stupidly difficult

As I previously mentioned here, Better Half and I will be moving out to Tennessee sometime in the near future. Unfortunately, one of the difficult aspects of moving is what to do with certain items, such as firearms, ammunition, high-value items, and so forth. Thankfully, the firearm aspect has been solved (and the cases arrived today, and seem to work well… pictures when I can be bothered to take and post them), but something still had to be done for the few hundred rounds of 9mm and .308 ammunition I had kicking around, considering that moving companies will not take ammunition at all. I know, I know, I could go out and shoot it all, but, well, ammo is a bit expensive these days, and something tells me Better Half would not be too terribly happy with that situation.
After doing a little research into the matter, it would appear as though UPS is pretty much the only option for shipping ammo to myself at our new address, and since I recieved it all by UPS, it makes sense. I go and check their webpage concerning ammunition shipment, and I have to admit, it is not terribly useful, especially considering it mostly addresses shipping firearms. However, there were a few relevant tracts, as quoted below:

Ammunition may be accepted for shipment internationally provided it is shipped in accordance with the UPS Guide for Shipping International Goods.

Ammunition cannot be included in packages that contain firearms (including handguns). Ammunition must be shipped in accordance with the UPS Guide for Shipping Ground and Air Hazardous Materials, or the UPS Guide for Shipping International Dangerous Goods.

Small arms ammunition, as defined in 49 C.F.R. § 173.59, will be transported only when packaged and labeled in compliance with 49 C.F.R. § 172 regarding hazardous materials shipments.

Unfortunately, those guides listed are not hotlinked on their webpage, but the “UPS Guide for Shipping Ground and Air Hazardous Materials” is kind of documented on their webpage…. in a very confusing and unclear manner that does not address ammunition in any way, shape, or form. In fact, the only place ammunition is mentioned outside of the firearms webpage on the UPS site is under “Common Items that May Be Hazardous” (Ammunition is listed under “Camping Gear/Equipment” and “Hunting Supplies”… Me, I probably would have given it its own category.), “Verify for Export” (Which just goes into what can or cannot be exported outside the United States and in what quantities.), and “Express Critical Terms of Contract”, as this search indicates. So, unfortunately, that leaves me right where I started – second-hand information procured through a variety of corroborating websites and forums, but still second-hand, or trying to wade through 17 miles of legalese in the Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 172. Righto.
And, so, I did what was suggested. Thankfully, the ammunition weighed in at 50-odd pounds, so the 30 kilo (about 66 pounds, for us Americans) limit was not a problem, and it was all in its original packaging, so securing it inside the box was not a problem (though, be aware – foreign milsurp ammunition comes in crappy packaging, that may require additional tape to really be considered “secure”). I printed out a sheet of ORM-D, Cartridges, Small Arms labels for the UPS people to stick on wherever they wanted, and I wrapped the sturdy, cardboard box in strapping tape along every major axis… repeatedly, in some cases. Finally, I went out of my way to find a UPS Customer Center, NOT a UPS Store or Alliance Location.
Better Half and I showed up at the Customer Center with package and paperwork in hand, and were almost immediately told by the floor clerk that UPS did not ship ammunition, at all. We pointed out this was not the case, and he called his superior, who reiterated what he told us – UPS does not ship ammunition. At least, supposedly. He went further to explain that if we were a corporation shipping to an individual, or we, as individuals, were shipping to a corporation, they would have no problems, and would ship it immediately. However, we, as individuals, could not ship the ammunition to another individual… even when that other individual happens to be me. Talk about failing a logic test… Anywise, we explained to him where we found the information (their own site), and what that information said, and what all of the other supporting sources indicated, and he called a different manager, who had no clue, and had to check with his next level up. After putzing around for 15 minutes, he called back, asked if I was “licensed”, and when I responded in the negative (Ammunition shipping licensing? There is no such thing, in either Kalifornistan or Tennessee!), he again reiterated that UPS did not ship ammunition, and after one more trek down the logical fallacy of corporation-to-individual or vice versa, Better Half and I finally gave up and headed home.
Sadly, I did not follow the last bit of advice given when doing my research – I did not have the phone number for the UPS Hazardous Material Support Center with me during this process, otherwise, this would have been a whole lot simpler.
For reference, that number is: 800.554.9964. Definitely take it with you when you go to any Customer Center.
We got home, I called around to a few gun stores here in the Southern Kalifornistan region, and talked to a few people. I finally gave up and called the UPS automated system, pressed “0″ repeatedly, and got to a real person (amazing, I know), who then directed me on to the UPS Hazardous Material Support Center (the standard UPS operator had no idea about ammunition shipping requirements either). After calling them, and spending all of five minutes on the phone, if even that, I got the honest-to-God, official answer:

Under 66 pounds.

In a sturdy cardboard box.

Marked as ORM-D, Cartridges, Small Arms

Smaller than .50 caliber.

Only Customer Centers will take it.

And if you meet all of those remarkably simple requirements, UPS will ship your ammunition. It really is as simple as that… contrary to what the floor clerk at our local Customer Center, his boss, and his boss all indicated to us. Good to know that UPS is educating their employees well.
The sum of all of this is Better Half are going to be headed to a different Customer Center tomorrow, this time armed with the Hazardous Material Support Center phone number, and hopefully those employees will be a little educated than the last bunch. Oh, and that number, just so you (and I) remember it, is 800.554.9964. Stupid me for not taking it the first time.
2032 08JUL08 Update: Better Half and I dragged the 53 pounds of ordnance to another UPS Customer Center in the area, plopped it down on the counter, explained that it was small arms ammunition, and asked to ship it. They asked if we had ORM-D stickers (they were out at that location, for some reason), and we handed them our sheet we printed out previously. A bit of tape later, and a $60-odd bill, and my package is on its way to… me.
We did not even have to break out the UPS HAZMAT Support Center phone number. There was a momentary pause as the clerk behind the desk asked us again what it was, but other than that… no worries at all. That is how the system is supposed to work.
Moral of the story: It depends on what Customer Center you go to, and always bring the HAZMAT number with you regardless – that way, if the floor clerks’ heads start getting stuck in their asses, the HAZMAT reps can straighten them out again.