Best Boxes for Barrel Shipping -- Fedex Policies

[skeeljc]

I get round tubes with steel and aluminum stock in them via USPS all the time. Shipping costs are reasonable for items weighing 30 to 70 pounds.

I would not hesitate to ship a barrel via USPS Priority Mail. You will pay a little more because it has a dimension over 12". Priority Mail goes by air and the handling is better than ground shipping. If you have a PayPal account you can get a 20% discount by creating the label online.

 

[kvd]

I was charged $14.10 online when I entered a 3 pound weight and entered 2x2x36 for the 2" diameter 36" long tube. I took it to a Fedex dropoff who accepted it without giving me any issue.

Fedex has delivered but sent me a letter telling me the charge is now $29.75 and I need to go to their policy manual to find out why.

Seems to me you would easily win a dispute if filed with your card issuer. You can't be expected to know anything at all about Fedex's policy manual and if their online system doesn't collect all the information required to calculate a final shipping price in accordance with all their multitudinous requirements - that is not your fault. If you have a receipt for $14.10 then bait and switch tactics will not fly with your card company and they tend to be sympathetic to your argument. Worth a shot I would say.

 

[ctrickett]

We shipwith UPS almost daily, they are not cheap, but they pick up, so its easy for us. NEVER tell them what you are shipping, not their business....most empolyees haven’t got a clue what’s ok. It’s good info on square boxes for barrels

 

[Fast14riot]

UPS has the same extra handling fee ($15) for round tubes, under 48". Anything over 48" gets the extra handling fee anyway. I ship approximately $12k-$15k with UPS a week. UPS is by far the best at paying out claims, but you must declare value over $100 if it is. Also, currently UPS is not guaranteeing any expedited service to be on time due to the increased volume from Covid, also, their policy does not guarantee expedited on anything with an extra handling fee, either.

 

[piute]

Local Fed Ex has been the costliest shipping. I like UPS, but the private stores are just independents using UPS and make their own policies. Local UPS store here will not ship firearms or even parts. The young lady working there said it was the law that they could not ship anything firearm related! Never had a problem before, I will not give them my business anymore.
I use USPS, but I like "sarcastically" how one should have to buy insurance to make sure they provide the service we paid them for???
Posted this story before, Sorry, my 2cnt's!

 

[joshb]

I didn’t read all the posts. I suggest schedule 40 pvc with end caps. Box it anyway you want! Foam in the ends. Duct tape the caps. Not glue.

 

[azmetalman]

I use boxes from uline.com to ship long guns. They have all types of shipping containers including round and triangular. Their Rifle Shipping Boxes have been very reliable. I assume their other products are equal in quality. When I ship a long gun I wad up news paper in one end, place the butt of weapon in the center and then fill it with styro noodles packed tight. Another wad of news paper in the end before closing completes the package. I also oil the exterior of the weapon and then wrap it with clear plastic wrap before packaging to avoid any vibration induced abrasion to the barrel or stock. (probably overkill) I use FedEx for all shipping of these items and have never had a problem.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[PRR1957]

I always pre package the items before sending it out or taking it to either UPS, FEDEX, or USPS. If it’s gun parts, and asked what it is I’m shipping by the shipper, I always tell them it’s machine parts. Why give the chance for some anti 2A moron to destroy or dispose of what I’m sending.

 

[jonbearman]

The post office has smaller diameter square boxes that work for me.

 

[divingin]

I have had no luck with my local UPS store accepting anything to do with firearms.

If it's not a serialized part, I'd just say it's a machine part. A gun is a machine, after all...

 

[Jdne5b]

If it's not a serialized part, I'd just say it's a machine part. A gun is a machine, after all...

All guns are machines, only special guns are machine guns.

 

[swd]

If it's not a serialized part, I'd just say it's a machine part. A gun is a machine, after all...

That’s exactly what we tell them. A barrel is a shaft and anything else is machine parts..