Thanks for the replies.
How recent is the FedEx and UPS info?
I ask because about 2 years or so ago FedEx & UPS stopped doing shipments involving individuals, either from or to; FFL's only. At least that was my understanding (I could be wrong, but at my age and with my track record (0 wrongs) I find that highly unlikely
).
I would rather pay the smaller charge and ship myself than the $100 or so the FFL's charge to ship a gun. Benelli told me they do not pay for shipping. The shotgun is a Franchi, which is serviced at the Benelli facility in Maryland.
have you asked Benelli how much they charge you for a call tag? I have only done UPS and Fedex it on warrantee guns and through Remington for the H&R barrel program that was years ago but call tag was the easiest Remington charged 25 dollars to send a call tag.
when I mailed rifles I used USPS
here are the rules
I printed them off , took them to the local post master told her what I was doing , she read it about 3 times then said , OK , you will not tell any of my staff what is in the box besides sporting goods or machine parts , it will be taped well , packaged well and will have no emblems or other markings on the outside of the box as to what is inside the box.
send it first class , with tracking and insure it for the replacement value.
I would remove the barrel to make is shorter and wrap both barrel and gun in protective packaging and place in box with no markings indicating it is a gun. tape it very well , have it pre addressed when you get it
432.3 Rifles and Shotguns
Except under 431.2, unloaded rifles and shotguns are mailable. Mailers must comply with the rules and regulations under 27 CFR, Part 478, as well as state and local laws. The mailer may be required by the USPS to establish, by opening the parcel or by written certification, that the rifle or shotgun is unloaded and not ineligible for mailing. The following conditions also apply:
Subject to state, territory, or district regulations, rifles and shotguns may be mailed without restriction when intended for delivery within the same state of mailing. These items must:
Bear a “Return Service Requested” endorsement.
Be mailed using a class of mail, product, or Extra Service that provides tracking and signature capture at delivery.
A rifle or shotgun owned by a non-FFL may be mailed outside the owner‘s state of residence by the owner to himself or herself, in care of another person in the other state where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. These mailpieces must:
Be addressed to the owner.
Include the “in the care of” endorsement immediately preceding the name of the applicable temporary custodian.
Be opened by the rifle or shotgun owner only.
Be mailed using a class of mail, product, or Extra Service that provides tracking and signature capture at delivery.
Mailing of rifles and shotguns between licensed FFL dealers, manufacturers, or importers are not restricted. The Postal Service recommends that these items be mailed using a class of mail, product, or Extra Service that provides tracking and signature capture at delivery.
Rifles and shotguns may be mailed by a non-FFL owner domestically to a FFL dealer, manufacturer, or importer in any state. These items must be mailed using a class of mail, product, or Extra Service that provides tracking and signature capture at delivery.
Except as described in 432.3a, licensed curio and relic collectors may mail firearms meeting the definition of curios or relics under 27 CFR 478.11 domestically to licensed FFL curio and relic collectors in any state. These items must be mailed using a class of mail, product, or Extra Service that provides tracking and signature capture at delivery.
Firearms meeting the definition of a rifle or shotgun under 431.4 which are certified by the curator of a municipal, state, or federal museum, which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest, may be accepted for mailing without restriction when mailed between governmental museums.
Air guns (see 431.6) that do not fall within the definition of firearms under 431.1a are mailable. A shipment containing an air gun with a muzzle velocity of 400 or more feet per second (fps) must include an adult signature service under DMM 503.8. Mailers must additionally comply with all applicable state and local regulations.
