Most Cost Efficient Way to Ship a Handgun?

M

Martowski

New member
What's the most cost efficient way to ship a handgun to an FFL?

I believe Fedex and UPS both require handguns to go next day, which is I believe going to run around $60+. My understanding is that non-FFLs can't ship via USPS. My local FFL will charge $20 + actual shipping costs, which he indicates may be around $20 depending on weight.

So $40 is the cheapest I'm finding. Am I missing something here?
 
overnight required...

yup. just ran into this myself. arranged for ruger to make a minor, inexpensive repair.

then i discovered that both UPS and FedEx have corporate policies mandating overnight delivery. This is a requirement only for ordinary citizens. Ruger ships UPS but they use two-day delivery, for half the cost.

So the UPS charge for a handgun was going to be $60.

My local gunstore would ship it for around... $100. i don't understand why they charge so much, unless UPS makes them ship overnight too.

So this is huge additional expense. $60 bucks to ship a gun that cost $500 new? Then another $30 charged by Ruger for return shipping. Plus parts and labor.

A lot of cars would be considered totalled if the repair costs exceeded %20 of the value.

so i ordered the parts from Ruger and I'll find someone local to install them.

Unless the repair is under warranty, I don't see how anyone can find manufacturer's service to be economically viable unless they'll pick up the shipping.
 
What you found tends to be about the case. Last time I shipped handguns I sent two. One was free on a return ship label sent by manufacturer due to a warranty issue and on the other I had to pay out of pocket and it was about $60.

USPS will not ship them due to federal regulations (I have not heard of them making exceptions for business, but I can't say that for an absolute fact). Like darkhelmet said, FedEx & UPS have corporate policies that require the guns to be shipped overnight. I was once told this is to minimize the time and number of contacts it has within their company to minimize the theft risk from their own employees.

Anyway, what many FFL and service centers have is a deal with the shipping service that offers discounts on the cost of shipping due to different business pricing rates and the bulk number of shipments. This is often a very significant discount. When the gun that cost me $60 to ship was returned, it had a label that noted a price of $27 for return overnight shipping. If they are letting businesses ship with a 2-day, that must be some sort of exception they made to allow the shipping to be economically viable for businesses.
 
If your FFL will ship it for $40, then do that. He can use USPS whereas you can't. You're not going to do better than $40 on your own.

UPS has a "Saver" option that's a little cheaper and gets your pistol there the next afternoon instead of the next morning. FedEx doesn't allow firearms to ship via their equivalent service..

@ bcrash15: FFLs can ship firearms, even handguns, through USPS, which is generally cheaper than contract carriers (UPS/FedEx). "Non-licensees" can only ship long guns via USPS.
 
If your FFL charges $100.00 to ship a handgun, find another FFL. He's ripping you off.

I had to send a pistol to a bullseye gunsmith in Hawaii. The dealer that sold me the pistol heard about it; when I picked the pistol up (and knowing I was going to ship it), he finalized the sale, did the NICS check, boxed the thing back up and had me put the proper address on it. We then walked across the street to the Post Office, and he MAILED the pistol to the gunsmith. Total cost to me? $20 bucks, including the Return Receipt and sending it Certified Mail.
 
My FFL is a relatively large LGS. The charge there for shipping a handgun is $40. That saves me the hassle of driving to the area FedEx location which accepts handguns, which happens to be the major airport location and a pain to get to. It also costs less than me using FedEx. So, less money, less gas, less time in obnoxious traffic = no-brainer.

To the guy whose FFL charges $100, you need a new FFL.
 
>>So $40 is the cheapest I'm finding. Am I missing something here?<<

That's a deal.... jump on it!
 
My local FFL will charge $20 + actual shipping costs, which he indicates may be around $20 depending on weight.
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I don't understand why it's $20; almost all handguns will fit in the "Medium" USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Box, which ships anywhere in the USA for $10.95 regardless of weight. Guns small enough to fit in the "Small" box ship for $5.20. :) Insurance for most handguns will typically only cost $5-$6.
To the guy whose FFL charges $100, you need a new FFL.
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+1. This is highway robbery. The FFL obviously dislikes doing transfers and either wants you to go away (stupid) or wants you to buy a gun out of his display case instead (more likely but also stupid).
 
>>I don't understand why it's $20<<

Considering the dealer is providing a service and basically doing you/me a favor, I'm not going to squabble over $10.00 or so. There's nothing wrong with him making a little profit for his efforts.
 
Late to the party, but I've found the same thing. Paying the FFL transfer fee of 20.00 plus the cost of their shipping USPS priority insured (15-20 bucks) is about the best you'll do for a handgun.
 
The only "downside" I have found for using my FFL to ship a firearm, is that the guy I ship to (if it's a custom shop, for instance) has to ship it back via the FFL, for the transfer paperwork, instead of shipping it directly to me.

OTOH, that only takes a few minutes of my time (as far as the transfer back to me), and on the plus side I don't have to worry about not being home when the FedEx guy arrives, and then needing to make other arrangements to pick the gun up from FedEx. I can rest easy knowing the gun will be at my FFL's place.

(I am actually waiting for my BHP to return from Novak, via my FFL, on Monday or Tuesday, so I'm not speaking in theoreticals.)
 
Chris in VA: good call! I just called another FFL who told me they would ship a handgun for their cost to do it UPS 2 day air and won't charge any other fees.

From what I can see would be closer to $30... not a bad deal!
 
I have sent guns back to 3 gun makers.

All 3 told me to break them down and label the box machined parts and send them ground(they hinted quietly).

It should be known its against UPS policy to ship firearms ground.
 
I can tell you why the local gun shop was going to charge you $100 to ship the gun....THEY WERE TRYING TO RIP YOU OFF. We have a local gun shop where no matter how much money you've spent there, or how well you think you know the owners, they will either through omission or deceit attempt to roll you like a drunken sailor to make a profit.
 
Make friends with your local dealer. Buy guns and ammo and accessories from him. Then when you want a favor whether receiving a gun being shipped for you or shipping a gun for you, he is more likely to be willing to work with you on fees. Also, be willing to take the box and wrapping material to his shop so he can see that the gun is what you say it is, then you do the wrapping and addressing of the package.

If you ignore a local dealer and do all your business on the net or with a big store, a dealer who never saw you before won't be happy to have you storm in and demand that he ship or receive a gun for you. In fact, he may well tell you to go elsewhere.

For USPS shipping, $20 is about right, once you include insurance.

Jim
 
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