HELP!! UPS wont ship ML

[Slash]

Idaho,
Your wording is why they wouldn't ship. A muzzleloader is NOT a firearm by the government's definition. Tell them you are shipping a " Pre-1895 antique reproduction muzzleloader". They all have written rules that allow these to be shipped.
UPs and Fedex both ship them for us with no problem.
Slash
TVM

 

[Iron Jim Rackham]

Fedex isn't bad, but DH Hell is the worst. The USPS is the best. They're used to being around people with guns, won't hassel you and will ship it cost effectively with as much insurance as you want.

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

I don't use OOPS any more either. They are expensive, rude, and not helpful at all. I ship muzzleloaders through the USPS Priority insured, and never had a problem. If asked, and I am usually not, I just tell them it's a reproduction of an antique muzzleloader. Fast, dependable service and no hassles.

 

[Mad Professor]

Mike, I'd contact the postmaster about the poor behavior of his/her underling. If this does not work contact the regional supervisor for USPS concerning BOTH of them. :thumbsup:

P.S. my father used to be a postmaster :wink:

P.P.S. if you still have problems PM me. I've a good friend of my father/mine who is a retired regional head of USPS. He can contact the people who will start the heads rolling for sure :hatsoff:

You might mention this the next time the witch you are dealing with decides to hop on her broom

 

[Claude Mathis]

Idaho,
Your wording is why they wouldn't ship. A muzzleloader is NOT a firearm by the government's definition. Tell them you are shipping a " Pre-1895 antique reproduction muzzleloader". They all have written rules that allow these to be shipped.
UPs and Fedex both ship them for us with no problem.
Slash
TVM

I don't know why people tell them it's a gun anyway. Since it's not illegal to ship, I don't think you're required by law to disclose what it is.

When I ship USPS Priority, they ask if it's (I'm paraphrasing), "Breakable, perishable, liquid, potentially hazardous, etc." I simply say "no" and that's it. Nothing they ask has anything to do with a muzzleloader. I volunteer nothing.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Mike,
The next time you visit your local Post Office, bring a voice activated tape recorder, and get your wonderful lady with attitude on tape. Do as much as you can to crank her up and forward it to your post master, and post master general.
Lodge a formal complaint and ask to have her removed. She is a civil servant, and remind her of this....she can be replaced.
But be sure and wish her a "NICE DAY" as you leave.
Been there, done that and it works.
Best Regards
Old Ford

 

[rabjr]

Those pic's Roy posted is of my "Thunder'er Roy built for me the day it arrived here. That box he had made is one hell of a box for sure. :thumbsup:

 

[Dalekg6]

You can always tell them it's engine parts.

In technical terms you will be correct. It's a single cylinder, single stroke, non-recipocating engine.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

It is 100% legal to ship a muzzleloader and some people do not know that. It is perfectly ok to lie and say it is something else. They are not going to open it up and see what it is. It is legal to ship a ML so you will be fine.

 

[Walks Alone]

Special Procedures for Shipping Firearms (from[url] UPS.com[/url])

Use These UPS Services for Your Firearm Shipment
Firearms will be transported only between licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, and licensed collectors, as defined in the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, law enforcement agencies of the United States or of any department or agency thereof and law enforcement agencies of any state or department agency, or political subdivision thereof, and between persons not otherwise prohibited from shipping firearms by federal, state or local law and when such shipment complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws.

You must ship your packages that contain handguns with UPS Next Day Air® Early A.M.®, UPS Next Day Air®, or UPS Next Day Air Saver® services
Your packages that contain firearms will not be accepted for shipment at UPS Drop Boxes, with UPS Express CriticalSM service, at locations of The UPS Store® or any third-party retailer, or with international services.

Follow These Packing Requirements
Your packages that contain handguns must be separated from other packages being delivered to UPS
Ammunition cannot be included in your packages that contain firearms (including handguns)

About Documentation and Labeling
When you are shipping your package that contains a firearm with UPS, you must affix a UPS label requesting an adult signature upon delivery

Getting Your Firearm Shipment to UPS
You can only ship your package that contains a firearm from UPS daily pickup accounts and through UPS Customer Centers
When you are shipping a package that contains a handgun, you must verbally notify the UPS driver or UPS Customer Center clerk
You can use UPS daily pickup accounts to ship firearms, not including handguns, through UPS Internet Shipping, UPS On-Call PickupSM, and One-Time Pickup
Your packages that contain firearms will not be accepted for shipment at UPS Drop Boxes, with UPS Express CriticalSM service, at locations of The UPS Store or any third-party retailer, or with international services
See the terms and conditions in the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service for shipping firearms
............


As others have mentioned... few UPS employees have a clue what their own policies are on firearms. I quit using UPS to ship firearms myself many years ago, whether ML or modern, long gun or short gun. Much easier to ship them USPS, or in the case of modern firearms safer via a FFL dealer. If you ship yourself be sure of any "local" laws (if any) pertaining to shipping/receiving firearms both in your area AND in the town you are shipping them to. Some localities don't allow it, including traditional ML's.

Also beware that with all the confusion over BATF regs by individuals and shipper policies by both their employees and their customers, that more and more individuals are shipping firearms direct illegally. The BATF does not give free passes for ignorance, either to the shipper or the receiver (even if they didn't know something was being sent direct to them illegally). If in doubt, a FFL dealers transfer fees are cheap insurance against your breaking local or federal laws.

FWIW

 

[gmww]

Mike,
The next time you visit your local Post Office, bring a voice activated tape recorder, and get your wonderful lady with attitude on tape. Do as much as you can to crank her up and forward it to your post master, and post master general.
Lodge a formal complaint and ask to have her removed. She is a civil servant, and remind her of this....she can be replaced.
But be sure and wish her a "NICE DAY" as you leave.
Been there, done that and it works.
Best Regards
Old Ford

As much as I think this is a great idea, you need to know your local laws on 1 party and 2 party tape recordings. You could end up in a whole lot of trouble if your in a two party consent state for recordings.

I'm going to check out UPS on line to see what it says.

EDIT: Looks like Walksalone beat me too it. :thumbsup:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Same here in Bullhead City AZ. The first time I shipped one I told them it was a muzzleloading rifle and the guy said so? They have never so much as blinked when I ship through them. It is likely local UPS ignorant or company embedded antis that try to make the problems.

 

[paulvallandigham]

A Muzzle loading Rifle which is a replica-- querie whether an in-line qualifies--- is not a " Firearm ", within the meaning of the ACT. All those regulations apply to shipping a FIREARM, NOT AN ANTIQUE GUN( made before 1898) OR A REPLICA of such a gun, subject to the conditions that the gun has not been altered to allow the firing of fixed ammunition.

Under the circumstances, a modern ML rifle or shotgun can be shipped directly to the consumer without the declaration, and without getting the shipper or the send or received in any legal trouble.

Having said that, I live in the State of Illinois, where Our Storm Troopers have decreed that all ML firearms are the same as breechloaders, and the possessor must be in in possession of a valid Firearm's Owner Identification Card. I believe that If I were shipping a ML to an Illinois Resident, I would want a copy of his FOID Card for my files before I shipped the gun. To be really safe, I would ship the gun to his local FFL and have the gun then transferred to the buyer by the dealer. Our lovely Attorney General has threatened to Prosecute several large mail order houses who are located in other states if they ship any firearms, and even some ammunition to Illinois Residents unless they can prove the buyer has an FOID card. Right! Gangbangers are buying guns and ammo from mail order houses and having them shipped to them, so the police can identify them through a paper trail! Right! :shake: :youcrazy: :cursing: :hmm: :surrender:

 

[CrackStock]

If UPS doe not ship firearms, then why does this policy exist? :blah:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/guidelines/firearms.html

Apparently, they do, so we can dispense with that :bull: .

However, what you are wanting to ship is a replica of an antique ML and not legally a firearm under federal law. (Am I on the right track here Paul?)
That being the case, it can properly be labeled a replica of an antique and then insured and shipped as such. :thumbsup:

Make quite sure that it is unloaded and safe. :shocked2:

I had a battle with these people when I tried to return a pistol to Cherry's Fine Guns some time back and honestly stated what I was shipping. It had come via UPS and I still had the paperwork. While arguing, I contacted Cherry's and they gave me further source info to get past the small brains at the counter and the package was finally accepted. For this I owe a big :hatsoff: to Cherry's.

CS

 

[Maestro]

I've shipped a couple of muzzleloaders via UPS. I said it was a "replica flintlock musket" and I had no problem at all. Like Slash said, it's all in how you word it. Don't use the words "gun", "rifle", "firearm" and you should be okay.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have shipped centerfire guns UPS. My guns were being shipped to be worked on and came back to me. I have purchased ML gun barrels and stocks and got them UPS no FFL. Ron

 

[Zonie]

After reading all of the posts including the first one the first thing that I noticed was Idaho PRB's statement "...I sent my wife in to send off the ML and recieved a phone call from her stating that UPS informed her that "Rifles" could only be shipped to an FFL holder...".

From this, I can deduce that his wife, not thinking said it was a RIFLE .
I'm sure she didn't know what problems would come up. It's an honest mistake.

As soon as the clerk heard the word RIFLE, the UPS gun rule popped into mind. Note: It basically says they will not ship Firearms except from and to those designated as being legal to ship and receive them. The written statement does not define what a firearm is, or isn't.

Clerks are not noted for their ability to interpret much beyond the basic rules, and indeed, they may be risking their job if they try and guess wrong.

It would be wonderful if UPS had another section that clearly stated that:
"Non-guns as defined by the Federal Authorities are exempt from shipping restrictions and may be shipped to any destination where receipt of such is not prohibited by law."
This apparently does not exist, or our members are unable to find it.

If I were shipping this muzzleloader, I would go to the regular Post Office, and make damn sure I didn't use the word Rifle, Firearm, or gun.
I would just call it an Antique Reproduction without saying what it was beyond that. I would also insure it so that when it gets run over by a freight train, I could send the money to the other party.

zonie

 

[shmrck1]

Idaho PRB,
I don't know the solution to your problem but,
I do know I have purchased 4 M/L rifles.
Three were from Cabelas',all came UPS, without a
hitch.The other was from a private seller from
the MLF classifieds, came FedEx also no
problems.
Maybe if we have any employees from Cabelas',on
the forum,
they would chime in with some tips. I am sure that
a company such as they are,have UPS pickup what
they ship and probably under some sort of
contract.
Just a thought:hmm:
snake-eyes

 

[Slamfire]

The next time you visit your local Post Office, bring a voice activated tape recorder, and get your wonderful lady with attitude on tape. Do as much as you can to crank her up and forward it to your post master, and post master general.
Lodge a formal complaint and ask to have her removed. She is a civil servant, and remind her of this....she can be replaced.
But be sure and wish her a "NICE DAY" as you leave.
Been there, done that and it works

That won't work for me, I stood her up 50 years ago, and she ain't forgiven me yet. :redface:
:redface:

 

[RickD]

Married her huh