Is it possible to send a gun in the mail legally?
 

I have been wanting a 38 special for a while and instead of buying it I was planning on having my dad give me his old one. I am twenty one and live in colorado he lives in phoenix. I could wait till the next time I go down there but my b-day is coming up and thats why he is giving it to me. So the question is can a gun LEGALLY be sent in the mail, ups, any service? Please only post yes if you did this and followed the law cause I wouldnt play the postal service nowadays. Thanks in advance for replies

Um, yes and no. I know that it is legal to send a firearm to the manufacturer for repairs, and they can send it back to you.

But, if your dad buys the gun, I think he has to ship it to an FFL, and you have to pick it up from them (it will only cost like twenty dollars).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that yes, it is legal to send a firearm through the mail. I think fedex lets you, but I am not sure. However, it might not be legal for your dad to send you the gun.

I am sure someone will be able to give you the details.

You need to send it to a licensed dealer, who will charge you a small charge (usualy a % of the guns value) to handle the transaction.

My father sent a gun through the mail at some point, were he not a police officer he'da been in a little mess of trouble.

Just use UPS instead of the postal system. They'll ship it.

My dad has done it before, I think he just shipped it UPS. You might have to fill out some forms though.

You can send a gun via post NO PROBLEM. I would definately use UPS or FedEx (both require it be declared as a firearm)...much better accountability and less 'jumping through hoops' for insurance claims. If your father buys a gun and 'gives' it to you, that is referred to as a straw man purchase and is a federal felony, in addition to other possible state crimes. In order for the weapon to be legally transfered it must go through an FFL. The FFL will run a backround check, institute the 10 day waiting period and charge handsomely for the service. Never heard of it costing under $50 bucks but you never know. FFL's like it much better when a firearm is bought from them, instead of transferred through them.

THIS IS NOT TRUE about a pre-brady bill weapon though, as it could have been given to you prior to it's enactment. I'm no lawyer and would recommend seeking qualified advise specific to your situation.

good luck....and watch out for the man...anything they can do to take away your arms will be employed.

Small correction, guns CAN be bought and given as gifts to immediate family members (as opposed to a "strawman" purchase).

Sarah I-Hate-Guns Brady bought a rifle and gave it to her son.

And yes, ship it Fed-Ex or UPS.

It is entirely possible. I am not actually sure. I would like to believe this to be true at the federal level. In Maryland I know that it is not legal for this transfer to occur.

However, if the recipient of the weapon is not eligible for weapons ownership....i.e was busted for weed or had an irrate ex-girlfriend claim he was threatening her life...then the straw man purchase would apply no?

Straw man felonies are usually only an issue after the commision of a crime anyway. Even after the completion of any weapons discharge that comes to the attention of the authorities. Take caution is the best advice.

I've seen guns shipped UPS with no problem---disassembled in different packages.

UPS will ship it like those people said. It helps if you tear it apart and send it in like 2 boxes.