Shipping primed brass?

[RU shooter]

Is it legal is ship primed rifle or pistol brass using us mail ? I remember a long time ago like 1992 give or take I bought primed 9mm brass from from one of the big reloading places I think midway and it came in the mail but that was way back when .

Tim

[GRUMPA]

No you can't....somewhere in here I have the reg's in a thread about that. They wont allow live primers to be shipped, even dead primers for that matter.

As far as I know FedEx or UPS will and it has to be shipped ground.

[GhostHawk]

I think Grumpa is correct. But I suspect a lot of stuff goes into flat rate boxes that they have no idea of what is in there. Including primers.

[rockrat]

Check the PO as I thought you can't send primers, but primed brass was OK.

[runfiverun]

you can buy primed shot shell hulls without paying haz-mat.
my understanding is primed brass is fine just not packaged primers.

[M-Tecs]

Shipping primed brass is not a problem and legal with UPS and FedEx. With USPS it is a no go. About a year ago I checked all the references and they were still current.

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/mailing-shipping-primed-brass-the-regs-and-the-law.3812580/

After a ton of confusion, misinformation (on other blogs) and general assumptions regarding the shipment of primed brass, here are the particulars/facts and the regs that back it up. I have confirmed all of this with UPS and FedEx's hazmat shipping folks and they all confirmed.

FOR UPS AND FEDEX ONLY -

Cases, primed (up to and including 50 caliber) are regulated for shipment by ground only through 49CFR § 172.102 SP(special provision) 50 that states:
" Cases, cartridge, empty with primer which are made of metallic or plastic casings and meeting the classification criteria of Division 1.4 are not regulated for domestic transportation"
49CFR § 172.102 (page 312) - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title49-vol2/pdf/CFR-2010-title49-vol2-sec172-102.pdf

Primed cases meet the classification criteria of Division 1.4c UN0379 - however they are exempted and classified as NON-REGULATED (NOT ORM-D, NOT HAZ-MAT, NOT the new "Y" Limited Quantities classification that will replace ORM-D). Some manufacturers (as per the MSDS) classify their primed cases as UN0055, but the same DOT 1.4c classification applies, as does SP50.

Packaging for primed cases is regulated by 49CFR §173.62 - Packaging instruction #136, which specifies that the primed cases have to be in a bag or box, then packed in a UN 4G standard box - which is defined by 49 CFR §178.601 (g)(2). So - you can't just ship them to your buddy in a shoebox, but most of us out here have received boxes of reloading components from various vendors, and most/all of these shipping boxes meet this criteria. For more mind-bending regulatory details, refer to 178.601.
49CFR §173.62 - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title49-vol2/pdf/CFR-2011-title49-vol2-sec173-62.pdf
49 CFR §178.601 (g)(2) - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title49-vol2/pdf/CFR-2010-title49-vol2-sec178-601.pdf


There is no hazmat fee, extra paperwork, no sign-by-adult or other hoops to jump through - BUT - both UPS and FedEX advised me to clearly mark (with a sharpee) "non-regulated as per SP50" on the outside of the box to ensure that no in-transit problems occur..........because I guess their employees can be as confused as I have been on this subject and you don't want your box torn or ripped into.

As per both UPS and FedEx - You CANNOT take packages with primed cases to your local UPS/FedEx store or mom-and-pop drop off service. They must be taken to a UPS/FedEx corporate-run package hub that has walk-in/retail shipping services.

FOR US POSTAL SERVICE -

Prohibited. Period.
See page 160 at: http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub52/pub52.pdf
***USPS Publication 52, Appendix A, "Cases, cartridge, empty with primer"***
They don't have to subscribe to all parts of 49CFR § 172.102's special provisions......because they are special I guess.

[RU shooter]

Thanks all . Guess ups or FedEx it will have to be

[rosewood]

The government employees at the post office are apparently to incompetent to be allowed to handle such dangerous material as primed cases.....
So that money goes to FedEx and UPS.

[kmrra]

Yes , but unless they open the box who is going to know , I think they come up wih these stupid laws just so they can can charge you a hellish prices the charge, Now before one of you posters , jump on me about this , No I dont do this, I for the most part follow the law. Its Just My Opinion. besides they ask you at the post office if it hazardous material and what not , so you have to tell the truth .