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USPS "lost" "stolen" Gun

Anyone else on here had a gun that the tracking stopped and never turned up? USPS worker who is in Consumer Relations acts like it may have gotten damaged and sent to the Mail Recovery Center. As much as I'd like to think that is the case my FFL has had four rifles in the last two months fall off the radar when this particular sort facility was the next stop which leads me to think someone at this facility is stealing them. Anybody know my options? Rifle was insured but are there any other avenues to pursue? Thanks
 
Call the state attorney general and then the post office should be able to get a postal inspector on the job.If what you know is true they should reveal the tapes of the facility and try to find the scum that did this.
 
I would tell you to call the postal inspector of OIG (office of inspector general) and tell them your story and the fact others turned up missing there. You will need proof of the other lost ones or a report from the FFL.
Have phone contacts in your hand to pass the info along, they will investigate.
 
CaptainMal said:
Four, like in 4?

Notify somebody. That's not remotely close to right.

Corrected in original post ;)

Yes four rifles. I will look into trying to get ahold of the state attorney general tomorrow as well as filing a complaint with a USPS inspector if I can figure out a way to get ahold of one. I just don't like seeing honest hard working people getting ripped off. I have a $3000 rifle with about a $700 scope sitting on top of it missing. I read of an employee changing shipping labels to send them to a buddy's house which would make them harder to catch than if they are walking away with them. I would like to know a total number of guns this scum or group of scums has taken as it is four that were being shipped to my ffl so no telling how many total.
 
I think the ATF will get involved here also. Your FFL should contact the ATF and report the problem. I believe that the USPS will change their tune. (I think your FFL is supposed to contact the ATF within 24 hours in the event of a non-delivered firearm).

Cort
 
I sold a Sig P226 x5 9mm with 4 extra magazines using Gunbroker to a police officer in California. I used my local FFL to handle the transaction on April 25. My FFL dealer dropped it off at the post office on April 26. The package was shipped USPS priority mail insured with a estimated delivery date of April 28. When it was not delivered after a week I started making inquiries with the post office. The package was finally delivered on May 17 containing the 4 magazines with the gun missing. My FFL dealer has reported the gun stolen to the ATF and is handling the claim with the post office. Needless to say I will never use USPO to ship anything of value. When making an online purchase I am willing to pay extra shipping to avoid using USPO. Thanks, Ray
 
Most gunsmiths I deal with use UPS and never USPS or FedEx. I've lost one rifle with FedEx and USPS has no real tracking UNLESS you ship "Registered" mail; Registered mail is how you ship money, bullion, etc with Registered mail every person that touches the parcel signs for it.

The USPS has up to one year to find a lost parcel before they pay the claim. My local postal carrier doesn't deliver lead bullets, bullet orders only get delivered when the substitute delivers on her days off.
 
DaveC said:
Most gunsmiths I deal with use UPS and never USPS or FedEx. I've lost one rifle with FedEx and USPS has no real tracking UNLESS you ship "Registered" mail; Registered mail is how you ship money, bullion, etc with Registered mail every person that touches the parcel signs for it......

USPS Registered mail is really the best way to ship valuable items. It doesn't cost a lot more to use, but it will add a few more days to the delivery.....which is no big deal to me when considering the alternative. (ie; theft!) [size=12pt]Common sense goes a long way too; [/size] It's incredible to me how many private sellers and gunshops alike will not properly seal or reinforce a flimsy paper box to discourage easy tampering, or prevent a 7Lb barrel from ramrodding out of it. Then they will fully spell out "Jim Bob's Firearms" on the package, instead of just writing "Jim B. F. " Unfortunately, when you are on the receiver side of a transaction, or you have to depend on an FFL to ship a gun for you, you can't control these soughts of things.

Post Moderated
 
I have a cheap plastic plano case that is foam padded that I use to ship to the Smith.. I tape it good and secure so no "accidental separation" can happen.. I would assume the OP didn't ship his in a paper box, so changing of shipping addresses or out right thievery most be common for postal employee's.. I would like to see it remedied before it happens to me..

Glad you had insurance, Sorry you have to wait a year to get it.

Ray
 
VaniB. You are misinformed. UPS will ship rifles and pistols.
They will only ship to a current FFL holder. Pistols require overnight delivery which can be spendy.
The UPS Stores are NOT UPS facilities and will not ship firearms.
Firearms must be taken to a UPS hub with customer shipping.
 
wolley said:
VaniB. You are misinformed. UPS will ship rifles and pistols.
They will only ship to a current FFL holder. Pistols require overnight delivery which can be spendy.
The UPS Stores are NOT UPS facilities and will not ship firearms.
Firearms must be taken to a UPS hub with customer shipping.

Yes, perhaps the previous attempts I've made to ship a firearm VIA UPS was at their satelite stations including the Office Depot UPS counter which I have used for everything else. There is one major Houston UPS hub location that's in a bad are of town off Interstate 45 which is not conveniently located for most folks unless they drive by it for work, or happen to live around there. Of the two seperate times in 35 years that I drove there to mail packages at their counter (not firearms) they had the audacity to open everybody's package to examine the contents, and quickly tape it back up looking like it came out of bargain basement bin. Don't get me started on UPS!!! LOL BTW, are you sure the UPS hub would accept a pistol from civie you to FFL, and it doesn't have to be FFL to FFL?
 
Yes they will ship pistols from non-FFL to FFL only. And like I said earlier for some bizarre reason pistols must be shipped overnight. I never seal the boxes for pistols as they will require you to show them that it is unloaded and the magazines are removed. For either rifle or pistol they will also require a signed copy of the receiver's FFL. Faxes and scanned copies are fine.
They have never asked to look in a box with a rifle. Always insure for a few hundred more than the replacement cost. That way they mark the package high value and it gets special tracking.
I absolutely despise FedEx. They suck!!!
I don't know which end of town you're in. I use the hub in League City.
 
UPS requires pistols to be overnighted because they also were having thefts at their hubs. I don't know what makes it different but that is why they require it.
 
Little bit of an update which is not much of one. My FFL actually had a USPS inspector in on Wednesday. I went to ship a firearm today at the post office and they asked if one of mine was one that got stolen and I told them I believe so as its been over a week and I do not have it yet. They gave my info to the postmaster who was going to call me after lunch. I missed a call this afternoon so I called and asked the Postmaster if they had tried to call and they said it was probably the postal inspector as they said they would contact me directly. So hope to hear from the USPS inspector on Monday. Will likely let the Postmaster know that it is a good number so the inspector does not just write it off as a bad number and not try and call back. Workers did confirm that multiple firearms had been stolen but were reluctant to give out additional information. I asked how it will work with the insurance since I had it and was told that many items were recovered and not sure how that will work out. But again that was not from the postmaster nor the inspector so I shall wait and see. I'm just hoping for a good ending for all involved parties and the low life SOB gets more than a slap on the wrist.
 
If the usps is anything like Eastman Kodak the sob will get a raise and become a supervisor.
 
wolley said:
Yes they will ship pistols from non-FFL to FFL only. And like I said earlier for some bizarre reason pistols must be shipped overnight. I never seal the boxes for pistols as they will require you to show them that it is unloaded and the magazines are removed. For either rifle or pistol they will also require a signed copy of the receiver's FFL. Faxes and scanned copies are fine.
They have never asked to look in a box with a rifle. Always insure for a few hundred more than the replacement cost. That way they mark the package high value and it gets special tracking.
I absolutely despise FedEx. They suck!!!
I don't know which end of town you're in. I use the hub in League City.
UPS and FEDEX use a different tracking and control system for overnight shipments. Therefore, more controls. ALL employs at FEDEX pass through a metal detector going and coming from work. The chances of sneaking one out are almost nil. Changing labels could be done, but the security cameras at FEDEX are extensive.
 
dickn52 said:
wolley said:
Yes they will ship pistols from non-FFL to FFL only. And like I said earlier for some bizarre reason pistols must be shipped overnight. I never seal the boxes for pistols as they will require you to show them that it is unloaded and the magazines are removed. For either rifle or pistol they will also require a signed copy of the receiver's FFL. Faxes and scanned copies are fine.
They have never asked to look in a box with a rifle. Always insure for a few hundred more than the replacement cost. That way they mark the package high value and it gets special tracking.
I absolutely despise FedEx. They suck!!!
I don't know which end of town you're in. I use the hub in League City.
UPS and FEDEX use a different tracking and control system for overnight shipments. Therefore, more controls. ALL employs at FEDEX pass through a metal detector going and coming from work. The chances of sneaking one out are almost nil. Changing labels could be done, but the security cameras at FEDEX are extensive.

Not going to take any sides as I have used all three carriers at one time or another, each have their own problems and positive results.

As far as one having more security than the other, not from what I've seen inside the main hubs. I have the Equipment Maintenance contracts with UPS and FEDEX and have done work inside the USPS sort center, there are no employee metal detectors, no guards, workers (some times family and friends) come and go to with bags, backpacks, purses, laptops.....each have caged shelving for International, (really big here due to the Border w/ Canada) what they all have in common is cameras, lors of cameras, not for real time security but for the after the fact investigation.
 

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