How do I ship a pistol back to the manufacturer.

[poppy42]

Well the title says it all I know there’s been enough folks on this forum that have shipped pistols from one place or another. I’m trying to find out the procedure for shipping a pistol back to the manufacturer. The manufacturer will not pay for shipping but will replace my broken firearm. I made the mistake of calling UPS. When I finally convinced a recording that I needed to speak to a representative i got transferred to some guy in the Philippines. He put me on holt for 10 minutes. When he finally came back on the line, he informed me I had to completely disassemble the pistol, bring it to a Ups Facility and they would pack it up for shipping! Oh yeh I almost forgot it was gonna cost me $150 to ship a pistol from Virginia to Florida.
I can’t tell you my response as o would be permanently banned from this forum if I did!

So hopefully someone here can fill in the blanks for me cause it seams that ups ain’t got a clue!
Thanks
Poppy42

[DougGuy]

The easiest way is to take it to a local gun shop or FFL holder and let them ship it for you. Other than that, UPS has to come pick it up from you, you have to verbally tell the driver the box contains a handgun. I never heard of having to disassemble it for shipping.


UPS regs have changed a LOT since jobama was installed.

[Castaway]

Some states require you to go through an FFL. Did you ask the manufacturer for instructions?

[poppy42]

Some states require you to go through an FFL. Did you ask the manufacturer for instructions?

They are in Florida I’m in Virginia. They don’t issue a shipping label. Shipping is my responsibility.

[Geezer in NH]

Dealer time go to the guy you bought it from he can ship it USPS flat rate, Pay him for it. Way it is you are not a dealer.

[snowwolfe]

The easiest way is to take it to a local gun shop or FFL holder and let them ship it for you. Other than that, UPS has to come pick it up from you, you have to verbally tell the driver the box contains a handgun. I never heard of having to disassemble it for shipping.


UPS regs have changed a LOT since jobama was installed.

UPS now requires all firearms and related parts be shipped by a FFL dealer. FedEx has a similar rule. So only choice I am aware of is for an FFL to do it.
https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-special-care-regulated-items/prohibited-items/firearms.page

[Hannibal]

I agree with the others. Find an FFL and have them take care of it for you. If you mess with firearms very much I'd work on establishing at least a bit of familiarity with an FFL near you. You'll be seeing him much more often in the future.

[poppy42]

Dealer time go to the guy you bought it from he can ship it USPS flat rate, Pay him for it. Way it is you are not a dealer.
Nope that ain’t gonna work. If I went back to the place I bought it from I could just go around the corner and drop it off at the manufacturer. Lol I bought it when I lived in Florida. Now I live in Virginia. Lol

[contender1]

" So only choice I am aware of is for an FFL to do it"

Wrong.

As noted,, a FFL can ship a handgun easily via USPS. All they have to do is have their FFL on file at their PO. Handguns can easily be shipped for under $20 generally.
As noted above,, make friends with a LOCAL to you FFL.

[Hick]

When I returned my Taurus PT-92 for repairs the Taurus people told me to put it in a Fedex box and just drop it off at Fedex. I did that, and it cost $20 to ship, and came back from Taurus the same way. My understanding (and I am not a legal guru on this) is that an FFL is not required because there is no transfer of ownership.

[waksupi]

Considering how often regulations change, it is best to call the BATF and ask. Be sure to keep the name of the agent you talk to.
651-726-0220 is the St. Paul Regional office, and I have had the best luck dealing with them over the years. Our Montana office didn't know much.

[DougGuy]

UPS now requires all firearms and related parts be shipped by a FFL dealer. FedEx has a similar rule. So only choice I am aware of is for an FFL to do it.
https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-special-care-regulated-items/prohibited-items/firearms.page

Ruger used to send the brown truck with a pre printed shipping label in hand, you box it up, the driver sticks the label on the box and physically takes it from you at your residence, they return it the same way. As mentioned earlier, there is no transfer and no FFL involved. Now you are saying Ruger can't even send a call tag for a repair?

[David2011]

Watching. I need to send a 3 screw Blackhawk to Ruger.

[poppy42]

Watching. I need to send a 3 screw Blackhawk to Ruger.

Ruger is easy! Call them and they will send you a shipping label to be printed. Then you call the shipper to come and pick it up! They use FedEx if I remember correctly. Now mine was under warranty so I didn’t have to pay for the shipping you might have to pay the shipping.

[Wayne Smith]

For a handgun you need to go to an FFL dealer. They can ship it cheap, you can't. Or at least I haven't found a way, but the dealer can.

[contender1]

"Watching. I need to send a 3 screw Blackhawk to Ruger."

What's wrong with the Ruger?

[MrWolf]

When I had to return my Kimber 357 for warranty work, I had to take it to a UPS center. Closest to me was in Cumberland, MD. Here is a portion of the instructions and I needed an RMA number:

Important: A firearm can only be taken to a customer counter at a UPS Customer Center. Do not ship through a UPS store or drop box; such returns may be subject to penalty. For more information, contact UPS regarding their procedures for shipping firearms. Kimber assumes no responsibility for damage resulting from improper packaging and/or shipping.

Please note that upon completion of service, Kimber may require proof of eligibility regarding the return of the firearm. Once service has been completed and, if applicable, Kimber has received any and all documents and/or information it requires, a UPS email notification will be sent indicating that the firearm has been shipped. Please note that someone age 21 or older must be present to sign for the delivery.

Returns are also subject to the applicable Kimber warranty terms and conditions, and such terms are not modified by this letter. For additional information, contact the Kimber Customer Service Department at customerservice@kimberamerica.com. Please include the RMA number in the email.

No idea how to handle things now with the current UPS bull. Good luck.
Ron

[Ed_Shot]

Ruger is easy! Call them and they will send you a shipping label to be printed. Then you call the shipper to come and pick it up! They use FedEx if I remember correctly. Now mine was under warranty so I didn’t have to pay for the shipping you might have to pay the shipping.

+1 Ruger is easy. It's been a year (and thing might have changed) but Ruger emailed me a shipping label, I pasted it on the box and dropped the box off at the local FedEx pick-up location.....no fuss no muss. Ruger did the warranty repair and returned it to me.

[RickinTN]

Individual shippers' policies have changed recently. It's not the BATF. You will probably have to have the help of an FFL holder who, as far as I know, can ship it USPS.
Good Luck,
Rick

[snowwolfe]

The UPS rule is new. The FedEx is recent but not as new as the UPS policy. My point is most of us used both of them to ship handguns in the past. So did manufacturers such as S&W and Ruger.
The rules from both UPS and FedEx say no more. How companies performing warranty repairs will handle this is anyones guess.

[Catshooter]

Watching. I need to send a 3 screw Blackhawk to Ruger.

Exercise caution here. Note: I've never sent anything to Ruger, but many here have.

If I recall correctly Ruger alters ALL 3 screws into their transfer bar system.

If your sixgun is a .357 Max you will never see it again. They confiscate them all.

[Catshooter]

To the OP.

There are no circumstances under the law that in individual may mail (USPS) a handgun, ever, from one state to another, as far as I know. An FFL holder can and it's virtually always the cheapest way to mail one, depending on the FFL's fee.

If I were going to do such a thing I'd take the pistol, an appropo sized flat rate box, packing materials & tape all to the FFL of my choice. I think I would buy from the USPS a shipping label with insurance and take it with me too. With his return address on it. Show him it's unloaded, tell my story and then with his agreement pack it up right in front of him for him to mail off. He'll want to slip a copy of his license in. If he won't work with you go somewhere else if possible.

Good luck.

[poppy42]

To the OP.

There are no circumstances under the law that in individual may mail (USPS) a handgun, ever, from one state to another, as far as I know. An FFL holder can and it's virtually always the cheapest way to mail one, depending on the FFL's fee.

If I were going to do such a thing I'd take the pistol, an appropo sized flat rate box, packing materials & tape all to the FFL of my choice. I think I would buy from the USPS a shipping label with insurance and take it with me too. With his return address on it. Show him it's unloaded, tell my story and then with his agreement pack it up right in front of him for him to mail off. He'll want to slip a copy of his license in. If he won't work with you go somewhere else if possible.

Good luck.
One thing I do know, YOU CAN’T SHIP A FIREARM or AMMUNITION through the usps (United States Postal Service)! No one can. I do believe it’s a federal offense if you’re caught trying.

[Catshooter]

One thing I do know, YOU CAN’T SHIP A FIREARM or AMMUNITION through the usps (United States Postal Service)! No one can. I do believe it’s a federal offense if you’re caught trying.

If by "YOU" you mean a person, at least as far as a firearm goes, you're correct. An FFL holder can though.

[David2011]

"Watching. I need to send a 3 screw Blackhawk to Ruger."

What's wrong with the Ruger?

Where do I start? A good friend and my casting mentor had the gun and gave it to me before he died. He had started converting it to .41 Magnum. He bored the cylinder and replaced the barrel but never finished the job. It was sitting near a can of CLP that was lying on its side and ironically rusted through, spraying the propellant on guns and ammunition near it.

All of the nearby items corroded or rusted, even his reproduction 44 caliber cap and ball pistol that was in its original box. The Ruger’s fire control and cylinder advance components were all corroded. The entire gun was rusted. I replaced the barrel and polished the frame but it’s eligible for the transfer bar upgrade which will take care of the damaged small parts. It needs a new .357 cylinder, ejector rod/housing assembly and refinishing. I would be happy with replacement original parts but Ruger will only replace them with the transfer bar parts and they won’t sell parts that require gunsmith fitting.

Other than that it’s a nice gun.

[poppy42]

Where do I start? A good friend and my casting mentor had the gun and gave it to me before he died. He had started converting it to .41 Magnum. He bored the cylinder and replaced the barrel but never finished the job. It was sitting near a can of CLP that was lying on its side and ironically rusted through, spraying the propellant on guns and ammunition near it.

All of the nearby items corroded or rusted, even his reproduction 44 caliber cap and ball pistol that was in its original box. The Ruger’s fire control and cylinder advance components were all corroded. The entire gun was rusted. I replaced the barrel and polished the frame but it’s eligible for the transfer bar upgrade which will take care of the damaged small parts. It needs a new .357 cylinder, ejector rod/housing assembly and refinishing. I would be happy with replacement original parts but Ruger will only replace them with the transfer bar parts and they won’t sell parts that require gunsmith fitting.

Other than that it’s a nice gun.
So what’s this got to do with shipping a gun back to that manufacture ?

[stubshaft]

One thing I do know, YOU CAN’T SHIP A FIREARM or AMMUNITION through the usps (United States Postal Service)! No one can.

NOT TRUE! I regularly ship and receive long guns through USPS. I just mailed one to a dealer in CA last Thursday, cost me $65.80 with insurance. You CANNOT ship a pistol through them at all.

[WRideout]

For a handgun you need to go to an FFL dealer. They can ship it cheap, you can't. Or at least I haven't found a way, but the dealer can.

I have used a local dealer twice to ship a handgun for me. An FFL holder can legally mail a handgun to the dealer, while UPS or FEDEX require it to be sent next day air. $20.00 vs $80.00. The last time, the factory was unable to deliver it to the dealer (he is only open on weekends) so they sent it directly to me via FEDEX.

Wayne

[David2011]

So what’s this got to do with shipping a gun back to that manufacture ?

Contender1 asked what was wrong with the Ruger after I commented that I was watching the thread because I needed to send it back to the manufacturer. I just answered his question.

[rockrat]

Take the small parts out and keep them seperate. They might be salvagable and a collector of 3 screw Rugers might want them. As said, it seems like your only recourse is to send it thru an FFL

[David2011]

Thanks. Ruger says they will return them. It’s fully disassembled already. The parts are damaged from the corrosion and unsafe to use. When the hammer will cock, the trigger pull is “upon touching.”