Shipping guns

[TonyDedo]

I was thinking about shipping my M&P out to Burwell for a trigger job, but I've been hesitant because of the cost of shipping. It seems a little extreme to spend as much on shipping as it does on the work itself. That leads me to the question: is there any reason you can't send multiple guns at once? Would anyone be interested in doing a group shipment to Burwell?

 

[highlander]

If I might suggest,why not have your loacal ffl send it as he can send via USPS which should be cheaper than UPS or FedEx

 

[TY43215]

If I might suggest,why not have your loacal ffl send it as he can send via USPS which should be cheaper than UPS or FedEx

Then he has to do a NICS check and all the paper work to give it back to you.

I have had 2 guns done by Dan Burwell. Great job. The shipping is $40 each way depending on weight. 2 guns weigh more, 2 guns cost more.

I have not had a gun worked on by Greg Derr, but I will have him do my M&P 357SIG as soon as I get it. He is here in MA, a competent gunsmith, and accessible if there are any problems. He is in the Dealer section of the forums.

 

[drgrant]

Then he has to do a NICS check and all the paper work to give it back to you.

This is incorrect. A NICS check only has to be done if the gun gets a new
frame, or gets entirely replaced, etc.. For most "Repairs" there is no
requirement. I've had FFLs send my guns out to have them worked on,
etc, and not once have I had to fill out a 4473. A friend of mine did
though, with his SW99 compact when the frame of the gun got chipped, and
S+W put a new frame on it. (it had a different serial number).

-Mike

 

[Len-2A Training]

Yes, you can send multiple guns. The marginal cost should be small.

NOT sure about the legality of aggregating multiple owners' guns and shipping together unless you are an FFL. Fed Law allows the OWNER to ship to any FFL (gunsmith) to have work done on it and have it shipped back. They didn't intend for us to ship all our friends guns under that exclusion.

I'm thinking that sending multiple guns at once would be the cost effective way to go.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I believe that the UPS and Fedex regulations do not require that incomplete guns (ie, frames) be shipped via overnight. You might be able to break it into two packages IF the recipient is small enough to merge them at the endpoint.

 

[drgrant]

I believe that the UPS and Fedex regulations do not require that incomplete guns (ie, frames) be shipped via overnight. You might be able to break it into two packages IF the recipient is small enough to merge them at the endpoint.

Course, the rub is getting the employee at whatever shipping counter you
use to acknowledge that; I doubt that most will and whenever they hear
"firearm" "gun" or "handgun" they're going to try to charge you the full
rate and tell you to go screw if you don't want to pay.

The only way I've seen people to get around this is to lie; and IIRC that is
against federal law too, although I've never heard of anyone actually getting
in trouble for it. (EG, the old "oh, it's machined parts" trick. )


-Mike

 

[TY43215]

This is incorrect. A NICS check only has to be done if the gun gets a new
frame, or gets entirely replaced, etc.. For most "Repairs" there is no
requirement. I've had FFLs send my guns out to have them worked on,
etc, and not once have I had to fill out a 4473. A friend of mine did
though, with his SW99 compact when the frame of the gun got chipped, and
S+W put a new frame on it. (it had a different serial number).

-Mike

There has been a change requiring return to owner paper work to require a NICS check. I never had to fill out a 4473 until the last year. Now even on a consignment gun being returned to owner through a dealer a 4473 and the associated NICS is required. It was explained to me and has happened at two different dealers.

There is no 4473 if the gun is returned to you from the gunsmith you sent it to, but if it goes through a dealer to the gunsmith, it triggers the need for the paper work. Only exception is if it is returned the same day.

Edit to add from the ATF FAQ

(F15) Must a dealer record firearms received on consignment? [Back]

Yes. Firearms received for sale on consignment must be entered in the dealer's "bound book."

Sales of the firearms are handled in the same manner as other firearm sales. Return of the remaining firearms by the licensee to the consignor is entered in the dealer's disposition record. An ATF Form 4473 and a NICS check must be completed.

I will stop there but any firearm returned from a dealer to the owner still requires 4473 and NICS.

 

[drgrant]

There has been a change requiring return to owner paper work to require a NICS check. I never had to fill out a 4473 until the last year. Now even on a consignment gun being returned to owner through a dealer a 4473 and the associated NICS is required. It was explained to me and has happened at two different dealers.

There is no 4473 if the gun is returned to you from the gunsmith you sent it to, but if it goes through a dealer to the gunsmith, it triggers the need for the paper work. Only exception is if it is returned the same day.

This is interesting. I just got a gun back from S+W via my FFL and did
not have to fill out a 4473. The consignment thing I knew (and
have encountered) but not for repairs.

-Mike

 

[TY43215]

This is interesting. I just got a gun back from S+W via my FFL and did
not have to fill out a 4473. The consignment thing I knew (and
have encountered) but not for repairs.

-Mike

There is a gray area in the section. Some dealers read that any firearm taken in for repair does not need it but some read it that since they are not doing the repair it needs it. Some like to do paper work I guess.

Here is the FAQ on repairs. To me it says no paper work.

(P24) A firearm is delivered to a licensee by an unlicensed individual for the purpose of repair. Is the return of the repaired firearm subject to the requirements of the Brady law? Would the transfer of a replacement firearm from the licensee to the owner of the damaged firearm be subject to the requirements of the Brady law?

Neither the transfer of a repaired firearm nor the transfer of a replacement firearm would be subject to the requirements of the Brady law. Furthermore, the regulations provide that a Form 4473 is not required to cover these transactions. However, the licensee’s permanent acquisition and disposition records should reflect the return of the firearm or the transfer of a replacement firearm.

Everyone does it the way they are most comfortable with I guess.

I have sent this too far off track, sorry.