doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Thoughts on shipping High Value Gun FED X UPS USPS

I really like USPS for security, deliverable and safety. I've heard horror stories about FED X and UPS. Buyer want to use his FED X account. Your suggestions/ideas

Thanks
Reggie

I much prefer USPS. If buyer wants to use his FEDEX account, I'd let him do so with the understanding that if there is a problem (loss, damage, etc.) he is responsible for handling it, and you are out of the picture. Be sure you get this in writing (email or otherwise). Bill Frech

What Frech said in spades !! Ken

And refuse to do it unless he insures it.

the slowest possible way you can send it is USPS registered. HOWEVER, based on everything i've heard and experienced that's the safest, most fool-proof, most reliable, least likelihood of damage/theft/loss method you can use as it has to be accounted for every single day along the trip and the USPS employees can get in horrible trouble if it isn't. just don't expect it to be quick.

roger

if you ship it and something happens, you are the one that is going to have to dick with Fedex and UPS even though the buyer is the one that paid for it....

CB

Reggie, i had a similar situation. i specified in ad "USPS priority insured". he insisted on ups, fed-ex, or dhl plus several other stipulations. told him i'd think about it. day or so later i told him i wasn't instested in selling to him under his terms. the mango went and bid on it then sent a really snippy email complaining i didn't answer his question. i told "not interested" was a legitimate answer. and further, DHL won't ship firearms period, our UPS facility's managers won't accept firearms from individuals and fed-ex was too high. i explained to gunbroker and they cancelled the listing for me (he was the only bidder and i was not selling to him under any circumstances after that).

i blocked that bidder and just on the outside chance i figured out who he was on ebay and blocked him there as well. turned out to be a real good idea.

my POV is i'm not a business. ebay and gunbroker exist for my convenience and i won't have my terms dictated to me by a buyer. i'll consider requests. but i'm under no obligation to go along with anything i don't feel good about.

it's your gun; it's your choice. key in on "your".

roger

For real high value, I would be self insured and use Registered Mail. I don't know how to be self insured, but it sounds like a good idea. I have always used the USPS insurance but usually don't send anything over about five grand or so.

I personally prefer USPS Registered Mail as the package has to be signed for each time it changes hands. Therefore I believe that it is handled a bit more carefully. However, I bought an 8ga. Parker that was shipped only from Utah to Calif. that was dropped, the package was split opened and gun exposed. It had a chip out of the buttstock and plate that was not there when it was shipped. The USPS had repaired the package with tape that basically admitted fault and the repair was paid for. That was nice but I would have liked to have received it the way I bought it.

No eight gauge Parker that I ever packed could have been "split opened and gun exposed" without help from some talented people. It was packed badly.

Last year, I sold a Remington 700 classic in 8mm Mauser on gunbroker. I sent it UPS. When the buyer received the gun, the box was already cut open. The bolt, paperwork, and j-lock keys were missing.

They sent me the rifle back and I refunded the gentleman's money.

I have no idea what happened but UPS was very easy to work with. I had my check in about a month. I then broke the gun down to sell for parts. I sold the stock but I still got everything else, including the barreled action and trigger. I guess I will sell it on Gunbroker.

I have sold over 20 guns on Gunbroker and I have always shipped through UPS. This was the first time I had any trouble but I was able to get my insurance money with no problem.

Adam

USPS registered mail is the only way to go, as mentioned above it's signed for every step and if it goes missing they know where.
Also, since Registered Mail is so well documented the insurance fee is lower than regular mail or UPS, usually enough that it's cheaper to go Registered than UPS.

And you should really take the time to read the UPS Tariff/Terms and conditons of Service.

How do statements like

"In the event of loss of or damage to any part of property (including any part of a machine) which, when complete for sale or use, consists of several parts, UPS shall be liable only for the value of the part lost or damaged, not to exceed the declared value of the part lost or damaged. In no event shall UPS be liable for the value of the complete item."

figure into damaged barrel sets?

What about
"UPS shall not be liable or responsible for:
a. loss or damage to articles of unusual value (as defined in the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service)"?

"F. Definition of Articles of Unusual Value Which Are Not Accepted By UPS For
Transportation
1. Shippers are prohibited from shipping articles of unusual value via UPS.
Articles of unusual value shall be deemed to include, but are not limited to:
a. Any package with an actual value of more than $50,000;
b. Coins, cash, currency, bonds, postage stamps, negotiable instruments
(such as drafts, bills of exchange, or promissory notes, but excluding
checks), and money orders;
c. Unset precious stones, and industrial diamonds;
d. Any article that contains more than 50 percent by weight of gold or
platinum, or any combination thereof in raw form, including, but not
limited to, bullion, bars or scraps of these metals.
2. UPS will not be liable for any loss of or damage to articles of unusual value.
UPS reserves the right, but is not required, to return to the shipper any package containing an article of unusual value. Such return will be made solely at the shipper’s risk and expense.

I can see a claim for a $10K, 100 year old gun being denied because it of "Unusual Value".

I haven't shipped anything in value over $12k but when it gets over 5K or so I start paying attention to who the shipper is. I double box and wrap with bubble wrap and ship USPS Registered. I may or may not insure for full value. (Try to get the Post Office to reimburse for damage to a 100+ year old gun they think is junk.) They all employ the proverbial gorilla who gets an extra watermellon if they destroy a package but with the double box it would take running over the box with an 18-wheeler to damage the gun. (I'm sure the gorilla is learning how to do that too.)

USPS. From persoanl experience FEDEX will not pay more than 1000 for any damage on agun. No matter what you insure it for. Have your own ins policy through one of the collectors insurance cos and all of your guns are covered, whether you are hunting with it or shipping it etc.
USPS is excellent.

I believe the cheapest way for an individual to ship insured a $25,000 gun is by the US Postal Service. Most of the dealer's have a business policy that covers there lost shipments as they don't seem to like USPS. Somewhat of a pain to package to USPS's specs but once you learn the drill it is no problem.

Best,

Mike

For what it is worth a retired jeweler acquaintence of mine, who is still making custom jewelry at 78 years old in his garage, told me that USPS Registered Mail is the only way he ships his expensive items (like $25+K rings, etc).

I don't understand Gil Russell's post. He ships by USPS Registered but they don't pay insurance claims. He may or may not insure it for full value?? Why would he insure it if they don't pay? Maybe I'm missing something.

Mr. Murph: That wasn't very clear. I insure for full value if I make that committment to the buyer. Otherwise, I hope that my great packaging job (with minimal insurance) will suffice. At the end of the day, self insurance is that willingness to accept the loss, partial vis a vis damage to the item or "lost"--but I don't know if they totally lose packages. Somehow I think that stamp that sez "Insured" on the front of the box (and sending it "Registered") will get everyone's attention who handles it and that they will handle it with at least minimal respect.

Most high value firearms dealers are self insured and ship UPS. I suspect it's simply a a matter of UPS pick up versas USPS going to a Post Office.
That said, my one experience shipping UPS resulted in the case enclosing a Pigeon Grade Superposed Superlight being splintered on one interior corner near the trigger guard dispite the reciever being nicely wrapped in bubble pack. Trigger guard on Superposed was OK. Lesson, don't use UPS and don't ship within a case, use standard heavy duty box and wrap very well in bubble pack. I use USPS Registered for high value and have had perfect success.-Dick

I ship guns on a very regular basis via UPS. I also get guns
via UPS from individuals, the biggest majority of them are poorly wrapped or packaged. I can see why there are many negative about UPS, its not UPS, it how people are packing their guns.


John Boyd

It was very badly packed and by a supposedly reputable dealer but it was also mishandled.

i'd say that's a pretty fair assessment. from ebaying/gunbrokering stuff, and from listening to some people on even this board commenting on what people charge for shipping it's no wonder things are packaged badly. the most oft comment i've heard - about my shipping and others as well - is "hell! all ya gotta do is throw it in a box and take it to the fillintheblank!" i've had stuff shipped to me that was litterally packed that way. no amount of careful handling can make up for bad packing.

roger

After a couple of shipping disasters with guns being shipped to me I insist that the gun is placed in a hard case then inside a cardboard box. I pay for the case and if ones not handy to buy for the shipper I ship them a case. I have several cases & boxes that have made several round trips. I make this part of the deal, no case, no sale.


Several years ago I sold my Model “T” 1903 Springfield and put it into a double rifle case. I cut out and put a piece of plywood and put that into the bottom of the case. I bubble wrapped the rifle put the case into the original cardboard box and shipped via UPS as the person I was sending to wanted. They, UPS, managed to drive the buttplate about three inches into the wood and destroyed the stock. They paid but it took some time plus a rifle they only made 100 of was messed up.


On the other side of the coin I bought a Prussian-Diamond-Daly from a fellow in New York City, he sent it, put together, loose in a box with several inches of movement both side-side & front-back, nothing in the box but the shogun. Arrived in perfect shape.

You may remember that my USPS registered shipped double was lost for over 60 days earlier this year. It did eventually show up in perfect condition but there was never an explanation of where it had been for so long or why it was lost. I'm glad I don't have any guns to ship any time soon.