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| < 16ga. Guns ~ Shipping guns to a FFL dealer |
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Sat Sep 13, 2014 1:31 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Posts: 989
Location: Las Vegas
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Is there a "preferred carrier" to use when shipping a gun to a FFL holder during a transfer? Any special packaging tips?
Thanks!
Matt |
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Sat Sep 13, 2014 2:25 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9463
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Sat Sep 13, 2014 2:31 pm
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Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1973
Location: Maine
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Some prefer US Postal Service, some UPS. I don't recall hearing much, if anything, favorable about Fed Ex.
The insurance one gets through the Postal Service pays in the event of loss. The private carriers' insurance has the reputation of jerking you around.
If the other end of the transaction tries some shenanigans with the transaction, there's the opportunity to get the Postal Police involved investigating mail fraud, which is more than the private carriers have or will do.
If I were shipping, I'd break the gun down into the shortest possible package, i.e., barrel(s) off, even in a hard case. I'd make sure it was a stiff as possible, to prevent breakage. I'd include an extra copy of the documentation - bill of sale, FFL, cover letter - in the case, attached to the gun (tape), just in case something happened. I'd track the package. |
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Sat Sep 13, 2014 3:23 pm
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Joined: 24 Jun 2013
Posts: 2067
Location: canandaigua - western n.y. (formerly deerhunter)
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| FED EX just took care on mine likety split - no problems ! |
_________________
Molly sez AArrrooooooah ! |
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Sat Sep 13, 2014 4:25 pm
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Joined: 09 Dec 2009
Posts: 1370
Location: Cheyenne, Wy
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I guess carriers are different depending on where you live. Here in Cheyenne, I prefer Fed Ex, never a hassle with them, UPS; depends on who the clerk is, they can be a real PITA.
Have never tried the USPS, scares me to think of them. 
Dale |
_________________
One man with courage makes a majority.
...Andrew Jackson... |
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Sat Sep 13, 2014 5:23 pm
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Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 3177
Location: NCWa
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| I haven't shipped or received any guns lately, but when CP Donnelly was in business I had several going back and forth via UPS and never a problem. He only had one stolen: a gun he was shipping to his brother, but I don't know if it was UPS or USPS. |
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Sat Sep 13, 2014 8:43 pm
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Joined: 19 Apr 2008
Posts: 477
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There is a variety of opinion on this. In my experience USPS is the easiest. As long as its a long gun, there is no issue. I go to the local post office, tell them the gun is broken down and off it goes. I've heard bad experiences with both FedEx and UPS where you have to go to a regional distribution center because the local agencies and shops handling their business won't take guns. Just my experience.
I've shipped and recieved several guns without issue. |
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Many places remain undiscovered. Some because no one has ever been there. Others because no one has ever come back. |
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Sun Sep 14, 2014 3:16 am
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| i've never hard a problem with the USPS. It helps that I personally know our small town postmaster, so never that front end hassle. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've shipped a lot of firearms and fishing poles and have never needed a claim. I can't say the same for my experience with UPS. |
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Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:19 am
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Member
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 1863
Location: Wisconsin
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My local ups guy makes me have an ffl if I am not shipping to the manufacturer. He thinks Pat Laib makes guns!
Reno |
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If you speak ill of farmers, don't do it with your mouth full. |
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Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:49 am
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Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Posts: 989
Location: Las Vegas
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Sounds like the USPS is the way to go. Just a little trepidation trusting an operation that loses (pick a number) $ billions per year.
But I guess if they're that loose with the change there's no problem coughing up the insurance $$ if something happens!
Matt |
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Sun Sep 14, 2014 11:43 am
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Joined: 26 Apr 2010
Posts: 3177
Location: NCWa
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| CitoriFeather16 wrote: |
Sounds like the USPS is the way to go. Just a little trepidation trusting an operation that loses (pick a number) $ billions per year.
But I guess if they're that loose with the change there's no problem coughing up the insurance $$ if something happens!
Matt
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Actually, I don't think the post office loses that much per year. My guess is that it's like Social Security and other government agencies involved with getting money/giving services; they become the whipping boy for the politicians and the source of funds to be used elsewhere under the guise of losing it. It's the federal government and it is "governed" by politicians, which translates to: you can't believe anything the management says about the agency. |
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Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:37 pm
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Member
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 749
Location: Kelso, Tennessee
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| Usps ran over a gun being shipped to me and failed to honor the insurance.They have a list from A to Z and AA to double ZZ for reasons they do not have to honor a claim. Broke me of ever sending anything through usps again. |
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Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm
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Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 1863
Location: Wisconsin
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| cowdoc87 wrote: |
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Usps ran over a gun being shipped to me and failed to honor the insurance.They have a list from A to Z and AA to double ZZ for reasons they do not have to honor a claim. Broke me of ever sending anything through usps again.
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Broke me too, brother in arms. Reno |
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If you speak ill of farmers, don't do it with your mouth full. |
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Mon Sep 15, 2014 10:45 am
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Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1973
Location: Maine
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| CitoriFeather16 wrote: |
Sounds like the USPS is the way to go. Just a little trepidation trusting an operation that loses (pick a number) $ billions per year.
But I guess if they're that loose with the change there's no problem coughing up the insurance $$ if something happens!
Matt
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Their "losses" are a matter of Congress having written a law which requires the Postal Service to fund its expected retirement expenses for something like the next 75 years, in advance. This provision is unique to the Postal Service. So they have to put piles of money into future retirees' benefits and there's the source of the "losses".
It may interest you to know that one of the senators behind that proposal - oops, law - now is out of office, having retired. Among his lobbying clients are/were some of the private delivery services (e.g., UPS, FedEx...).  If you ask me, another motivating factor is the amount of high-priced center-city real estate the Postal Service currently owns. This, in the politicians' mind, is something which could be sold by the government for a song to connected developers who could then flip it for huge profits, were the Postal Service ever to go out of business. |
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| Posted:
Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:59 pm
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Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Posts: 829
Location: SW Ohio
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I had a UPS clerk be rude to me demanding an FFL to ship a gun to repair, NOT a transfer. Told me she would lose her job. I tired to explain the law to her but she kept telling me it was their policy. I found out later she was wrong, fortunately the guy I was sending it to had an FFL so he sent them a copy.
I have used USPS every other time with no issues. The last time the lady at the counter asked her supervisor about it, and when I explained the law, the supervisor, said sounds like he knows what he is talking about. And took the package, plus they kind of know me there, so that helps.
I have heard it is next to impossible to collect from any carriers insurance. |
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