doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The Fedex Follies (Sit down with a cup o' Joe)

So wingshooter16, will you be using FedEx again anytime soon?

Several times in the past when threads about shipping damage or losses come up, I have mentioned that the only two guns I received with busted stocks were shipped FedEx. I have also received several more with big holes in the box or signs of obvious rough handling. The box that your barrels came in looks like it was tossed around some. Then there are the famous YouTube videos of the FedEx driver tossing a flat screen TV over a tall iron fence. No delivery service can be 100% perfect, but FedEx seems to be the worst.

Yet some people still swear by FedEx. I just don't get it.

The bat looked like a good one!

John

None of them are perfect, but FEDEX seems to be the least imperfect. I paid almost $50 to ship a gun to Maine last week using the U.S. Postal Service. For nearly that same price, FEDEX would of had it there in 2 to 3 days, instead of the week plus the postal service needed. That's much more time in a system to allow for problems to develop. Insurance pay-outs will work for some shipments, but sometimes an item is simply irreplaceable (like maybe certain shotgun tubes?). In that case, I'd use the shipper that has the least chance of a screw-up, and FEDEX is still the better bet.

"incompletely blacked out barcodes from the previously used box"

Bingo!! Although not quite as involved and certainly not as valuable, I had a similar incident occur and the explanation was exactly the same!! Although it is easy to criticize and get angry, when it comes down to the Optical readers/bar code readers, etc that everyone now uses in the semi-automated shipping process it does at least make these things a bit easier to understand. For that very reason, I now ensure beyond a shadow of doubt that if I use an pre-used box the old codes, etc. are completely obliterated.

I have had a number of antique/vintage items shipped to mke not related to firearms. though I have not kept an exact count probably about an equal number arrived via USPS, UPS & Fed-EX.
To date the number of damaged/broken items are;
USPS = 0
UPS = 0
Fed-EX = 3
I did receive full reimbursement for all of them. These items were not necessarily rare or overly expensive, but still on anything which predates 1900 it gives you great disappointment to open a package & see it broken in half.
Maybe, Just "Maybe", but I seriously doubt that all the lousy packers just happened to pick Fed-Ex as their shipper.
One item did go to the wrong place, but that one was not Fed-Ex's fault, the shipper had placed the wrong address on it.
Right now thou from my personal experience my choices for a shipper are USPS #1, UPS #2 & Fed-EX a distant 3rd.

In the white as I viewed them on the French auction site:

I see why you were worried. That's a pretty gun and the barrels sure turned out nice. I'm glad you had a happy ending.

Wonderful barrels. Bobby

I shipped some 'nearly impossible to find' car parts via FedEx. There were about 11 items in the box. When it arrived, there were only 3 - and two of those were not even car parts at all. Plus
the box was not the one I used. The jamokes at FedEx never lifted a finger to locate the parts...lost forever.

Of course, I don't mean to slam FedEx...they suck no more than UPS or USPS. It's like they have a running suck-contest going on and each year they strive to win the prize.

Please treat us to a photo of the entire gun. Nice engraving on the breach balls and the Manufrance swamped rib is also very appealing. Hats off to Doug for the great job on the barrels.
Gil