Q&A for How to Mail a Firearm

Complete the necessary paperwork for the transfer, including background checks and ATF Form 4473. The selling FFL dealer will then ship the handgun to the buyer's chosen FFL dealer in their state, with both parties typically paying transfer fees, usually around $50 or less. For long gun sales, check your state's laws as they may allow direct shipment to the buyer. Package the long gun securely if allowed and ship it via a reputable carrier, ensuring compliance with all regulations.

There is no federal law prohibiting you from shipping your own gun to yourself in another state for use in hunting or any other lawful purpose. However, it must be lawful for you to have that kind of firearm in the other state. This also applies to handguns but as a practical matter, it is not possible. Even though federal law does not prohibit you from sending your own handgun to yourself in another state, commercial carriers such as UPS and FEDEX have company policies that prevent you from sending a handgun to any party out of your own state that is not an FFL holder.

Mostly, yes. You are able to ship almost all of the parts of a gun except for the receiver. For example, if you want to ship an AR-15, you can ship the barrel, stock, grip, handguard, upper receiver, and trigger, but you cannot ship the lower receiver. The lower receiver is what is tracked by the ATF and is considered the "gun" portion of the firearm.

No, you can only ship rifles and shotguns out of state to yourself. If you want to gift a firearm out of state, you must ship them to a FFL (gun store) in the receiptients home state. He can then fill out the proper paperwork and take ownership of the firearm.

If you mail USPS Priority, that is two to three days. They also have an overnight service, which has a higher cost. "If it fits, it ships" packaging is available at the post office.

This is a question that really needs to be asked locally. The state and local laws of different jurisdictions are so varied that the widespread general public can't provide accurate regional information.

If your dad is accompanying you on the trip, he can send it to himself and follow the procedures outlines in the article. Otherwise, you'll have to use whatever your uncle has on hand.

FedEx or USPS but you must send the FFL holder even if it's going interstate.

Nothing but mail is supposed to be placed inside a mailbox. If someone really wanted to make trouble for you, it's possible they could bring charges against you (especially if the gun was loaded).

Just Google any firearms dealer in her area willing to receive the shipment with a Federal Firearm License. Once there, their legal guardian can fill out a 4473 form to take possession of the firearm, which includes a background check to ensure they are legally allowed to possess a firearm. When they pass and they pay the transfer fee to the firearm dealer (if applicable), they can gift the firearm to your granddaughter. If she is underage to buy, there are many legal resources available for underage shooters, I recommend training with a listed NRA trainer.

One of the parts of the firearm, usually the one with the serial number on it (although some guns have the number on multiple parts) is defined as "the gun." "The gun" must be transferred in accordance with applicable law. "The gun" is the part that you can't buy as a "part" online.

Alas, the rules for shipping firearms are the same regardless of whether the recipient is a police officer.

Depends on what parts. Receiver of a long gun or frame of a handgun, no. Those are the parts with the serial number on them, and are considered a firearm even if no other parts are attached. Barrels, stock, bolts, screws, etc. are generally OK.

It makes not a bit of difference. See all the rules and regulations above.

Depends on the state. I would not go to MD, DC, NJ, NY or CA with a firearm of any kind, or any ammo. DC will arrest you for having a single empty cartridge in your car.

Depends on whether it's a clip or magazine; big difference between the two. I've never heard of a clip being illegal to mail, as long as it is not wrapped around ammo.

If you have to ask, you don't have a legally owned automatic weapon to consider shipping. All automatic weapons are individually registered under the National Firearms Act. Simply taking an automatic weapon across a state line requires submitting a form to obtain prior approval from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). Transferring an automatic weapon to someone else, regardless of location, is a much more complicated and much slower process involving several months for the paperwork and a $200 transfer tax.

She could ship it FedEX or UPS overnight to your FFL in TX, but it will likely be less expensive (and a lot less trouble) for her to take it to an FFL local to her and let them handle the shipping. I provide that service for $20 + actual shipping cost. As an FFL, I can use the Post Office, and even with the $20 fee am usually 1/2 of what it would cost to ship overnight with FedEx/UPS. Also, some FFLs will not accept shipments from individuals. No rule or law says they can't, they just choose not to.