Best Method to Ship an Air Pistol?

joe1347 · Post by **joe1347** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 8:57 pm

I'm guessing that there may be restrictions imposed on shipping air pistols within the US. Is there a best method or recommended carrier (UPS, FedEx, etc.)?

TargetTerror · Post by **TargetTerror** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:29 am

I'm not a lawyer, so no promises, but I believe that there are no specific federal laws regarding airgun ownership or shipping. Ie, the feds don't mandate that you ship to an FFL. Laws vary greatly by state, however. I live in Massachusetts, and the only restriction at the state level is that you don't sell to a minor. Each town has jurisdictional authority over classifying airguns, however, so some towns require you to have an FID to own an airgun. I don't know if the burden is on the shipper to verify that the receiver is legitimate, or if it is solely on the receiver.

NJ, from what I understand, treats all airguns like firearms, and you need the same permit to own an airpistol as you do a .44 magnum. Check the laws of the state you are shipping from and to.

Many (most?) other states realize that you are more likely to hurt someone with a pair of crutches than an airgun, and don't care if you own one.

As for the preferred carrier, they all probably have their own rules and regulations to cover their own asses, so just see which is easiest and cheapest (check their websites or give them a call).

joe1347 · Post by **joe1347** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:12 am

TargetTerror wrote:I'm not a lawyer, so no promises, but I believe that there are no specific federal laws regarding airgun ownership or shipping. Ie, the feds don't mandate that you ship to an FFL. Laws vary greatly by state, however. I live in Massachusetts, and the only restriction at the state level is that you don't sell to a minor. Each town has jurisdictional authority over classifying airguns, however, so some towns require you to have an FID to own an airgun. I don't know if the burden is on the shipper to verify that the receiver is legitimate, or if it is solely on the receiver.

NJ, from what I understand, treats all airguns like firearms, and you need the same permit to own an airpistol as you do a .44 magnum. Check the laws of the state you are shipping from and to.

Many (most?) other states realize that you are more likely to hurt someone with a pair of crutches than an airgun, and don't care if you own one.

As for the preferred carrier, they all probably have their own rules and regulations to cover their own asses, so just see which is easiest and cheapest (check their websites or give them a call).

Surprisingly, Nothing on the websites.

TargetTerror · Post by **TargetTerror** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:15 pm

There is one restriction that I forgot to mention before, and this any sort of airgun silencer. The BATF considers ANY device capable of being used as a silencer on a firearm to be a silencer as defined by federal law, and would require the necessary Class III paperwork and tax stamp to be legal. This would likely be more of an issue with a rifle than with a pistol, but just be aware of it.

Anything that is permanently attached to the gun (like an integrated stabilizer) should be legitimate; its just things that are detachable.

Don't mess around with this law. I read an article about someone who is serving a lengthy prison sentencing for transporting an unregistered airgun silencer.

You could also try calling an airgun distributor and asking them what the shipping laws are. I would hope that they would know.