Question on Shipping an H&R???

[GatCat]

Hi, I couldn't find specific answer to this in FAQ's, nor could I find a forum to address this. Since I consider this to be my "home' forum, I'd thought I'd post it here, plus this is the most prolific forum, full of knowledgeable folks ( how's that for setting the stage??).
My son is in the Army, stationed in Ft. Hood, Tx. He wants me to send him an H&R Ultra Slugger of his that is with me at the family home in Washington St. Question is, since it is his weapon, do I need to send it to an FFL there, or can it be simply sent directly to him, by-passing FFL transfers? When he drove there, he took a couple of weapons with him, registered them with the Army, and all is well. BUT, the other day he was on the base, bass fishing in a remote area, and came upon some hogs. Hunting is allowed on base, but shotguns only, hence his request to be reunited with "big bertha".
He has a friend who lives off-base, it would seem to me that IF I can send him the H&R the best way would be UPS or Fed/Ex to the off-base address, that way he could take delivery of it, then register it once he gets onto the base, rather then send it to his P.O. Box which is on-base, which might well cause difficulties. Thanks in advance for any pointers!!
Mark ( aka GatCat).

[HogFan]

You will have to ship the gun to an FFL, and then your son can go there to pick the gun up. There is a gun store in Copperas Cove on the main drag near the HEB, that will ( at least did 7 years ago) ship guns for a small fee. There are plenty of pawn shops and gun shops in Killeen that will ship as well. I was stationed at Hood from 1998-2001, and we could hunt on base with rifles for deer. I didn't bother with it though, as we always had a major field exercise the day gun season opened.

[quickdtoo]

You can send it to him or in care of someone else, it doesn't need to go to an FFL, providing there are no state, local laws prohibiting it.

Tim

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b1

(B1) To whom may an unlicensed person transfer firearms under the GCA? [Back]


A person may sell a firearm to an unlicensed resident of his State, if he does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the person is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. A person may loan or rent a firearm to a resident of any State for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes, if he does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the person is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. A person may sell or transfer a firearm to a licensee in any State. However, a firearm other than a curio or relic may not be transferred interstate to a licensed collector.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(d), 27 CFR 478.29 and 478.30]


(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity? [Back]


Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.

[Graybeard]

I don't think the sections you reference are applicable here Tim.

He could in fact SEND IT TO HIMSELF if he were home to do so. But that does not mean someone else can send it to him across state lines even tho the gun already belongs to him. I do not think that's what the intend of that rule is all about at all.

No non FFL holder may ship to another non FFL holder across state lines regardless of the purpose of the shipment. A non FFL holder may ship to an FFL holder for the purpose of repair or modification of a firearm or a person may ship a gun he already owns to himself in care of another party who is to hold it for him until he arrives. He must then either take it back with him when he returns home or again ship it back to himself. He cannot transfer ownership of it to someone else while out of state in that manner.

[quickdtoo]

I believe as long as there's no transfer of ownership, it can be shipped to him by his father since he's already is in possesion of it, but a call to the Seattle ATF office tomorrow morning will clarify it real quick, 206-389-5800, they closed about 15 minutes ago, or I'd have already talked to em.

Tim

http://www.atf.gov/contact/field.htm#seattle

[GatCat]

Thanks to one and all for the replies. I will call Seattle ATF and see if I can get an opinion from them. If someone doesn't beat me to it, I will post what I find out ( I use the 'putor at work on graveyards ).
Mark

[quickdtoo]

Bill is right, I called the local ATF office, the firearm has to be shipped by the owner to himself, so in this case,  GatCat will have to ship the firearm to an FFL for pickup by his son. The loaning or renting of a firearm applies to a face to face situation, not shipping elsewhere.

Tim

[d_hiker]

Question, but if GatCat were going to TX to visit his son and planned on shooting while he was there, GatCat could mail or UPS his own long gun to himself in care of his son, who would hold the package until his dad got there?  Then GatCat would personally have to send the gun back to himself before he left TX? 

I just want to make sure I understand it correctly.  I may be doing something similar this summer, going to visit my kids out of state and I don't mind taking handguns with me on a plane.  It is easy, just pack them appropriately and declare them when you check in.  Just allow some extra time in case you get a ticket agent that is unfamiliar with that particular airline's rules regarding firearms.  But long guns are very obvious and I don't like to draw undue attention to them.  So I thought about mailing them to myself ahead of time.

[quickdtoo]

That makes sense as long as the firearms are owned by the sender, but a quick call to your local ATF office won't hurt. 

Tim

[d_hiker]

That would probably be a good idea.  If airlines are going to start charging for each piece of luggage then it might be cheaper to mail/ship the firearm.  Plus I would think less of a chance of it getting lost.