The proposed rule, introduced last month under the Trump administration, would permit the mailing of concealable firearms such as pistols and revolvers. The 1927 law currently bars the USPS from mailing concealable firearms unless they originate from licensed dealers. In January, the Department of Justice revisited the 1927 statute, declaring it unconstitutional and a violation of the Second Amendment, and urged the postal service to revise its regulations.
Currently, the USPS handles some firearms like long-barreled rifles and shotguns, provided they are unloaded and securely packaged. Similar safeguards would be implemented for handguns under the proposed rule. The USPS confirmed it is reviewing public comments, which closed Monday, before finalizing any changes.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat campaigning for governor, warned that this rule change would undermine efforts by states like Nevada to combat gun violence. S. history on October 1, 2017, when a gunman killed 60 people from the Mandalay Bay casino hotel in Las Vegas.
Following the 2017 shooting, Nevada enacted a law mandating state-administered background checks for most private gun sales or transfers. Ford and attorneys general from approximately two dozen other states collectively urged the USPS on Monday to withdraw the proposed rule. The attorneys general argue the proposed rule would facilitate access for individuals legally prohibited from possessing guns.
Under the proposed regulations, an individual could sell and ship a gun to another person within the same state. Shipping across state lines would be more restrictive, allowing individuals to mail a firearm only to themselves, in the care of another person, and requiring them to open it personally. The Department of Justice contends that the varied state laws concerning firearms complicate interstate travel for lawful activities such as target shooting, hunting, and self-defense.