Remember, They Aren’t Gun Prohibitionists

At least that’s what they say. When I read hysterical machinations such as this, I can’t be convinced. What has Dan Gross so hysterical is this incident in D.C. Basically what seems to have happened was hipster D.C. dude orders a new TV from an Amazon affiliate. Said affiliate must also ship firearms, and had intended a Sig 716 to a Pennsylvania FFL. But instead of shipping the 716 to the FFL, they shipped it to the Hipster in D.C. Hilarity ensues. No word on whether a Pennsylvania FFL was confused about why he received a television. Sounds like someone slapped the TV shipping label on the wrong box to me.

Now, the issue here is, as long as you can legally buy and sell firearms, every once in a while, mistakes like this are going to happen. Anyone who doesn’t wet their pants at the sight of a gun, I think, can understand that. Even common carriers can screw this kind of thing up. It happens. Which brings me to a point: the Brady folks are definitely out of the policy space on this one. This is meant to scare the people who would wet their pants if they opened a package they expected was a TV and turned out to be a Sig 716, and convince them the only possible way to eliminate this frightening and debilitating possibility is to donate money to the Bradys.

6 thoughts on “Remember, They Aren’t Gun Prohibitionists”

  1. A free Sig 716? Man, the lukiest I ever got was when FedEx and the BBC accidentally sent me two Doctor Who t-shirts instead of the one I ordered. If I subscribe to Pitchfork and start buying Arcade Fire on vinyl, can I at least get a free Kel-Tec?

    1. It wasn’t free; he got it instead of a TV. Depending on how nice of a TV he ordered, he could have lost money on the deal.

      But yeah.

  2. Federal Trade Commission’s web page for unordered merchandise states:

    What do you do when you receive merchandise that you didn’t order? According to the Federal Trade Commission, you don’t have to pay for it. Federal laws prohibit mailing unordered merchandise to consumers and then demanding payment.

    Here are some questions and answers about dealing with unordered merchandise.

    Q. Am I obligated to return or pay for merchandise I never ordered?

    A. No. If you receive merchandise that you didn’t order, you have a legal right to keep it as a free gift.

    Q. Must I notify the seller if I keep unordered merchandise without paying for it?

    A. You have no legal obligation to notify the seller. However, it is a good idea to write a letter to the company stating that you didn’t order the item and, therefore, you have a legal right to keep it for free. This may discourage the seller from sending you bills or dunning notices, or it may help clear up an honest error. Send your letter by certified mail. Keep the return receipt and a copy of the letter for your records. You may need it later.

    Q. What should I do if the unordered merchandise I received was the result of an honest shipping error?

    A. Write the seller and offer to return the merchandise, provided the seller pays for postage and handling. Give the seller a specific and reasonable amount of time (say 30 days) to pick up the merchandise or arrange to have it returned at no expense to you. Tell the seller that you reserve the right to keep the merchandise or dispose of it after the specified time has passed.

  3. And of course it was labelled an “assailt rifle.” Lazy journos and clueless politicians promoting FUD, as I mentioned over at Consumerist.

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