Lost gun---who's responsible

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gunpoorboy1
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Lost gun---who's responsible

#1

Post by gunpoorboy1 »

Ok, here's the jist of the story.
I buy a handgun from a private party in Virginia.
His FFL sends the gun to my FFL here in Phoenix.
Per the USPS tracking number it was delivered on 9/9/21 at 11AM.
I call my FFL today and they say they have no record (via the serial number) of ever logging this in
our out.
I will shortly file a claim against the USPS and let them do their thing.

Question. At this point, who owns the gun and is responsible for reporting it lost or stolen, or have I done that by filing a claim? Do I have to notify any other agency, even though I never got the gun or does the issuing FFL have to or does the party who sold it to me have to report it. I've lost the investment so...............


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MarkItZero
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#2

Post by MarkItZero »

I suspect the problem to be that the FFL will say the USPS must have stolen it, while the USPS will say the FFL must have stolen it
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#3

Post by QuietM4 »

That’s the problem with USPS…no signatures.

Sounds like your FFL needs to do a hard target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, outhouse, hen house, and dog house in their area. If it was delivered, it will be in the building somewhere.
Last edited by QuietM4 on September 18th, 2021, 5:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#4

Post by sonofbp »

ffl may have fat fingered the sn when entering it, IMO have them look around
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MarkItZero
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#5

Post by MarkItZero »

QuietM4 wrote: September 18th, 2021, 4:22 pm That’s the problem with USPS…no signatures.

Sounds like your FFL needs to do a hard target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, outhouse, hen house, and dog house in their area. If it was delivered, it will be in the building somewhere.
I just received a shipment of precious metals via USPS and it was a signature required delivery.
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#6

Post by McKnight55 »

MarkItZero wrote: September 19th, 2021, 9:04 am
QuietM4 wrote: September 18th, 2021, 4:22 pm That’s the problem with USPS…no signatures.

Sounds like your FFL needs to do a hard target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, outhouse, hen house, and dog house in their area. If it was delivered, it will be in the building somewhere.
I just received a shipment of precious metals via USPS and it was a signature required delivery.
This policy may or may not be their guideline:

https://forums.collectors.com/discussio ... -signature

Can you get a legible copy of the signature ? It has always been signature required for booze,some rx and guns.
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kenpoprofessor
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#7

Post by kenpoprofessor »

gunpoorboy1 wrote: September 18th, 2021, 3:03 pm Ok, here's the jist of the story.
I buy a handgun from a private party in Virginia.
His FFL sends the gun to my FFL here in Phoenix.
Per the USPS tracking number it was delivered on 9/9/21 at 11AM.
I call my FFL today and they say they have no record (via the serial number) of ever logging this in
our out.
I will shortly file a claim against the USPS and let them do their thing.

Question. At this point, who owns the gun and is responsible for reporting it lost or stolen, or have I done that by filing a claim? Do I have to notify any other agency, even though I never got the gun or does the issuing FFL have to or does the party who sold it to me have to report it. I've lost the investment so...............

I'm gonna say there was a signature required, best to see who signed for it, and what address it was delivered to.


Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde
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XJThrottle
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#8

Post by XJThrottle »

Call PHX PD and report it stolen. Put a call into the PHX branch of the ATF too.

My similar story.
https://www.arizonashooting.org/forum/v ... 46&t=11069
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gunpoorboy1
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#9

Post by gunpoorboy1 »

So I went to my FFL one last time to have him check to make sure he didn't have it, and low and behold, they found it. Must have had it buried but they finally did find it. The gun is now in my possession.
Oh yea, the reason they didn't call me was the original FFL, who is a private party, neglected to put any delivery or notification information on the package. So, it would appear there's blame to go around. Oh well. Alls well that ends well.
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#10

Post by knockonit »

so any chance the ffl in question can be named, just asking
Rj
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#11

Post by Stronghand »

That happens to me constantly as a dealer. Either people fat finger their info when they order or people intentionally put wrong info so they "govt don't know" about their guns.
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#12

Post by TJMX397 »

Love a story with a happy ending! "Boy meets gun. Boy buys gun. Boy & gun live happily ever after."
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#13

Post by XJThrottle »

Stronghand wrote: September 20th, 2021, 5:19 pm That happens to me constantly as a dealer. Either people fat finger their info when they order or people intentionally put wrong info so they "govt don't know" about their guns.
That's next level window licker chit right there. :lol:
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#14

Post by rbking »

Something rotten in Denmark going on here? I shipped a handgun through FedEx couple months ago. Because the local FFL's told me, that the USPS changed their regs last year. FFL's are no longer allowed to ship handguns through Priority Mail. The are required to use FedEx or UPS. Like us low life's.

Glad you received your handgun OK! Might have caused a problem filing a claim with USPS. On a firearm that wasn't even supposed to be even shipped through the mail.
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Re: Lost gun---who's responsible

#15

Post by QuietM4 »

rbking wrote: September 27th, 2021, 10:30 am Something rotten in Denmark going on here? I shipped a handgun through FedEx couple months ago. Because the local FFL's told me, that the USPS changed their regs last year. FFL's are no longer allowed to ship handguns through Priority Mail. The are required to use FedEx or UPS. Like us low life's.

Glad you received your handgun OK! Might have caused a problem filing a claim with USPS. On a firearm that wasn't even supposed to be even shipped through the mail.
That's not true. FFL's complete a form that is supposed to be completed with each shipment, Form PS 1508. Technically, ONLY FFL's are allowed to ship hand guns with USPS...anyone can ship a long gun via USPS,as long as it is in-state (if you don't have an FFL, and you need to ship anything out of state, it has to go via UPS/FedEx to an FFL).

From the ATF's website;

May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service?

A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another state. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of their own state or to a licensee in any state.

The U.S. Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms.

Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.

[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A); 27 CFR 478.31]
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