Done with USPS

[Steve Blair]

Some folks can break an anvil. Maybe they threw the anvil on the pvc pipe. My guess is you were happy the barrel was fine.

[br]
You are correct. Other than certain types of crating, we should view packaging as sacrificial protection for the contents. No one likes to see a box arrive that looks like it was used as a soccer ball. But, if the packaging is completely destroyed and the contents survive, it was successful.

 

[Nomad47]

A few months ago, I shipped two barrels to MN. They were each in heavy walled PVC pipe and wrapped in foam rubber so they wouldn't rattle and the two PVC pipes taped together. I used strong gaffer's tape to tape the ends shut (and wish I had glued caps on the ends).
The package was insured and arrived one week later than estimated. ONE barrel arrived with the other tube being empty.
I filed a claim and USPS initially denied the claim stating I shipped prohibited items. After I quoted their website stating that firearms were legal to ship, let alone just barrels, USPS did pay.

 

[DennisH]

insurance is cheep

It's the claim process that's time consuming.

Shipping barrels, PVC tubing with the barrel wrapped and packed with newspaper works great. If you ship in a cardboard tube, you must use a thick tube. The 1/8's won't hold the barrel. 3/16 will. On 28" plus bull barrels, I double pack them, first in a round shipping tube, then a 2x2x37 square tube packed well in newspaper. Tape the ends very well. No problems since I started shipping this way.

As someone stated above, pack your contents well. USPS flat rate boxes are about as cheap as it gets and are the best to use.

Big thing with any of the shippers is that it needs to be well packed, shipments that aren't usually don't make it. I ship all 3 carriers daily and have not had a single issue this year with any of them BUT my packages are well packed and taped. I use about double of the normal amount and I catch grief about it from some employees BUT my stuff gets there and I don't get angry calls about the order. I get asked all the time "can't you put it in an envelope?" . Short answer NO, won't get there & then somebody is mad & wants me to replace it because they didn't want to pay to ship it the proper way. $5.15 will ship a small package in a flat rate small box anywhere in the US.

Agree 100%, a few extra minutes and a few quarters extra will save you a lot of time and grief.

Dennis

 

[Dgd6mm]

Shipping with any of them is a hazard, be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best. I shipped my biggest rifle to date 2 weeks ago thru USPS. Shipped it in a gun case, 64.5" in lenght, right at 50 lbs. It made it to Pa. unharmed. That same week Randfal out of Wyoming shipped a rifle to my FFL here in N. Florida thru USPS, in 2 packages. 1 for the stock, and the other for the barreled action, both made it unharmed. I had a barrel coming that same week to my house thru USPS, package was damaged, barrel was not. I prefer to ship thru the P.O. , I've had better luck overall with them.

 

[L.Sherm]

I shipped my die in its plastic die box that's what get's me

 

[DennisH]

I shipped my die in its plastic die box that's what get's me

I understand. The plastic die boxes are weak. I usually ship those in a medium flat rate box wrapped in bubble wrap. I make sure no part of the die box touches any part of the shipping box.

I have received many with the case destroyed or cracked.