Best Boxes for Barrel Shipping -- Fedex Policies

[Albany Mountain]

Just got off the phone after being directed to page 151 of Fedex shipping policy. No I didn't read it but Jessica from Fedex read it for me as well as some other page that resulted in another $1.75 in charges.

I sold a barrel on this forum but didn't specify shipping. When a guy contacted me, I decided to include shipping for this $60 barrel. I found a round tube perfect for shipping and the package weighed 3 pounds. 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. As there is no way that you can go online and document the customer service discussion, I had to call. Turns out that you can ship a 3 pound square box 2" x 2" x 36 for this somewhat reasonable price but if its round, it can't ride on a conveyor and they charge a $13.00 SURCHARGE for handling it. Then somewhere they nail you for another $1.75 for another reason found somewhere else in this mega manual you are supposed to be privy to, which logically to Fedex, results in a $29.75 charge to send a 3# barrel to the midwest.

I asked her if they are still charging a fuel surcharge that they instilled after the Katrina Hurricane and $3 gas pricing and she replied yes. I informed her that gas is well below the hurricane pricing and that still retaining the surcharge was criminal according to page 97 of my policy manual.

Fedex is one of the worst services out there although they do things right often. So I would suggest to anyone sending barrels in a round tube to consider a square tube or triangular tube so you don't get ripped off like I did. Fedex will go to the bottom of my list as preferred shippers.

Rant over.

 

[Jdne5b]

UPS did the same to me when I shipped a round tube. I told them they should have asked the shape when I filled out dimensions and weight. Didn't matter they just charged my card anyways. It made that barrel about $42 to ship from Mo to Ca.

 

[DaveTooley]

I'll use UPS triangular boxes for my FedEx shipments. That'll fix em

 

[Big Mc]

I'll use UPS triangular boxes for my FedEx shipments. That'll fix em

Dave that is PERFICT . Tommy Mc

 

[edwardware]

I took it to a Fedex dropoff who accepted it without giving me any issue. . . Fedex has delivered. . .

You paid, they performed, y'all are done.

After the fact whinging isn't your problem.

 

[Mark M.]

You can get free triangle boxes from the Post Office that are perfect for barrels especially when you use the foam tubes that the kids used in the pool the barrel fits right inside, the only catch is you have to cover the package up completely show doesn't say Post Office on it

 

[Scalloper]

I went into a UPS store to buy a box to ship a barrel. The lady said "what is it that your shipping?" I said gun parts, she and the other lady nearly spit themselves. She said "thats not allowed to be shipped" I said UPS ships guns and gun parts by the 1000s daily. She outright refused to ship and looked like she was going to call the cops she was so upset.

 

[DaveTooley]

I went into a UPS store to buy a box to ship a barrel. The lady said "what is it that your shipping?" I said gun parts, she and the other lady nearly spit themselves. She said "thats not allowed to be shipped" I said UPS ships guns and gun parts by the 1000s daily. She outright refused to ship and looked like she was going to call the cops she was so upset.

Only UPS company terminals will accept gun stuff. The stores are private businesses.

 

[Fast14riot]

Only UPS company terminals will accept gun stuff. The stores are private businesses.

True, the UPS stores cannot ship LQ/ORMD, but non registered parts are no issue.

 

[Kurz]

Here is the link to the USPS website where you can request a bundle (10 or 20) of the triangular boxes for free:

https://store.usps.com/store/produc...ess-medium-tube-1098-P_O_1098M#moreinfofooter

The suggestion above of using 'pool noodles' is terrific but you can also use the pipe insulation tubes also if the noodles aren't available.

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbin...Zbuy9Z402?storeSelection=452,446,423,6948,488

There are other triangular shipping tubes but they start at about $1.00/each for 20 or 50 count bundles. Others, same design, are 3 times more at Staples, $150 vs $50 for the bundle.

 

[DaveTooley]

I use a lot of 3/4" or 1/2" exterior foam sheathing from the home building industry for packing. Cut triangles to fit the tube and a hole in the middle.

 

[Bob L.]

True, the UPS stores cannot ship LQ/ORMD, but non registered parts are no issue.

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

 

[whatwind?]

just reported BLOW out earnings last night....more demand than they know what to do with right now....

 

[Joe Maisto]

UPS did the same to me when I shipped a round tube. I told them they should have asked the shape when I filled out dimensions and weight. Didn't matter they just charged my card anyways. It made that barrel about $42 to ship from Mo to Ca.

How about a triangular tube with the contents described as a "tool part". Should be no problem at all with USPS, ( or perhaps with anyone else..."

 

[SEGARE]

FedEx stock is up this week...thanks!!!!

I sell a lot of my son's baseball bats and use USPS Priority boxes. I open/unseal them where they are glued together and fold them into triangular tubes (they readily do so), and use lots packing tape to seal everything up. I wouldn't be scared to ship a barrel using the same technique and adding fiber reinforced tape and bubble wrap.

 

[Devin Wiggett]

I ship barrels and stocks back and forth to clients all the time and I use the postal service. Never had an issue , usually faster than the others, and alot cheaper.

 

[Albany Mountain]

I ship barrels and stocks back and forth to clients all the time and I use the postal service. Never had an issue , usually faster than the others, and alot cheaper.

I looked at USPS and Fedex came in cheaper by a dollar. I went Fedex, shipped, then 10 days later, they doubled the charge. That dinged me more than anything, USPS will tell you before they accept the package, not come back 10 days later, more than doubling the price, and tell you to look up the reason in their frickin' policy manual with no return reply to the email possible.

 

[Thauglor]

USPS has no surcharge for round tubes I do believe.

 

[Ackman]

I've shipped off quite a few barrels lately, mostly USPS but also UPS & FedEx. If they ask what's in there don't use the word gun or rifle, just say it's stainless tubing. I prefer the postal service, seems a little faster because of less stops during handling.

 

[chop house]

ok, here is my fedex square box rifle bbl episode: i received a bbl from a well known manuf and fedex managed to damage the muzzle. the bbl was wrapped in plastic packing, cap plug on threads and extra layers of wrap on muzzle. muzzle nestled in butcher paper cushion, inside shipping box with liberal use of strapping tape on outside.

as received there was a hole in the strapping tape and the box, the packing was cut, as was the butcher paper, and the edge of the bbl was scraped with the suspicious pattern of road rash usually associated with attempting to sharpen a stick on concrete.

when reported to bbl manuf i got no response. no response. almost as if, yeah, happens a lot... but we're still using fedex.

on the other hand, i have received numerous bbls from members here in all manner of second hand packaging with nary a scratch... all of which were shipped usps priority mail.