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It’s not illegal to ship gunpowder within the United States, although USPS prevents you from doing so altogether. Therefore, you’ll be constrained to using either UPS or FedEx to ship your package, and you’ll still need to meet a stringent set of requirements in order to do so.
You Can’t Ship Gunpowder Without Hazmat Certification and a Specific Contract with UPS or FedEx
UPS and FedEx both allow for the shipment of gunpowders and primers. The issue is, individuals can’t ship gunpowder without proper Hazmat certification and a direct contract with either UPS or FedEx.
From the research we’ve done, it seems that UPS is more equipped to handle gunpowder shipments, as they are already the more popular carrier for sending ammunition. If you’d like to begin the process of entering into a Dangerous Goods contract with UPS, you can do so on their website.
Pro Tip: In this case, it may simply be easier to walk into your local UPS store and ask for their help shipping your package, instead of attempting to buy the postage yourself online. UPS employees will help you package the shipment properly to comply with the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, though you still may run into additional unforeseen hurdles without the proper contracts and certifications.
The Shipment Must Go Via Ground Service
Whether you’re using UPS or FedEx, your gunpowder shipment must be sent via ground service. Since gunpowder is an explosive and therefore a type of hazardous material, it cannot travel by air. UPS in particular will also charge a roughly $25 “Hazmat” fee in addition to the cost of postage.
You Can’t Send Gunpowder Internationally
Since you’re restricted to ground service, you also won’t be able to send any gunpowder internationally. This includes both Canada and Mexico.
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RAY
DIDNT THEY ALREADY CLASSIFY THEM BY P FFG RS? DONT MAKE SENSE
Bill
Smokeless powders is not an “explosive”, rather it is classified as a “Smokeless powder for small arms,” Division 4.1 hazard class (flammable solid material) for domestic transportation.