Crazy mixed up USPS shipping rules

[kirby999]

I went to ship off a Crosman CO2 pistol this morning ; I thought I would ship it Priority Mail for less than $6, according to online calculations . WRONG . When I asked them about shipping the pistol ( I wanted to be honest and up front ) I was told under no circumstances could they ship it because it was a "PISTOL" If a long gun OK ; as long as I showed them it was unloaded ,before I wrapped it . So I asked ; It would be OK for me to walk in here with a shotgun or rifle , show you it was unloaded , then pack it in a box and mail it. He said YES . There's something wrong about that . I have seen someone at the PO before with a shotgun wrapping it up and thought that was strange . I could probably do more damage hitting someone over the head with the crosman than I could shooting them with it . I was told if I shipped it without telling them what was in the package , when it got X-rayed (his words) it would be confiscated. So now once UPS opens it's going to cost me double to ship the package and another trip out. kirby

[leftcoast1]

We receive pistols at the gun shop via USPS all the time. So I'm guessing the xray thing was B.S.

[kirby999]

Wasn't sure  about shipping  after reading some things on line ; that's why I asked . I have shipped them before with USPS and didn't think twice about it . when they ask if anything  potentially dangerous or hazardous , I said no , I didn't think a pellet pistol would be  unless you hit somebody over the head with it or shot them in the eye. LOL. BTW it cost $11.10 to ship UPS ; it would have been $5.60 with USPS. kirby

[tat2dman]

I use USPS all the time,when they ask me if"anything`s hazardous or dangerous"I just say no and leave it at that.

[daved]

I ship air guns via USPS all the time.  Federal law mandates that an air gun IS NOT and CAN NOT be classified as a firearm, therefore, no restrictions on mailing as long as you don't try to mail a filled gas cylinder of any kind.  Problem is, most postal employees don't know their own rules, it's right up there with the IRS.  Bottom line, as long as I'm shipping something I know isn't hazardous, what's in the box is none of their damn business.  This is a classic case of what the moron behind the counter doesn't know won't cost you money :-)!  Later.

Dave

Just my opinion, I stear clear of USPS for anything costly.  Their tracking is utterly useless and their policies on lost packages are even worse.  I had a package get lost once and it had tracking and proof of delivery.  After several weeks of being misplaced I went to the post office armed with my tracking number and such.  They told me they wouldn't consider it lost until it was missing for more than 30 days.  That's bull....  it's worth an extra dollar or two to go out of my way to UPS or FedEx.  At least when a package get's lost with them the last scan lets everybody know where it is, unlike USPS.  Not to mention if the item cost several hundred dollars, my experience shows USPS' insurance cost to be extremely high offsetting the cheaper shipping price.  JUST ANOTHER FEDERAL DIVISION WASTING MONEY.  BTW, my mother-in-law works for the USPS and confirmed the lost policy to me after I went to her for help.

Shipping ANY type of pistol air or otherwise is against postal regulations(except for one FFL ro another). The regulation makes NO differantion betewwn airguns and firearms but simply says "Pistols". That sad most folks mail air pistols all the time with no problems. But if the package is opened for any reason you will most likely lose the pistol, You pays your money and takes your chances if you do this. Remember this is the post office we are talking about nobody ever said the rules had to make sence or even be logical.