Adventures in Shipping Ammo

[ScottS]

I've shipped many many boxes of ammo all over the country without one whit of problems but I've always dealt with the hub at the airport as it's only 10 miles from my home.

NOT ONCE was I EVER challenged. I boxed up the ammo properly, slapped a blue ORM-D/Small Arms Cartridges label on it and off it went. I was never asked for any other forms of id or certificates and I always sent them to individuals at their homes.

I avoid the "UPS STORES" like the plague. They wouldn't even take a wood rifle stock for me. I made the mistake of answering their question as to what I was shipping. Consider the fact, too, that their boxes that would handle a rifle cost $40 and that's all I needed to never return to their store.

And, the idea of flagging down a UPS driver is an excellent one. Just have the label on the box attached and ready to ship and just give it to a UPS truck and away it goes. You can very easily open a UPS account on your computer and print everything you need on your PC including labels and receipts and you can set up notifications to your and your recipients email as the box travels. You pay by attaching a credit card to your account. Simple as pie. UPS is by far the easiest shipping service on the planet. I’ve shipped many dozens of firearms and hundreds of pounds of ammo in many boxes without a hitch. I thinned out my collection about six months ago and found that UPS was the way to move stuff across the fruited plain.

As for shipping ammo without a label, I would never consider it. ORM-D (Other Restricted Materials type “D”) tells UPS not to use air but only ground. While ammo is extremely safe to ship, there are strict rules about what goes on a plane and what does not. The ORM-D label keeps the box in trucks.

Rome

I've had almost the exact same experience as the Cabinetman, with the exception that I always schedule pick-ups at my home. I have an online UPS account (easy as falling off a log), and I box and ORM-D label my ammo, then go online to print a label and, at the same time, choose "schedule a pickup." It costs $3-4, which, when you figure your time/hassle, is more than worth it. I then tape the label on the box, plop the box on my front step, and go to work. I've probably shipped 5-6K rounds of ammo in the last 18mo, and I've never had a problem. The thought of hauling all that crap to a UPS hub in the middle of nowhere, and then possibly arguing with a no-nothing counter drone, holds no appeal for me.

 

[chuckster]

Thanks Cabinetman & Scotts. Your method sure beats all the alternatives.
Chuck

 

[RI_John]

Hooray for competence!

So, to continue the story- I just went to the UPS hub in Warwick, RI near the airport. I was dreading dealing with more idiots while trying to ship my Karma and TVI raffle ammo, however, it was easy peasy!

I told them it was small caliber ammo and the guy said "yup" and I said "Uh... do you need to put an ORM-D sticker on it" and the guy said "yup" Then he said "We've been shipping so much ammo lately we're all out of stickers, but you don't need them, you can just write ORM-D on the box" and that's what he did.

Since I was wanting to know all the rules, I said "So, let me get this straight, the STICKER is optional? You just need the letters on there?" and the guy said "The stickers are appreciated, but not necessary, as long as we can see the ORM-D, it's fine to write it" and then I asked about giving it to UPS drivers or having them pickup, and yes, just like people here have confirmed, it is fine.

So. Now I know how to do it, it's not a problem!