Dennis
As I said above, I am a cartridge collector. I trade inert cartridges with collecors all over the world. In order to ship them through the USPS they have to be inert, that is, bullet pulled, powder dumped, and primer killed. You are required to attach a Customs Declaration. The cartridges are listed as "Inert Cartridges". I've never had the USPS refuse a package. I don't know where people get the idea that such a thing is illegal. Wouldn't you think that the USPS would be advised of such a prohibition and stop all such shipments?
I get packages of inert cartridges from other collectors all over the world. They, too, have a Customs Declaration attached. My USPS continues to hand them to me when I go by the Post Office to pick them up.
Canada Post used to allow the shipment of Inert cartridges and Inert Munitions. About two or three years ago they adopted a regulation prohibiting the practice on the assumption that bad guys were sending live munitions but labeling them as inert. Their answer to this supposed "problem" was to prohibit the shipment of ALL inert munitions. They were asked to define exactly what was meant by inert munitions. Did it include small arms ammunition? How about empty brass cartridge cases? We were told that there would be no definition since the bad guys would use that as way to work around the regulation. How about empty inert cartridge cases traded between collectors? Well, that would probably be OK but we're not going to say yes.
Dennis, if you doubt what I am saying here, simply go to your own Canada Post regulations and find the rules. More importantly, find the definitions. You may be surprised.
If you think the problem is on the US side, try sending or receiving a couple of inert cartridges from Italy, or the UK, or Germany. Try sending your buddy in Ontario a package. Ask the clerk at Canada Post if that is OK. Let me know how that works out for you.
I hope I am wrong. I have quite a few collector friends in Canada and we would love to hear that we can once again trade inert cartridges.
Ray