doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com USPS tracking is the worst.

Registered is the most expensive way to ship, but I like the required signature at each step of the way. I once had a ham radio I bought lost by UPS. I was processing insurance when I got a call from Lands End. The item was double boxed and the outside label disappeared when the outer box was destroyed. The item was returned to Lands End in the inner box. LE in turn contacted the original recipient as a Lands End customer. Fortunately he hadn't removed the old shipping label. The seller gave my name, phone number and address, and Lands End shipped it to me. Got lucky on that one. Put your name and address on each box even when double boxing. Gil

usps is best of bad lot...ups and fedex are wurst...

The worst tracking system in USPS is the scenario where it is shipped parcel post insured. Only the insurance label is trackable. This is the one that is usually poorly tracked and lacking information.

I find that Priority mail and express mail tracking is pretty good.

Regarding post offices not accepting long guns, unfourtunately you get those that like to act on their own with no regard to what the laws are. Besides, they wouldnt know if you dont tell them. And I find that the only way they MAY ask what the contents are is if it is being insured. But that is not even a requirement of theirs.

When this happens, I always recomend that people ship on-line using their click 'n ship program. There is no one to tell you you cant ship something. you just process it and they pick it up or you drop it off. And, you get a discount on the shipping rate. A BIG one on express mail.

My local post office has told me directly, "Yes, you can ship long guns, but not hand guns".

USPS is the only way I have to ship guns in my area and Thank God for them! Bobby

"I always recomend that people ship on-line using their click 'n ship program."

This is the best of all options for long guns.

I once sent a $780 USPS money order Priority Mail cross country to a pawn shop in Oregon. After 4 days the track system told me it had arrived at the sort center in the destination town. Then it fell off the radar for three weeks. Post Office had no idea where it was and would not tell me if it the money order had been cashed.

I paid via other means and after a couple of days the money order again showed upon the track system and arrived at the pawn shop. The pawn shop was very nice about it and returned the uncashed money order via first class mail. Took about three days to get to me.

I would not have shipped this gun by USPS it was the seller choice. In fact his only option as UPS and FEDX have been an issue for him. His side of the story. It has been going on three weeks now and they have no idea of where the "package" is. Like smoke it has just gone up in air. Sure it will arrive someday. But why bother even having a tracking system that is totally worthless in the first place. No wonder first class stamps now are near fifty cents. It takes a lot of money to run a computer system that looses things in shipment with such efficiency.

How was it shipped KY Jon ? Priority ? Have you-or the seller tried going directly to the USPS to see if they can track it on their system-I have had better success with that.

I have had no issues shipping firearms USPS( and declaring them)-I have had several issues with firearms shipped to me from FeEx ,I will not use UPS as I have known several instances of non payment of insurance .

As far as declaring there is a firearm with USPS (you must with UPS- Fed Ex),its not clear.

To ship a hand gun USPS you must tell them its a hand gun and sign a 1508 form-and must be a manufacturer or "bona fide dealer"
https://about.usps.com/forms/ps1508.pdf

However USPS

For those unlicensed long guns can go USPS-and there does not seem to be a requirement that you declare its a gun.

https://www.atf.gov/content/firearms-frequently-asked-questions-unlicensed-persons

: May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service?

A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another State. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. The Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.

[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A)]

For unlicensed-handguns must go common carrier and all firearms must be declared :

: May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?

A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

USPS is my only option for shipping long guns. Over the past 15 years I have probably shipped about 15 long guns: the occasional sale (through an FFL) to make room for new foals and the occasional shipment for service to a pro like Stu Wright, Les Hovencamp or Frank Vallone.

I ship priority mail, signature confirmation and insured for the full value.

I have never had a problem other than it once took almost ten days for a gun to get to a Texas FFL from New Jersey.

Just last week I sent a gun barrel to a smith in MA from a small town PO in IN and insured it for $400. They asked if there was an hazardous material in the cardboard tube but never asked about a gun and I didn't volunteer any info. Tracking was spot on.
Early this year I bought a watch on e*ay and the seller sent it priority mail. It took about 3 weeks to get to me and tracking was of no help. When it arrived finally I saw that it was in a plain cardboard box with priority mail written on the side in pen.
LH