OK, I have a conspiracy theory, and I need opinions.

I recently ordered a CMP Mossberg 44US, which arrived at my house fairly quickly. It was shipped FEDEX.

When I opened up the carton (heavy cardboard, and thick eggcrate packing) the stock was cracked at teh wrist, and the elevation knob on the peep sight was BENT.

CMP (see their website) has an extensive QC process, so I am quite sure the rifle was not shipped this way. I am quite sure the damamge happened during transport.

Now, the conspiracy part. Anti-gun sabotage is well known in the shipping industries (firearms stolen, etc)

And here's the kicker -

When I got the box, it had AREADY BEEN OPENED on one end.

Here's my conspiracy theory - someone PURPOSEFULLY damaged my gun. They took it out and smashed it. The box itsef was NOT damaged or bent, so I DO NOT beleive something was dropped on my box, damaging the rifle.. The rear peep sight was bent down to the point it had damaged the stock. And the stock irself had a MAJOR crack in it.

SO, what do I do??? CMP has already agreed to replace the stock and the rear peep. But FEDEX dopesn't have to know that. Unless they ask.

But I want to go after FEDEX, and the anti-gunner who I think PURPOSEFULLY damaged my gun.

Am I nutz??? (no comments here from Major Murphy. he has never liked me anyway [:D] ) How would I go after FEDEX?????

First get your tin foil hat on! Just kidding! I would call them and talk to them, but Im sure the answer is if the box is in fine shape the item had to be shipped that way.

[beer]

couldn't spell bax, uh... box.

Kinda like how I seem to get viruses sent to the email account I use for gun transactions.

Anti's are combing the sale boards looking for prey.

Garandman, You're nuts!  (well you asked)[;)]

Seriously, I work for a FedEx company (FedEx Freight, which is big stuff, but it works about the same).  The fact is that nobody really cares what's in the box for the most part.  Nobody really cares how much it's worth either.  They're just boxes.  

Anti-gun sabotage does not exist in the shipping industry as a policy.  Thievery and negligence do exist though.  Guns, jewels, bank notes, cash, etc. are items that are "high-pilferage" for obvious reasons.  We charge more for high-risk freight because there's a higher risk that the company will have to pay a claim.  All the hoops you now have to jump through to ship a gun are because when people ship them the cheap way, they get stolen and the carrier pays for that.  All those "next day air", etc. requirements are for inhouse tracking purposes, security requirements, and to charge you more for shipping an item that costs the company more to handle.  The company could care less what it is.  It automatically writes off a percentage of the guns that go through the system (by cost) simply because that's what's going to happen.  They recover that cost by all the extra charges.  

We do the same for other items that cost the company more when things go wrong, like HAZMAT charges, Freezable, etc.  Unfortunately, the consumer is (and always will be) the one who gets stuck with the bill.  

As for purposefully damaging your gun, it's doubtful.  Usually damage is caused by neglect (99.9% of the time) by some clod on the dock.  They can't all be as good as I am [:D]  

The most likely scenario (one that I've seen happen zillions of times) is the package end failed (due to mishandling) and the gun came out the end of the box in transit and was crushed outside the package by other freight not properly loaded either.  Somebody then stuffed your gun back in the box and sent it down the road, because the reality is, it's just another box.  This happens not even daily, but hourly!  It costs us many millions of dollars as a company every year.  Those of us who consider ourselves pros actually try to do things right.  Most take the easy way and do things half assed (like any industry).  

What to do?  There's very little you can do.  I hate to say that, but it's the facts.  Your best bet is to contact FedEx's security (known by us as the Gestapo).  They may be investigating some similar complaints and your information may assist.  Yeah, sounds lame, but I wasn't kidding when I said Gestapo.  They actively hunt badguys.  I mean HUNT! They don't care if it's a gun or a teddy bear.  To them it's all about money.  

Contact the CMP and have them deal with it.  The CMP chose the shipper, so it's their responsibility.  Since the CMP is a FedEx contract deal, exception cost (damage, loss, etc) is built into that contract already.  Fed Ex isn't going to pay two people for the same damage.

You could file a claim with FedEx.  What they do will depend upon all sorts of things.

Ross

I'll second what Ross said.  I unloaded aircraft in the Hub in Memphis back in the mid 80's.  (I was there the night they broke the 200,000 mark on the number of packages shipped. I hate to think how many packages they ship now!!!)
A box was a box.  If it broke, you shoved whatever you could find of the contents back in the box and taped it up.
The security guys were a mix of  mall ninjas and  real pros.    File a complaint with FedEx,  can't hurt.