Shipping Guns

BP338

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My family and I have decided to move to Alaska. A decision years in the making...Might be poor timing but there's no better time to live than now...

Anywho, does anyone have any advice on shipping guns? I have an big scary AR and a few pistols and feel like shipping them would be less of a pain then trying to get them through Canada. Guns scare them I guess...not people...

Can I ship the guns together? Both pistols with the AR in a hard case? Can I ship in a hard case? Or should I do it separate? Or just ship the AR and permit the pistols for Canada travel?

I was planning on using Sportsman's Warehouse to ship from and to...does anyone have any experience with shipping and who to ship with? Sportsman's ok?

OR, should I sell the damn things and re-invest when I get up there? Damn Kanuks!
 


KDM

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Go around Canadastan. Lots of ships going from Seattle to Anchorage. If they can ship garbage to Washington on a big slow boat, you should be able to ship guns to Alaska on a big slow boat.
 

AR-15

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SHIP THEM, don't try to take them through Canada you will be in a world of hurt at the Canadian customs
 

Migrator Man

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My family and I have decided to move to Alaska. A decision years in the making...Might be poor timing but there's no better time to live than now...

Anywho, does anyone have any advice on shipping guns? I have an big scary AR and a few pistols and feel like shipping them would be less of a pain then trying to get them through Canada. Guns scare them I guess...not people...

Can I ship the guns together? Both pistols with the AR in a hard case? Can I ship in a hard case? Or should I do it separate? Or just ship the AR and permit the pistols for Canada travel?

I was planning on using Sportsman's Warehouse to ship from and to...does anyone have any experience with shipping and who to ship with? Sportsman's ok?

OR, should I sell the damn things and re-invest when I get up there? Damn Kanuks!

Not sure Sportsman’s Warehouse offers that service but I’m sure someone can do it.
 


BP338

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I've looked into the ferry, it's a more than I want to deal with. I wish I could bypass Canada...
 

Skeeter

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You can drop them off at my house on your way north. I’ll take care of them as if they were my own.
 

1lessdog

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I would wait till you are settled and have some one send them to your house. I don't think you need to go thru a FFL
There your guns already. Send the USPS and insure and tracking. Don't box them up to look like a gun. Handguns by them self. You can take long guns thru Canada. Just fill out a firearm declaration before you get to border. And you can only have 11 lbs of ammo per person. Anything over you have to pay duty on.
 

AR-15

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If you go through Portal on your way to Alaska and have big trouble with your AR at Canadian customs, I live in the area I will take it off your hands for 50 bucks, like I said before ship it
 

BP338

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Anyone have any experience in shipping guns? Tips or tricks?
 


espringers

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I do. Shipped 4 confiscated shotguns back to clients down south wrapped pretty good. But, in actual cardboard gun boxes from gerells. Tracked them. But, like an idiot, never thought to insure them. All I can figure is there are more than a few in the usps who don't like guns. Cause they arrived completely beat up and practically falling out of the boxes. Lessons learned? Track & insure for certain. But, if possible, break them down and ship them so they don't resemble a firearm.
 

snow1

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Shipped my firearms many times over the years,I used UPS,bought shipping insurance as I have a small fortune invested in my weapons,in order to ship legally you'll need to ship to a FFL in AK like a sport shop or gunsmith,pay a small fee,don't mess around shipping firearms across state lines trying to save a couple bucks like shippping to a friend,feds don't find this amusing,but yeah,not sure if you can enter oh canada with hand guns these day's ,even if secured,re-investing in firearms in AK is like securing a second mortgage,keep what you have.goodluck.

PS,ship them in a hard case.
 
Last edited:

shorthairsrus

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I have shipped using usps. They key now days is it going to arrive.
 

Wall-eyes

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Google up taking guns into Canada you will find all you need we do it hunting all time. There is paper work and hand guns are worse to get in
 

SDMF

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Directly from ATF website:

5. May I lawfully ship a firearm to myself in a different State?
Any person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in the 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 of the firearm “in the care of” the out-of-State resident. Upon reaching its destination, persons other than the owner of the firearm must not open the package or take possession of the firearm. The out-of-State resident is encouraged to place the package in a safe and secure location until the owner of the firearm is available to take physical possession.



In short, you can legally mail the firearms (long guns) "From You", "To You", without involving an FFL dealer or transfers on either end.

I'd go about it in 1 of 2 ways depending upon the situation:

1. Mail them from you, to you at the address of someone you trust in AK.
2. Leave them in ND with someone you trust and Mail them from you, to you, at your own address once you're settled.

USPS won't ship Handguns as such if you ship them it will be USP/Fed-Ex. You will need an FFL in ND to mail to you once you're established in AK or in AK to receive and transfer them to you per UPS/Fed-Ex own corporate rules requiring an FFL, not due to any laws stating so.
 


snow1

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SD ,

interesting find,never thought about shipping "from you to you",in my case it was either a sale or service in another state..

thanx for the heads-up.

I was almost got con'd one year after I put one of my high-end guns up for sale on a shooting web-site,the end user turned out to be a us custom agent in california that wanted me to for-go shipping to a FFL saving tax in his state.Luckly my job had me working with our BCA here in minntucky that set me straight and not to f around shipping firearms trying to save a few bucks.
 

SDMF

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Anyone have any experience in shipping guns? Tips or tricks?


When these come from Amazon they have a plain cardboard box around them that doesn't say anything about being a "gun-case".

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P431BG/?tag=nodakangler10-20

Tuff-Packs while considerably more expensive, are popular with some airline/international traveling hunters as they look less like a "traditional" gun case. Not sure what sort of box they come shipped in, but, if it's some sort of cardboard box, again, they look less like a gun/guns being shipped. With all of the air-travel associated with hunting in AK, there's probably opportunity to re-sell them in AK if you don't need them after shipping your stuff up.

https://nalpak.com/tuffpak-1050-gun...erm=4581458796018698&utm_content=All Products
 

BP338

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Directly from ATF website:


In short, you can legally mail the firearms (long guns) "From You", "To You", without involving an FFL dealer or transfers on either end.

I'd go about it in 1 of 2 ways depending upon the situation:

1. Mail them from you, to you at the address of someone you trust in AK.
2. Leave them in ND with someone you trust and Mail them from you, to you, at your own address once you're settled.

USPS won't ship Handguns as such if you ship them it will be USP/Fed-Ex. You will need an FFL in ND to mail to you once you're established in AK or in AK to receive and transfer them to you per UPS/Fed-Ex own corporate rules requiring an FFL, not due to any laws stating so.


I have an AR that I built, is that considered a "long gun" or will that have to be shipped differently?
 

SDMF

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I have an AR that I built, is that considered a "long gun" or will that have to be shipped differently?

I don't know. The issue isn't in the USA, in the US, an AR is a "long-gun". There are some states that require permits to purchase an AR (MN being the closest) but shipping your own from/to wouldn't be a problem. If the package was staying CONUS or even going to HI, there's no international border issue. The potential issue is that the package will still likely move through Canada and I haven't a clue if/how you're subject to their restrictions.
 

Kentucky Windage

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I have an AR that I built, is that considered a "long gun" or will that have to be shipped differently?

If the lower used was purchased and used to build a long gun, it’s a long gun. If it’s built as a pistol, it’s a pistol. This is how I understand it. It’s not like you are reporting it to anyone. I wanted to turn a bolt rifle into a pistol, and found out that I can’t do that. The gun was built as a long gun and would need to remain a long gun.
 


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