Going Postal

dipper · April 16, 2008, 01:37 PM

Hi Guys,

Went to ship out one of my revolvers for some custom work yesterday.
Went to Going Postal which is a shipper like Mail Boxes Etc.
Among others, they represent or use Fed Ex which I KNOW ships handguns out via next day air only.
Had my revolver in the original factory case and had that in a cardboard box which was open.
Set it on the counter and told the guy that I wanted to ship this out and it was a handgun and he freakin jumps back about 5 feet like a threw a rattle snake on the counter.
He says he can't ship it or even touch it.
I ask why since he is a Fed EX shipper and he says " it's our chains policy, we do not and will not ship firearms---period."
Again, he says he can't even touch the box!!
I ask him if Fed EX knew this and he said he didn't know.
I asked for the name and number of the regional manager to ask why they have this policy and he says "your looking at him, I am the regional manager."
He told me to call corporate headquarters but said it wouldn't do a darn bit of good.
I told him that since they have such a policy, that I wouldn't use them to ship out ANYTHING ever.
What a crock---and as a side note, when I said "handgun" the other patrons in the store looked at me like I was Charles Manson or something.

Went to Fed Ex down the road and got it shipped but the clerk there acted like I was trying to ship crack and she knew NOTHING about the policy for shipping a handgun.
She didn't know that it had to be next day air and she said that I had to have an FFL to ship it out---thank God we got it straight and I got it shipped.
I told her that my gunsmith has an FFL and thats all that is required--I did not need one.
Took me 3 hours to ship my revolver!!

The media has done a great job in painting gun owners as idiots---I'm getting tired of this crap.
I won't be using going postal to ship anything and I told them so!!

Dipper

armoredman · April 16, 2008, 01:53 PM

I go to the UPS hub to ship firearms, nary a contrary word, all is good. Sorry you had such a negative experiance with these people.

dipper · April 16, 2008, 02:10 PM

Thanks Armoredman,

I and friends and family members have used UPS alot over the years and we have had our problems with them too.
With out writing a two page post, we have had a few rifles severely damaged by UPS----I'm talking about stocks cracked and broken through the grip area, blueing jobs ruined, scopes toasted etc.

I once received a rifle back from UPS that had forklift wheel marks ( or something) all over the shipping container.
Thank God it was in a " box" that I made myself out of 3/4" plywood--glued and screwed together--the rifle was OK ----It is my favorite custom and is why I shipped it in a heavy box---but you should have seen the box when I got it back--really, they must have looked at it like a challenge or something--I was afraid to open it.

Rich

wjkuleck · April 16, 2008, 02:13 PM

I use USPS and our (Fulton Armory) shipping boxes ($35 postpaid, 10% off during the current sale). Never had a problem with long guns.

Too bad I don't have an FFL here in Ohio, so I could mail handguns too.

Regards,

Walt

Don H · April 16, 2008, 02:23 PM

dipper,

Also be aware that The UPS Store is prohibited from shipping firearms. UPS shipments of firearms must be made from a hub. I believe there may be an exception for commercial accounts, though.

dipper · April 16, 2008, 02:33 PM

Thanks Don, I didn't know that.
It has been awhile since I shipped anything out.

Dipper

**JohnKSa** · April 17, 2008, 12:49 AM

Retail shipping stores are not usually owned or operated by the contract shipping organizations which they use to make their deliveries.

Shipping firearms and ammunition usually necessitates a visit to a FEDEX or UPS shipping hub and dealing with an actual FEDEX/UPS employee.

Musketeer · April 17, 2008, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Retail shipping stores are not usually owned or operated by the contract shipping organizations which they use to make their deliveries.

True but their franchise agreement might require them to honor all shipment requests which the shipping organization itself would accept. I think checking with FedEx would be in order.

**JohnKSa** · April 17, 2008, 05:53 AM

Quote:

I think checking with FedEx would be in order.

Sure, why not. Please post the results, I'd be interested to know what they say.

Thiokol · April 17, 2008, 10:57 AM

Here are the UPS & Fedex firearms tariffs:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/res.../firearms.html

http://www.fedex.com/us/services/terms/us.html#firearms

I have an FFL and an account with Fedex. While UPS clearly states that firearms must be shipped through a UPS hub, the Fedex tariff makes no mention of shipping through a satellite location. Fedex used to have the same restriction but that restriction no longer appears in their firearms tariff.

April 16, 2008, 01:37 PM	#1
dipper Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Posts: 895	Going Postal Hi Guys, Went to ship out one of my revolvers for some custom work yesterday. Went to Going Postal which is a shipper like Mail Boxes Etc. Among others, they represent or use Fed Ex which I KNOW ships handguns out via next day air only. Had my revolver in the original factory case and had that in a cardboard box which was open. Set it on the counter and told the guy that I wanted to ship this out and it was a handgun and he freakin jumps back about 5 feet like a threw a rattle snake on the counter. He says he can't ship it or even touch it. I ask why since he is a Fed EX shipper and he says " it's our chains policy, we do not and will not ship firearms---period." Again, he says he can't even touch the box!! I ask him if Fed EX knew this and he said he didn't know. I asked for the name and number of the regional manager to ask why they have this policy and he says "your looking at him, I am the regional manager." He told me to call corporate headquarters but said it wouldn't do a darn bit of good. I told him that since they have such a policy, that I wouldn't use them to ship out ANYTHING ever. What a crock---and as a side note, when I said "handgun" the other patrons in the store looked at me like I was Charles Manson or something. Went to Fed Ex down the road and got it shipped but the clerk there acted like I was trying to ship crack and she knew NOTHING about the policy for shipping a handgun. She didn't know that it had to be next day air and she said that I had to have an FFL to ship it out---thank God we got it straight and I got it shipped. I told her that my gunsmith has an FFL and thats all that is required--I did not need one. Took me 3 hours to ship my revolver!! The media has done a great job in painting gun owners as idiots---I'm getting tired of this crap. I won't be using going postal to ship anything and I told them so!! Dipper

April 16, 2008, 02:10 PM	#3
dipper Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Posts: 895	shipping Thanks Armoredman, I and friends and family members have used UPS alot over the years and we have had our problems with them too. With out writing a two page post, we have had a few rifles severely damaged by UPS----I'm talking about stocks cracked and broken through the grip area, blueing jobs ruined, scopes toasted etc. I once received a rifle back from UPS that had forklift wheel marks ( or something) all over the shipping container. Thank God it was in a " box" that I made myself out of 3/4" plywood--glued and screwed together--the rifle was OK ----It is my favorite custom and is why I shipped it in a heavy box---but you should have seen the box when I got it back--really, they must have looked at it like a challenge or something--I was afraid to open it. Rich

April 16, 2008, 02:13 PM	#4
wjkuleck Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2007 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 1,220	I use USPS and our (Fulton Armory) shipping boxes ($35 postpaid, 10% off during the current sale). Never had a problem with long guns. Too bad I don't have an FFL here in Ohio, so I could mail handguns too. Regards, Walt __________________ Author, NEW! The M1911 Complete Owner's Guide The M14 and M1 Garand Complete Assembly Guides The M1 Garand Complete Assembly Guide The AR-15 Complete Assembly and (New 4th Edition) Owner's Guides

April 16, 2008, 02:33 PM	#6
dipper Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Posts: 895	shipping Thanks Don, I didn't know that. It has been awhile since I shipped anything out. Dipper

April 17, 2008, 12:49 AM	#7
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,985	Retail shipping stores are not usually owned or operated by the contract shipping organizations which they use to make their deliveries. Shipping firearms and ammunition usually necessitates a visit to a FEDEX or UPS shipping hub and dealing with an actual FEDEX/UPS employee. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

April 16, 2008, 01:53 PM	#2
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	I go to the UPS hub to ship firearms, nary a contrary word, all is good. Sorry you had such a negative experiance with these people.

April 16, 2008, 02:23 PM	#5
Don H Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2000 Location: SLC,Utah Posts: 2,704	dipper, Also be aware that The UPS Store is prohibited from shipping firearms. UPS shipments of firearms must be made from a hub. I believe there may be an exception for commercial accounts, though.

April 17, 2008, 10:57 AM	#10
Thiokol member Join Date: March 29, 2006 Location: Northeast Illinois Posts: 67	Here are the UPS & Fedex firearms tariffs: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/res.../firearms.html http://www.fedex.com/us/services/terms/us.html#firearms I have an FFL and an account with Fedex. While UPS clearly states that firearms must be shipped through a UPS hub, the Fedex tariff makes no mention of shipping through a satellite location. Fedex used to have the same restriction but that restriction no longer appears in their firearms tariff.