Shipping firearms from a different province

[LongRangebugler]

Hey guys ! Just wondering what are the rules/legality of shipping firearms through Canada post/ fedex/ purolator or whatever shipping process ? I’ve never done it before so just wondering... wanted a family member to send me a couple firearms from B.C. to Edmonton . I don’t see the problem .

[Dean2]

A couple of my posts on the other threads. There are four or five threads in the last few months that covers this in detail. Basically your choice is Canada Post.You could save yourself a ton of work by just searching "Canada Post"

To ship a 1000 dollar gun will run you about 80 bucks, including insurance and signature ( which comes automatically with insurance above 500). Legally you MUST have signature required, even though with Covid Canada post won't actually get one. You also want to insure the package for its full value. Insured packages rarely go missing and seem to get less beat up than uninsured. The comment that CP won't pay for loss if it is a gun is wrong.

Do NOT mark it as a gun or declare that at the post office, it is none of their business what you are shipping. The comment that you need to have a CP small business account to ship them is accurate to the new CP rules but many guys are still just taking them boxed and wrapped in brown paper to the PO and shipping them no problem. The advantage to having a small business account is you get Expedited with 100 free insurance for the same price as regular parcel and expedited is quite a bit faster usually. Setting up the account only takes a couple of minutes and you don't need to be a registered business or have a GST number.

I have never taken a gun apart to ship it, it does save a couple of bucks but the packaging, screws etc is a drawback I don't think is worth the 10 bucks I save, plus, all the gun boxes and hard cases (which I use for shipping expensive guns) I have were designed to be used with a full length gun. Buying stout shorter boxes would eat up a big chunk of your 10 bucks anyhow.


Make sure you sign up for email notification on tracking and if you have your buyers email you can have notices go to them too. Any loss, late delivery or damage claims must be initiated by the sender, CP won't deal with the recipient at all. I have shipped a great many packages over the past few years. One lost, one damaged, make sure you have good clear pictures of the item you are shipping to be able to prove damage, three late delivery refunds of the expedited parcel fee, Pre-Covid as they now won't guarantee the delivery times. For the cost CP is still far and away the best bet and they deliver everywhere in Canada, which many of the couriers do not.

Unless you break it down it will always pretty much going to look like a rifle. Koplin ATV case wouldn't be my first choice as they don't hold the gun all that tight. I would buy one of the single gun hard cases, about $20 on sale at BP or Cabelas or use the factory box, wrap the gun in newspaper or better yet the small bubble wrap and wrap the box in brown paper. When you mail the gun you legally must specify signature required at the other end, even for a rifle. You don't have to insure it but I insure all of mine cause I think they are more careful with those. Make sure you have the serial number recorded before you ship it so if it disappears en route you can report it properly. (Never had one get lost or damaged and I have shipped a great many by Canada Post)

[LongRangebugler]

Thanks for the info , just watching super bowl pre game not wanting to research previously posted threads , just wanting a quick answer so thanks .

[bat119]

A note from a frustrating experience today

Because of covid shipping signature required is no longer an option you must set up a CP small business account if you already have a ship in a click account you will be unable to use the same email to open a CP small business account.

spent a couple hours on the Canada post merry go round website, I did another hour on hold to find this out.

close any other accounts before attempting to open a CP small business account if want to use the same email, I only have one.

[esher]

Got a rifle at a auction last week, signed at the post office and took it home.

[esher]

Bought one privately last spring, the guy shipped it tore down and my mail person brought it to my door.

[6.5 shooter]

FYI Canada post will no longer ship firearms unless you become "registered" with the post office. I got grilled when I shipped a stock to my son for painting as to whether it was a rifle or not, she asked at least 5 times then finally gave me a copy of their new policy. UPS will get all of my business from now on. PO charged me $47.67 to ship the stock "said it was heavy" 3 kilo's, or so she said.
That is a non insured price and no sig required.

[skidderman]

I highly suggest UPS. It might cost a bit more but there have been enough problems at Canada Post that they are no longer 100% dependable.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by skidderman

I highly suggest UPS. It might cost a bit more but there have been enough problems at Canada Post that they are no longer 100% dependable.

You might want to phone and talk to UPS, here in Canada, direct before shipping a firearm. Many of the couriers have pretty convoluted rules, as in many won't ship unless you are a regular customer with a contracted relationship. I would make sure I had recorded the time, date and name of agent that confirmed the information.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by skidderman

I highly suggest UPS. It might cost a bit more but there have been enough problems at Canada Post that they are no longer 100% dependable.

UPS is terrible if you aren’t in a major population center.

[bat119]

Caught the CP guy dropping a notice card in my mailbox this morning, told to him give me the parcel he didn't have it just the card??? they don't even attempt delivery anymore.