How to ship an air gun?

[esaabye]

So I just ran into a FedEx policy that they treat an air pistol same as a firearm and will only ship to an FFL. No amount of reason was going to overcome this bureaucratic reality. Does anyone have suggestion on how to ship to an individual?

[Rover]

Mail it and shut up.

[JKR]

I just sent one by UPS. Not such hassles. Cost about $40 though.

Jim

[william]

Rover's advice in less gruff form.
Step One: Drain air from cylinders and discharge the pistol - no carrier wants to have to deal with compressed gas. They get really antsy if something unexpectedly goes 'pop.'
Step Two: Pack it really well.
Step Three: Take it to your post office and send it Priority Mail with insurance for full value. As soon as you can, give the tracking number to the person it's being sent to.
Step Four: Make no effort to conceal the contents from questions by a postal employee. They have a right to know what they're delivering.

Relax. It's really no big deal.

[SlartyBartFast]

As brick and mortar retailers complain about losing business to online, this is one of the personalised services that would generate revenue and keep people coming through actual stores.
Easy and straight forward store to store shipping following all applicable legal requirements.
Heck they could make decent money with a standardised system that added in being the middleman in private online sales.

[marky-d]

That sounds an awful lot like the California model. They really know how to tack on the fees to make it ridiculously expensive to buy/ship/transfer any firearm -- or now even ammunition.

It really comes down to wealth-based gun control.

marky-d

[Rover]

Let's try again.

Go to Post Office.

Get Medium and Large Flat Rate Priority Mail boxes free.

Pack airgun in the smallest it will fit.

Go back to Post Office. Many times in lobby they will have a computer shipping set-up.

Buy label with credit card. It will have the address you're sending to on it.

Put label on box and drop in mail box.

It will cost less than $20. Take receipt.

[william]

Let's try again.

Go to Post Office.

Get Medium and Large Flat Rate Priority Mail boxes free.

Pack airgun in the smallest it will fit.

Go back to Post Office. Many times in lobby they will have a computer shipping set-up.

Buy label with credit card. It will have the address you're sending to on it.

Put label on box and drop in mail box.

It will cost less than $20. Take receipt.

Geez, Louise, Rover! This is your mellowest appearance here ever. Have you switched from alcohol to cannabis?

[Rover]

Just repeating what I first said, but in a more long-winded fashion.

[sparky]

If it’s a high dollar air pistol (like $800+), I’d send it USPS Registered Mail instead of Priority Mail. The paper tape is a pain and it might take an additional day or two to get there, but it’s the most secure method available and it’s often cheaper than Priority +Insurance, especially as the value goes up.