Shipping a firearm back to manufacturer for warranty work - questions?

[Martinjmpr]

I've shipped guns before after online sales through GB but I've never shipped a firearm back to a manufacturer for a warranty repair, so I have questions for those more knowledgeable.

1. The manufacturer sent me a RMA (Return Material Authorization) and a FedEx shipping label. I do have the original box the rifle came in. My question is, since I am supposed to ship it without any outside writing indicating that it is a firearm, am I required to put the boxed rifle into ANOTHER box or would wrapping it in brown shipping paper be sufficient?

2. When I have shipped guns before to FFL's I have always included a copy of the receiving FFL in the box. My RMA is not an FFL, but since it is going to the manufacturer am I right in thinking I don't need to address it to a specific FFL?

I'm sure this happens all the time but I want to make sure I cover all my bases legally.

Thanks in advance!

[Bailey Guns]

Wrapping it in brown paper is sufficient. I've sometimes used the original gun box but turned it inside out. You can do that with some boxes that aren't glued on the ends but not others that are glued.

You do not need a copy of the mfg's FFL. Just address it according to the instructions on the RMA.

[.455_Hunter]

When I have shipped firearms for warranty or recall work, I used a non-descript box with no identifying nomenclature. In addition, the shipping label tend to be vauge. For example, the FedEx shipping label provided by Smith and Wesson shows the addressee as being "SWC". I have had no issues dropping the shipment off at a FedEx terminal. The last counter clerk even asked what I was sending back to Smith & Wesson because he was a shooter too and recognized the address and SWC.

[Little Dutch]

I've shipped guns before after online sales through GB but I've never shipped a firearm back to a manufacturer for a warranty repair, so I have questions for those more knowledgeable.

1. The manufacturer sent me a RMA (Return Material Authorization) and a FedEx shipping label. I do have the original box the rifle came in. My question is, since I am supposed to ship it without any outside writing indicating that it is a firearm, am I required to put the boxed rifle into ANOTHER box or would wrapping it in brown shipping paper be sufficient?

2. When I have shipped guns before to FFL's I have always included a copy of the receiving FFL in the box. My RMA is not an FFL, but since it is going to the manufacturer am I right in thinking I don't need to address it to a specific FFL?

I'm sure this happens all the time but I want to make sure I cover all my bases legally.

Thanks in advance!

I normally cram it into a fedex box, or a recycled amazon box or something similar. The Fedex return labels has always included the fedex box though.

You are correct that you do not need to do anything dealing with an FFL for an RMA.

[Martinjmpr]

I normally cram it into a fedex box, or a recycled amazon box or something similar. The Fedex return labels has always included the fedex box though.

You are correct that you do not need to do anything dealing with an FFL for an RMA.

Yeah, this is a rifle and from the size and weight of the box, even if I wrap it in brown paper it's not going to be difficult to figure out what's inside. At least I'll be shipping FedEx so they will track it.

Hoping I can drop it at the FedEx facility in Englewood near Belleview and Santa Fe. Back in my Gunbroker days (circa 2006 or so) I lived near Tamarac Square and would take my guns to the UPS facility at Centennial Airport.

[Little Dutch]

Yeah, this is a rifle and from the size and weight of the box, even if I wrap it in brown paper it's not going to be difficult to figure out what's inside. At least I'll be shipping FedEx so they will track it.

Hoping I can drop it at the FedEx facility in Englewood near Belleview and Santa Fe. Back in my Gunbroker days (circa 2006 or so) I lived near Tamarac Square and would take my guns to the UPS facility at Centennial Airport.

When I shipped my Ruger American back I went to the local gunshop and got a brown rifle shipping box from them. I called ahead to ask if they had one. They get a lot of shipments and were happy to let me have one. I peeled off the old shipping labels of course.

Might be worth a try.

[Linkless]

I just turned an old box inside out and put the rifle in it's original box inside of that one. It was probably overkill but arrived safely. That was in February, the replacement still isn't ready because CZ pretty much sucks.

[brutal]

You might even call your local FedEx office. If it's a company store, they'll ship it. I sent a rifle to SIG twice.

[izzy]

I just had to do this. Had FedEx put the original box in a few one for $20.

[bradbn4]

Good tape is your friend on shipping. and at times hot glue the sides of the disposable outside box is even better.

I had 2 receivers that were out of spec that needed to be returned (swapped) out. I think the description was machined parts that the mfg requested to be put on the package.

inside the box I had a copy of the RMA e-mail that had all the necessary info

[Delfuego]

Don't take it to a FedEx store! Arrange for a pickup at your house, no funny business needed. The will return it to your house with "Adult Signature Required" right to you doorstep. Very easy, no FFL or other stuff required. Pack it well. I do it often.

[OctopusHighball]

Do not use any kind of wrapping paper. I had an upper and a high end knife I recently shipped. Since the only boxes I had were factory boxes that had advertising on the outside, I wrapped in thick brown paper and fully taped every edge. When I got it to FedEx, they told me no go, as the paper tends to rip and foul up their machines. So I had to have them put inside another box. I could have simply removed the wrapping but that's like putting a sign on it that says "steal me".

According to the FedEx guy, UPS and USPS have similar policies. I don't know this for sure, but it sounded believable. I even asked if I could just tape the entire thing, and they said they will reject anything not in a cardboard container or approved shipping package.

[JohnnyEgo]

The last time I sent a pistol off to Nighthawk, I drove it to the FedEx distribution center in FoCo. They looked up Nighthawk in their system before they would ship; told me they would only ship guns to FFLs they had on file. Not sure if that is a local, regional, or national policy, but there you have it. Other than waiting for them to look up Nighthawk in their system, it was a fairly painless process.