Fun with UPS

[Slamfire]

Tried shipping a firearm using a CMP shipping container.



UPS counter people refused to accept it. They opened the package, examined the contents, claimed that the box was not substantial enough. I think the term they used was “insubstantive box”. They said that if a 120 pound box fell on it, then my rifle would get damaged. To prove the box was not stout enough, the little counter girl put the box on the counter, put both elbows on it, and leaned into the box. She pointed at the crease she left to prove that the box was insubstantive.



The counter people had a Best Practices sheet they used for guidance. Notice it is dated 16 Oct, last week.

They pulled it out when I pointed out that one firearm they were refusing, the box I was using had been delivered by UPS last week. Second page: "We do not accept packages "because it had been shipped this way before"




I got the impression that the counter people are somehow being held liable for accepting packages that get damaged.

The local supervisor would not over rule the counter workers, apparently the counter people have wide discretion what to accept.

Now to try to find another shipper.

 

[charliewood]

UPS destroyed a browning a-5 shotgun i shipped once. It was wrapped in bubble wrap, in an egg crate lined hard plastic case that was then inside a cardboard box. when arrived ,one end of the box was creased,the hard case was fractured on the end,and the stock was splintered. I had insurance on it, They didnt pay a DIME! they denied my claim, i was screwed! i will never ship anything like that again through them.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Long gun?!? Send it by USPS and be done with it! I can't see your photos here at work, so I don't know if it is a long gun or handgun.

 

[Kindrox]

Our business ships UPS. To date UPS has lost one of our boxes (I guess it is circling around Chicago). Long story short, it was scanned as getting on the truck, never scanned as getting off the truck and customer told us she did not get it.

UPS did not pay us. Paying for insurance and the like is pointless.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Ok. I logged on to my computer at home from work and looked. Send it USPS.

 

[dogtown tom]

Was this at a UPS Store or at a UPS Service Center?

 

[Nugilum]

This is why I FedEx.

 

[w_houle]

I ship all of my guns through USPS. I can do long guns myself and have my FFL send handguns.

 

[UniversalFrost]

i used to use usps and then ups to ship guns until i received a browning x-bolt in 2 pieces a couple months ago and I am still fighting with UPS insurance over the replacement of the stock. I have also seen the cost of shipping through USPS rise continually over the past 2 years. Those are the reasons that I have gone exclusively to FedEx. They just shipped a K31 insured for $500 with tracking and signature required for only $14!! with fedex I have never had an issue with boxes looking like they were stomped on (cough, UPS) nor have i never received boxes ripped apart with items missing (cough, USPS) , plus if you open a fedex account you get discounted shipping.

only thing i will ship via UPS is ammo since my local fedex location can not accept ammo and I don't feel like driving 50 miles to their ground depot, whereas UPS has a ground depot a few miles from me.

JOE

 

[kentucky bucky]

I would never send anything of any real value through the USPS. I have delt with them for 19 years in my job and have seen some really shoddy work. They are going through some hard time right now and it's obvious that many employees aren't really caring what happens. Lately they have done some crazy stuff with the mail. Also, if some inspector decides he/she doesn't like what you sent through the mail, they can very easily make you into a possible future inmate without much trouble. UPS has had a really good track record with us, but I hear more and more compliants about their service and some anti-gun sentiments from some areas. I believe that FED-EX may get my business next time. My $.02

 

[basicblur]

Well if ya ship UPS, make sure you mark it fragile-handle with care!

An old buddy of mine that worked for 'em said they give special attention to packages marked as such...
They toss 'em underhand!

I've been to the UPS dock numerous times to pick up packages and have seen a number of "fragile" packages come sliding down the truck rollers to the main line and sail off onto the concrete floor.

 

[outerlimit]

I have always had problems with the counter monkeys at UPS, everytime I have been there. The UPS stores are not much better. I ship everything USPS or Fedex whenever possible and never have any problems.

 

[Speedo66]

Shipped a gun last week via Fedex with a similar box.

Counter person had one question, "does the box contain ammo?" No.

"Fine, they should have it in 3 days"

End of story, end of UPS.

 

[chuckusaret]

UPS is a joke. I have used the same box over and over to ship items back a forth to my brother. But, on occasion the clerk refuses to accept it and states "we do not allow shipment in that type of box because.........." I normally wait until lunch time when a different clerk is on duty at the desk and normally ship my box without a problem.

 

[Iansstud]

I had UPS and FED EX loose packages.... They both had ins, but I never got any money back... 2 months after not getting the FEDEX package a neighbor 2 streets down, came over with the opened package, and said... I think this is yours... I never did get the UPS package...


I guess what I'm saying is .................. Good Luck!

 

[daskro]

So the consensus is to ship guns and ammo using fedex over ups? I'm looking to ship 2 long guns and a handgun as well as around 50lbs of ammo to myself (going on a trip to another state and dont want to lug all the ammo and guns through airport)

 

[First Big Foot]

The floor of the UPS truck is a good yard over the street.
The man's hands standing in the truck probably six feet from the pavement.
There is no call to TOSS the boxes from the truck onto the street six feet down!!
I have seen this more than once.

On another occasion I chased a UPS truck a mile or so to return a box that fell off his tailgate into the street in front of my truck.

I have always had pretty good service from USPS.
Every business has it's goof offs.
But keep hammering at that insurance.
They are obligated.

 

[Slamfire]

Shipped it Registered mail with USPS.

Cost was $36. Insurance was half the cost.

USPS people were helpful. They will ship a long gun, won’t ship a handgun. Registered mail has to have paper tape on all 4 edges and the four edges on the two corners. I only had paper tape on seams. They gave me paper tape and a wet sponge, and I cut and laid the tape on an unoccupied counter. Counterperson then stamped every four inches of tape with the post office date stamp.

They wanted to make sure that I was shipping it to an FFL, so I had a copy of the receiving FFL, and that the firing pin was out of the rifle. I told them the bolts were removed, and they sort of understood that meant the firing pin was out of the rifle.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Good deal! Let us know when it gets there and how it went!

 

[nwilliams]

My local UPS place refuses to ship firearms period unless it's from one FFL to another.

I took in a rifle once that I sold online to the UPS center and the counter person asked to see my FFL. I told him I wasn't a dealer but the rifle was going to dealer that accepts from individuals. He told me that the only way they would ship a firearm is from one dealer to another. I told him that seemed to contradict UPS policy and his response was "it's our local policy". He suggested that I take it to FedEx which I did and I shipped it without any issues. Ever since then any firearm I've sold and had to ship I've taken to FedEx and have never been given any difficulties by the counter people there.

 

[dogtown tom]

SlamFire1: ...They wanted to make sure that I was shipping it to an FFL, so I had a copy of the receiving FFL, and that the firing pin was out of the rifle...

Two unnecessary requests from your post office.

Although Federal law requires that interstate shipments be addressed only to an FFL (with very few exceptions), USPS has no requirement that you provide them with a copy of the receiving dealers FFL.

And, there is no USPS requirement that the firing pin be removed or a bolt be removed.

I've been mailing firearms (handguns and long guns) at the same post office for over year. I would get counter clerks that thought they knew the regulations on shipping firearms- they didn't and their Customer Service manager didn't either. I had to point out the section of the Domestic Mail Manual regarding firearms and what was required. I continue to encounter clerks that don't know the rules, and when it happens I politely explain the rules but I never give an inch on anything they demand that is not required by USPS regulations. You shouldn't either- it makes it hard on the next guy.

USPS Domestic Mail Manual Section 601 http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm#wp1065404

nwilliams: My local UPS place refuses to ship firearms period unless it's from one FFL to another.

I took in a rifle once that I sold online to the UPS center and the counter person asked to see my FFL. I told him I wasn't a dealer but the rifle was going to dealer that accepts from individuals. He told me that the only way they would ship a firearm is from one dealer to another. I told him that seemed to contradict UPS policy and his response was "it's our local policy". He suggested that I take it to FedEx which I did and I shipped it without any issues. Ever since then any firearm I've sold and had to ship I've taken to FedEx and have never been given any difficulties by the counter people there.

Always print out the shipping policies (or tariff) page for UPS or FedEx. It will end any problem you have AS LONG AS you are following the policy. For example: shipping a firearm through a UPS Store or counter that is not UPS owned but a franchisee. Can't do it according to UPS Policy: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/res...h_phr=firearms











.

 

[dk148]

Two unnecessary requests from your post office.

Although Federal law requires that interstate shipments be addressed only to an FFL (with very few exceptions), USPS has no requirement that you provide them with a copy of the receiving dealers FFL.

And, there is no USPS requirement that the firing pin be removed or a bolt be removed.

I've been mailing firearms (handguns and long guns) at the same post office for over year. I would get counter clerks that thought they knew the regulations on shipping firearms- they didn't and their Customer Service manager didn't either. I had to point out the section of the Domestic Mail Manual regarding firearms and what was required. I continue to encounter clerks that don't know the rules, and when it happens I politely explain the rules but I never give an inch on anything they demand that is not required by USPS regulations. You shouldn't either- it makes it hard on the next guy.

USPS Domestic Mail Manual Section 601 http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/601.htm#wp1065404

Always print out the shipping policies (or tariff) page for UPS or FedEx. It will end any problem you have AS LONG AS you are following the policy. For example: shipping a firearm through a UPS Store or counter that is not UPS owned but a franchisee. Can't do it according to UPS Policy: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/res...h_phr=firearms

Very good info here.

I always ship usps when I can. I also live in rural area, so I know all the employees at my local Post Office. They usually ask me for my form 1508 whenever I hand them a box that isn't a firearm, and I thank them for reminding me but tell them it's not a firearm.

When I have had to use ups, I have had run ins with the folks at the counter, and I am an FFL. Most of them have no idea of what their own companies policies are. But on the other hand my UPS driver (drops off deliveries) kicks ass and takes names!! That guy goes above and beyond every time.

My Fedex delivery guys go the other way, and do the least possible, and will show up every time I step out of the office. It's like they got me lojacked.

 

[Ash]

UPS still owes me for TWO claims.

From TWO years ago.

Ash

 

[Guns and more]

going on a trip to another state and dont want to lug all the ammo and guns through airport

The guns wouldn't be a problem usually, but TSA limits ammo to 11 lbs.

 

[Avenger29]

When I ship a gun, I ship it in at a minimum, a cheap hardcase. I consider it cheap insurance against damage.

Unfortunately, finding a box large enough to ship a rifle hardcase can be a bit difficult. Pistols are much easier to find a suitable box for, and cheap cases for them are all over the place.

Fending against a loss can be harder, and so can claiming insurance. I don't have a good solution for that.