Brian Dudley - "Shout Out"

[Jim Pasman]

A BIG thanks to Brian for cooperating with UPS on a lost shipment - taking their calls and cooperating with some really uncoordinated processes.

Sent a VH 20ga stock and receiver to Brian for reconfiguration, insured it, followed the UPS guidelines; package got as far as Syracuse when the label became "unreadable" for three weeks. Ended when I filed a claim and notified ATF and the employee returned from vacation.....yes, that was their explanation.

Knowing others have had similar experiences, sharing one that ended positively. Thank you, Brian!

Now I can go back to tying flies.....

[Dean Romig]

I wonder where that well-rested employee will find employment :whistle:

[Brian Dudley]

Jim,

The gun did show up today unharmed. I was just going to email you, but I saw this post so I will put it here.

Glad I could be of some help in finding it. All that involved was answering a couple phone calls and saying it had not been delivered. Complicated I know.

[Jim Pasman]

What I don't understand is why they would call you more than once to determine if it was delivered..........

For all I know, we may have UPS employees as fellow members so I won't be anything but constructively critical. If there is/are, I'm happy to describe how bizarre some of our conversations were and how the UPS distributor did not communicate with me or the local UPS store.

I'm an old school service guy - "do for the customer what they would do for themselves if they could." To Dean's point, I'm certain the person responsible was just doing her job according to current procedures and remains a valuable employee...:banghead:

Thanks again, Brian - looking forward to this Fall!


Jim,

The gun did show up today unharmed. I was just going to email you, but I saw this post so I will put it here.

Glad I could be of some help in finding it. All that involved was answering a couple phone calls and saying it had not been delivered. Complicated I know.

[Brian Dudley]

All I can tell people is to steer clear of those actual UPS or FedEx Stores. Every gun that I have had delivered here that was packed by a UPS store, I am surprised it wasn't damaged. They pack so poorly and always use boxes was bigger than needed.

[Pat Dugan]

When using UPS, I always have them pick up the guns, that way I know it is properly in their system, I don't trust their stores

[Dean Romig]

Here in The People's Republik of Massachusetts the franchised UPS stores will not accept firearms, antique or otherwise.

[scott kittredge]

i always ship via USPS, so far so good, knock on wood :)

[edgarspencer]

Bradley International Airport is only 7 miles from me. I go directly to the UPS Customer Service Desk at their hanger. I have never had an issue with them. I have been making my own wooden cases for every gun.

[Dean Romig]

I go directly to the UPS Customer Service Desk. I have never had an issue with them. I have been making my own wooden cases for every gun.


Same with me. I go to the UPS Customer Service desk too and the ladies there are nothing but courteous and professional. After I saw the wooden shipping cases that Allan Swanson had made I've been doing the same. Might be a bit more labor-intensive and costly but it certainly protects the guns.

[Tom McCoy]

Please post a picture of the wooden case, inside and out if you can.
I am interested in making one, but would like to get some ideas from someone that has done this before. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Thx
Tom

[Dean Romig]

I use 1"x3" pine which will actually measure closer to 2 1/2" wide. The top and bottom of the case are cut from 1/4" luan sub-flooring. I use a lot of finish screws about 1" long. I usually put a divider strip also screwed in from the top and bottom to keep the barrels separated from the back end of the gun.

[Jim Pasman]

Learning much thanks for the responses - will know better next time!

[edgarspencer]

I use 1"x3" pine which will actually measure closer to 2 1/2" wide. The top and bottom of the case are cut from 1/4" luan sub-flooring. I use a lot of finish screws about 1" long. I usually put a divider strip also screwed in from the top and bottom to keep the barrels separated from the back end of the gun.

Great minds think alike. As for us, it's just a coincidence. That's precisely how I make mine too. I have saved these various shaped pieces of packing styrofoam and they are fit to order. I can almost hear Brad groan, but I use large headed (like about .5" diameter), torx screws, and plenty of them. I have some with so many labels, they look like an old steamer truck.

[Garth Gustafson]

I recently sent my GH project gun to Brian for a new stock. I sent it USPS, priority (2nd day delivery), registered and insured. I wrapped the hell out of it in bubble wrap and carefully shipped it in a cardboard box. An interesting side note -USPS has an archaic rule about shipping registered mail items - you need to put paper wrapping tape over the seams (ie on top of the plastic shipping tape we all use). Then they rubber stamp all along the side of the tape. This is so they can tell if the package was tampered with. Also when you send it registered mail, the item has to be signed for at every transfer point and locked up overnight for safekeeping. I liked that.

So 2 days later I logged into the website to track the package. Package had made it as far as Jamaica Plaines, the USPS transfer facility at JFK. For the next 5 days the gun fell into a black hole and there was no further information available. Fearing the worst, I called USPS to report the loss and told them it was a firearm. That got their attention and I started receiving phone calls from postal workers along the route and even from the postmaster in Spencerport! The prevailing attitude throughout this ordeal was typical USPS- don't worry, it'll turn up-we're working on it. So much for 2nd day delivery.

Brian finally got the gun a week late, it arrived safe & sound, no damage. Moral of the story- If you use USPS, be prepared to be patient. And if you send it registered mail, don't pay extra for faster delivery. AS we all know, the USPS operates on their own timeframe.

[keavin nelson]

How about a picture of the wood shipping case??

[edgarspencer]

Here are two of them. Built just as Dean says.

[John Powers]

Every area is different as I have the worst luck with UPS. I have a saying for what the "S" stands,but will be nice. They stolen items shipped, broke items that have been wooden crated, throw away the crate and wrapped cardboard around a $25k precision dividing head and just moved it on, to lost items. Fed ex is my preferred choice. Again, just my opinion. Thanks