Can you mail a rifle

Answer 1

Yes. Here is what the ATF says:

May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service?

A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another State. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. The Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. [18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A)]

Answer 2

The information below is correct. To give you the short answer, UNLOADED rifles and shotguns MAY be mailed in the US Mail, handguns may NOT be mailed except by licensed dealers and manufacturers. See the USPO Domestic Mail manual, under Restricted Mailings. TRANSFER of ownership of a firearm across a State line must comply with Federal law- in most cases, meaning it will need to be sent TO a Federal Fireams Licensee (dealer) in the home state of the recipient.

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While some firearms can be mailed through the USPS, FedEx and UPS have fewer restrictions. My preferred method of shipping is via FedEx because they have given me the least amount of hassle when I ship guns. If a shipper tells you that you can't ship a firearm, ask them to show you the rule or regulation because many shipping company employees will assume that it is not allowed without actually checking their rule books. USPS does not allow anyone to ship ammunition. UPS and FedEx don't allow ammunition to be shipped in the same package as a firearm.

The relevant part of USPS Mailability states the following: "Pistols, Revolvers, and Other Concealable Firearms 11.1.1 Definitions The terms used in this standard are defined as follows:

a. Handgun means any pistol, revolver, or other firearm or device the mailing of which is regulated by this standard. b. Pistol or revolver means a handgun styled to be fired by the use of a single hand and to fire or otherwise expel a projectile by the action of an explosion, spring, or other mechanical action, or air or gas pressure with enough force to be used as a weapon. c. Firearm means any device, including a starter gun, designed to, or that may readily be converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosion, spring, or other mechanical action, or air or gas pressure with enough force to be used as a weapon. d. Other firearms capable of being concealed on the person include, but are not limited to, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles. e. Short-barreled shotgun means a shotgun that has one or more barrels less than 18 inches long. The term short-barreled rifle means a rifle that has one or more barrels less than 16 inches long. These definitions include any weapon made from a shotgun or rifle, whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches. A short-barreled shotgun or rifle of greater dimension may be regarded as nonmailable when it has characteristics to allow concealment on the person. f. Licensed manufacturer and licensed dealer mean, respectively, a manufacturer of firearms or a bona fide dealer of firearms, duly licensed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms of the Department of the Treasury, under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-618), 18 USC 921, et seq. g. Antique firearm means any firearm (including those with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in or before 1898, or any replica thereof, if such replica: 1. Is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition. 2. Uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the United States and that is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade. 11.1.2 Handguns Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person (referred to as handguns) are nonmailable unless mailed between the parties listed in 11.1.3 and 11.1.5 after the filing of an affidavit or statement required by 11.1.4 and 11.1.6.

11.1.3 Authorized Persons Subject to 11.1.4, handguns may be mailed by a licensed manufacturer of firearms, a licensed dealer of firearms, or an authorized agent of the federal government or the government of a state, territory, or district, only when addressed to a person in one of the following categories for use in the person's official duties:

a. Officers of the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Organized Reserve Corps. b. Officers of the National Guard or militia of a state, territory, or district. c. Officers of the United States or of a state, territory, or district, whose official duty is to serve warrants of arrest or commitment. d. USPS employees authorized by the Chief Postal Inspector. e. Officers and employees of enforcement agencies of the United States. f. Watchmen engaged in guarding the property of the United States, a state, territory, or district. g. Purchasing agent or other designated member of agencies employing officers and employees included in 11.1.3c. through 11.1.3e. 11.1.4 Affidavit of Addressee Any person proposing to mail a handgun under 11.1.3 must file with the postmaster, at the time of mailing, an affidavit signed by the addressee setting forth that the addressee is qualified to receive the firearm under a particular category of 11.1.3a. through 11.1.3g, and that the firearm is intended for the addressee's official use. The affidavit must also bear a certificate stating that the firearm is for the official duty use of the addressee, signed by one of the following, as appropriate:

a. For officers of Armed Forces, by the commanding officer. b. For officers and employees of enforcement agencies, by the head of the agency employing the addressee to perform the official duty with which the firearm is to be used. c. For watchmen, by the chief clerk of the department, bureau, or independent branch of the government of the United States, the state, the territory, or the district by which the watchman is employed. d. For the purchasing agent or other designated member of enforcement agencies, by the head of such agency, that the firearm is to be used by an officer or employee included in 11.1.3c. through 11.1.3e, Authorized Persons. 11.1.5 Manufacturers and Dealers Handguns may also be mailed between licensed manufacturers of firearms and licensed dealers of firearms in customary trade shipments, or for repairing or replacing parts.

11.1.6 Certificate of Manufacturers and Dealers A licensed manufacturer or dealer need not file the affidavit under 11.1.4, but must file with the postmaster a statement on Form 1508 signed by the mailer that he or she is a licensed manufacturer or dealer of firearms, that the parcels containing handguns (or major component parts thereof) are customary trade shipments or contain such articles for repairing or replacing parts, and that to the best of his or her knowledge or belief the addressees are licensed manufacturers or dealers of firearms.

11.1.7 FBI Crime Detection Bureaus Handguns may be mailed without regard to 11.1.3 through 11.1.6 if:

a. Addressed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), or its director, or to the scientific laboratory or crime detection bureau of any agency whose members are federal law enforcement officers or officers of a state, territory, or district authorized to serve warrants of arrest or commitment; or b. Offered by an authorized agent of the federal government as an official shipment to any qualified addressee in categories 11.1.3a. through 11.1.3g, or to a licensed manufacturer or dealer of firearms or to a federal agency. 11.2 Antique Firearms Antique firearms sent as curios or museum pieces may be accepted for mailing without regard to 11.1.3 through 11.1.6.

11.3 Rifles and Shotguns Although unloaded rifles and shotguns not precluded by 11.1.1e and 11.1.2 are mailable, mailers must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18 USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR 178, 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 gun is unloaded and not precluded by 11.1.1e.

11.4 Legal Opinions on Mailing Firearms Postmasters are not authorized to give opinions on the legality of any shipment of rifles or shotguns. Contact the nearest office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for further advice.

11.5 Knives and Sharp Instruments 11.5.1 Mailability Knives (including sharp-pointed instruments such as stilettos that lack cutting edges) with a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle, or by operations of inertia, gravity, or both, or with a detachable blade propelled by a spring-operated mechanism, are mailable only when sent to:

a. The respective government's or organization's designated supply or procurement officers and employees ordering, procuring, or buying such knives for use with the activities of the federal government; the National Guard, the Air National Guard, or the militia of a state, territory, or the District of Columbia; or the municipal government of the District of Columbia or of the government of any state or territory, or of any county, city, or other political subdivision of a state or territory. b. Manufacturers of such knives, or bona fide dealers of such knives, in connection with a shipment made under an order from any person designated in 11.5.1a. 11.5.2 Addressee Identification Before delivering a shipment (or parcel) that contains an article or articles described in 11.5.1, a USPS employee may require that the recipient identify himself or herself as in one of the categories in 11.5.1a.

11.5.3 Wrapping Sharp-pointed or sharp-edged instruments such as knives, tools, ice picks, and razor blades, that are otherwise mailable, must be wrapped to protect their points and edges from cutting through the outer carton in which they are mailed.

11.6 Prohibited Parcel Marking For any parcel containing a firearm or a ballistic or switchblade knife, any marking that indicates the contents is not permitted on the outside wrapper or container."

Answer 3

The regulations for sending firearms through the mail are complicated. However, in general, no you may not send a firearm and ammunition through the mail in the same package. Depending on the precise type of firearm and whether or not you're a licensed dealer, you may not be able to mail it even without ammo.

Answer 4

There is a specific prohibition on the mailing of handguns via USPS, with the exception of licensed FFL dealers transferring items between each other or to law enforcement or military customers. As a private individual, you may not.

Answer 5

If you follow all the Federal Laws, yes, it can be done.

Answer 6

Firearms can legally be mailed within the restrictions of the Postal Service. Ammunition and many other explosives cannot be mailed.

(see the related link)

Answer 7

Yes. Check out the BATFE website for specifics