Whats the best way to ship a rifle ?

[Hal]

What shipping Co. stands the best chance of getting my rifle from MT to WV and back in one piece? It's going back to the factory. USPS, FED EX, OR UPS.

I'll take pictures. Do you tell them your shipping a rifle or is it legal to say your shipping .machinery.


I made a heavy duty cardboard box for my Pelican gun case. Any other helpful hints?

Do I need to put a rabbit's foot in the gun case also?

Hal

 

[DogBuster]

Take your pick.........Go Brown..............ha ha

expect to pay an oversized rate (OS) for the pkg...

especially if it is in a Pelican hard case...I believe if its over

110" or 130"..........can't recall.......

 

[Chief 101]

I am never comfy shipping rifles but the hard case and cardboard box I use. I have to travel to the UPS warehouse and at least here in Idaho they are happy to send rifles and go the extra mile to assure me of good results. I know others have problems with UPS but it depends on where you are I think. The last rifle I shipped was a Ruger #1, last year, and it cost me almost $25. good luck

 

[Chief 101]

Take your pick.........Go Brown..............ha ha

expect to pay an oversized rate (OS) for the pkg...

especially if it is in a Pelican hard case...I believe if its over

110" or 130"..........can't recall.......

I don't know Pelican hardcase, but 60"+6"+24"=90". I never got close to that. Maybe the Pelican hardcase is a long suitcase.

 

[22DASHER]

I have learned the hard way how to ship rifles. I had one shipped to me with a $1200 custom wood stock and it was broken on arrival. This rifle was shipped in a hard case and in a box, but with poor packaging. Luckily it was insured and UPS covered the broken stock, but it took about a year for a new stock to be made. I now prefer to ship the rifle in pieces if at all possible, remove the stock, barreled action, trigger, etc,….package them individually or together in the same box. Just make sure that each is individually wrapped/protected. It you don't want to take the rifle apart or cannot, then I would wrap the rifle up very well and place inside of a hard gun case. Then I would wrap the hard gun case up with some padding and place it in a box. This may seem excessive but I don't want to relive the previous experience.

 

[Rustystud]

A word of wisdom. UPS and FedEx sell their own insurance. Most states say what they sell is not insurance and do not regulate it. That makes them have a conflict of interest from the get go. If you ship using a "common carrier" buy independent insurance. Suing FedEx and UPS for an unsettled claim is like picking up jello with a hot fork. Check with your homeowners insurance agent, you may be able to get a binder policy or they can refer you to a commercial carrier. I ship all the time as an FFL and pay for an annual shipping policy. They may still have you buy the carriers policy but if you have a claim they pay the damages and subregate with the carriers policy.
Nat Lambeth

 

[oldblinddog]

UPS has been the best in my experience. They will want to see a signed copy of the FFL you are shipping to, and No you can't claim it's "machinery".

 

[Hal]

Oldblinddog

You don't need a FFL if you ship back to the factory and they can return it direct to you.

Hal

 

[dreever]

I've used the USPS without a problem.

Danny

 

[Hal]

Rusty stud where would you buy independent insurance from?

Hal

 

[CSM19Z5M]

My worst fear, shipping a rifle. I've done it when I had to and used UPS. I am so paranoid about shipping a rifle, especially a custom gun, I usually deliver it and pick it up in person rather than take the chance. I know, that's not always possible but I would just warn you about shipping firearms. Make sure you understand what the requirements for filing an insurance claim are before you box and ship it. I was told by UPS that if the package was not cushioned in peanuts (the Styrofoam kind) they would not honor the insurance on it. Didn't know that before he told me. Just get all the rules before you give it to them........... and pray. If you can, ship it in a good hard case. I recently took delivery of a custom rifle and drove six hundred miles to get it. Excessive maybe but I didn't spend all that money to have a warehouse person tossing the thing in and out of a truck either.

 

[Greyfox]

I've shipped quite a few by USPS. A good friend who is an FFL and does Gun Broker auctions ships all his by USPS. He uses (and so do I) heavy duty telescoping boxes from Uline. I've had no damage and neither has he. Of course, they are well padded and packed. It's far easier to use USPS than UPS or FedEx in my area as the local PO knows what's going on and there are no stupid questions and no hassles.

Rick

 

[bdale]

I've been told to ship next day if using UPS this assures it gets preferred treatment, and every move documented.

 

[masterblaster1]

I use usps, never n issue, better service than the other two in my experience. Plus i like supporting one of the few functioning parts of my government that actually works well.

 

[butchlambert]

I have shipped and received many rifles. I only use the Post Office. Long guns and shotguns are allowed to be shipped. You can ship in state to an individual and out of state to the MFG. or FFL. I just received a $25,000. custom wood stock rifle. It was wrapped in bubble wrap, put in a padded soft case, then put in a hardcase, and a HD cardboard box. The card board box was packed all around tightly.
Your shipper is who you like.
I needed to ship a New Hermes Engraver with a stand to Montana. The UPS store said they would pack it for $125+shipping. I think the total with shipping was a little over $200. Of course it was damaged when it arrived. I filed a claim and they refused to pay because they said it wasn't packed properly. I absolutely blew a gasket. It took a month and a half and my attorney to get my money and attorney fees.
The post office has to ship long guns. I did have to visit with one post master and go over the shipping rules with him.

 

[masterblaster1]

Thed first time I shipped USPS was after seeing my smith ship through them, LRI, I went over to the PO and told the lady that it was a rifle, she was Asian lady, english not that great but wife is Korean born and I am fluent in Koranglish, well she grabs the book behind her and shows me the regulation, absolutely no issue shipping rifles, has to go to FFL or Manufacturer. Have shipped many back and forth since, never an issue, I am in a metropolitan area so I am pleasantly surprised at the service.

 

[LoganDon]

I have had bad experiences with all of them. FedX and UPS are impossible to deal with around here. A few years ago I shipped a rifle USPS to a re-tread CA city (C'Da) in Idaho, and in ID the receiving PO set it in a corner and could not find it until I threatened legal action after 45 days of saying it was delivered, etc. Think someone wanted a custom rifle.

My second problem with the USPS happened this January. I shipped a rifle from my home in UT to Texas, paid for priority mail and insurance - scheduled and should have arrived in 2-3 days. Somehow it ended up sitting in Reading, PA for over a week but was not automatically shipped to its destination in TX. Finally, USPS got it to TX but refused to refund my shipping cost for Priority Mail. We have a new postmaster, doubt she will last long. Last time I drove to TX, I don't remember passing through PA!

Any future shipments will be USPS guaranteed overnight from a different PO.

 

[rayporter]

butch

you got money and attorney fees, but did the pay for the gasket?

 

[LCazador]

I ship rifles frequently on UPS. I've been using them for years and have had few issues. I've also used the post office as well. The difference between the two is the USPS insurance is pretty high if your package value is over $1000. If you have to make a claim UPS resolves the issue within a few weeks, the post office on the other hand takes a few years. The other issue is tracking numbers. If the package gets lost the post office tracking will only show where it was last and finding that package seems to be a huge issue for them. On the other hand UPS knows where the package is and will get it routed to you within a few hours. You can ship a long gun (shotgun or rifle) for repair or to yourself according to ATF rules, see: www. atf.gov . Yes you should declare it's a rifle and declare it's value if you want insurance to cover it.

 

[butchlambert]

Ray,
The purchaser was the winner. He kept the machine, I sent him his check back, and he bought a $100 worth of parts to fix it. The machine, fonts, and extra was $1500. So he got $1500 worth for $100.
The gasket fixed itself.