Warning,

I had a pre ban Colt Sporter shipped to me via PARCEL POST US mail recently. The weapon was shipped on 03-31-06 from PA going to NY ( Approx. 5Hr drive ). As of 04-10-06 no luck. I called the Post office who ran a trace on it, and I was told that " it looks like the package is lost". Even better, I can't file a insurance claim to get my money back! I was told that the dealer who shipped the gun along with the original owner will have to come to the post office to file a claim and they can only do so after 30 days from the date of original shipment. I'm only postitng my situation to warn everyone not to ship any firearm ( or anything you care about ) via Parcel post!!!

1981

I almost forgot to add that the guy I bought it from is a stand up guy who I'm sure will do the right thing!!!

I didn't think USPS would touch such a package...thought it had to go UPS or FedEx and in many cases, overnight. No way in hell would I ever ship or accept parcel shipping on such items. Maybe the feds have it. Was the shipper FFL?

Yes it was shipped from a FFL to a FFL. Also, to my understanding, a long gun or shotgun came be shipped ground UPS, Fedex, or even USPS.

Hindsight :   It was foolish not to ship the weapon 3-day Priority Mail....the FFL should know better.
You can track priority Mail and get delivery confirmation as well as signature confirmation. The difference in price was not worth the risk. Priority mail is air freight......and doesn't see a lot of hands like sending something parcel post.

My FFL use the USPS exclusively............and has NO problems as long as you stick to Priority Mail Service.

Sorry for the loss...........that's one fine weapon in the hands of "who knows who"

JF.

I'm not going to say I'm not very pissed off because I am . I know for a fact that the guy who sold me the Colt is just as pissed as I am. I just don't understand why some one would ship a firearm Parcel Post ? Now, I'm going to be out the money probably until the end of the month when a claim is filed.

That really sucks.  Should have sent it priority mail as mentioned above.  I just had a case of ammo LOST by UPS.  What a PITA. The worst part about it was the ammo was 5.45x39 that I got a good deal on and you can't find it ANYWHERE.  It CAN'T be replaced. I was tracking the package online and noticed there was an arrival scan in a distribution center in NJ and it never left.  After a few days, I had to file a claim and the paper work is currently processing.  Hopefully they will reimburse me the money.  Either way, I will avoid using UPS in the future. How do you lose a 30+ pound package? Let's be realistic...They don't lose big/heavy packages, the employees STEAL them. Some of them are probably felons, just dying to get their grubby criminal hands on guns.

It's already been said, but
WTF were they thinking shipping a firearm Parcel Post?!?

ship priority + confirmation + insurance

Call ATF, stolen firearm might get them moving.

Steve

Quoted: Call ATF, stolen firearm might get them moving. Steve

Better yet, the mail police...USPI, no?

dam

the dealer obviously made a point to skimp on the postage...


anything that weighs in at a pound or more is automatically given the priority stamp.


the dealer specifically requested parcel postage??

so he saved a couple bucks on a 6-8 hundred 8-11 hundred dollar item?  WTF?

edit: saw it was a pre-ban colt sporter...price above adjusted.

Quoted: Hindsight :   It was foolish not to ship the weapon 3-day Priority Mail....the FFL should know better. You can track priority Mail and get delivery confirmation as well as signature confirmation. The difference in price was not worth the risk. In fact, sometimes Priority mail is cheaper. Priority mail is air freight or since it was only a 5 hour drive shipped by truck......and doesn't see a lot of hands like sending something parcel post. My FFL use the USPS exclusively............and has NO problems as long as you stick to Priority Mail Service. Sorry for the loss...........that's one fine weapon in the hands of "who knows who" JF.

Fixed it for you.

I would think that the USPS would be a little more concerned about it than that. If not found, some one will have to do some explaining to the ATF. Has the FFL sending the gun, inicated how long he will wait before reporting it stolen?

Bomber

My FFL thinks I should give it a couple of weeks as they have had the same thing happen a few times, and according to my FFL the items have showed up eventually. The reason I'm so conserned is that according to the post office the package never left PA as it has not been scanned yet!

IT'S GONE AND SO IS YOUR MONEY, SORRY

The USPS has lost 6-7 packages of mine over the past two years and NEVER paid out on any of them. ALL OF THEM WERE INSURED. You will call them a million times and they will keep telling you "two more weeks" or some other excuse..

One order was for over $2000.00.

I will never ship anything with them with more then $200 value.

I'm currently suing them, which is a hail mary act in it's self.

They don't give a shit. It 's like the license bureau or any other govenment agency.

I'm sorry to hear that, but I was told that 30 days after the original shipping date that the whole insured amount will be paid with out delay. I really hope your wrong.

I cringe at the thought of shipping anything USPS. I have had many packages lost, over the past few years, and the Post Office, never once, has had a clew as to where the package(s) may have gone. They just throw up the white flag. I have also had packages lost by UPS. However, in every occurrence they do a thorough investigation, and have always found my package(s). The last thing I had lost by USPS was a piece of exercise equipment (in a very large box). I was told by the post master: they cant track by the tracking numbers, to leave a note for my mail man; maybe they will remember what they did with the box. Pretty lame service.
Sorry to hear about your trouble.
MB

Sorry about your loss.  I have shipped long guns via USPS Express and never had a problem.  No matter who is the carrier, I always factor overnight delivery and insurance into the selling price of the gun.  Given the amount of thieves out there, why take the chance to save a few bucks.

wow, and people wonder why I only do high $$$ business in shops and at shows. From PA to NY I probably would have just driven, considering the fact that replacing a pre ban colt sporter is going to be some serious shit.

Quoted: IT'S GONE AND SO IS YOUR MONEY, SORRY The USPS has lost 6-7 packages of mine over the past two years and NEVER paid out on any of them. ALL OF THEM WERE INSURED. You will call them a million times and they will keep telling you "two more weeks" or some other excuse.. One order was for over $2000.00. I will never ship anything with them with more then $200 value. I'm currently suing them, which is a hail mary act in it's self. They don't give a shit. It 's like the license bureau or any other govenment agency.

The USPS isn't really much of a government agency any more, they're more like a private agency that happens to enjoy quite a lot of legal protections, but no monopoly.  I used to work for them.

If the USPS lost an insured package that belonged to me and refused to pay up on it, I'd call the postal inspectors twice a day until they went down and kicked some ass.  That's inexcusable, and screwing with US Mail is a felony.

Quoted: Warning, I had a pre ban Colt Sporter shipped to me via PARCEL POST US mail recently. The weapon was shipped on 03-31-06 from PA going to NY ( Approx. 5Hr drive ). As of 04-10-06 no luck. I called the Post office who ran a trace on it, and I was told that " it looks like the package is lost". Even better, I can't file a insurance claim to get my money back! I was told that the dealer who shipped the gun along with the original owner will have to come to the post office to file a claim and they can only do so after 30 days from the date of original shipment. I'm only postitng my situation to warn everyone not to ship any firearm ( or anything you care about ) via Parcel post!!! 1981

Yup, I knew about the 30 day thing.  How long did they stall you until admitting it was lost?  At least 14 days, I bet.  USPS sucks ass for high value items.  Fedex and UPS honor their insurance and admit when it is lost, along with making an honest effort to find it.  

USPS sucks.  Clear?  

Oh, yeah, good fucking luck getting any alphabet soup .gov agency interested in any case not involving at least $25000.  I tell no lies.

My personal cut-off point is around $40 value with USPS.  Often FEDEX ground is cheaper.  

Quoted: Call ATF, stolen firearm might get them moving. Steve

+1. And try to file a lawsuit. Stuff liek that can't happen.

parcel post sucks major. Priority is cheap and VERY VERY Reliable. I love USPS.

Best way to ship firearms ffl to ffl/mfg is USPS registered & insured.  ins is relatively inexpensive, and registered means the package is handed off & signed for by every person handling it, and kept locked during overnight storage.  I would never ship a firearm UPS, since they won't pay insurance claims on MG's, even though they will accept money for insurance. this has been widely reported on several gun boards. and if you are individual shipping to ffl or manufacturer, and item is a long-gun or machinegun, you can legally ship via USPS. individuals are only prohibited from shipping handguns, and short barreled rifles & shotguns per postal regulations.  

Sorry to hear about this problem 1981.  I've always had good luck shipping long guns via Priority-Registered-Insured mail through the USPS.  That is the recommended method of shipment for long guns by the Post Office.  So it costs a few bucks more, it's a lot safer.  I can't stand when shippers try to save a couple dollars shipping a $500-1,000+ item.  I hate that.  If I was the guy who sold it to you, I'd be looking to take it out of the shipping FFL dealer's hide.  I lost $300 and a Glock 23 upper assembly a couple years ago when the guy who sold it to me sent it uninsured USPS.  It disappeared (big surprise!) and since he saved a couple bucks shipping it, I never got the item nor a refund.  Filing reports with the Postal Inspector's Office was an exercise in futility as well.  

In your case, I hope the Colt shows up quickly, as it's probably not lost... just delayed.  In the meantime, I'd be keeping after the USPS and the shipper until something gives.  Best of luck!

I am very disturbed over the loss. I have worked for the USPS for over 20 years, in varying positions from mailman to electronics tech. I would be more concerned over the condition of the contents than the package's failure to reach its destination; If packed properly, packages are safe. Parcels are "thrown" into baskets or metal cans for transport. Expect/plan for your prize to be in the bottom of one of these containers with a LOT of weight on top of them. That goes for parcel post as well as priority. Most facilities handle priority and parcel post side-by-side, in the same container. Express items are handled more securely, but due to a contract with Fed-Ex have less of a priority than Fed-Ex items; limited space means "theirs" fly and ours go via ground. Also, "hide" the nature of the contents; A box labeled Colt or Bushmaster is a target for those with sticky fingers. The USPS is a very large corporation; bad apples are inevitable. The only safe way is to send items via register mail. They are tracked and signed for from person to person, site to site, and locked up. Theft of registered mail is a BIG DEAL... IMMEDIATE ACTION!!! Delivery confirmation tags are scanned after they have been processed. It's not like a clerk scans them as they come off a truck(at least that's the SOP where I work).

Any failure, from a package left unattended at your doorstep to stolen or damaged items, should be reported and re-reported until a resolution is reached. USPS managers' and postmasters' salaries, raises, bomuses, and incentives are performance based. Too loud or too many complaints affect their ratings, thus their wallets. CALL, BUG THEM, ANNOY THEM until they listen and act. The Postal Inspectors are there to protect the mail. They, too, are sensitive to quantity and volume of complaints.

The USPS has a good record on successful delivery of mail and packages, if you know and understand the rules and the real-world, day-to-day operations...

Send long-guns and high-dollar items via registered mail; everything else, priority insured.

Use us... I need the job!

Actually shipping a long arm via the post does not have to be a bad experience. If you read the postal regs, it is suggested that the firearm be shipped as a Registered article. The parcel must be sealed with paper tape so tampering is easily evident. The registered parcel is handled under special "lock and key cannister", and seperated from the general parcels along the whole intermediate shipping route. The registered parcel can be virtually insured to the moon in $$$$ value. Registered Priority Mail is much more expensive, but does not have to be that bad of an experience.

Now for low grade parcel post............................................???????????

I hope you paid with a CC cause then its alot easier to get the money back.

Thanks guys. Hopefully the Colt will turn up at some point. I guess I'll have to hang on for now .

Quoted: IT'S GONE AND SO IS YOUR MONEY, SORRY The USPS has lost 6-7 packages of mine over the past two years and NEVER paid out on any of them. ALL OF THEM WERE INSURED. You will call them a million times and they will keep telling you "two more weeks" or some other excuse.. One order was for over $2000.00. I will never ship anything with them with more then $200 value. I'm currently suing them, which is a hail mary act in it's self. They don't give a shit. It 's like the license bureau or any other govenment agency.

Yep, I never ship anything with USPS I'm not willing to loose.  Their insurance is a joke and a sham.  Fedex insured for the proper amount is the only way to go.

Quoted: My FFL thinks I should give it a couple of weeks as they have had the same thing happen a few times, and according to my FFL the items have showed up eventually. The reason I'm so conserned is that according to the post office the package never left PA as it has not been scanned yet!

No flame on you 1981, but it sounds like your "stand up" FFL isn't bright enough to learn from a mistake.

edit:  fix quote

Quoted: Quoted: My FFL thinks I should give it a couple of weeks as they have had the same thing happen a few times, and according to my FFL the items have showed up eventually. The reason I'm so conserned is that according to the post office the package never left PA as it has not been scanned yet! No flame on you 1981, but it sounds like your "stand up" FFL isn't bright enough to learn from a mistake. edit:  fix quote

The problem is the sellers FFL who shipped the way he did . The seller is as upset as I am.

The only way I would ship any firearm is through DHL UPS or FedEx , and I would send it at least 3-day air. When I got my M2HB .50 cal from TNW I had it sent 3-day air and that weighed a 150lbs! It's worth the insurance. Express shipments are hardly ever lost also!

Call them every 2 days until it gets resolved, and if not resolved in 30 days, I would contact your CC or lawyer, something! Don't just let them put you on the back burner or it will turn into 6 months and you will be out in the cold with no gun no money and no self respect!..

Man sorry to hear that, hope it all works out

Parcel Post can take up to 2-3 weeks...  it goes from one USPS station to another to another until it finally arrives.

Priority Mail only costs a few dollars more at best, and is 2-3 day delivery and uses FedEx overnight flights to fill the extra room.

I'd wait another week or two before considering it lost.  It still may be enroute...

Quoted: Parcel Post can take up to 2-3 weeks...  it goes from one USPS station to another to another until it finally arrives. Priority Mail only costs a few dollars more at best, and is 2-3 day delivery and uses FedEx overnight flights to fill the extra room. I'd wait another week or two before considering it lost.  It still may be enroute...

I agree. Give it some more time before you worry about it. It's only been about 10 days. The last pacel post package I received took about two weeks to arrive and I thought it was lost as well.  Yours may take longer than usual because it's a large package.

I've had stuff arrive up to a month late, I wouldnt worry too much for now, people forget that the USPS is the government, and you know how the saying goes "good enough for govt work"  Just sit still and go through the appropriate channels, I'm hoping (and praying) that it will show up soon enough.

Best of luck.