Number seven? Broken guns or drinks?
Sorry to hear of this, Roy. I wish I needed an EG project gun or I would take you up on your offer.
I've received guns packaged in everything from cardboard boxes with zero packing materials(!) to my last one from an esteemed member here that had a wooden liner built around the gun, inside a cardboard box- the whole thing outweighing the gun by double. (That last one came all the way from California with no issues.)
If you want good advice on packaging, ask Joe Martin who worked for UPS since before WWI. One thing he said was that if you want to guarantee trouble free shipping, create your package so substantially that you can stand on it. I like that.
Another sound approach is to employ a cheap plastic gun case, contained within its cardboard shipping box. It adds plus/minus $30 to the cost of shipping but is well worth it.
Bottom line: make doubly-damned sure the shipper understands that you expect secure packaging. If he blows you off in that regard, take your business elsewhere.
