The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Is it legal to mail a personally owned firearm?

Willie Sutton · July 20, 2012, 07:42 AM

Thanks Frank.

Real world example of "loans for sporting purposes".

A friend of mine from England wanted to take a 250 course at Gunsite. I offer him the loan of my old 1911 as well as mags, holster, etc. How do we do this? He's a non resident alien, and cannot be the recipient of a transfer of a firearm.

Answer: I ship the old Colt to Gunsite, who receives it as a FFL. They do some tune up work and then they put it in their vault. When my friend comes to Gunsite, he is issued the .45 *on a daily basis* to shoot on the ranges, and at the end of the day he returns it to Cory and it gets put back into the safe. He does NOT take it to the motel at night, he does NOT carry it off of the range for lunch, and he most certainly does NOT mail it back to me after his course is done.

At the end of the course, the FFL returns it to me via FEDEX. This is legal as the FFL is held as a Gunsmith and the shipment is back to the original owner. As for gunsmithing, I had a new ejector installed and a loose front sight re silver-soldered on at the Smithy before it was "rigorously test fired" by my friend taking the 250.

That's a "Loan" for sporting purposes.

Willie

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July 20, 2012, 07:42 AM	#16
Willie Sutton Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2012 Posts: 1,066	Thanks Frank. Real world example of "loans for sporting purposes". A friend of mine from England wanted to take a 250 course at Gunsite. I offer him the loan of my old 1911 as well as mags, holster, etc. How do we do this? He's a non resident alien, and cannot be the recipient of a transfer of a firearm. Answer: I ship the old Colt to Gunsite, who receives it as a FFL. They do some tune up work and then they put it in their vault. When my friend comes to Gunsite, he is issued the .45 on a daily basis to shoot on the ranges, and at the end of the day he returns it to Cory and it gets put back into the safe. He does NOT take it to the motel at night, he does NOT carry it off of the range for lunch, and he most certainly does NOT mail it back to me after his course is done. At the end of the course, the FFL returns it to me via FEDEX. This is legal as the FFL is held as a Gunsmith and the shipment is back to the original owner. As for gunsmithing, I had a new ejector installed and a loose front sight re silver-soldered on at the Smithy before it was "rigorously test fired" by my friend taking the 250. That's a "Loan" for sporting purposes. Willie . Last edited by Willie Sutton; July 20, 2012 at 07:48 AM.