Any experience with shipping guns to Alaska Kenai area?? (transporting, homes) - (AK) - City-Data Forum

blueflames50 · 03-31-2009, 11:43 AM

We have realized that transporting our gun collection across Canadian boarder is not an option. Has anyone experience with shipping your guns? Is there a reputable gun dealer to ship to on the Kenai Peninsula?? any ideas of cost??? any tips would be helpful...thanks

The Grill God · 03-31-2009, 11:59 AM

I would suggest the gunbroker.com forum. I would post the link but I'm on a different computer. I believe they have a list I might have seen in there. Sorry I couldn't be more help. But Rance could probably give you some names also.

arctichomesteader · 03-31-2009, 12:22 PM

Handguns or long guns? You can mail any long guns to yourself. Handguns can't be mailed by a non-FFL but you can send them through UPS or Fedex (express shipping only for both of them, will be expensive shipping up handguns) to yourself, if you have an address to ship them too (your new address).

Moose Whisperer · 03-31-2009, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Handguns or long guns? You can mail any long guns to yourself. Handguns can't be mailed by a non-FFL but you can send them through UPS or Fedex (express shipping only for both of them, will be expensive shipping up handguns) to yourself, if you have an address to ship them too (your new address).

You can also mail long guns "in care of" to a third party, but the package must still show your name as the final recipient. The reason you can do this is that, by law, the third party cannot open the package, therefore it still does not constitute a "transfer" per ATF rules.

BudinAk · 03-31-2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueflames50

We have realized that transporting our gun collection across Canadian boarder is not an option. Has anyone experience with shipping your guns? Is there a reputable gun dealer to ship to on the Kenai Peninsula?? any ideas of cost??? any tips would be helpful...thanks

Yep...been there, done that. I shipped 4 handguns from Oregon to Alaska, via Fedex. You will need a lockable "hard" gun case. (like one of those plastic or fiberglass ones from Walmart, or wherever) And, you will need a copy of a registered gun dealer to ship to (somebody with a FFL license). You just walk into any Fedex shipping center, with your UNLOADED gun in its case. You CANNOT ship any ammo with it. And, of course, it must be unloaded. Have the copy of the gun dealer's address, and FFL license, with you. The only acceptable shipping method is 1-day air, no regular "surface" shipping allowed. (at least that is what they told me). So, the shipping rate is for whatever your gun and case weighs, for 1-day shipping. IE: if the gun and case weighs 15lbs, then the rate is for 15lbs.
Virtually all the gun dealers here will accept gun shipments to them. You will have to phone them a week or so ahead of time, and have them FAX a copy of their address and FFL license to you. The gun dealer will probably require a fee for this service, normally around $25 to $50 per gun, payable when you go to pick up your gun.
Just do a Google search for "gun dealer Kenai Alaska" (just for example) If there are dealers in the town you are going to, it will tell you their phone number. Then call them up, tell them you need to ship a gun to their town, and that you will pick it up in person later. If they are agreeable, they will fax you the info required, and any other details that apply.
Oh...almost forgot: you do not need a firearms dealer to do the shipping for you. You are allowed to ship, but the recipient must be a FFL (at least if it is a handgun, I'm not sure about a rifle or shotgun)

Good luck,
Bud

Moose Whisperer · 03-31-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BudinAk

Yep...been there, done that. I shipped 4 handguns from Oregon to Alaska, via Fedex. You will need a lockable "hard" gun case. (like one of those plastic or fiberglass ones from Walmart, or wherever) And, you will need a copy of a registered gun dealer to ship to (somebody with a FFL license). You just walk into any Fedex shipping center, with your UNLOADED gun in its case. You CANNOT ship any ammo with it. And, of course, it must be unloaded. Have the copy of the gun dealer's address, and FFL license, with you. The only acceptable shipping method is 1-day air, no regular "surface" shipping allowed. (at least that is what they told me). So, the shipping rate is for whatever your gun and case weighs, for 1-day shipping. IE: if the gun and case weighs 15lbs, then the rate is for 15lbs.
Virtually all the gun dealers here will accept gun shipments to them. You will have to phone them a week or so ahead of time, and have them FAX a copy of their address and FFL license to you. The gun dealer will probably require a fee for this service, normally around $25 to $50 per gun, payable when you go to pick up your gun.
Just do a Google search for "gun dealer Kenai Alaska" (just for example) If there are dealers in the town you are going to, it will tell you their phone number. Then call them up, tell them you want to ship them a gun. If they are agreeable, they will fax you the info required, and any other details that apply.

Good luck,
Bud

And you're going to find allot of the rules will change depending on who you talk to and what FFL you plan on using. When I moved my stuff up, I used Great Northern Guns on Tudor. When I asked them for a copy of their FFL, they hit the roof and said no way were they ever going to give out a COPY of their FFL. They said if FedEx had a problem, they could call them directly. At the FedEx counter I told this to the clerk and she said "fine, as long as you are telling me one party is a licensed dealer, I have met my responsibility".

Also, FedEx requires the firearm to be unloaded, and disassembled so it can't fire. Easy to do with autos, I don't know what this means for a revolver.

And UPS can also be a little screwy too. The reason I went with FedEx at the time was that UPS was telling me (or at least the kid at the call center reading the script was saying) that BOTH the shipper AND reciever had to be FFLs.

NorthWord · 03-31-2009, 01:16 PM

I'm likely moving Outside for a bit.
I was planning on hauling my long guns across the border, but mailing out my handguns.

I was just going to break them down and FedEx them to a buddy.
Last month I UPS'd my wife's dead Chihuahua to Ohio (frozen).

I'm not about to jump through federal hoops to send out gun parts. I'm not in prison, so one should be inspecting my mail.

This is how it starts folks...

stiffnecked · 03-31-2009, 01:18 PM

No need for an FFL. I wish we could me this a sticky note on moving. Alaska Airlines allows you to ship firearms as airfreight. You ship them to yourself. No FFL involved. It's a much simpler process than they UPS or FEDEX option. Anytime I head north or south I take my firearms to the airfreight counter and ship them. They hold them at the destination station until I arrive and pick them up.

Shipping Firearms as cargo

arctichomesteader · 03-31-2009, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BudinAk

Yep...been there, done that. I shipped 4 handguns from Oregon to Alaska, via Fedex. You will need a lockable "hard" gun case. (like one of those plastic or fiberglass ones from Walmart, or wherever) And, you will need a copy of a registered gun dealer to ship to (somebody with a FFL license). You just walk into any Fedex shipping center, with your UNLOADED gun in its case. You CANNOT ship any ammo with it. And, of course, it must be unloaded. Have the copy of the gun dealer's address, and FFL license, with you. The only acceptable shipping method is 1-day air, no regular "surface" shipping allowed. (at least that is what they told me). So, the shipping rate is for whatever your gun and case weighs, for 1-day shipping. IE: if the gun and case weighs 15lbs, then the rate is for 15lbs.
Virtually all the gun dealers here will accept gun shipments to them. You will have to phone them a week or so ahead of time, and have them FAX a copy of their address and FFL license to you. The gun dealer will probably require a fee for this service, normally around $25 to $50 per gun, payable when you go to pick up your gun.
Just do a Google search for "gun dealer Kenai Alaska" (just for example) If there are dealers in the town you are going to, it will tell you their phone number. Then call them up, tell them you need to ship a gun to their town, and that you will pick it up in person later. If they are agreeable, they will fax you the info required, and any other details that apply.
Oh...almost forgot: you do not need a firearms dealer to do the shipping for you. You are allowed to ship, but the recipient must be a FFL (at least if it is a handgun, I'm not sure about a rifle or shotgun)

Good luck,
Bud

You don't need an FFL on either side if you ship them to yourself unless you want to use the postal service for handguns (then only an FFL can ship it). Fedex or UPS is fine, on both ends, for doing it without an FFL. Some of the workers won't know their own policies so it doesn't hurt to print them out and bring a copy when shipping them.

Moose Whisperer · 03-31-2009, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

No need for an FFL. I wish we could me this a sticky note on moving. Alaska Airlines allows you to ship firearms as airfreight. You ship them to yourself. No FFL involved. It's a much simpler process than they UPS or FEDEX option. Anytime I head north or south I take my firearms to the airfreight counter and ship them. They hold them at the destination station until I arrive and pick them up.

Shipping Firearms as cargo

Are you required to deliver the firearms to them in person? Could be quite a drive for someone not near an airport serviced by Alaska.