Beware of the Post Office.

[Joe Maisto]

I would like to offer my experience with USPS. I’ve been in the process of downsizing and selling shooting related items I no longer need. I keep a record of items sold, who bought them, and how I shipped them. Over the past 1.5 years I have shipped 18 items via USPS without any problems. I always insure my packages and track them. In addition, buyers often send payment via USPS and I recall one instance where a letter with payment was undeliverable and returned to the buyer. Other than that USPS service has been satisfactory.

Maybe I’m lucky. But I find USPS priority mail service to be dependable and convenient for shipping smaller items and will continue using it.

I sent a Hawkeye borescope across the country last week USPS. It was delivered four days ahead of schedule. I will be shipping two Leupold scopes USPS this week. With insurance and tracking, I sleep well.

Not to be a smart a$$, but offering another perspective.

I agree. They are all I use. However...they will not ship a firearm to CA. Just went through that with a guy that wanted my Ruger #1V in .223. The laws in CA. are so stringent USPS wants nothing to do with it. However, Gander MT. would ship it...for a price.

 

[fx77]

If there is damage
I sent an optical product in its original factory packaging marked fragile and insured it.
It arrived broken.
UPS would not pay because in their opinion,"There was no significant damage visible to the outside of the package."
Gov. at work..and U wonder why the VA doesn't work?

 

[bsumoba]

Just had quite a bit of experience shipping both firearms (a Bat Action) and barrels using USPS.

Almost all the packages went smoothly from a timeliness standpoint to and from my and/or my gunsmith/stocksmith.

(1) barrel was delayed a day or so
(1) barrel was delayed almost 5-6 days
Al other barrels and the action were on time and no issues.

In the end I received verything. Never had a package just completely "lost", but there are stories out there. I make sure everything is insured and requires adult signature. Having the package just left at the door or in a mailbox is a recipe for disaster, especially a high dollar item or one of a kind item.

One other thing...I found the tracking to be mostly reliable. Sometimes I would see packages not scanned and therefor cannot be tracked, but then a day or so later, it gets scanned at a sorting facility near the end destination.

 

[LawrenceHanson]

I would like to offer my experience with USPS. I’ve been in the process of downsizing and selling shooting related items I no longer need. I keep a record of items sold, who bought them, and how I shipped them. Over the past 1.5 years I have shipped 18 items via USPS without any problems. I always insure my packages and track them. In addition, buyers often send payment via USPS and I recall one instance where a letter with payment was undeliverable and returned to the buyer. Other than that USPS service has been satisfactory.

Maybe I’m lucky. But I find USPS priority mail service to be dependable and convenient for shipping smaller items and will continue using it.

I sent a Hawkeye borescope across the country last week USPS. It was delivered four days ahead of schedule. I will be shipping two Leupold scopes USPS this week. With insurance and tracking, I sleep well.

Not to be a smart a$$, but offering another perspective.

An update…Both Leupold scopes were delivered intact and on time. One went west and one went east. Both made it fine. I will continue using USPS because I can rely on it.

 

[Wolfdawg]

I shipped two barrels to different locations on the same day about a year ago. One made it, one did not. The buyer told me that the post man (person) delivered the empty tube. WTF? They actually handed him the tube with no explanation. they buyer paid me $250 for the barrel, I shipped it on my dime, priority mail. No insurance.
I reimbursed the buyer for the barrel rather than get flamed on this site. Plus, I thought it was the right thing to do. BUT, it tasted like vinegar!
Anyway, I went to the PO to file the $50 claim, as well as a missing item claim. I went back and forth with them on who needs to file the claim, me or the buyer.
In the end, he got an empty shipping tube, I lost a barrel and the money... received aggravation, and frustration.
Now I insure everything for way more than the value, no matter what!!!!!!!

I like USPS, but that was not a good experience. I still relay on them. Plus, they have a cute mail(person) at the PO... ;D

Wolfdawg