Anyone mail a rifle before, in's and out's????

[trophyhunt]

I'm going to mail my rifle to best of the west for some work, I'm worried about damage or losing it in the mail.  I'm going to get the insurance and send it certified, am I missing anything???  Thanks

[thinkingman]

Is it wood stocked?
If so I wold make a box out of cedar fencing am 1/4" plywood
I do it  for all my wood guns.

[trophyhunt]

Not wood, composite.

[Magnum_Willys]

Is it wood stocked?
If so I wold make a box out of cedar fencing am 1/4" plywood
I do it  for all my wood guns.

What difference does it make ? Curious ?

[HighlandLofts]

I've sold a bunch of rifles & shotguns through out the US and shipped them all through the Post Office in a cardboard box that I made out of the cardboard dividers that comes in the tractor trailers from Lowes.
Send me  a PM with your e mail and I'll send you pictures.

Never had a problem, get it insured and signature required.

[TVHunts]

Are they requiring you use USPS ?  If not I have had much better luck using Fedex myself.  UPS sucks and is very hard to use unless you go to a "Hub" .  USPS when I Used them (several times) makes you keep the weapon unpacked so that they can see that it is unloaded which is nuts.  So, you go there and weigh everything, have it inspected then you stand there and complete your packing. 

FedEx has been much more of a simple process for me. If BofTW will allow it, go buy a 25.00 plastic case and ship it in that, That's how I do it anyways.  I use two different colors of zip ties so that if it arrives screwed up or missing I know someone has been opened the plastic case.  I have never had a problem with Fedex. I have had a damaged rifle with a walnut stock using USPS. 

Hope this helps.

[b23]

On rifles that I've sold I, usually, still have the box in which it came but on those that I didn't have the box I went to a local gun shop and asked them if they had any rifle boxes they'd like to get rid of and they usually have many so I pick through what they have to get one that best fit the rifle I was shipping.  I've always used USPS to ship rifles only, general public can't ship handguns USPS, and have never had a problem using them.  I can't recall if I do priority or certified but whichever I get it has delivery conformation and tracking.

[jackelope]

As long as it's insured for over $200 I'm pretty sure someone has to sign for it on the receiving end. I would only use USPS for shipping rifles. It's the cheapest and the most efficient. Never had a problem and have probably shipped a dozen or so rifles. Document serial numbers, take pictures before hand to document the condition of it before you ship and you should be good to go.

[thinkingman]

Is it wood stocked?
If so I wold make a box out of cedar fencing am 1/4" plywood
I do it  for all my wood guns.

What difference does it make ? Curious ?

Long guns have a week spot where the stock tapers at the wrist. 
I have a shotgun in my safe right now that is probably unrepairable due to breakage of the trigger guard that connects the buttstock to the receiver.
I believe composite is stronger.

[bobcat]

I've had great luck shipping rifles with Fed Ex. I shipped one to Georgia and one to Texas, and both times the cost was only about $30.

[trophyhunt]

I've had great luck shipping rifles with Fed Ex. I shipped one to Georgia and one to Texas, and both times the cost was only about $30.

do you have to tell them you are shipping a rifle?  Or can I bring it in already boxed up, talking about fed ex or ups.

[trophyhunt]

I want to ship it in a hard gun case, I can't imagine shipping it in a box? 

[bobcat]

I've had great luck shipping rifles with Fed Ex. I shipped one to Georgia and one to Texas, and both times the cost was only about $30.

do you have to tell them you are shipping a rifle?  Or can I bring it in already boxed up, talking about fed ex or ups.

I'm not sure if you have to tell them, but you should. Bring it in already boxed up and ready to go. A plastic hard case is good but I would probably also put it in a cardboard box.

Here's some good info:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Support/SupportFAQView.aspx?FAQID=1118&NoCount=1

[yorketransport]

I've had great luck shipping rifles with Fed Ex. I shipped one to Georgia and one to Texas, and both times the cost was only about $30.

do you have to tell them you are shipping a rifle?  Or can I bring it in already boxed up, talking about fed ex or ups.

You don't have to say anything, but it's usually pretty obvious that it's a firearm. Don't over think the packaging either. Put the rifle in a soft case and then roll the case in cardboard; I make it about 3 layers thick. Most damage happens because there is dead space inside the box or bad packaging that allows the stuff inside to move around. If you put the rifle in a soft case and then wrap it tightly with cardboard it will be protected from falls by the padded case and the cardboard will help prevent it from being snapped in half. Shipping it in a hard case alone will allow the gun to shift inside the case most of the time.

[Miles]

I've had horrible experiences with UPS and would never use them to ship a long gun again.  They actually held a gun and demanded it be sent to an ffl once.  I explained that it's perfectly legal to ship a gun to yourself.  Their response was "we don't care, we have our own policies".

[Miles]

I've sent guns back to the factory for work using fed ex and had zero problems.

[b23]

I've sent guns back to the factory for work using fed ex and had zero problems.

I've been told by multiple that FedEx is one of the best for shipping guns but it's best to go directly to the FedEx branch.   

Only time I've ever used FedEx was when S&W had me send a handgun back for a warranty claim but they sent out a prepaid label and FedEx actually came to my house and picked it up.

[724wd]

I sold a rifle to a member here a few years ago.  I bought some sonotube from home depot and stuffed that sucker full of padding, making sure the rifle was centered and couldn't move.  Heavy ($$), but it worked like a charm! 

[trophyhunt]

The specs that bobcat posted said the receiver of the mailed gun has to have an ffl license?? I'm not telling them it's a gun, I'm certainly not going to pay some gun store extra money to get my gun back, that's BS!  Sounds like I also need to use fed ex,  thanks for the info guys.  I have a hard plastic case, with padding inside, it fits tight.  I will wrap that in cardboad, thanks again. 

[mountainman]

Only needs FFL if firearm is for sale/purchase. Repairs you can mail yourself and receive yourself..

[trophyhunt]

Only needs FFL if firearm is for sale/purchase. Repairs you can mail yourself and recurve yourself..

I must have missed that in the article, that makes more sense.  Still not sure about telling them it's a gun, maybe an expensive set of golf clubs!!

[jay.sharkbait]

Only needs FFL if firearm is for sale/purchase. Repairs you can mail yourself and recurve yourself..

I must have missed that in the article, that makes more sense.  Still not sure about telling them it's a gun, maybe an expensive set of golf clubs!!

If you are selling a firearm you can ship it direct to the buyers FFL

[trophyhunt]

Only needs FFL if firearm is for sale/purchase. Repairs you can mail yourself and recurve yourself..

I must have missed that in the article, that makes more sense.  Still not sure about telling them it's a gun, maybe an expensive set of golf clubs!!

If you are selling a firearm you can ship it direct to the buyers FFL

not selling, just for possible repairs. 

[mountainman]

Only needs FFL if firearm is for sale/purchase. Repairs you can mail yourself and recurve yourself..

I must have missed that in the article, that makes more sense.  Still not sure about telling them it's a gun, maybe an expensive set of golf clubs!!

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