Shipping Alox

[Hardcast416taylor]

I had an order ready for Midway and to round it out decided to add a LEE push thru sizer in .311" The phone desk person informed me that with Alox in the box it now is considered a "Flammable Liquid" by the post office and can only be shipped by UPS. I would really like to hear from whatever expert that determined this how and why Alox is now a "flammable" problem?Robert

[Blanco]

I'm from the government ..and I'm here to help.
Really its just because it is gun / boolit related. Government types get all freaked out about it.

I tried to mail a shotgun in state. Followed all the rules and regulations listed on USPS website. all packaged and labeled correctly.

took it in to my local post office to mail it. when the young lady who was helping me asked about the package I informed her it was a shotgun. She FREAKED started screaming and told me it was a federal offense to bring a firearm to a post office and this went on for several minutes. I asked to speak to a supervisor. when he showed up I explained to him what was happening and quoted their own regulations and rules and where to find them. Evidently he was clueless too because he had to go look them up.

I finally gave up and went to UPS where there were no hassles

[bullet maker 57]

You have to be an FFL shipping to another organization that is a legitimate firearms handler. There is also a form that has to be filled out by the shipper in duplicate and presented at the time of shipment. That form is signed by the clerk helping the shipper and one (1) copy is returned to the shipper. Anyone that handles that package after the form is signed has to also sign that package out to move it. As told to me by my local Post Office.

[waksupi]

Some wrong info here. BATF says to NEVER tell the PO you are shipping a gun. Shipping a long gun between private purchasers within most state borders is perfectly legal, without an FFL.

[dh2]

you can ship a fire arm to or from a gunsmith through the mail I have had an unknowing postal clerk try to tell me other wise . they do get a bit pissed when you take it higher to prove it is ok to do

[500MAG]

Absolutely ridiculous. Lee needs to start selling the sizing die separate from the alox.

[bullet maker 57]

Waksupi is correct. Shipping a long gun is not a problem. I should have specified a handgun.

[RoyEllis]

Darn strange, I had the same issue with Midway ordering a couple sizers & told them to keep the whole order. Ordered the same things from Titan & it got shipped USPS Priority flat rate box. When the box arrived I made a video of the outside of the box, me opening it and what it contained...sent it "attention Larry Potterfield, President Midway USA" explaining the issue & why my $$ went elsewhere but I never heard back.

[swheeler]

That damned LLalox is some bad stuff!;)

[Beagle333]

Yeah... back to the OP... What about the Alox? I wanted to sell some of it a while back, but didn't know if I could ship it.

[Blanco]

some wrong info here. Batf says to never tell the po you are shipping a gun. Shipping a long gun between private purchasers within most state borders is perfectly legal, without an ffl.


this!

[OuchHot!]

The solvent in lee liquid alox is truly flammable. Commercial outfits have to salute the msds and when a flammable solvent is used, we get screwed. That isn't to say that you couldn't order from someone else that doesn't salute. It has been a while, but I think that I successfully ordered from grafs w/o the flammable hassel.

[Mike Malat]

Ordered a Lee .401 sizing die from Titan last week. Shipped via USPS 2nd day no issues, no additional costs, no hassles. easy peasy. I look at the total cost of an item/order including shipping, hazmat, handling and go with the vendor with the overall lower cost.

[FLHTC]

I'm from the government ..and I'm here to help.
Really its just because it is gun / boolit related. Government types get all freaked out about it.

I tried to mail a shotgun in state. Followed all the rules and regulations listed on USPS website. all packaged and labeled correctly.

took it in to my local post office to mail it. when the young lady who was helping me asked about the package I informed her it was a shotgun. She FREAKED started screaming and told me it was a federal offense to bring a firearm to a post office and this went on for several minutes. I asked to speak to a supervisor. when he showed up I explained to him what was happening and quoted their own regulations and rules and where to find them. Evidently he was clueless too because he had to go look them up.

I finally gave up and went to UPS where there were no hassles

The postal workers union doesn't want to handle anything flammable or combustible. It has nothing to do with gun related items. You can't mail paint, fingernail polish, alcohol, any flammable petroleum or alcohol based liquid.

[alamogunr]

I guess those regs against LLA don't apply to the original stuff. A few years ago I bought a 5 gal. bucket of both Alox 606-55 and Alox350. I wasn't too familiar with cast boolit lubricants back then and thought that the world would come to an end if I couldn't get Alox.

OK! I went overboard but it turns out I like the stuff(as well as the smell).

Maybe I didn't have a problem because it was shipped to me by motor freight.

[FLHTC]

I guess those regs against LLA don't apply to the original stuff. A few years ago I bought a 5 gal. bucket of both Alox 606-55 and Alox350. I wasn't too familiar with cast boolit lubricants back then and thought that the world would come to an end if I couldn't get Alox.

OK! I went overboard but it turns out I like the stuff(as well as the smell).

Maybe I didn't have a problem because it was shipped to me by motor freight.


correct because it went SURFACE. The NTSB don't want anything on planes that could cause problems. Ya can't even send or receive lithium batteries in the mail. They aren't gun related.:groner:

[Hardcast416taylor]

FOLLOW UP: I sent an E mail to LEE saying I only wanted the sizer and not necessarily the Alox seeing as how I don`t use it. I got a 2 sentence reply saying I could buy the sizer PARTS from them direst and avoid buying the ALOX. The parts spread page they sent on the .311" sizer had the parts listed seperatley. The cost of the sizer die body alone was the same price range of the entire kit I bought from Midway minus the special UPS shipping imvolved! They did not even mention the omission of Alox from the sizer kits I suggested nor thank me for my concerns.Robert

[hanleyfan]

I just ordered 2 lee sizer kits with their Alox and it came priority mail 3 days ago.

[FLHTC]

I just ordered 2 lee sizer kits with their Alox and it came priority mail 3 days ago.
Who did you order those through that sent them through the mail? I would love to hear.

From the USPS web site
343.2 Mailability and Packaging

343.21 Requirements for Flammable Liquids

The following conditions apply:
a.International Mail. Flammable liquid is prohibited.
b.Domestic Mail via Air Transportation. Flammable liquid is prohibited.
c.Domestic Mail via Surface Transportation. Flammable liquid with a flashpoint of 20° F (–7° C) or below is prohibited. Other flammable liquid is permitted if the material can qualify as an ORM–D material and meet the criteria in Exhibit 343.21. A mailable flammable liquid must be prepared according to Packaging Instruction 3A in Appendix C, as applicable.

[Pinsnscrews]

Who did you order those through that sent them through the mail? I would love to hear.

From the USPS web site
343.2 Mailability and Packaging

343.21 Requirements for Flammable Liquids

The following conditions apply:
a.International Mail. Flammable liquid is prohibited.
b.Domestic Mail via Air Transportation. Flammable liquid is prohibited.
c.Domestic Mail via Surface Transportation. Flammable liquid with a flashpoint of 20° F (–7° C) or below is prohibited. Other flammable liquid is permitted if the material can qualify as an ORM–D material and meet the criteria in Exhibit 343.21. A mailable flammable liquid must be prepared according to Packaging Instruction 3A in Appendix C, as applicable.

Just an FYI: Priority Mail is automagically considered Air Transportation "By Nature" even if it is being delivered in the same Town. With all the vendors using Priority thanks to the Discounts USPS is offering, Flammable liquids are a problem. Just because it is not using Priority Packaging, if you check the label, you may find that things you through went Regular Mail, actually were sent to you under Priority.

[FLHTC]

Just an FYI: Priority Mail is automagically considered Air Transportation "By Nature" even if it is being delivered in the same Town. With all the vendors using Priority thanks to the Discounts USPS is offering, Flammable liquids are a problem. Just because it is not using Priority Packaging, if you check the label, you may find that things you through went Regular Mail, actually were sent to you under Priority.

And your point is? None of this means it's legal.

[Pinsnscrews]

Just pointing out why vendors have to change shipping from their standard when it comes to a flammable liquid.

[Geezer in NH]

I'm from the government ..and I'm here to help.
Really its just because it is gun / boolit related. Government types get all freaked out about it.

I tried to mail a shotgun in state. Followed all the rules and regulations listed on USPS website. all packaged and labeled correctly.

took it in to my local post office to mail it. when the young lady who was helping me asked about the package I informed her it was a shotgun. She FREAKED started screaming and told me it was a federal offense to bring a firearm to a post office and this went on for several minutes. I asked to speak to a supervisor. when he showed up I explained to him what was happening and quoted their own regulations and rules and where to find them. Evidently he was clueless too because he had to go look them up.

I finally gave up and went to UPS where there were no hassles Time for an official complaint for dely of the mail and delay of interstate commerce. You PO worker will get remedial training. DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE if you do you are part of the cause.

[BigEyeBob]

Ordered a Lee .401 sizing die from Titan last week. Shipped via USPS 2nd day no issues, no additional costs, no hassles. easy peasy. I look at the total cost of an item/order including shipping, hazmat, handling and go with the vendor with the overall lower cost.


Bought a Lee 358 sizing kit from Titan and the alox came with it ,,,, all the way to Australia , no problem

[historicfirearms]

The postal workers union doesn't want to handle anything flammable or combustible. It has nothing to do with gun related items. You can't mail paint, fingernail polish, alcohol, any flammable petroleum or alcohol based liquid.
Isn't paper and cardboard combustible? Most of the mail I get is flammable. Where do these ridiculous regulations come from?

[Spawn-Inc]

I get sizers from titan reloading sent to Canada without issues.

If midway has something you really want see if they will remove the alox from the sizers if you don't need the alox.

[troyboy]

I just got 2 sizer kits from Lee with some other odds ends. No issues and free shipping.

[Shooternz]

I got a Lee 7mm push through kit from Graf's they left the LLA out, I don't use the stuff,
I prefer to get my push through dies from bullshot much better quality and sizes that Lee don't make. Robert.

[Tackleberry41]

I ordered several of the lee sizers recently from midway, both times the whole order had to come UPS due to the alox. I have 7 bottles of the stuff now, take me forever to use it up as is, new sizer comes with a bottle.

Lee should consider selling just the sizer, and maybe they should be a bit more receptive to the comments of actual buyers. But there I go thinking again, lee seems to be pretty slow on making needed changes. I tore the threads out of the aluminum plug used in one of their collet neck sizers. Yea they sent me a new one for free with no problems. But never bothered to reply to the idea if they made the threaded cap out of steel wouldn't be an issue at all. Gonna say they send out alot of those free threaded caps, in the short term the math comes out cheaper to send free caps vs making them out of steel. But long term the math will catch up.

[frnkeore]

Isn't paper and cardboard combustible? Most of the mail I get is flammable. Where do these ridiculous regulations come from?

This is the post that is most valid in this discussion!

The government defies logic. I'll be 70 in a couple of months and in all my years, the mailing of reloading supply's has always been a safe practice, that is until someone in the government ruled them hazardous! There was no history of it being unsafe before that! Did it make money for shipping, YES! Are the items shipped in special trucks, NO! Most are still shipped in the same containers are they always were! Are we safer because of it, NO!

Back to the point, I would bet that you can burn the SFR box easier than you can burn the Alox and generate more heat from the box.

Frank

[Garyshome]

I'd sell you one if I had an extra.

[DeanWinchester]

Some wrong info here. BATF says to NEVER tell the PO you are shipping a gun. Shipping a long gun between private purchasers within most state borders is perfectly legal, without an FFL.


THIS! 100% it's none of their dang business what I'm shipping. I rarely get asked at my PO and never answer when they do ask.

[OuchHot!]

I just ordered two sizers w/lla from grafs. I clicked "no preference" on shipping so it came fedex ground (in maybe 3-4days), but ups is an option. Both cost $7.95 regardless of how many anvils you order. There was no flamm tag on the box or other indication of flammability. Obviously you can't order this stuff outside the continental us as air shipment is whole new kettle of fish. Maybe try ordering from grafs and click "ups" and see what happens?