doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Interesting Visit to FedEx

Hey Dave:
I guess I'm lucky to live where I do live. The UPS and Fed EX employees leave packages placed (not tossed) by the front door and also ring the bell. I usually have to sign for USPS items so my postal delivery gal rings the bell and waits.
Jim

I always ship my guns through the Post Office. One lady counter clerk always makes me sign some sort of official declaration that says I'm a manufacturer or something (obviously not meant for individuals). And, I always strike through the statements that are not true and sign the form; seems to suit her just fine. Sometimes it is smarter to go around the problem than to argue...Geo

Forgot about the Christmas rush when I reccomended USPS, but at other times of the year they are great.

That form is a 1508,its for manufactures and dealers,no problem signing it as long as you are one.If not,who knows?

http://www.usps.com/forms/_pdf/ps1508.pdf

Yes, I believe that is the form, Dave. I strike everything after the 1st two words and it makes the clerk happy for some reason...Geo

Here's the latest Fedex Express and Ground Tariffs:

Fedex Ground tariff. An individual, not licensed, can ship a long gun to a licensee, etc, and get it returned, too:

FedEx Ground will transport and deliver firearms (excluding handguns) as defined by the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, between areas served in the U.S., but only between:
Licensed importers; licensed manufacturers; licensed dealers; licensed collectors; law enforcement agencies of the U.S. or any department or agency thereof; and law enforcement agencies of any state or any department, agency or political subdivisions thereof; or
Where not prohibited by local, state and federal law, from individuals to licensed importers, licensed manufacturers or licensed dealers (and return of same).
If your shipment contains firearms, select the Direct Signature Required or Adult Signature Required Delivery Signature Option, depending on the requirements of your shipment. See the Delivery Signature Options section for details. Firearms shipments are not eligible for signature release, driver release or indirect delivery.
FedEx Ground cannot ship or deliver firearms C.O.D.
Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx Ground is required to notify FedEx Ground that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm.
The shipper and recipient must be of legal age as identified by applicable law.
The shipper and recipient are required to comply with all applicable government regulations and laws, including those pertaining to labeling. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can provide assistance.
FedEx Ground will transport small-arms ammunition when packed and labeled in compliance with local, state and federal law, and the Hazardous Materials section of this Service Guide. Ammunition is an explosive and must be shipped separately as hazardous materials. You agree not to ship loaded firearms or firearms with ammunition in the same package.
FedEx Ground will not accept for transport handguns, assembled or disassembled.

And FedEx Express (overnight air) - Used for shipping mostly handguns

FedEx Express will transport and deliver firearms as defined by the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, between areas served in the U.S., but only between:
Licensed importers; licensed manufacturers; licensed dealers; licensed collectors; law enforcement agencies of the U.S. or any department or agency thereof; and law enforcement agencies of any state or any department, agency or political subdivisions thereof; or
Where not prohibited by local, state and federal law, from individuals to licensed importers, licensed manufacturers or licensed dealers (and return of same).
If your shipment contains firearms, select the Direct Signature Required or Adult Signature Required Delivery Signature Option, depending on the requirements of your shipment. See the Delivery Signature Options section for details. Firearms shipments are not eligible for signature release or indirect delivery.
Firearms must be shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight service. FedEx Express cannot ship or deliver firearms C.O.D. Firearms shipments cannot be placed in a FedEx Express Drop Box.
Upon presenting the package for shipment, the person tendering the shipment to FedEx Express is required to notify FedEx Express that the package contains a firearm. The outside of the package must not be marked, labeled or otherwise identify that the package contains a firearm.
The shipper and recipient must be of legal age as identified by applicable law.
The shipper and recipient are required to comply with all applicable government regulations and laws, including those pertaining to labeling. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can provide assistance.
FedEx Express will transport ammunition when packed and labeled in compliance with local, state and federal law, and the Dangerous Goods section of this Service Guide. Ammunition is an explosive and must be shipped separately as dangerous goods. You agree not to ship loaded firearms or firearms with ammunition in the same package.

I suggest you get an insurance policy like CollectInsure.com that covers shipping since the UPS and FedEx insurance will not cover unique items or antiques, only firarms available commercially.

I've had better luck with FedEx, have a free account, weigh my packages, print my own labels on a computer printer and just dump the box at the local store that used to be Kinkos, no questions asked. With UPS firearms must go to a company service counter, not the UPS stores or any non-UPS owned storefront, and the UPS clerks are nosy, often ask questions, make up rules. It stopped for a while when I wrote a letter complaining of them, but I still had to tell them to ask the manager before inflicting some new stupidity on me.

And the USPS has broken and lost stuff I shipped and ordered, while I've had zero UPS and Fedex losses.

Free account? How?

If you ship through USPS Registered they don't lose "stuff"

UPS has a rep for frequent breakage and stone walling insurance payments in the musical instrument world. They have also broken more than one firearm that I know of, one for a poster here.
I have shipped a number of firearms thru FedEx and have never had a loss or breakage. Just has to go to a FFL and be signed for. NBD to me.
Of course I pack stuff for a trip to Mars too, but I've had some thinly clad and fragile things make it to me by way of FedEx. Cudda just been luck but they made it.

JMO of course

Dr.WtS

Not firearms related but I have had two antique items rendered useless by Fed Ex. Both could have been packaged better, but there was really no reason for them to have been so roughly handled. Actually the one damaged the worst was better packed than the other. So far have not had any similar item damaged by the USPS & they usually have a better rate.

My experience has been the USPS just doesn't throw the packages out of the truck in the manner of either Fed Ex or UPS, but seems to handle them more reasonable. It may of course all depend upon some particular terminal the packages travel through, but my experience has made me treat Fed Ex as if they had the plaque.