Not shipped one in years, that was UPS. Heard you can ship USPS. Much price difference?

Thanks in advance.

Lately usps has been cheaper for me and faster

USPS has been horrible for me lately. Paid for 2 or 3 day and arriving 18-21 days later. I would suggest FedEx or UPS. More expensive but haven’t had any significant delays with them lately.

What he said ^^ post office sucks

I ship stuff weekly and would not use anything but USPS. I have only seen a one or two day difference but I also believe it’s location dependent....
Bought a Geovid from CL in NY a couple weeks ago.
Shipped Saturday and arrived Tuesday......Priority Mail....

UPS for me. USPS is not an option, unreliable deliveries, unfriendly staff and very low level of assistance.

Much obliged, thanks guys!

You're likely going to get advocates on both sides here. I ship all of mine USPS because its close to me. The UPS depot is 30 miles from here and UPS stores won't ship weapons. I also use priority mail and insure for the total amount. I have yet to have an issue with the postal service.

UPS will not ship a firearm unless its at a UPS Hub Store. The franchise places will not, not even a gun part like a barrel.
I have had trouble with the mail for regular stuff, but never a problem sending or receiving a firearm.

I have had a total of three long guns that were damaged in shipping over the last 15 years and all were shipped by UPS. I have not had any damaged by the USPS. For what it is worth.

If you ship USPS go with Registered mail. Far more accountability. For some reason paper tape is required on the box.

I have no problems shipping USPS.I like to ship on Fridays.Usually it arrives any where in the CONTUS by Monday.I ship Priority Insured ask that guns be signed for and a copy of the signature sent to me.

I have a secondary question that is somewhat related to this post. I have never sold a gun through a forum classifieds like this, only face to face transactions. I am planning on selling a couple of guns and was curious on how this is normally handled through these forums. How is the best way to ensure a smooth transaction (meaning ensuring receipt of funds and subsequent shipment of the gun) and does the shipment require going through a FFL individual? Any other helpful advice will be appreciated as well.

Thanks.

I worked at FedEx here in Memphis, it's a mad house. Make darn sure you package it to withstand being dropped and make sure it's insured. They sort over 600,000 packages per shift and your package means nothing if it falls off the conveyor or off the cart before conveying. I'm sure UPS isn't much difference.

I have shipped firearms to almost every state in the last 20-30 years all via USPS Priority Mail----insured ! Almost all arrived at their destinations in 2 to 3 days!
I have never had a firearm damaged or lost through them. I also received many firearms for others, and USPS still has a clean record. I also received a lot of firearms through UPS and had the worst service than any other shipper but still not bad. Just slower and handled rougher!
Also, for me to ship UPS was to drive 40 miles.
I no longer have a FFL and am not doing much shipping and no receiving, but for long guns I still use USPS. I have noticed recently that Priority mail 2nd day air doesn't necessarily mean that anymore. I am not sure of the reason but I suspect politics! Fed-ex has usually been the worst for me! I do think they are improving while the others seem to be going down hill.
I am probably just lucky, but that is my opinion.

Also, however I ever shipped or received I requested or paid for an adult signature. I had too many high dollar firearms left on my doorstep----usually by Fed Ex!

FEDEX!!!!!! UPS requires you bring to a hub that has limited hours. USPS has been absolutely terrible. Pay for 2-3 day Priority get actual delivery 2+ weeks later. FEDEX has 2 convenient drop off places in town and neither gives any static about firearms.

UPS..

USPS Priority Mail. Used them all, Fedex, UPS, PO..............never an issue, but Post Office is cheapest and gets the package there twice as fast.

They all suck! I have a rifle coming from South Carolina via Fed Ex that sat in Georgia for 11 days. Spent half the day yesterday on the phone with the lying sacks of [bleep]. USPS shipping prices have gotten outrageous. UPS has had several employees arrested lately for stealing guns and ammo.

Shipped a shotgun across country two weeks ago, via usps. Took three days and arrived and was delivered Labor Day. Cost was around $50 with some extra insurance.

UPS.. forget the post office

When I have shipped it's been usps with no problems. Nearest ups hub is 38 miles and only open from 3-6pm

I will never spend another penny with the post office as long as I live. Use at your own (Very Large) risk.

Big Brown can't be beat.

UPS - Open and account and schedule a pickup from your house. Package it very, very well with whoever you use

https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/packaging-and-supplies/special-care-shipments/firearms.page

I now realize this should be a post of it's own.

More Great info, thanks folks, will let you know how things turn out. All good points.

Cullbuck, I'm sure if you post a new post you can get man great answers, lots of folks willing to help. As to the FFL, all guns coming in or going out have gone to FFL holders.......it's the law to my knowledge on all shipments, unless perhaps you send a firearm to be repaired and they ship it directly back to you. That's what I believe to be true, but confirm.

Welcome to 24hr, and do put up a new post, just copy/paste what you wrote.

Thanks again folks!

I went with USPS since they were close, all went well,

Shipped on 9/16 - due on 9/22 after the weekend......arrived on 9/23, so one Wed. to the next Wed.

Cost $ 30.05 - went Ground and added insurance.

Hope that helps someone.

As Bob Hagle used to say about the 338 for elk:
Its what happens and what you need after EVERYTHING goes wrong. Sure it depends on locale and
your local UPS-USPS office & employees.


BUT-if you have a shipping problem with UPS-or damage. GOOD LUCK!
USPS bring your insurance receipt -you are good and safe-not so UPS. They are a Teamsters shop.
I will ship UPS when they tell me Jimmy Hoffa was killed by a grizzly in the Yukon and the body can be viewed in the casket at RCMP Headquarters.

Signed: Former UPS employee.

That’s the first time I heard that USPS was better than UPS...

especially lately - nobody has had any problems with USPS ... (cue the lightning bolt)

I've had good luck going USPS on the ~25 long guns I've shipped over the last several years (two in the last month). It's a convienience factor as going to the UPS hubs is a PIA for me. I always take a copy of the FFL they are going to with me in case I encounter a clerk that reacts to a firearm being shipped as if it's kryptonite. Or if I'm shipping a firearm in for repair I take a copy of their website and a print out of the ATF rules that allow that to be done.

Back when I had an FFL had one rifle damaged that was shipped to me via UPS (stock was broken at the wrist). It was a huge hassle dealing with the UPS insurance claims people.


No matter who you go with.....pack and box it up properly and insure it for full amount!

This has not been my experience; at all. Quite the opposite in fact.
I still use USPS, but I think the insurance is a waste of money. Much better to use the additional funds to package well with a hard case (Plano, etc).

I like USPS Registered Mail for long guns.

Edited to add:

PITA packaging requirements notwithstanding.

I'll pile on here. Just back from shipping a heavy item I sold on ebay (non firearm). Total of about 50# to the Left Coast from Florida. With insurance: $160. And then the clerk said the insurance would only cover it if it was lost as I had used the mfg original box rather than reboxing in a new box!

Took off the insurance and it was still $111. How the hell is everyone offering free shipping nowadays???

I've been cleaning out the closet and shipping out scopes and other stuff via USPS. Except for one letter I spent $10 on for 2-day delivery that arrived 5 days later, everything else has been timely and trackable.

Shipped a rifle with USPS on the 4th and it still hasn't arrived at it's destination. Fully insured USPS priority with signature required. Just sold another one over the weekend I'm gonna try UPS this go around.

Shipped a long gun to Indiana from LA the 24th via Registered Mail.

Smith called earlier today to say it had arrived in fine shape.

Edited to add: ~$70 postage and insurance.

I always use USPS. 40 miles one way to a UPS hub eliminates them.
I never provide insurance. If the buyer wants insurance it is in addition to the shipping charge.

Why is it nobody seems to use Fed Ex?

I tried to use Fedex before shipping the rifle I previously mentioned with USPS. When they found out it was a firearm they said that I could only ship it from a Fedex hub not the store. The way the guy was talking it sounded mostly like he was afraid that there was a firearm inside and that he was making policies up because he told me three different things.

I looked up Fedex's policy on long guns when I got home and it turned out that my method of shipping wasn't compliant with their rules but not for the reasons the clerk had stated. Basically it says an individual can ship to an FFL but the package must be sent as next day which would have put the shipping at about $150.

I'm sure you could ship it some other way but if anything were to happen to it they would probably say that they were not liable since you used the wrong method of shipping.

I just shipped a rifle via FedEx last week, from their closest hub (to comply with that rule). You CAN ship rifles to an FFL-holder using FedEx Ground. Handguns are the ones that must go overnight.

Even using Ground, that shipment took only about 3 days to arrive.

-Chris