I hate UPS

[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by Rick Losey

BTW- USPS - at the last house, a package was delivered to the door with a biscuit for the dogs, here if I am expecting a package -I go out to meet the mail truck- even then, with me on the way down the driveway, the truck will drive off leaving one of those tried to deliver notes and I have to go to the post office the next day to get it. last time i yelled as they drove off and they backed up and I had to wait while they filled out the form- so they were not even going to leave that


so-- I wonder how much is the company and how often it is the person

Rick, I wonder the same thing, my mail guy would not drive up the driveway to deliver a package just a note in the mailbox saying "tried to deliver" I caught him twice doing it and got a cell phone photo of him stopping at the box and then driving by (nice to have that time/date stamp ) showed it to the post master at my post office, now all my packages get delivered to the door or the sticker is placed on the door if I happen not to be home.

[Bill Murphy]

Other than the mailman who took out my mailbox and post in fair weather, I have had nothing but postitive experience with UPS and USPS. I once located a UPS driver on his route and talked him into giving me a package addressed to my FFL guy.

[tom tutwiler]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Other than the mailman who took out my mailbox and post in fair weather, I have had nothing but postitive experience with UPS and USPS. I once located a UPS driver on his route and talked him into giving me a package addressed to my FFL.

Bill you have a certain charm to you so I could see how that would happen.

PS, the issue I have with our local USPS is they seem to have a new route person every other month and english is not their primary language it seems.

[ForrestArmstrong]

I have traded a lot of guns & antiques/collectibles thru the mail over the last 30 years. I avoid UPS at all costs, mainly due to breakage. 2nd day USPS or FedEx, but don't expect delivery in 2 days, and make sure items are well packed, secure & insured.

[wayne goerres]

UPS destroys packages and USPS seems to loose them. Haven't had many dealings with Fedex.

[Patrick Butler]

I use United States Postal "Service" Registered Mail. The insurance limit is $25,000, unlike all other options. You can ship multi-million dollar items if you indicate value on shipment. The Hope Diamond was shipped this way.

They take about a week coast to coast, but the insurance is very low-priced (vs. tracked mail) because each person who transfers the package signs off and all such mail are kept in a secure area.

The other downside is that you must use paper tape so the Post office can stamp it every six inches.

However, as anyone received/ sent an Registered Mail package that was damaged? I am sure it happens, but I would also bet the damage rate is far less than Priority Mail, Fedex,
UPS, et.

Patrick

[Steve Hodges]

I have the best luck with either UPS or FedEx, and I have never had a damaged firearm with them or USPS. My bone with the Postal Service is that the clerks, at least in my area, are usually not aware that an individual can ship a firearm. I usually stand at the counter while he/she get the supervisor, who at times has to look it up. My UPS depot is great, fast and efficient, at least a far as I am concerned, and the tracking, unlike the USPS, is usually spot on. I think the Postal Service tracking is terrible, usually not indicating an update until the package is actually out for delivery.

[Cold Spring]

Just my experience, registered mail is a good option when shipping items worth > $5K which is the limit for Priority Mail. But unless something has changed in the last year or so, the box goes subsurface once shipped and there's no way to track it, check on progress etc. Zero, nada. Also, delivery is exceedingly slow possibly because everyone that handles the box while in the USPS system has to sign for it. And the combo of the two often gets the consignee nervous. I have used it twice for shipping expensive C&R guns. One went from PA to CT and it took about 15 days and the consignee was emailing and then calling me every day, thinking she got cheated. Another C&R gun went to CA and that one took almost 3 weeks and the same thing happened with the consignee. If I ever use Registered Mail again I will make it triple clear to the buyer how it works and get his repeated assurance that's how he wants me to ship. The other option is for the buyer to agree to the $5K limit when using Priority Mail and to take the hit if the item is damaged or lost. So far no one has agreed to that and I wouldn't either if the situation were reversed. Realistically that leaves Registered Mail as the only option if an individual is shipping a gun worth > 5K to a FFL, or even if an "occasional shipper" FFL is shipping such a gun to another FFL. Sure, UPS etc will honor insurance claims by their large shippers like CSMC, etc. - but if anyone thinks the same thing will happen with Mr XYZ who is an individual or small dealer, I really doubt that. And especailly so if the gent shipping it doesn't specifically state it's a firearm when getting the insurance coverage. Often gents will show it's machinery, an antique, etc and that could be a problem if damage/loss is incurred while in transit. Again gents, this is just my take on it.

[Brush Buster]

I don't suppose I will ever forget the feeling I had when I opened the little rectangular package and found my new Once High Condition ,O Frame ,PH Grade 20 Gauge with the stock snapped in half !!!!!!!!! UPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only good thing I will say there was no question to value and the insurance paid within two weeks but it still couldn't replace the stock !!!!!!!!!!

[Fishtail]

The problem with insurance is....let's say you insured the gun for $3000 and the break the stock in half. They might well pay you the $3000 but then they also take the gun. You aren't out any money...but the whole point of your endeavor was to have the gun, not the money.