Shipping 1842 Pistol from California to Pennsylvania

[cobraluvr1018]

My wife's uncle in California asked if I wanted a pre civil war pistol that he owns. I was wondering if anyone can tell me If and how he can ship it to me? Thanks Much.

[Hawk]

Pretty sure all he has to do is box it up and ship it to you via USPS, UPS, or even FedEx. To the best of my knowledge a BP Revolver is not considered a firearm. You don't even need to mark the box or tell the shipper what's inside the box.


Wait and see if one of our resident FFL guys replies to this thread to confirm.


(3) The term “firearm” means
(A) any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive;
(B) the frame or receiver of any such weapon;
(C) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or
(D) any destructive device. Such term does not include an antique firearm.

And what is an antique?
(16) The term “antique firearm” means—
(A) any firearm (including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in or before 1898; or
(B) any replica of any firearm described in subparagraph (A) if such replica—
(i) is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition, or
(ii) uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade; or
(C) any muzzle loading rifle, muzzle loading shotgun, or muzzle loading pistol, which is designed to use black powder, or a black powder substitute, and which cannot use fixed ammunition. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “antique firearm” shall not include any weapon which incorporates a firearm frame or receiver, any firearm which is converted into a muzzle loading weapon, or any muzzle loading weapon which can be readily converted to fire fixed ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, breechblock, or any combination thereof.

[tl_3237]

Pretty sure all he has to do is box it up and ship it to you via USPS, UPS, or even FedEx. To the best of my knowledge a BP Revolver is not considered a firearm. You don't even need to mark the box or tell the shipper what's inside the box.
Are you a prohibited person by any chance? I'm pretty sure prohibited persons are not permitted to even touch BP guns.

Wait and see if one of our resident FFL guys replies to this thread to confirm.

snip

I don't believe that it can be mailed using the USPS

http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_009.htm

[wa3ra]

USPS:

431.1 Firearm: The term shall not include antique firearms (except antique firearms meeting the description of a handgun or of a firearm capable of being concealed on a person).

431.3 Antique Firearm

Antique firearm means any muzzle loading rifle/shotgun/pistol, which is designed to use black powder or a black powder substitute, and which cannot use fixed ammunition (except those that incorporate a firearm frame or receiver, any firearm which is converted into a muzzle loading weapon, or any muzzle loading weapon which can be readily converted to fire fixed ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, breechblock, or any combination thereof); or any firearm (including those with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured on or before 1898, or any replica thereof, if such replica:

431.3: Is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition. Uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.

[Ecclectic Collector]

Make sure to put enough insurance on it. Even relic grade originals are worth several hundred these days.

[tl_3237]

USPS:

431.1 Firearm: The term shall not include antique firearms (except antique firearms meeting the description of a handgun or of a firearm capable of being concealed on a person).


431.2 Handguns

Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person (for example, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles) are defined as handguns. The following definitions apply:

a.Handgun (including pistols and revolvers) means any firearm which has a short stock, and is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand and subject to 431.1, or a combination of parts from which a handgun can be assembled.

b.Other firearms capable of being concealed on the person include, but are not limited to, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles.

c.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 that are less than 16 inches long. These definitions include any weapon made from a shotgun or rifle, whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such a 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.

431.3 Antique Firearm

Antique firearm means any muzzle loading rifle/shotgun/pistol, which is designed to use black powder or a black powder substitute, and which cannot use fixed ammunition (except those that incorporate a firearm frame or receiver, any firearm which is converted into a muzzle loading weapon, or any muzzle loading weapon which can be readily converted to fire fixed ammunition by replacing the barrel, bolt, breechblock, or any combination thereof); or any firearm (including those with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured on or before 1898, or any replica thereof, if such replica:

431.3: Is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition. Uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.

Red bolding above mine. Added 431.2 definition of handgun. A civil war revolver would be prohibited from mailing.