6.5 forever
Silver $$ Contributor
How about recycling my wife's Amazon boxes. Lol
Best Sources for Shipping Boxes?
- Thread starter gunsandgunsmithing
- Start date
Buying boxes and packing supplies just sucks. Almost as bad as shipping.
With U-Line you got to play around with what you are ordering and DOUBLE CHECK HOW THEY ARE SHIPPING IT.
I got to playing with a small order and shipping was gonna be more then the boxes. I took one bundle of 20 boxes off the order and it gave me UPS as an option over freight but was defaulted to freight. Shipping went from close to $200 down to less than $50.
So try cutting your order in 1/2 and make sure you see how they plan on shipping it to you and change it.
Just something I saw.
Matt
With U-Line you got to play around with what you are ordering and DOUBLE CHECK HOW THEY ARE SHIPPING IT.
I got to playing with a small order and shipping was gonna be more then the boxes. I took one bundle of 20 boxes off the order and it gave me UPS as an option over freight but was defaulted to freight. Shipping went from close to $200 down to less than $50.
So try cutting your order in 1/2 and make sure you see how they plan on shipping it to you and change it.
Just something I saw.
Matt
Thanks for all the replies. I ordered 50 boxes from Amazon for $100 and change with no shipping. I just never thought to look there until now. U-Line certainly has more options if you need something very specific, they probably have it. Like I said though, the cost was a lot more and shipping, I thought was ridiculous from them. Bottom line, it pays to ask and to shop around.
Yes, shipping sucks and none of us like paying it. I ship most things at or very near actual shipping cost but actual means all inclusive. I don't try to make money on shipping but I don't wanna lose money on it either. So, I just try to use the most efficient means factoring everything into cost. I use a lot of priority mail but I have to carry it to the post office most of the time, due to size and quantity. They'll pick it up but some days it's more than they can fit in their vehicle with the rest of their mail and packages. In the long run, it pays to take care of your mail man, too.
Yes, shipping sucks and none of us like paying it. I ship most things at or very near actual shipping cost but actual means all inclusive. I don't try to make money on shipping but I don't wanna lose money on it either. So, I just try to use the most efficient means factoring everything into cost. I use a lot of priority mail but I have to carry it to the post office most of the time, due to size and quantity. They'll pick it up but some days it's more than they can fit in their vehicle with the rest of their mail and packages. In the long run, it pays to take care of your mail man, too.
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Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
I recently bought a rifle hard case, with the foam egg shell interior, from Amazon, $40 delivered. I'll use it for a new rifle. If I sell a rifle it will go in the hard case, back in the card board box it shipped in and on to the next owner. I also have the box the new rifle came in, if it won't shoot back in the box and bye bye. Another option is a big box from the appliance store, cut it down and pad the item to be shipped, not that difficult.
RCE1
Gold $$ Contributor
Sometimes a LGS will have boxes they will give you.
The ULine boxes are hard to beat, but the only way they are economical is if you buy a bunch at a time. Otherwise, cost of shipping is prohibitive. I don't know if ULine does free shipping promotions.
ULine also sells super heavy duty musical instrument boxes that will ship benchrest rifles.
I also like the idea of purchasing a cheap hard case that comes with a cardboard shipping carton. They used to be under $30, shipped, from Amazon. They're more than that nowadays.
I do not recommend allowing a LGS handle packing of expensive or delicate equipment. I recently had a Walther target rifle damaged in shipping due to lackadaisical packing on the part of a LGS. I'm very picky about how things are packed. Having to go through an FFL both ways where I live is very inconvenient as they have to be able to see the actual serial numbers, so you have to open up everything and remove wrap etc. Best to leave a window that allows inspection of SN without unwrapping everything if possible.
The ULine boxes are hard to beat, but the only way they are economical is if you buy a bunch at a time. Otherwise, cost of shipping is prohibitive. I don't know if ULine does free shipping promotions.
ULine also sells super heavy duty musical instrument boxes that will ship benchrest rifles.
I also like the idea of purchasing a cheap hard case that comes with a cardboard shipping carton. They used to be under $30, shipped, from Amazon. They're more than that nowadays.
I do not recommend allowing a LGS handle packing of expensive or delicate equipment. I recently had a Walther target rifle damaged in shipping due to lackadaisical packing on the part of a LGS. I'm very picky about how things are packed. Having to go through an FFL both ways where I live is very inconvenient as they have to be able to see the actual serial numbers, so you have to open up everything and remove wrap etc. Best to leave a window that allows inspection of SN without unwrapping everything if possible.
3Ackleys
Gold $$ Contributor
Don't know if they have the sizes you want, but USPS has 4 pages of shiping supplies. You can order online, and they are free.
Shipping Supplies | Free Shipping Supplies | USPS.com
Shop our selection of Free Shipping Supplies Shipping Supplies on the USPS.com Postal Store
store.usps.com
Thanks but no, they just don't have what I need. I wish they did.
I wish they had this when I was still married to my first wife.
Cremated Remains Kit 1 | USPS.com
This free Cremated Remains Kit contains one Priority Mail Express Box and a roll of Priority Mail Express tape.
store.usps.com
Dave Berg
What doesn't kill us makes us bitter.
That's a clever gimmick the USPS has foisted on the general public. The line "If it fits it ships" is a blatant lie. There is still a weight limit on every flat rate container including the padded envelopes. I buy bullets occasionally from Montana Gold who uses flat rate priority boxes and has free shipping. If you look at their online catalog the best prices are for a strange number of bullets, like 3,750 9mm 124 grains. That's how many they can get in a flat rate box without going over the 70 pound total limit (They put their own very heavy stapled box inside the USPS box).
Some folks figured out that it was cheap and easy to put lots of bullets and other heavy stuff in the padded flat rate envelope so the USPS dropped the weight limit on that to something like ten pounds.
If you're mailing bullets or uranium to Guam the flat rate boxes can make sense. If it's cookies to grandma you're getting royally screwed.
For guns I used Cameron Packaging boxes. Incredibly sturdy, reasonably priced and designed specifically for firearms or various shapes and sized. Unfortunately unless you're close to Lima, OH the shipping to get the boxes to you is pretty high.
Link to Cameron:
DogBuster
Silver $$ Contributor
Yep
Iffin you can make it work for ya...
If you have an account...just order them online.....free shipping & no cost
My favorite is the padded bubble envelope....stuff 'em full
Add extra tape too...
OP.....sometimes have to make a box to fit...real PIA then
They don't have the right sizeI just steal piles of them from the local post office when I'm there
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