How to Ship Your Firearm

Sending your firearm or parts to Lightning Armory for service is simple: we send you a prepaid, insured UPS label, you pack the box, and you drop it off at UPS. When the work is done, we ship it back to you.

These instructions are for items you own and are sending to us for service. Buying a firearm and having it shipped to us for transfer? See FFL Transfers instead.

Before you ship

• Place your order or approve your quote first. Do not send anything until you have our email with your prepaid label. Items that arrive without an order slow everything down.
• Choose your color. If it is not in stock, we order it as soon as you check out, so it is here when your firearm arrives.
• Make sure you can legally own and receive it. It is your responsibility to know your state and local laws. We return your firearm only to you, at the address on the ID you send with it.

Pack and ship it, step by step

1. Unload and check twice. Clear the chamber and magazine well, and remove all ammunition.
2. Send what your order needs. For pistol Cerakote, send the complete pistol, even for slide-only or frame-only work. Remove optics, lights, lasers, slings, and any other removable accessories unless they are part of your order. If magazines are part of your order, send them. If they are not, send one empty magazine with your firearm so we can check fit and function after the work is done.
3. Take photos. A few photos of your item before you pack it give you a record of its condition.
4. Pack it snugly. Use a sturdy cardboard box and wrap or pad the firearm so it cannot move or rattle. A soft case or foam inside the box is fine.
5. Add your paperwork. Put a copy of your work order (your order confirmation email) and a copy of your government-issued photo ID showing your current address inside the box.
6. Keep the outside plain. Do not write, print, or tape anything on the outside of the box that shows it contains a firearm. Attach only the UPS label we emailed you. The label is already prepaid and has everything UPS needs.
7. Hand it to UPS. Drop it off at any The UPS Store or UPS Customer Center, hand it to a UPS driver, or drop it off at a pack-and-ship store that accepts UPS packages and can give you a receipt. Do not leave it in a UPS drop box. If the clerk asks about the package, you can say: “It’s on a prepaid label from Lightning Armory’s account. Please just scan it.”
8. Get a receipt. Hold on to it and the tracking number. We email you when your item arrives and is checked in.

Getting it back

• We ship your finished item back to you by insured UPS, at the address on the ID you sent us. Return shipping is already paid as part of your order.
• Every return requires an adult signature: someone 21 or older must sign for the package. UPS will not leave it at the door, so plan to be there.
• ATF regulations require us to return your firearm directly to you, at the address on your ID. We cannot ship it to any other address, or to anyone else.
• If we cannot return your firearm to the address on your ID, we must ship it to an FFL near you, who will legally transfer it back to you. Any fees that FFL charges are your responsibility.
• Inspect your item as soon as it arrives, and contact us right away with any questions.

Items that need a call first

• NFA items (suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and other NFA firearms). Some NFA items need ATF approval before they cross state lines. Email or call us before sending one.
• Anything priced by quote. Wait for your quote and our label before shipping.
• Alaska or Hawaii. Choose the matching shipping option at checkout. We do not ship to or from Puerto Rico, Guam, or other U.S. territories.

Please don’t

• Use USPS, FedEx, or your own shipping label. Use only the UPS label we send you.
• Mark the outside of the box in any way that shows it contains a firearm.
• Leave out your work order or your ID.
• Ship before you receive our email with your label.
• Send a loaded firearm or any ammunition.