Barrel shipping box - overkill, but traveled safe

[drano38]

I've read posts over the last couple years on good ways to ship a barrel. I sent one out for chambering a while back and it arrived home safe today. USPS both ways. As someone's signature on here says, overkill in moderation is never good.
The wood box is 2x2 lumber cut 6" longer than the barrel, and a pair of 3" pieces to hold the barrel lengthwise. A bunch of screws hold 1/4" plywood, then wrap in cardboard and a bunch of tape. My name, address, phone # are on the outside of the top wood panel (that's upsidedown in the pic) if the cardboard gets ripped off. "right" and "left" are for the lid orientation.
Box and cardboard weigh 6 lb, so adds significant weight. But the barrel is well protected.

 

[Chiquita]

Nice work. Professional.!!!
Double Thumbs Up!!

 

[Bill Norris]

Great job.

 

[hdskip]

When it absolutly, positively has to get there in one piece. I like it.

 

[Riesel]

Keeps it from the prying eyes and mitts of the USPS workers and their five finger discount

 

[wedgy]

Be careful... they may take it as a challenge.

 

[michaeljp65]

Good idea, but how about a length of PVC pipe? has to be a lot lighter than timber.

 

[joshb]

Good idea, but how about a length of PVC pipe? has to be a lot lighter than timber.

Square good! Round bad!

 

[drano38]

I've read the PVC pipe technique, but those roll around (and I believe UPS charges extra because they do). Don't want it rolling off a convener belt. But I'm sure many have used it with success.
A 1x2" board would have saved some weight instead of 2x2", but I had some 2x2 handy, so used it.
USPS was about $37 for the 14 pound package on a 950 mile trip.
Lots of good options out there - PVC pipe, 3-sided boxes that USPS has, etc.
My wood box also did a great job preventing the threads from getting damaged. Having a blank damaged is one thing. But after its threaded/chambered and muzzle brake installed, the loss becomes much worse.

 

[mauser284]

I've read posts over the last couple years on good ways to ship a barrel. I sent one out for chambering a while back and it arrived home safe today. USPS both ways. As someone's signature on here says, overkill in moderation is never good.
The wood box is 2x2 lumber cut 6" longer than the barrel, and a pair of 3" pieces to hold the barrel lengthwise. A bunch of screws hold 1/4" plywood, then wrap in cardboard and a bunch of tape. My name, address, phone # are on the outside of the top wood panel (that's upsidedown in the pic) if the cardboard gets ripped off. "right" and "left" are for the lid orientation.
Box and cardboard weigh 6 lb, so adds significant weight. But the barrel is well protected.
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I going to borrow this idea!

 

[JohnKielly]

Be careful... they may take it as a challenge.

Had an acquaintance imported Ruger pistols into Australia. His company demanded that each pallet, all neatly securely wrapped with Ruger shrink wrap, be unloaded in bond and each individual carton checked against the manifest. They were usually about 6 pistols short.

On this basis, maybe it ain't a challenge at all.

 

[justpassinthru]

I ship my scopes bubble wrapped in PVC pipe, inside a well taped cardboard box.
So far, it's worked.

 

[AckleymanII]

These triangle boxes sold by the post office are great, perfect size. Put the barrel in a Pipe insulation available from the hardware store, bend 5" of the foam back over the barrel on each end. You can cut sections of foam insulation to act as a buffer on each end for added protection on the barrel going through each end of the tube. Now, cut the box to the length needed, and the barrel is locked in the box like a vice.

The key is to put 4 layers of 2" fiberglass reinforced tape over each end, tape in 4 equally spaced places down the length of the box. The fiberglass tape is impossible to break.

Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express Tube (Medium) | USPS.com

2" fiberglass tape

6x 2" 60 Yards High quality Fiberglass Reinforced Strapping Filament Tape 100lb | eBay

Superior holding power over twine or glue closures. 4 mil Fiberglass reinforced 1.0 mil polypropylene, tensile strength 100 lbs, polypropylene rubber based pressure sensitive tape adhesive, 4% elongation, 69 oz/in adhesion and a 3" neutral core.

www.ebay.com

PVC tube get broken often, if the barrel comes out, even if you have an address label on it, the barrel may go into the scrap pile as a damaged item.

The post office also sells a 3"x36" brown square box that is a really nice box, #93080009 if the Free triangle box does not suit you, $3.95.

Insurance is worthless because they nullify the claim bases on poor packaging.