Mailing bullets- USPS

KBP75 · June 25, 2013, 07:55 AM

With all the new crazy laws in New York, I would like to know if its still legal to mail bullets from PA to New York. This is NOT loaded ammo, just bullets for reloading. Anyone up on all the new laws? Thanks!

NoSecondBest · June 25, 2013, 08:30 AM

Bullets are not ammunition. I live in New York and buy bullets all the time. There is nothing in the new BS laws restricting buying any components, including powder and primers. No problem what-so-ever.

dahermit · June 25, 2013, 08:43 AM

As of late, I have mailed bullets that I have sold on Gunbroker.com to different states several/many times. Bullets are inert and are not a hazard to the mail carrier. The most cost effective is a Small Flat Rate Priority Box. Being flat rate, the weight does not effect the price ("if it fits, it ships"), inside the USA. The Small Flat Rate box costs $5.80, available at all Post Offices, or $5.15 if the label is printed out at home on your printer. You can down load the program to do the printing and charging your credit card at home.

As to the legality (State law of New York), of shipping bullets, I do not know. But sense there is no requirement to label the contents of the package as "bullets" (or anything else), the State of New York would not know what was in the package...even if they had access to it.

carguychris · June 25, 2013, 09:50 AM

Quote:

There is nothing in the new BS laws restricting buying any components, including powder and primers.

Having read the law several times, I agree with this assessment, although standard IANAL disclaimers apply.

FWIW the mailability of most items other than alcoholic beverages is governed by federal U.S. postal regulations rather than state law. (Alcoholic beverages are a special case due to the wording of the 21A, but I digress.) AFAIK the postal regulations prohibit mailing loaded ammunition, powder, primers, and any type of incendiary, explosive, or tracer bullets, but do not prohibit the mailing of normal (i.e. inert) component bullets or unprimed or fired cases.

I would, however, recommend against using the term "bullets" or "shells" in the Post Office because many people believe these terms are analogous to loaded cartridges.

You are shipping "metal pellets".

**44 AMP** · June 25, 2013, 01:02 PM

If you had to tell them what was in the box, you might consider that "extruded ingots (to be used in a manufacturing process)" which is (I believe) a technically accurate description of the material.

Certainly as accurate a description as anything one reads or hears on the news these days.

Mail restrictions on loaded ammo, powder and primers is driven by the regulation of these materials as hazardous materials for shipment. DOT regulates that (in torturously detailed manner), and basically the post office says "we're not going to deal with it at all in the mail. Use another carrier"

Jacketed or lead bullets are inert metal and have no hazardous properties for shipping purposes (providing you don't drop them on your foot) such as flammability, explosive, poisonous, reactive, etc.

Sturdy packaging, proper addressing and postage should do it.

Paul B. · June 25, 2013, 01:14 PM

About nine months ago, I bought some bullets from a fellow and when they were late in reaching me I began to worry. Then a few days later I come home from the range and there is a bsiness card from a postal inspector with a note to give him a call.

I do and it seems the box my bullets were shipped in broke open and some Post Office blissninny freaked out and called the Postal Inspectors about bullets. At least all were retrieved. After warning me, the P.I. said I should get my package in a day or two. Much ado about nothing thanks to an idiot.

Paul B.

KBP75 · June 25, 2013, 01:26 PM

Thanks to everyone that replied. Just wanted to double check since New York is the new home of politicians that don't believe in our Constitutional rights. They want to control everything and FREEDOM is taken away from all when a criminal does something wrong!

carguychris · June 25, 2013, 02:16 PM

"Extruded ingots"... I like that.

BigD_in_FL · June 26, 2013, 10:46 AM

As mentioned, packaging is crucial. When I ordered some bullets from a maker in AZ, he puts them in two small USPS boxes, tapes everything with packing and tape, and then outs those two inside a medium box and tapes every edge of that. It makes the box VERY heavy (45 acp will do that) and the carrier had to use pone of their baskets to leave it at my door, but they arrived intact

June 25, 2013, 07:55 AM	#1
KBP75 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Posts: 316	Mailing bullets- USPS With all the new crazy laws in New York, I would like to know if its still legal to mail bullets from PA to New York. This is NOT loaded ammo, just bullets for reloading. Anyone up on all the new laws? Thanks!

June 25, 2013, 01:02 PM	#5
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,832	If you had to tell them what was in the box, you might consider that "extruded ingots (to be used in a manufacturing process)" which is (I believe) a technically accurate description of the material. Certainly as accurate a description as anything one reads or hears on the news these days. Mail restrictions on loaded ammo, powder and primers is driven by the regulation of these materials as hazardous materials for shipment. DOT regulates that (in torturously detailed manner), and basically the post office says "we're not going to deal with it at all in the mail. Use another carrier" Jacketed or lead bullets are inert metal and have no hazardous properties for shipping purposes (providing you don't drop them on your foot) such as flammability, explosive, poisonous, reactive, etc. Sturdy packaging, proper addressing and postage should do it. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

June 25, 2013, 01:14 PM	#6
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	About nine months ago, I bought some bullets from a fellow and when they were late in reaching me I began to worry. Then a few days later I come home from the range and there is a bsiness card from a postal inspector with a note to give him a call. I do and it seems the box my bullets were shipped in broke open and some Post Office blissninny freaked out and called the Postal Inspectors about bullets. At least all were retrieved. After warning me, the P.I. said I should get my package in a day or two. Much ado about nothing thanks to an idiot. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!

June 25, 2013, 01:26 PM	#7
KBP75 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Posts: 316	mailing bullets Thanks to everyone that replied. Just wanted to double check since New York is the new home of politicians that don't believe in our Constitutional rights. They want to control everything and FREEDOM is taken away from all when a criminal does something wrong!

June 25, 2013, 02:16 PM	#8
carguychris Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2007 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 7,523	"Extruded ingots"... I like that. __________________ "Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak

June 25, 2013, 08:30 AM	#2
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	Bullets are not ammunition. I live in New York and buy bullets all the time. There is nothing in the new BS laws restricting buying any components, including powder and primers. No problem what-so-ever.

June 25, 2013, 08:43 AM	#3
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	As of late, I have mailed bullets that I have sold on Gunbroker.com to different states several/many times. Bullets are inert and are not a hazard to the mail carrier. The most cost effective is a Small Flat Rate Priority Box. Being flat rate, the weight does not effect the price ("if it fits, it ships"), inside the USA. The Small Flat Rate box costs $5.80, available at all Post Offices, or $5.15 if the label is printed out at home on your printer. You can down load the program to do the printing and charging your credit card at home. As to the legality (State law of New York), of shipping bullets, I do not know. But sense there is no requirement to label the contents of the package as "bullets" (or anything else), the State of New York would not know what was in the package...even if they had access to it.

June 26, 2013, 10:46 AM	#9
BigD_in_FL Junior member Join Date: December 20, 2012 Location: The "Gunshine State" Posts: 1,981	As mentioned, packaging is crucial. When I ordered some bullets from a maker in AZ, he puts them in two small USPS boxes, tapes everything with packing and tape, and then outs those two inside a medium box and tapes every edge of that. It makes the box VERY heavy (45 acp will do that) and the carrier had to use pone of their baskets to leave it at my door, but they arrived intact