Where to start?

[gloftoe]

I haven't even taken the thing out to shoot, and I'm already trying to figure out how to mess it up . I know about the ROF increase mod (where can I get a semi buffer nowadays? CDNN is out). What's this I hear about a differenet feed ramp? Something about feeding HP ammo? What's the poop on this mod?

Also, I'm going to do both caliber conversions. I already have a GG lower from Chris, now I just need to get the barrel and bolt. Are these available anywhere separately, or should I just buy the kit from Vector?

As far as the .22 kit goes, is there ANY other place to get mags for it, besides direct from Vector? 15 and 20 round mags seem too small for FA fire. And the 28 round mags are $50/ea :eek
Thanks for all the info you can provide this newbie. I appreciate it!

-Gloftoe

 

[salvo]

Hi gloftoe, sounds like you better buy some ammo first and go shoot that baby!

The FA Uzi's have a pressed metal feed ramp that works fine with FMJ ammo. Vector will remove the FA feed ramp and weld in a steel semi feed ramp that will feed HP ammo, it also makes the .45 kits run much better. Vector charges $50.00 and they re-park the reciever also. Took only one week from the time I sent my Uzi to them to get it back.

 

[gloftoe]

how do I handle shipping this thing to Vector for that feed-ramp modification? Will I need to ship it thru a C3 dealer, or what? I sure hate to send the thing off, but if it also makes the .45 kit run better, and will feed pretty much ANY ammo, then I just might do that. Thanks!

 

[moo-cow]

You can send it back directly to Vector, via UPS or FedEX. I would not try to mess with the US Postal Service for a firearm. Vector uses UPS as their main carrier. I would call and ask Vector first, just to confirm with them. What they have told people in the past for warranty service is to just send it UPS, and they "self insure" it. If you want to be really safe, you can fill out an ATF form 5 saying that you are sending it to the manufacturer for service, but Vector does not even recommend that as far as I know. You do not have to fill it out as long as it is going back to them. Just give them a call and ask them what is best...and they will most likely tell you all of that, unless things have changed.

 

[moo-cow]

Oh yeah....if you do UPS, they will ask you to open it up when you go to send it. I really do not like that about them either. You usually get some idiot at the counter who tries to tell you it has to be sent overnight just like a handgun. FedEx is less likely to ask you to open it, but they also require overnight for a handgun, so I would not volunteer the fact that it is a full auto, UZI, machine gun, etc,...anything else to set the ignorant shipping clerks off. Again though, best bet....call Vector and see what they say, and they may even mail you a shipping label for UPS, then all you do is go to Mail Boxes Etc. with your pre paid label already on the box and simply say "May I drop this off for the UPS pickup today?" and that is it. If you use the UPS website as well for shipping you can make your own label from your computer and do the same thing. It will ask you to specify what is in it, and that goes on the outside label too when it is printed, so if you go that route use something like "warranty repair." [edit - see below posts, by law it can not say firearm on the outside of the package] That all sounds like you are trying to be sneaky and all to get around the UPS and FedEX policies, but to my knowledge there are no policies that say they will not ship it. It is just the fact that they are not used to shipping something like that, and will assume there is something written to make you ship it overnight, etc,...and it is not really worth trying to argue with them.

 

[gloftoe]

What about return shipping? I'm assuming it would have to ship to a dealer?

 

[moo-cow]

Vector will send it back to you at your address... you will have to sign for it, and it will say something like "Adult signature required. min 21" on it. Funny thing is....I have never been asked for an ID from UPS. Go figure. I believe Vector has said they have never had anything lost by UPS though, so it must work pretty well.

 

[gloftoe]

That's a pretty good deal then. I didn't want to have to pay transfer fees and such.

On a side note, does anyone have pictures of a semi and full feed ramp for comparison's sake? Thanks!

 

[moo-cow]

Check here:

http://www.uzitalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1446&highlight=semi+feed+ramp

If you search the site with the "search" link in the upper right of the web page, you will find that it usually returns pretty decent results...

 

[RoverDave]

Oh yeah....if you do UPS, they will ask you to open it up when you go to send it.

You won't need to open it if you don't insure it. UPS likes to know there's really something in there when you want $4000 worth of insurance on it. Vector has told many people that they will insure it both ways so you don't need to.

 

[moo-cow]

I think if you actually tell them it is a firearm, they will ask you to open it. At least, I know they did with my one experience of actually point blank telling them it was a firearm. Then they went off on the "overnight" spiel that I mentioned earlier, and wanted like $65 to ship it. I walked out of there and used the pre-paid computer shipping label route for much less $$. RoverDave is right. If they do not know what it actually is, they should not ask unless insured for a large amount. That is why I am partial to using the pre-paid labels. You can write your own description on there without the UPS people asking what is in it. I guess it depends on who sends it, and where. I know technically you are supposed to mail a firearm directly from a UPS shipping center. If you went to a Mail Boxes Etc and just paid to ship it with their label they will definitely ask you about what is in it, but may not want you to open it either.

 

[MuzzleFlash]

It is against federal law to label a box containing a firearm as such when shipping it.

From the horse's mouth: http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm

(B9) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by carrier?

A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by carrier to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm. [18 U. S. C. 922( a)( 2)( A) and 922( e), 27 CFR 178.31]

 

[moo-cow]

In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm...

You are right. UPS (or an individual making a computer label) should not label it as such. But the above statement is also the hang-up here. You are supposed to tell them it is a firearm. My experience there was where they do not even know their own policies and it was a big hassle. I did tell them it was a firearm, and also made the point that it was not a handgun, and that I should not have to ship it overnight for $65. Any suggestions on telling them what is in the box? As soon as I told them that, they wanted me to open it. Maybe my situation was an isolated case, and there are no problems in other people's experiences....

 

[MuzzleFlash]

Oh yes, it is also illegal to deceive the carrier as to the contents. You MUST inform them that it is a firearm. That is clearly the case for handguns. Probably the case for long guns too.

 

[MuzzleFlash]

Per UPS policy, I see no requirement for the counter clerk to verify contents. You may want to print this out when you go:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/service/terms/firearms.html

 

[moo-cow]

Good idea to print that out. I am certainly not advocating to not tell them or anything else illegal. It should not be this much of a hassle. The one case I was referring to about actually telling them of the contents, was also when I got the computer label sent to me from Vector. I have no idea how they enter it into the UPS system, but I am sure they somehow specify it was a firearm. I know I felt a lot safer knowing the manufacturer had actually put the label through the system before I sent it. It is a real pain to say the least...

 

[SMG4Me]

Help me out here. :confused

I just read the UPS policy and the first bullet states that firearm shipments are accepted from UPS Daily Pickup Accounts or UPS Customer Counters.

In my mind, UPS Daily Pickup Accounts are businesses who have an account with UPS and for whom UPS comes by each day to pick up any packages.

In the 3rd bullet, it states that firearm shippers using UPS Customer Counters must have a letter on record with UPS stating their status as an authorized firearm shipper. Wouldn't an authorized firearm shipper be a FFL holder?

If I am understanding each of these correctly, wouldn't that preclude an individual from shipping?

 

[moo-cow]

I saw that too....it is very contradictory.

 

[MuzzleFlash]

I can only assume that applies to dealers that regularly ship firearms and not to individuals. I agree that it is confusing.

My only occasion to ship was a return of a shotgun to the importer for repair. I shipped through the UPS customer counter. I identified the package to the clerk, they asked me if I was a FFL. I told them yes, but as a collector only and that I was not acting in that capacity. The gun was a modern shotgun. I was never asked to open the package. He even wrote repair on the shipping receipt.

 

[moo-cow]

(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U. S. Postal Service? [Back]


A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own state or to a licensee in any state. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. A nonlicensee may not transfer any firearm to a nonlicensed resident of another state. The Postal Service recommends that longguns 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.

Source: http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b8

I found that on the site where MuzzleFlash found the piece on the UPS shipping, by "common carrier". Has anyone used the Postal Service? I was told not to use them by Vector when I sent mine back. That was when I basically called them up and told them what a hassle I was having with the UPS Customer Counter...so they sent me the label for it. Maybe the USPS has a greater tendency to lose things?