USA to ban Inert ordnance

[Fuzeman]

Hi just received this news today , i think it will effect us too !
20 March 2008
Postal Service Considering Ban on Inert Munitions Shipping
Washington, D.C.- The Postal Service is proposing new standards that will prohibit the mailing of replica or inert munitions and other simulated explosive devices. The proposed ban is meant to ensure the safety of postal employees as well as to minimize disruptions. In 2006, the Postal Service recorded 849 suspicious incidents involving mail that exhibited characteristics of possible explosives causing postal facilities to be evacuated on 100 separate occasions. These incidents caused budget impacts and unnecessary stress on the employees.

Canada initiated a similar ban over a year ago which was also reported by UXOInfo.com in an article posted on the UXO News Wire Service Blog in November 2006. The ban will impact the UXO industry as many UXO contractors ship inert items for use in geophysical prove out (GPO) sites across the country. Ordnance collectors will also be impacted by the ban.

Steve (fuzeman)

 

[Fuzeman]

About ten years ago i posted (legally ) 2 large box,s of assorted Grenades all unscrewed and safe with no harzardous material in iside . the first box containing about 15 Mills grenades went through without problem , the second box containing about the same in foreign grenades wewer intercepted and one i believe was blown up .
I had a visit from our Special branch who agreed that i had done nothing wrong, this took over 2 years to resolve the matter and compensate the collector who they were going to.
thought this might be of some interst to you to prove it does happen >
Regards
Steve (Fuzeman)

 

[spotter]

i caused mayhem a couple of years ago
http://www.uk-airport-news.info/liverpool-airport-news-110106.htm

the practice fully inert 2" mortar was badly packed and labled,i was very lucky no charges ,apart from the expense it must have cost for the emergency services, my wife was subjected to having to act as a go between ,between myself and the c.i.d..and i never want to put her through all that again,also eod was called out to a none dangerous situation ,but this made them one team down whilst attending this call out,which may have put other genuine callers at risk....think firemen and hoax calls ...its the same

 

[roller63]

It would be a shame if we cannot buy items for our collections from overseas, but I can also see the official point of view. The authorities are generally not ordnance experts and in any case it must be hard to prove whether an item is inert or not from an x ray or just looking at it, if it is not stripped down into parts.
On the upside, it may mean that some nicer items will come up for sale at the fairs again, most of my purchases over the last few years have been over the internet. Maybe it will be like the old days when you could examine and handle the items before buying them, and possibly negotiate a price ! Tony.

 

[Eodtek]

Technically the proposed ban isn't on inert ordnance, just shipping it through the US Postal System.

You are better off using UPS, DHL or FedEx than the USPS to ship stuff as it is cheaper and easier to track.

 

[pkm594]

packaging on Inert items

Peole seeking to send items through the post must take time to identify the item to postal workers in a way that will not cause alarm.

Marking on the outside of a package one of the following terms MAY stop your items being set aside for disposal in the long run.

'Inert training item enclosed'
'Inert Replica contained within'
'military model representing ammuniton inside'
or words indicating that the item contained may look like ammunition but is not, or is completely safe.

Obviously the terms a will draw some attention to your package, but as most packages are X-rayed at varying stages of their travels by operators who may never handled any ammunition in their lives, it will fore warn them. These X ray operators will see pictures on their courses and will have the safety and security of the public in mind.

Also imagine you are a police officer and you are called to a suspicious package. The package clearly states the the item contained is a replica, collectible or model and is inerts, safe or empty. I would bet that you may act differently than if the package had no disclaimer/warining on it at all.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Fuzeman]

The Maltese museums service had problems when they purchased a German SD10 A/P bomb , the seller wrote INERT Ordnance on the outside, there was also a FFE certificate from 11 EOD RLC , but the airlines have signed up to a charter that does not allow these things to be flown.after 6 months of sitting at Heathrow airport it was finally delivered to me , after stripping the tail fins off and repackaging in 2 boxes they were sent via Royal Mail parcels and delivered in 2 weeks .
cheers