U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- United Parcel Service has issued new rules for shipping firearms and firearm parts, but the announcement comes a week after UPS canceled the accounts of gun retailers who may have violated the rules that weren’t yet made public or even in effect.
In a story published July 1, we revealed that UPS was terminating the accounts of gun dealers, and that any packages currently in the UPS system could be “seized and destroyed.”
In a letter sent to one Florida gun dealer, Ghost Firearms, UPS said they were terminating the account because they “may be violating” laws concerning homemade firearm parts.
“We write to inform you that UPS has learned that your company may be violating applicable laws concerning the shipment of “ghost guns” to unauthorized locations,” the letter states. “In light of our concern, UPS has determined that it will cancel your account, effective immediately.”
In a follow-up story published July 5, we revealed that five Democratic Senators recently sent ominous letters to UPS and 27 other carriers, blaming them for escalating violent crime rates.
“We are concerned that lax shipping security measures are contributing to the epidemic of gun violence in this country by allowing criminals to use stolen firearms to commit crimes,” the letters each state.
They were signed by Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.), and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
In their letters, the Senators peppered the shippers with 20 questions and document requests. They were sent May 19 to UPS, FedEx, the U.S. Postal Service, and trucking and rail carriers located in the United States and Canada.
UPS media relations personnel did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment for either story.
Now, UPS has quietly updated its rules for shipping firearms on its website.
Now, they require a serial number on any frame or receiver, as required by a federal rule that hasn’t yet taken effect.
Any item that meets the definition of a firearm (including firearm mufflers or silencers) or a “frame” or “receiver” under federal law (including any partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver as defined by 27 CFR § 478.12) must be identified and bear a serial number in satisfaction of the requirements for identifying such items under federal law, including 27 CFR § 478.92 and/or 27 CFR § 479.102, regardless of whether any such items are otherwise exempt from or not subject to identification requirements under applicable law. This prohibition applies even before the effective date of 27 CFR § 478.12.
UPS’ previous rules contained no serial number requirements.
Takeaways
Over the past two weeks, UPS’ messaging has been a hot mess.
They threatened dealers’ livelihoods. They seized and destroyed property – all with no advance notice – and when they were caught and their actions became public, they failed to address their mistakes.
In other words, they punished gun dealers for violating secret UPS rules that weren’t even public – all because they got a scary letter from five anti-gun politicians.
As a private business, UPS is free to enact whatever shipping rules they want, but we are free to choose a carrier that’s not so schizophrenic.
This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.
About Lee Williams
Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” is the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.
The globalists have a check list. Legal gun ownership is at the top of that list it seems. This is a war and they are raiding supply chains of firearms and ammo. If we are cut off from internet retailers, that leaves gun shows and dwindling supplies from gun shops. If we allow this to continue, we deserve what we get.
FJB/FUPS !
Infiltrating every facet of life is the ultimate goal of the left.
UPS knuckles under to subtile pressure from the feds. The new rules the BATFE plans on placing into effect in August will not stand the scrutiny of the judicial system. The recent decision re the EPA sets the stage for reining in the over reach of the BATFE and other federal agencies!
So add random numbers on your parts and claim it’s a serial number. UPS isn’t going to check them all, so problem solved
The only thing the woke suits at UPS understand is money, Now that they have pissed off millions of people who use their services to ship everything imaginable, lets see how they stand when next quarters financial results and losses show up on the balance sheet, Boycott UPS for all shipping transactions.
So that block of aluminum and the 3D printer materials that I ordered now require serial numbers!
It would be interesting to FOIA or sue for information about whether any law enforcement agency has provided a list to these shipping companies of firearm parts manufactirers they want inspected (particularly USPS)…whether any shipping company has opened or confiscated any shipments based on any provided list, and whether they allowed government agents to do anything with or otherwise document the contents of said packages…at the direction of whom, and under the auspices of what law.
Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has dementia and should not be in office. So much for democratic credibility.
UPS is a world economic fund (wef) partner.
STOP using ups. Shut them down. They are your enemy. They are part of the fourth reich. They are traitors to the U.S.