The first mistake is accepting the shipment if there is visible damage. Return to sender and let them fight it out. The shipper is the carrier's customer - not you.
I've always used FedEx ground which is far from perfect but I got paid for the 3 claims I had to make.
Lately, I've found a simple frame of 1X4s inside the cardboard box is cheap insurance.
Mike, I didn't accept a broken $1400 Sako once and it nearly cost me the entire $1400. If you don't accept it you can't get photos and somebody inevitably throws away the box or some stupid sheit. If you leave it at the FFL's he doesn't want to deal with it.
