. "

have fun,
Nenad

Go to the forums at http://www.trapshooters.com/cfpages/threads.cfm

and run a search for shipping. Fly had some good advice. I have two points.

1. You do not have to ship FFL to a manufacterer or have one to get it back. Those are for private party stuff.
2. Only ship overnight Fed Ex. Other methods have too many problems, including lost guns. If you didn't spend that much for the gun, it's no big deal to ship with any carrier as long as it is not parcel post. The shotguns I have had to mail were several thousand dollars in value each, so Fed Ex is the only way. Do not trust "Brown" for anything.

Thanks for the tips, gents!
I haven't received my shipping instructions and label yet, but I'll be ready when it comes.
Bill, ...not sure I'll have options in the shipping. Henry Repeating Arms Co. (the manufacturer) is paying for the freight, so let's hope they go with FedEx.
The president of the company had his e-mail address on the web site and actually returned e-mailed to me about the concerns I had with the gun, and offered pay for the shipping. I was impressed. Customer service seems good. I'm assuming the product will be when I get to use it.
Parry