Shipping guns?

[Bitter Bastard]

I am holding on to two long guns for a friend of mine back east. He inherited them from his father in law and I'm just hanging on to them for safekeeping until he was ready to receive them. He's buying a small safe this weekend and is ready for me to ship them. This isn't a transfer since he owns them already. The guns are legal where he resides.

What's the easiest way to do that? I was going to buy a cheap plastic hard sided case, wrap the guns securely, and take it to UPS? FedEx? Since they are long guns, USPS? What do I need to declare on the shipping forms? How much would a gun store charge to wrap and ship them? Overall, just any tips on the shipping side of things?

Thanks,

Bitter Bastard

[JJ]

Only he can ship them to himself. If you are shipping them to him, you will need to ship to a dealer to perform a 4473

Q: May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

[Seismic Sam]

Only he can ship them to himself. If you are shipping them to him, you will need to ship to a dealer to perform a 4473

Q: May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

So if he pays for the shipping, and sends you all the paperwork to do it with his name on it as both sender and receiver, will that work??

[solidgun]

The firearm must be dropped off by the owner and received by the owner for this to be valid. I didn't request a letter, but got the answer through ATF.

[Squib Joe]

This isn't a transfer since he owns them already.

He may still own them, but they were transferred to your care and control and especially since you know what they are you would be breaking the law by shipping them direct. Legally speaking, you will either need to ship them through a FFL or he will need to return to ship them to himself or bring them with him on the plane. Sorry.

What he could have possibly done is left a box of unknown items at your residence - boxed up and addressed to his new home - then sent a UPS call tag to pick them up when he was ready for them.

[photogpat]

This isn't a transfer since he owns them already.

He may still own them, but they were transferred to your care and control and especially since you know what they are you would be breaking the law by shipping them direct. Legally speaking, you will either need to ship them through a FFL or he will need to return to ship them to himself or bring them with him on the plane. Sorry.

What he could have possibly done is left a box of unknown items at your residence - boxed up and addressed to his new home - then sent a UPS call tag to pick them up when he was ready for them.

Joe - you're all right!