Are Shippers Targeting Guns?

[GrandLakeHunter]

Who gets stuck with a damaged gun usually....buyer or seller that shipped it?

 

[Tenring]

I don’t understand why the seller would get stuck with damaged guns.

 

[BP Addict]

FedEx and UPS require the shipper to file the claim. For USPS it's the recipient, which gives the buyer more control over the process. I received a damaged gun years ago and shipped USPS. I could have filed a claim for the whole amount and let them have the gun. Instead, I found a gunsmith and obtained a repair estimate. I asked for that amount and kept it. I made the repair myself and pocketed the money!

I received a gun with a cracked stock shipped via FedEx. The only way I could file a claim (which they denied) is if the shipper signed a waiver to allow me to work with their claim department.

While the BATFE considers Muzzleloaders antiques or relics, FedEx Policy is that they must be shipped from an FFL holder to another FFL holder.

The seller was nice enough to refund my purchase price but I had to pay the shipping to send it back.

So, to answer your question, if someone uses FedEx with their BS policies and they deny the claim, it's up to them to make it right. He said he'd had problems with them before, which took 6 months of phone calls to finally get remuneration. He now uses another shipper.

Walt

 

[Urban Coyote]

Three distinct instances come to mind where I've received damaged muzzleloaders from shippers. Only one was poorly packaged, it came from attorney's office, estate assumed. The barrel was removed from the stock and packed loose without any protection, it beat the heck out of the stock. The other two were cracked and chipped stocks. Now if you want to start talking about bullet orders I've had damage and loss related to damage on multiple occasions. I could come up with other in instances of item being damaged or lost in shipping, USPS seems among the worst. Like the time they lost three tracked shipments of meds in a row, the vendor sent the fourth FedEx. One of these showed up a year later, the package looked as though it had been dropped in a mud puddle.

I think it just basic lack of respect for other people's property on the part of shipping company employees.

 

[deerstalkert]

small heavy parcels are flashing lights to the crooks that work for the shipping companies today. i have received multiple empty boxes via USPS with stickers originating in Kansas City, stating "Received open and empty" Kansas city being the sorting center not the shipment origin.
one was a box of Remington 405 soft points that are impossible to get anymore. the size weight ratio screams heavy metals to the thief.
i have posted before about the Mortimer i received broken. it was crated in a Kibler crate. the added part of the crate were the dual tire tread marks . USPS

 

[mushka]

Greed in management is one reason. Poor or non existant parenting of about 50% of those born after the 80's. Still living with mom and dad always getting a trophy for participating in every silly little thing the participated in . Country is being severely diminished by these useless critters. Waste of air and food.

 

[GrandLakeHunter]

I don’t understand why the seller would get stuck with damaged guns.

#1 The buyer bought a gun in a specific condition and receipt in that condition is expected.
#2 The shipper/seller packaged the gun or selected the packaging service.
#3 In many cases, the seller is the shipping carrier's customer. He selected the shipping and paid for it therefore has the relationship established with the shipper.
#4 Gun containers can be made almost damage proof....I know I've done it with high value long guns. Heavy double boxing, doubled heavy packing ie: gun > packing > box #1 > packing > double or triple corrugated box 2. Very high value guns can be packed in 2x4 famed boxes with heavy ply sides. Properly constructed, they can be driven over with a pickup and receive no damage plus they are not easily opened by tree hugger employees when screwed together.

 

[COTNTOP]

In the past very little happened in shipping, if something was damaged back then it was USPS. Now I prefer USPS over FEDEX or UPS. A company has really got to scrape the bottom for USPS to out perform them.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

The best advice I can give for a UPS shipper is to pay the extra fee and declare the value. If you don't, they are only obligated to $100 if it lost, damaged, or stolen.

With UPS, the shipper is responsible for making it right. Have images before and after, evidence of value, sale receipt or invoice, and a statement (who, what, when, where, how, and why). Fill out the provided forms and send it in. It will be about eight weeks of back and forth but in the end, you will be glad you claimed the value and paid extra when you shipped it.

 

[smoothshooter]

I just receive an email from a Gun Broker Customer. On his first purchase, the rifle showed up damaged. I've worked for companies that ship goods all over the country. My items are OVERLY packaged to ensure they arrive safely. I have been selling since around 2008. This was the first gun I've shipped that this has happened to.


This was USPS. Unlike UPS and FedEx, it's the buyer's responsibility to file the claim. This was a Parker Hale Enfield, so somewhat collectible.

I spoke with another seller who told me he is dealing with more damaged goods than normal. A couple of months back, I received a Jack Garner Rifle from him that had a cracked stock. He told me about a Kibler wooden box that was broken in two!

It almost makes me wonder whether anti-gun employees of these companies are going out of their way to make sure the contents don't arrive intact. The box is 4"x8"x48" or 52". It's not like they don't know what it is.

Walt

It appears to be a multi-part problem.
Super fast-paced work environment
New, younger employees that have been brainwashed to hate guns, and have poor work ethics. Some older workers have the same attitude as well.

It’s just a shame that in these times we have to pack guns like they are going to be air dropped without a parachute from a C-130 flying at 1,000 feet.

 

[user 34300]

I don’t understand why the seller would get stuck with damaged guns.

Because he inadequately packaged it. They bought shipping insurance. IF they are honorable they will refund your money and deal with insurance claims.

I just sent a barrel out for reboring. I put in in a 4"x4"x 54" plywood box that was glued and screwed together. The barrel was set in high density foam blocks and about 4" at each end was padded. There was no shake, it was packaged tight. I attached a tug wire for the barrel maker to get it out of the box. I also got $500 in insurance for a nominal fee.

I expect all packages to be run over, stepped on, and thrown through the air. If you package accordingly you will be disappointed less often. Cardboard and peanuts is not adequate. We can not change it. Pack accordingly.

 

[Okie Hog]

Because he inadequately packaged it.

Bingo!!!!

IMO: The OP packed that gun in an inadequately reinforced and inadequately padded cardboard box. i'm not surprised that the handlers or drivers at UPS damaged the gun.

 

[smoothshooter]

Is there any way for us to stop this short of becoming vigilantes?

Unfortunately, no.
Read up on the fall of the Roman Empire.
Compare it to what is happening to the Western World’s culture, demographics, and financial systems.
Not good bedtime reading.

 

[akroguy]

Last week at work, we received two shipments...an ultrasonic cleaner and a tool cabinet. Both were banged up. The tool cabinet was smashed at the top and front corner sheet metal. The cleaner was lightly damaged, but still got dropped on the bottom corner somewhere. The cabinet is unusable and going back to McMaster Carr (who immediately sent a replacement no questions asked). The cleaner will be OK.

This is stuff being delivered to a secured nuclear weapons research facility and what is interesting is that we have our own receiving department that should at least check incoming materials for obvious signs of damage. I would not be at all surprised that the damage was caused be THESE people. Like has been said already, the "I don't give a ****" attitude and lack of work ethics in this country is stunning to comprehend. It's at every level.

 

[Cattywompuss]

All I got is: as someone who receives guns in shipment every day, I do not believe shipping employees are targeting guns.

 

[smoothshooter]

All I got is: as someone who receives guns in shipment every day, I do not believe shipping employees are targeting guns.

I can't say for sure but it's definitely is a strong possibility.

I have been thinking about selling 3 muzzleloading long guns and advertising them here or somewhere on the Internet.
But with all the horror stories of thefts and damage by carriers, increased shipping costs and insurance, and setting up some Pay Pal type account, I am beginning to think it would be smarter and cheaper to put the guns in my car and drive the 14 or so hours one way to the Log Cabin Shop in Ohio and hand deliver them myself to be sold on consignment.
Building wood shipping boxes alone would cost $25 each in materials.
Sad state of affairs watching our society unravel.

 

[smoothshooter]

All I got is: as someone who receives guns in shipment every day, I do not believe shipping employees are targeting guns.

They probably are in some regions.

 

[Cattywompuss]

They probably are in some regions.

I doubt it. Unless we have proof we're just blowing smoke and contributing to the, what was it, unraveling of our society?

 

[BlazingIron]

our local Fedex contractor quit or got the covid(depends on who you talk to) and every fedex shipment incoming has been held hostage for months at the sorting facility in Sandpoint. i tried for a month to arrange to drive down and pick up my package but found it impossible to even get someone with a heart beat with which to converse. finally Fedex got someone willing to deliver out ere in the bush. they left the rifle at a neighbors and beat feet before i could get there to inspect the package. i expected to find kindling and a jack handle. was almost giddy when discovering everything in good condition.
last 3 shipments of bullets incoming via usps have been pilfered. they gleefully deliver the empty box with stickers from the Spokane distribution center stating they received it empty. claims were paid on them but now one can't get those bullets. heavy small packages are targets. gold is heavy for size and so is lead.

I received about 20lbs of lead ingots from Rotometals. It came thu the USPS. Box was split at the corners and crushed. The box haade the area of a legal envelope and about two inches thick. Just the right size for 2-3 boxes of ammo. Hope the miscreant that opened it up got his/her toe greeted by one of those lead bars.
I have had several pckages of holy black delivered by FedEx and left on my fromt porch for all of God and Creation to see the pretty “EXPLOSIVE” stickers on them. Left all but one of the packages without getting the required signatures. What if some kid had picked up one of those boxes!?
My USPS local office is notorious for delivering my packages to the wrong address. Nowadays, I track ‘em and as soon as iit says its at the local PO I go down there and get it from them. Twice I have had to go back home empty handed while the postman goes back out to the wrong address to p/u and then deliver the box to me. Always nice to the Postmaster but he sure looks sheepish when I call him out for losing my mail.
I won’t ship anything except envelopes via UPS since they made my pregnant wife drive 25 miles into Ft. Worth to p/u a rather large heavy hard drive tower during a tornado warning before they could ship it back as undeliverable.

 

[colimr]

Could it be that it is the area/location that is the problem? I have lost 1 lb of black powder and 3 or 4 small gun related packages this year all from locations east of the Mississippi not to mention package delays and packages that were clearly mishandled not to mention the many non gun related ripped , crushed . and opened packages .Packages west take about the same or less delivery time and have little to no damage .To site an example I got 2 new vacs for my kids one from Wisconsin on from Virginia same make and model .Wi took 7 days arrived pristine .Va arrived 12 days looked like it was used as a step ladder both were ordered same day and store online. Ordered a Hawken from a site sponsor 3 weeks shipping box crushed clam shell broken open contents loose parts missing vender warrantied missing parts. ordered an unmentionable upper from Texas 12 days no damage. Ups and Fedex and USPS are awful in handling packages but I have seen Both Fedex and Ups roll and toss packages out to me curb side and on my porch the supervisors say overworked and have schedules to keep USPS is slightly better but they have 4 hubs I have lost or had extensive delays so bad they are called blackholes by our postmaster Chicago , Syracuse ,New Jersey and Virginia .When ordering from some Firearm companies they won't put a company name on the package if gun or firearm is in the company name so even they know they may be targeted for mishandling