Shipping a barreled action to a gunsmith

[Kyguy]

My understanding is that this is false.

Whatever part has the SN is "the firearm" by law. In a bolt gun this is almost always the receiver. So a stripped barreled action is still a firearm by law.

This would be correct.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Pull the stock, bolt and trigger. It ain’t a gun at that point. Send it and don’t think twice about it.

That’s not true.

 

[coast range]

My understanding is that this is false.

Whatever part has the SN is "the firearm" by law. In a bolt gun this is almost always the receiver. So a stripped barreled action is still a firearm by law.

Fair point. You’re definitely correct, so are you tellling on yourself?

 

[V00D00]

Thousands of guns are shipped daily. It’s not that serious.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Pull the stock, scope, and trigger...check with your Smith to see if he needs the bolt to check headspace.

Get a pool noodle...split down the side and wrap the barrel and action with it..box it up add packing matetial so there is no slop in the box. I like 3" shipping tubes. Ship UPS if asked "metal parts for machining".
No way in hell I would trust USPS to ship anything.

Forgot to add...Staples has a good size selection of shipping tubes.

Just shipped a barrelled action last month.

 

[bnewt3]

so are you tellling on yourself?

Im not following your meaning.

 

[coast range]

Im not following your meaning.

Oh I was just curious if you were always declaring when shipping a partial firearm. I really don’t do it much but have in the past as per recommendation of gunsmiths

 

[Kyguy]

Pull the stock, scope, and trigger...check with your Smith to see if he needs the bolt to check headspace.

Get a pool noodle...split down the side and wrap the barrel and action with it..box it up add packing matetial so there is no slop in the box. I like 3" shipping tubes. Ship UPS if asked "metal parts for machining".
No way in hell I would trust USPS to ship anything.

Forgot to add...Staples has a good size selection of shipping tubes.

Just shipped a barrelled action last month.

That's great advice to get a claim denied if something gets damaged. Just saying.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

That's great advice to get a claim denied if something gets damaged. Just saying.

Absolutely. It’s beyond stupid to lie on a form, whether it’s a federal one, or just one of the private carrier’s forms.

It took me one transaction to educate my local post office concerning shipping a firearm. And that’s in one of the bluest parts of Virginia. I’ve bought and resold about eight firearms over the last couple of years. And shipped at least another eight off for gunsmith work.

For shipping ammo, I setup a shipper’s account with UPS.

 

[bnewt3]

Oh I was just curious if you were always declaring when shipping a partial firearm. I really don’t do it much but have in the past as per recommendation of gunsmiths

OHHHHHH, yeah ive never shipped a firearm

Thus the reason ive made no comments or given advice on how to do it.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

That's great advice to get a claim denied if something gets damaged. Just saying.

Use UPS pay for appropriate level on insurance. Never had issued with UPS and I have been sending stuff to my smith for over decade...never had issue.

I wouldnt trust USPS to deliver my junk mail. They lost 9 Billion last year. You think they gonna honor a claim? Or even put any effort into resolving it. Folks need to quit using them so they shut it down...we are just pissing away tax dollars on a failed service.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Absolutely. It’s beyond stupid to lie on a form, whether it’s a federal one, or just one of the private carrier’s forms.

I never lie...is it not metal parts that need machining? Vauge description yes, lie no.

I don't have time to traing a goverment employee on how to do there job. They have to book and they are too damn lazy to use it.

 

[bartholomew]

Apologies if this has been discussed before, but a quick search didn’t show me anything. I’m looking to ship a rifle off to get cut and threaded out of state. The gunsmith recommended using USPS, which I don’t have a problem with.

My question is what all do I need to do to ship to him? I would think I would need to provide some of his FFL information to USPS. He said I didn’t need to provide any of that, I just needed to put it a box and ship it.

What has y’all’s experience been when doing this?

Obviously however I ship it I would get package tracking and insurance.

Appreciate the feedback in advance.

Mike

I just went through this for a chop and thread. I removed stock and bolt. Stuck it in a fly rod tube inside of a rectangular adjustable length cardboard box from walmart. Filled gaps with packing paper and tape.

Instructions to the smith and check in the box. Address on outside of box, no other indication of contents. Dropped off at USPS and requested signature upon receipt. Smith mailed it back to my front door six inches shorter and threaded, packaged the same way I sent it. No issues.

 

[Antares]

Pull the stock, bolt and trigger. It ain’t a gun at that point.

This is bad advice and this line of thinking will get you tangle up with some alphabet agencies.

So a stripped barreled action is still a firearm by law.

This is correct and to further build on it, the receiver is a firearm regardless of whether there's a barrel installed.

 

[Kyguy]

Use UPS pay for appropriate level on insurance. Never had issued with UPS and I have been sending stuff to my smith for over decade...never had issue.

I wouldnt trust USPS to deliver my junk mail. They lost 9 Billion last year. You think they gonna honor a claim? Or even put any effort into resolving it. Folks need to quit using them so they shut it down...we are just pissing away tax dollars on a failed service.

I've been buying/selling/trading firearms, scopes, accessories online for 25 years. Between ebay and gunbroker, that's over 700 transactions, and I started on ebay BEFORE there was feedback/transaction system. Then add in the forums over the years, and it's well over 1000 transactions. USPS was used 90% of the time and I'VE NEVER HAD A LOST PACKAGE OR A DAMAGE CLAIM. EVER. Even when shipping 8ft long one piece fishing rods.

I can't say that with UPS or Fedex. With all of the downsizing at UPS and Fedex, it ain't going to get any better there.

The rub comes when you have to PROVE the value of what you sent with documentation. When you file a claim, they just don't say "Welp, here's the money." You have to prove the value of what you sent equals the amount of insurance you paid for.

If it makes you feel better about lying about the contents, UPS and Fedex deny almost every claim involving a firearm unless a manufacturer is involved. Fedex uses a third party to handle their claims. I was just reading one on Facebook the other day that a gunsmith posted. Fedex broke a rifle in half. Literally in half. They denied the claim.

I just cannot comprehend why people make it so hard and think they're getting one over on a company.

It's really not hard. At all.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I've been buying/selling/trading firearms, scopes, accessories online for 25 years. Between ebay and gunbroker, that's over 700 transactions, and I started on ebay BEFORE there was feedback/transaction system. Then add in the forums over the years, and it's well over 1000 transactions. USPS was used 90% of the time and I'VE NEVER HAD A LOST PACKAGE OR A DAMAGE CLAIM. EVER. Even when shipping 8ft long one piece fishing rods.

I can't say that with UPS or Fedex. With all of the downsizing at UPS and Fedex, it ain't going to get any better there.

The rub comes when you have to PROVE the value of what you sent with documentation. When you file a claim, they just don't say "Welp, here's the money." You have to prove the value of what you sent equals the amount of insurance you paid for.

If it makes you feel better about lying about the contents, UPS and Fedex deny almost every claim involving a firearm unless a manufacturer is involved. Fedex uses a third party to handle their claims. I was just reading one on Facebook the other day that a gunsmith posted. Fedex broke a rifle in half. Literally in half. They denied the claim.

I just cannot comprehend why people make it so hard and think they're getting one over on a company.

It's really not hard. At all.

All that and you never had claim?...so what's the issue then?
Thanks for providing detailed evidence 99% of the time it gets there fine with no issues...been my experience as well.
Never used Fedex...most of the drivers are contract 3rd party they will jack ur shit up.
Not trying to get one over on anybody..I got better things to do than train folks on how to do the job they are being paid to do.

 

[Wilderness Spirit]

From Manners website.
As long as you are the legal, registered owner of a firearm and have followed all local and federal guidelines, you may ship your barreled action to MCS. It may be shipped directly from your own address or through a local dealer with a Federal Firearms License (FFL).

Once we receive your firearm, it will be logged into our FFL book and ATF laws dictate that it must be shipped directly back to the address that you have provided. We cannot ship it back to a different address unless it is being shipped to an active FFL holder.

If we receive your barreled action without a case, once work is complete, we will ship it back to you in a hard-sided plastic case inside a corrugated box. The charge for the case will be $35.95 plus insurance. If you decide to ship your firearm in a box or case, please take measures to protect the trigger or remove it. Loose barreled actions with triggers installed will slide around inside a case, and it is not uncommon to have the trigger shoe break if the case is dropped.

We are not responsible for any damage to your barreled action incurred while in transit to our facility, so please fully insure the firearm when shipping to us. We value your firearm and parts and wish to return it to you in the same condition as we receive it. NOTE: PLEASE REMOVE OPTICS BEFORE SHIPPING. NO LIVE AMMO IS ACCEPTED, BUT WE DO ACCEPT DUMMY ROUNDS IF NEEDED TO FIT BOTTOM METAL.

 

[TX_Mike D.]

Got it in the mail today. Did everything by the book as far as I can tell.

We have a UPS store down the street that I went to for the box I shipped everything in. Funny thing was that the guy basically said that if I hadn’t said that the contents of the box would legally be firearms, he would have shipped it. Basically gave me a wink and a nod on how to game their system. Still doubt I’d ever do it since it would void any insurance if anything happened.