I just sold a relatively expensive rifle on the internet. This will be my 1st long distance sale. What is the best & safest carrier to ship? Who will actually pay on my insurance if things go bad?

I'll leave it up to you but I will say one thing, PACK THAT [bleep] UP!

I'm continually amazed when stuff arrives on how poorly many people pack things and weak boxes.

I make up wood boxes to fit the item being shipped.glued and screwed together.havent had a problem yet.

Anyone but UPS...


What he said..

Double-box if possible, bubble-wrap to the max, 'peanuts' to fill any gaps, insure for full value, ensure 'Adult Signature Required' tag is added, keep a record of the S/N and take pictures of the box, packing materials and keep all pics of the rifle until it's safely in the receiving FFL's hands..

I'm off to the post office today to mail a 45 I just sold to a dealer, and once again I'll have to tell the idiots at the USPS what their regs are. If you go USPS make sure you take the regs with you. I don't remember when I got them on the USPS site, but they are a PAIN to find.

A year ago I sold a $7k rifle. I removed the barrel from the stock, I built a wooden box for it, and I shipped it USPS Registered Mail. Registered Mail is extra slow but darn reliable. It will get there safely that way.

For other rifles that are worth half that, I use Priority mail. Never fails and is fast.

Registered mail is the safest. Wrap it with bubble wrap and I use one inch thick styrofoam pieces to fill all gaps. To my knowledge I've never had a firearm damaged in shipment.

You may not have had a problem but the recipient of the box surely has. If you screw and glue a wooden box together how in the world do they open it up? With a chainsaw? Besides, the shipping costs of doing it that way would put a gunsmith out of business.

ULine.com sells cardboard boxes of any description plus all the shipping materials you would need.

Maybe he just glues the sides and bottom, and screws on the top.

I too have glued and screwed for shipping boxes. Costs relatively little and is pretty quick actually. Shipping costs are passed on to the customer of course.

Hint: To open - look for the screws.

He didn't say that he only glued the sides. You keep "passing on enough high costs to the customer" and pretty soon you ain't gonna have any customers.

Yes,I use just screws on one side.
It isnt cheap to make a box for shipping,and adds to the weight,but it beats having to file a claim for damaged goods,IMHO, anyway.

By personal hand delivery.

I actually did that once. I bought a pristine pre-64 Super Grade Model 70 from a guy in Georgia. He drove to just inside the northern border of Florida to meet me for the exchange in a McDonald's parking lot. Saved the worry about damage in shipping and much of the costs.

Another vote for Registered Mail, insured.

First off, unless you have an FFL and filed a Form 1508 at the USPS you cannot ship a handgun (assuming the '45' you mentioned is..) via the USPS..

Second - re: long guns, it's none of their business as to what's in the box. ALL they can ask (and I've posted this about ten zillion times) is if the contents is 'liquid, fragile, perishable or hazardous'.... That's IT.. If they ask what's in the box you reply, "NOTHING THAT'S LIQUID, FRAGILE, PERISHABLE OR HAZARDOUS"..

Then tell 'em to weigh it, put the postage on it and give you the total...

Great, so how do I send him the friggin gun? UPS or FEDEX?

Fed-Ex - first choice..

UPS only if you have a gun to your head..

Roger!

An FFL can ship a handgun USPS to another FFL

UPS just lost a package containing 3 of my Benchmade knives. Pack it well, get the insurance, and take your chances....

(BOLD is mine)



12.1.2 Handguns
Handguns and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person are nonmailable unless mailed between the parties listed in 12.1.3 and 12.1.5 after the filing of an affidavit or statement required by 12.1.4 and 12.1.6, and are subject to the following:

a. Firearms meeting the definition of a handgun under 12.1.1b, and the definition of curios or relics under 27 CFR 478.11 may be mailed between curio and relic collectors only when those firearms also meet the definition of an antique firearm under 12.1.1h.
b. Firearms meeting the definition of a handgun under 12.1.1b which are certified by the curator of a municipal, state, or federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest may be accepted for mailing without regard to 12.1.3 through 12.1.6.
c. Air guns that do not fall within the definition of firearm under 12.1.1a that are capable of being concealed on a person are mailable; but must include adult signature service under 503.8.0. Mailers must comply with all applicable state and local regulations.
d. Parts of handguns are mailable, except for handgun frames, receivers or other parts or components regulated under Chapter 44, Title 18, U.S.C.
e. Mailers are also subject to applicable restrictions by governments of a state, territory, or district.
12.1.3 Authorized Persons
Subject to 12.1.4, handguns may be mailed by a licensed manufacturer of firearms, a licensed dealer of firearms, a licensed importer of firearms, or an authorized agent of the federal government or the government of a state, territory, or district, only when addressed to a person in one of the following categories for use in the person's official duties:

a. Officers of the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Organized Reserve Corps.
b. Officers of the National Guard or militia of a state, territory, or district.
c. Officers of the United States or of a state, territory, or district, whose official duty is to serve warrants of arrest or commitment.
d. USPS employees authorized by the Chief Postal Inspector.
e. Officers and employees of enforcement agencies of the United States.
f. Watchmen engaged in guarding the property of the United States, a state, territory, or district.
g. Purchasing agent or other designated member of agencies employing officers and employees included in 12.1.3c. through 12.1.3e. 12.1.4 Affidavit of Addressee
Any person proposing to mail a handgun under 12.1.3 must file with the postmaster, at the time of mailing, an affidavit signed by the addressee setting forth that the addressee is qualified to receive the firearm under a particular category of 12.1.3a through 12.1.3g, and that the firearm is intended for the addressee�s official use. The affidavit must also bear a certificate stating that the firearm is for the official duty use of the addressee, signed by one of the following, as appropriate:

a. For officers of Armed Forces, by the commanding officer.
b. For officers and employees of enforcement agencies, by the head of the agency employing the addressee to perform the official duty with which the firearm is to be used.
c. For watchmen, by the chief clerk of the department, bureau, or independent branch of the government of the United States, the state, the territory, or the district by which the watchman is employed.
d. For the purchasing agent or other designated member of enforcement agencies, by the head of such agency, that the firearm is to be used by an officer or employee included in 12.1.3c through 12.1.3e, Authorized Persons.
12.1.5 Manufacturers, Dealers, and Importers
Handguns may also be mailed between licensed manufacturers of firearms, licensed dealers of firearms, and licensed importers of firearms in customary trade shipments, or for repairing or replacing parts.

And further:

12.1.6 Certificate of Manufacturers, Dealers, and Importers
A federal firearms licensee manufacturer, dealer or importer need not file the affidavit under 12.1.4, but must file with the postmaster a statement on Form 1508 signed by the mailer that he or she is a licensed manufacturer, dealer or importer of firearms. The mailer must also state that the parcels containing handguns, or parts and components of handguns under 12.1.2d, are being mailed in customary trade shipments or contain such articles for repairing or replacing parts, and that to the best of their knowledge the addressees are licensed manufacturers, dealers or importers of firearms.

I have used UPS as well as Fedex to ship long guns. I spend the money to ship next day air. I have used both the hard case that I travel with as well as the cardboard boxes sold by Midway. The cardboard works well for one round trip and then is pretty trashed. I have done this about a half dozen times with no damage. It is expensive and I do insure for replacement cost. I generally ship from the office with all the other items going out. I don't discuss what is in the package.

Can't emphasize enough to over-pack it, and smartly. Just "being in" a case means little. Bubble wrap, voids filled so no place to shift/get momentum, double boxed preferably with peanuts or something between. Pretend like you're going to war. And insurance. Have only used USPS to date. Keep appliance boxes on hand to fab from.

p.s. local yokal postal denies I can not ship a firearms box registered mail (chain of custody IIUC), "It has to fit in the bag." Something tells me there's a work around that requires effort on his part, since other folks report doing it.

I have had problems with UPS, USPS and FedEx at one time or another. UPS lost a rifle shipped in a hard case. USPS destroyed one double-boxed package containing a shotgun as well as several of their priority mail boxes. FedEx sent a pistol to somewhere in New England instead of to the California address on the shipping label.

We ship all of my wife's artwork, insured, via UPS in wooden crates which we construct to hold the paintings firmly. We use a nail gun to build the frame and attach one side. The other side is screwed so that the recipient just needs a screw gun (or a screw driver) to open it. We have never had problems with any of those shipments. If I were shipping a really valuable firearm, I would do it that way.

Definately go the mile to carefully pack the gun, and avoid UPS. I've known of at least two rifles that were packed in inexspensive plastic hard cases that arived with the muzzle of the barrel poking out of the hard case after it broke through. I ended up recrowning the muzzle on one of those rifles for a buddy.

I'd go USPS registered and insured.

PM Bricktop.

Gunner

NOTE RE Fed EX insurance.... I had a nice pair of Savage model 23D rifles get banged up badly en route to a member here who had purchased them. Fed Ex would not even look at or sniff the claim because it had not be packaged by one of thier own people. Since that time I generally take rifles or shotguns to my local shipping store who is a Fed Ex direct franchisee and let her do the packing. It generally costs me very little more than what I would pay for the packing supplies, she is really good at it, and I don't have to take the time to box and wrap etc. More to the point, if it arrives screwed up (Has not happened yet) I have a more valid claim as it was a Fed Ex person who did the packing, according to them.

RE USPS, any one can get it wrong and foul up the works. Recently I sent off a USPS money order to a fellow and took the time and spent the money for OVERNIGHT GUARANTEED and signature required/certified etc etc.... That darned 'overnight' package took TWENTY FIVE DAYS to arrive! I did get a refund of my $19.00 or so for overnight guaranteed delivery but the guy at the other end of the deal who was selling because he needed quick cash was understandably non plussed and it made me look bad in his eyes until the envelope really did arrive and had a postmark on it of the day that I TOLD him I had sent it. Also learned that the USPS wil not refund a PMO until it has gone uncahsed for 90 days, minimum. So long as the seller at the other end is OK with such,I try to use local bank issued cashiers checks now. Live and learn. With a bank cashiers check I could have done a stop pay and re issue for this poor guy early on in the process.

Carboard boxes with bubble wrap and all have been working fine for me for quite a few years now.

Lots of bubble wrap and foam peanuts. The item must be "suspended" inside the walls of the box without being able to move from that position.

If you find them again, down load it to your computer, make copies and bookmark the site.

I worked the window at the Post Office for 19 years and can tell you some employees find it easier to tell you you can't mail it than to look it up.

If you go by USPS, I'd send it Priority Mail and registered. Make sure you have something stateing the price, and get a return receipt of delievery.

Just my $0.02.

USPS snapped a Lazermark Mark V shipped inside a PLANO case with bubble wrap to make up for the space around the barrel (foam lined otherwise). Destroyed the wood stock -- shipped a couple others the exactly same way "safely". Never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exactly - never again ship a rifle in Plano case. What were you thinking?

Fedex isn't much better my FFL refuses to ship that way and no wonder with the horror stories I've heard from him! Guess its a toss up so go either way you've had good luck,insure the hell outta stuff and take your chances more or less.