Questions about shipping powder and primers

[strangwn]

I've heard individuals here and elsewhere talk about shipping powder and/or primers by paying a haz mat fee. UPS has just told me that Haz Mat training documentation is required in order to ship powder or primers with them. What is the straight story on this subject? Where can I read about the straight story?

[Danderdude]

UPS and Fedex allow you to "self-certify" for Hazmat training, by just reading through their in-house shipping regulations and printing yourself off a homemade certificate saying you passed.

Yes, it's really that simple. The easy-to-find wording, the stuff that's really accessible to the public, is worded like that to scare off incompetent people from even trying.

Just beware, if something does go wrong, you and you alone are at fault, and no shipping company is going to just laugh it off if a keg of powder goes off in a truck on the interstate.

[strangwn]

Thanks for the help, Danderdude.

[UnderDawgAl]

49 CFR is the section of the law dealing with that. DOT is the governing authority. You need real classroom training. I think that the "self-certify" part is UPS saying that the take your word for it that you are hazmat certified. It's up to you to get the training. Ups offers courses on it.

[ShooterOnTheLine]

So what am I getting for my $27.50 per 50# charge when I order something on-line?

[possom813]

I was told by FedEx that I had to take their 900 dollar course to become certified to ship "Dangerous Goods"

No thanks, not worth the hassle

[angus6]

UPS and Fedex allow you to "self-certify" for Hazmat training, by just reading through their in-house shipping regulations and printing yourself off a homemade certificate saying you passed.

Yes, it's really that simple. The easy-to-find wording, the stuff that's really accessible to the public, is worded like that to scare off incompetent people from even trying.

Just beware, if something does go wrong, you and you alone are at fault, and no shipping company is going to just laugh it off if a keg of powder goes off in a truck on the interstate.

I've seen this said in the past to, and with a bit of searching come up with more info on ups site, This is one of my irons in the fire so to speak. Last time I was at the UPS hub they had a poster stating that you also needed to have a contract with them to ship hazmat/powder need to find out about that

[M Hicks]

I looked this up recently on the UPS website. It was difficult to find what UPS actually charges for Hazmat specific to us. Powder and primers. But it is $21.00. It isn't just them doing the money scheme but the retailers are getting theirs also. I remember when it was a flat $20.00 and got curious to the increase.

[M Hicks]

Maybe we are paying for their training in packaging cylindrical items in a square shaped box. My son should be certified. He knows the yellow triangle goes into the triangle shaped hole on one of his toys.

[fredj338]

My understanding is it is the Feds requiring HM shipping, not the carrier or seller. So really, is this jut not a way for the Feds to collect some $$ on components that are NOT Excise taxed as ammo is taxed? I dont' blame UPS, I blame the Feds. Like most taxes & fees, you get nothing for it, jst less $$ in your pocket.

[Reloader06]

Thats the way I remember it Fred

[medalguy]

You can certainly self-certify, but the monkey is on you if there's a problem with anything you ship if you falsely claim you are trained. As UnderDawgAL said, you most certainly do NOT want to be the responsible party if something you ship explodes or even contributes to an "event" during the course of shipping. You could find yourself on the short end of a very bad legal situation.

I owned a business where we had to certify our employees in several areas, and I can tell you that you definitely DO want to actually DO the required training. This is not to be taken too lightly just to ship a few primers to someone.

For the $27.50, a common carrier has extra paperwork to do to manifest all hazardous material carried on every vehicle, see that every vehicle is properly placarded, and see that every driver has the right paperwork so when they get stopped by DOT for an inspection, everything is in order. There's also the matter of their increased insurance on the trucks, trailers, terminals, and drivers. They do have increased costs and someone has to pay for it. That someone ends being the shipper or receipient. Guess who pays for it in the short run.

[shotman4]

you all better READ the rules. I said READ them Try the {self bull} it is not self . a but you try it let us know . best just ship it usps and take your chance. send all the reloading stuff you the site so we can pick through it while you are playing with bubba

[Rayber]

I know this is a very late post. I was just doing a double check on the (joke) Hazmat Fees. My grand son has found powder and primers at a very good old pre-gouge price. I had him get 4 pounds of powder and a brick of small magnum primers. We haven't seen any of this in the area for over a year. The hoarders and wacko take on the world buyers have kept the supplies off the shelves. I will just break even adding the $27 fee. The bullseye was $18/lb and the LtlGun was $20/lb. It's been $30 plus if you see it at all. The mag primers were $35/1000 ($3.59/100 not $5++) and I have them. Kind of sucks when you get a new (old 66-1 S&W) and can't load any 357's for it. There hasn't been a box of 357's on the shelf in over a year. That's why I'm here but the stupidity of the Hazmat regulation is why I'm commenting. It's very simple to prove the powder by it self is not an explosive. It must be contained in a solid heavy container to create any pressure-go boom. As far as transporting it goes it's a joke . Pour one pound of any gun powder on the ground and throw a match on it, now pour one pound of car gas on the ground. Do it in the middle of your garage or the back of your pick up. The powder will fizzle along and eventually burn up. The gas will blow the doors off the garage and set everything else on fire depending on how long it takes you to provide a spark. Running won't help, you're toast also. Now how many gallons of gas are in the average pick up or delivery truck's tank. One gallon of gas equals one stick of dynamite. SO what do we need to worry about going boom??
??? This battle has also come up with the stores selling powder. So idiot wanted an OSHA regulation that it had to be stored x number of feet from a building and in a re-enforced blast bunker. So far it's been thrown out. You think the anti gunners have anything to do with this.. bet your sweet bippy they do.
Ray

[gspgundog]

Because FedEx and UPS handle packages from so many shippers the HazMat rules gives the employees that handle those packages a chance to go home at the end of the day. FedEx and UPS handle so many different products that if mixed can produce a posion gas or if in case of a fire will produce a very high temp fire. The HazMat labels and forms that travel with those packages tell the employees what they are dealing with if everything goes south. There is a very real extra cost to handle those packages between the training, auditing, special procedures, & record keeping in handling them. It also tells what can go via air or must be shipped by ground.

[millsa2]

Good Information

[frnkeore]

To my way of thinking, we all must be extremely lucky that UPS still exists. There must have been so many explosions before the HazMAT charge that they probably only had a couple of trucks left when they started charging for it!!!!

I bought a lot of primers and powder before HazMat but not one pound since. I now buy most of it from either a local retailer or at gun shows. I still still manage to get it home in the back seat of my car (even w/o the HazMat training) and not blow myself up.

The ONLY accident that I ever heard of was Federal Primer going off and Gov made them repackage them. That's why Fed Primers are package the way they are. HazMat is nothing but a rip off!

How many years were these componants shipped w/o issue before HazMat? I guess we just didn't notice the cratering in the highways from all the explosions before HazMat, huh?

Frank

[Reloader06]

My feelings exactly.