Frequently Asked Questions about shipping handguns to Alaska.
Call us before you enter Canada and schedule an EDA (estimated date of arrival).
During winter months, call before you ship. We may be unavailable or closed due to extreme sub zero temperatures.
Must I declare that I’m shipping a firearm? YES:
No matter whether it is a handgun or a long gun, private carrier (UPS or FedEx) or the US Mail, you are required by law to declare that you are shipping a firearm. Not declaring a firearm is a felony.
Can I ship my handgun via USPS to Alaska without involving an FFL licensee? NO:
Sending your handgun in the US mail without shipping between FFL licensees is a felony. People are caught each year. You can lose your gun, get fined, and go to prison.
Handguns in the US Mail MUST be sent between two Federal Firearms Licensees.
Don’t attempt shipping a firearm without declaring it. They won’t ask, but you are responsible.
Can I take my handgun apart and put it in the mail as parts? NO:
The receiver/frame is still defined as a firearm even if disassembled. Some of the parts can be shipped by a non-licensed citizen, but a gun is a gun, and the receiver and/or frame must be mailed from an FFL address to another FFL address or shipped to or from one FFL address via UPS.
Can I deliver my handgun to a licensed gun dealer to mail it to myself c/o Wolfhawk Shipping in Alaska? YES:
But… THE LABEL MUST BE PRINTED EXACTLY OR IT BECOMES A TRANSFER. Handguns cannot be transferred to non-residents of the state in which they are receiving their gun(s). If you don’t ensure that the label is printed correctly, it will become a transfer and you will have to prove Alaska residency to recover your handgun. See Example Label page and Preferred Licensed Gun Dealers page.
Should I have my gun shipping receipt handy when I reach the Canadian border? YES:
At the border, have receipts to prove that you shipped your firearm. Do not offer any information but answer all questions truthfully. Some border guards will ask questions that are none of their business and some will try to raise your ire for an excuse to cause grief. Be courteous and cooperative and you will probably have no issues.
Can I print my own label exactly to the specifications prescribed by Wolfhawk Shipping and then take it with my handgun to a dealer to mail? YES:
You must also be sure your gun dealer will send it in the US Mail. Many dealers accept guns for shipping and then send it FedEx or UPS. This is expensive and you DO NOT NEED A GUN DEALER TO SEND YOUR LONG GUN TO US BY UPS. Handguns via UPS require an FFL with a UPS account to make the label. We can do this, but UPS requires Next Day Air, which is very expensive.
Our preferred dealers have the boxes and know how to make the label correctly; let them help you do it right.
FEDEX WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Can I carry my removable magazines through Canada? NO.
There are exceptions—see Canada and Guns and visit Firearm Users Visiting Canada Ship your magazines with your guns. Canadian prison food is terrible and the fines are brutal.
Can I ship high capacity magazines to any state? NO.
Some states have magazine capacity limitations. Check your state laws to be sure. Visit ATF’s State Laws and Published Ordinances – Firearms
According to Giffords Law Center (2018), there are 10 states and the District of Columbia with high capacity magazine bans. I was shocked to find that Illinois was not on the list.
SUMMARY OF STATE LAW
Ten states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws banning large capacity ammunition magazines: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. All of these jurisdictions except Colorado and Vermont also ban assault weapons.
Can I mail ammunition to Alaska? NO.
The mail goes by air and there are HAZMAT regulations. Besides, you can carry up to 5,000 rounds through Canada without a permit.
Can I send ammo UPS or FedEx to Alaska? NO.
Ammunition is classed as a hazardous material and cannot ship by air. Lower 48 ground shipping to Alaska still goes by air. Ammo can only be shipped via sea or by truck. More than 50,000 rounds will require a special Canadian permit to transport through Canada.
See Canada’s Transportation In-Transit of Ammunition and/or call 623-993-7267 to talk to a human.
Can I carry mace or pepper spray through Canada? NO/maybe
Pepper spray specifically labeled for dog or bear is permitted (cats and squirrels are exempt).
Self-defense is illegal in Canada. If assaulted, you must allow molestation and then report the crime to the proper authorities if you are still alive and able.
Can I carry bear or dog pepper spray through Canada? YES.
Bear or dog pepper spray can only be used for what it is intended. Don’t use dog spray on a bear and don’t spray a bear with dog spray. Cat spray is still controversial.
Can I ship my long gun(s) in the mail without an FFL? YES:
Delivery must require Adult Signature and the Label Example followed. In the states, UPS and FedEx Ground are cheaper than USPS but not to Alaska. USPS is the fastest and most economical. UPS Ground is much slower than USPS. We’ll provide you with a copy of our FFL which UPS Ground may require for long guns. Be sure to declare Firearms no matter how you ship. IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE FEDEX. All FedEx packages will be refused. Call us for options before shipping.
How many long guns can I have in each hard case?
You can put as many firearms in one case as you want, but
• We charge a $35 slipped disc fee for packages over 35 pounds.
• Postal rates increase significantly after 35 pounds.
• Multiple packages under 35 pounds are cheaper than fewer heavier packages greater than 35 pounds.
• Firearms packed closely together in a case risk damage due to shifting in transit.
Can I ship my handgun via UPS without a second FFL? YES:
You can send directly to us if you use UPS. UPS now requires an FFL with a UPS account to make the label. We can provide this service, but this method of shipping is extremely expensive. Delivery must require Adult Signature. UPS policy equires handguns to go Next Day Air. Customers have reported FedEx and UPS agents that don’t know their own policy and will insist on sending Ground or 2nd Day Air. Don’t let them do this because if your package is randomly x-rayed or it pops open along the route, they will confiscate your property, report the incident to the ATF, and tie up your gun(s), possible for weeks, until you have been chastised and the situation rectified. This recently happened to one of our customers. Don’t risk the hassle by cheating their policies or the law. Moreover, if a handgun is discovered in Canada, you will suffer Canadian firearms violations, and if not captured in their country, you may be denied entry in the future. The are also U.S. export law violations to consider.
Can I ship non-firearms packages to Wolfhawk Shipping? YES:
Non-firearms packages have a fee. See our Prices Cost page. You can send non-firearms packages to yourself via General Delivery to Tok or any other city without fees beyond the basic mailing cost. If you are concerned about a holster, ship it with your gun or bring it with you.
Where is your shop?
We have a meet-by-appointment office trailer at Mile 1313 Alaska Hwy on the left when you enter Tok from Canada. Look for the signs. It is next to 40 Mile Air and Jorgensen Realty diagonally across from Fast Eddies Restaurant. The office is easy to find with plenty of room to park a Class-A RV without having to back up.
What is your pick-up procedure?
Call us before you enter Canada and schedule an estimated date of arrival.
When you package arrives, we photo-scan the label and check it for errors. We ascertain that we have a digital FFL copy from your sending dealer and then we put your package in our safe. The FFL copy from non-preferred dealers is your responsibility. Negotiating for incorrect labels and absent FFLs is your job, as this can be labor intensive and avoided by using our preferred FFLs.
Call or email when you are a day or two out from Tok and update or confirm your arrival date. Whitehorse and Dawson City are good locations for this. If your phone doesn’t work in Canada, email or borrow a phone so that we know not to take the day off due to an empty schedule.
If no confirmed arrivals are scheduled, we may be out fishing, riding my motorcycle, RV-ing, or bush flying. Surprise arrivals may find delays.