Postal Service proposes rule allowing handgun mailing
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 7
Postal Service proposes rule allowing handgun mailing
11 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 7
The April proposal would let people ship unloaded, securely packaged revolvers and other handguns, after the Justice Department in January said the 1927 ban was unconstitutional.
Nearly two dozen Democratic attorneys general call the change unlawful, arguing it could create a dangerous loophole for trafficking and weaken existing safeguards.
The rule would align handgun mailing with current standards for shotguns and long-barrelled rifles, but would not affect private carriers such as FedEx and UPS, which keep separate restrictions.
A century-old handgun mailing ban may end. What are the key public safety risks?
If the postal service starts delivering handguns, how can illegal trafficking be stopped?
In January 2026, the Department of Justice issued an opinion declaring the 1927 federal ban on mailing handguns unconstitutional, based on the 2022 Supreme Court Bruen decision. Following this, the U.S. Postal Service proposed a rule allowing private citizens to mail handguns under strict conditions. In May 2026, a coalition of 22 Democratic state attorneys general and D.C. opposed the rule, citing serious public safety risks and threats to state sovereignty. They warned the rule could enable prohibited individuals to obtain firearms without background checks and hinder law enforcement efforts. The coalition is preparing legal challenges, while gun rights groups support the rule as a necessary update aligned with constitutional rights.