Statement from Steve Gaut, Vice President, Public Relations, United Parcel Service:

UPS accepts for shipment certain firearms, firearms ammunition and firearms accessories as long as the shipments comply with applicable law and are shipped in accordance with company policies. These shipments are between licensed manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors and exclude consumer shipments. UPS has for many years restricted shipments of silencers or mufflers as part of the company’s firearms and ammunition policy. Click here for the company’s general policy. UPS recently became aware of a shipper that tendered silencers for shipment . . .

Consistent with the general policy, UPS informed the company that it could no longer accept shipments of packages containing those specific products. UPS will engage in discussions with licensed entities about compliance with all applicable laws and regarding the potential establishment of a contractual exception to the general policy under which UPS may ship such products. These discussions will occur on a company-by-company basis and are proprietary.

There was no policy change, UPS has always excluded shipping silencers as part of our general policy on firearms and related items. When we became aware of a shipper that tendered silencers our security group acted to enforce the policy. UPS will be contacting licensed manufacturers and wholesalers to ensure that we have appropriate contractual provisions in place that establish an exception to the general policy on silencers.

UPS uses the general policy to ensure that appropriate exceptions are carefully reviewed and documented. The general policy exists because there are different laws state-to-state that ban or restrict ownership of silencers. UPS is sensitive to these different statutes and to the existence of National Firearms Act licensing requirements and the Special Occupational Tax associated with these silencers.

We seek to ensure that our customers have in place adequate managerial controls to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. We understand that 11 states currently ban possession of silencers. We must have reasonable confidence, supported by adequate due diligence, to expect that shipments tendered by our customers comply with all laws governing the contents of the package.

I would appreciate your assistance to correct misperceptions that have arisen in the firearms industry as a result of the stories from last weekend.

ED: Here’s a Q&A Mr. Gaut just sent me:

Q. Why did you change the policy?

A. There was no policy change, UPS has for many years excluded shipping silencers as part of our general policy on firearms and related items.

Q. Why single-out silencers?

A. UPS uses the general policy to ensure that appropriate exceptions are carefully reviewed and documented. The general policy exists because there are different laws state-to-state that ban or restrict ownership of silencers. UPS is sensitive to these different statutes and to the existence of National Firearms Act licensing requirements and the Special Occupational Tax associated with these silencers.

We seek to ensure that our customers have in place adequate managerial controls to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. We understand that 11 states currently ban possession of silencers. We must have reasonable confidence, supported by adequate due diligence, to expect that shipments tendered by our customers comply with all laws governing the contents of the package.