i got this information from one of our members (robert) off shooters.com a while back. as far as i know, all informations still applies today.

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tasunkawitko, I copied this from section C024.3.0 of the Domestic Mail Manual:

"3.0 RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS

Although unloaded rifles and shotguns not precluded by 1.1e and 1.2 are mailable,

mailers must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968, Public Law 90-618, 18

USC 921, et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, 27 CFR

178, as well as state and local laws. The mailer may be required by the USPS to

establish, by opening the parcel or by written certification, that the gun is unloaded

and not precluded by 1.1e."

And here's 1.1e in case you're curious:

"e. Short-barreled shotgun means a shotgun that has one or more barrels less

than 18 inches long. The term short-barreled rifle means a rifle that has one

or more barrels less than 16 inches long. These definitions include any

weapon made from a shotgun or rifle, whether by alteration, modification, or

otherwise, if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26

inches. A short-barreled shotgun or rifle of greater dimension may be

regarded as nonmailable when it has characteristics to allow concealment on

the person."

I've been using the Postal Service for several years now after getting a belly full of lousy UPS BS. All in all, I've been much happier sending firearms through them and there're quite a few "gun guys" at my local P.O. (please, no dumb jokes) who're pretty accomodating. Most everything gets anywhere within the Lower 48 within two or three days.

I've had way too many things lost, damaged, mis-delivered, and pilfered by UPS without satisfactory resolution to even piss on them if their guts were on fire.

Click on the link below to pull up the USPS' DMM. Click on the "DMM Subject Index."

Here's a sample of "written certification" that I provided the local P.O. when I sent a rifle yesterday:

"Postmaster:

Enclosed is a Savage Model 1899 lever action rifle in .30-30 caliber, serial #XXXXX. It is being sent to Insert Name Here, a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). This firearm is not loaded and there are not any munitions of any kind contained within this parcel. I have listed the contact information for Insert Name Here below, as well as mine. Thank you.

RECIPIENT:

Insert Name Here

123 Main Street

Anytown, USA 12345-6789

(123) 456-7890

SENDER:

Your Name Here

123 Main Street

Your Town, USA 12345-6789

(123) 456-7890"

They'll file this away (or something).

Here's the text from the Domestic Mail Manual regarding the USPS shipping ammunition:

"Hazardous Materials
3.2
Harmful matter also includes hazardous materials that are likely to harm USPS
employees or to destroy, deface, or otherwise damage mail or postal equipment.
This includes materials such as caustic poisons (acids and alkalies), oxidizers, or
highly flammable liquids, gases, or solids; or materials that are likely, under
conditions incident to transportation, to cause fires through friction, absorption of
moisture, or spontaneous chemical changes or from retained heat from
manufacturing or processing, including explosives or containers previously used for
shipping high explosives with a liquid ingredient (such as dynamite), AMMUNITION,
fireworks, radioactive materials, matches, or articles emitting obnoxious odors."