I just got off the phone with FedEx after I logged in this morning to track my FedEx Overnight package going from Utah to California, which by the way is a pistol going to Apex Tactical. Now we all know firearms have to be overnighted and going in to this transaction I knew it was going to be pricey. I paid 90 bucks to ship this package. I shipped it out Monday morning and the guy told me it would be there Tuesday around noon. Well, here it is Wednesday morning and the package is still in-transit. The young lady that I talked to on the phone this morning let me know that there was a “delay” in the shipping, I said you don’t say. I asked her why I paid for overnight when if it was going to get there in 2 days, I could have just paid for 2 day shipping…which I can’t use on a firearm! :mad: After we went round and round on the phone about what exactly overnight shipping is and how their tracking system is obviously flawed if we, the customer, can’t see that there is a “delay” she passed me a phone number for claims, which oh by the way is completely automated and at no point do you actually talk to a human being. I willl not be using FedEx at anypoint in the near future for any of my needs. I am less than happy this morning.
I REALLY wishthat the post office would let non FFLs ship handguns with priority flat rate boxes…:rolleyes:
I am pretty sure that non-FFL’s can ship firearms USPS as long as they are going to an FFL. I would think that their rates would also be cheaper.
Also might be worth noting most FFLs ( my local does ) will ship a handgun USPS Priority for $25.00 anywhere in CONUS.
Is APEX not an FFL themselves?
I quit telling FedEx/UPS what was in the box, instead I tell them something they won’t understand like “assembled parts” or “lower receiver.” I also don’t believe that of ANY of the firearms I’ve received back from warranty work at the manufacturer came overnight.
Non FFLs cannot ship handguns with USPS.
“handguns”
Thats cause they have to go to another FFL. I still get several handguns a week from FFLs that are shipped to me with fedex and ups!? WHY!? Why pay more thant the post office if you have the option? I dont get it…
11.1.3 Authorized Persons
Subject to 11.1.4, handguns may be mailed by a licensed manufacturer of firearms, a licensed dealer of firearms, or an authorized agent of the federal government or the government of a state, territory, or district, only when addressed to a person in one of the following categories for use in the person’s official duties:
a. Officers of the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Organized Reserve Corps.
b. Officers of the National Guard or militia of a state, territory, or district.
c. Officers of the United States or of a state, territory, or district, whose official duty is to serve warrants of arrest or commitment.
d. USPS employees authorized by the Chief Postal Inspector.
e. Officers and employees of enforcement agencies of the United States.
f. Watchmen engaged in guarding the property of the United States, a state, territory, or district.
g. Purchasing agent or other designated member of agencies employing officers and employees included in 11.1.3c. through 11.1.3e.
11.1.5 Manufacturers and Dealers
Handguns may also be mailed between licensed manufacturers of firearms and licensed dealers of firearms in customary trade shipments, or for repairing or replacing parts.
While I agree that cost can be an issue and that USPS might be cheaper (assuming the service will work for you), and I agree that delays are frustrating, I feel pretty comfortable with FedEx’s ability to keep track of the location of a given parcel. USPS? Not so much.
I hope the OP’s pkg gets sorted out (pun intended) quickly.
Ship it ground and you wont have these problems.
Overnight shipping is a Fedex/UPS policy, not law.
That said shipping it ground can usually leave your firearm sitting in a warehouse or loading dock over the weekend. That doesn’t sit well with me.
Usually if I ship a whole long gun it’s via USPS Priority and I wait till it’s during a period that won’t leave it stranded over a weekend, or the same with UPS or Fedex.
I don’t tell them what it is anymore. Most employees don’t know the regulations and frankly I don’t want the contents advertised as a firearm anyways.
The problem with breaking UPS/Fedex policy is that if your gun does go missing, they are under no obligation to make good on the insurance for the package if you didn’t obey their policies.
That is why you tell them it is “scientific measurement equipment” and insure it for the value of the gun.
They don’t know a gun is inside the box if it goes missing for an insurance claim. If they knew what was in the box, then your gun wouldn’t be missing.
You will never get a firearm back if it is lost (stolen) in their system, so why bother with the hassle and expense of telling them its a gun.
Best thing to use is a carrier pigeon. Trick is finding one that can fly with the weight of a long gun. Dont use doves cause they get shot by hunters, just use plenty of packing tape to tape the gun the the pigeons feet and your gun should still arrive in better condition tha using ups…
I remember shipping a rifle via FedEx overnight back to a manufacturer for some repairs. I abbreviated the manufacturers name and described the rifle as a “self defense tool” or something like that. The guy at the FedEx counter was a gun guy and knew exactly what I was shipping out. He asked me what model it was. I insured it for the full replacement value and everything was ok.
I agree that it would be great if the USPS allowed us civi’s to ship handguns but I don’t think it is going to happen anytime soon.
You should be able to get a full or partial refund on the overnight charge but you might have to jump through some hoops to get it. It doesn’t always happen but you are living proof that it does happen and it is never a good feeling. I hope it makes it and your problems are resolved. We all feel for you. Doesn’t it feel good to vent to others that feel your pain? Good luck.
O
By the way, today I shipped out some trigger guards via USPS back to the dealer I purchased them from because he sent me the wrong ones. I love it when the person at the counter of the USPS asks if there is anything dangerous, flammable, liquid or hazardous in the box. Is there anything that can be shipped that does not fall under that criteria? I told him it was not flammable and it was not a liquid but if someone tried to swallow it, it could make them choke to death. He came me the dumbfounded look and said he had to ask the question because some people ship perfume and they consider it hazardous. Oh well.
O
This is why I grit my teeth and groan whenever I have to ship a firearm. It’s a colossal pain in the rear and expensive. There’s no Fedex depot in my town (only UPS). I try to ship UPS, but then the firearm manufacturer often uses Fedex to ship it back, and since I’m never home during delivery hours, it usually ends up being a great big hassle to get it in when I’m home…there’s no local depot for Fedex to hold it at like there is UPS so tat I could snag it when I’m in town…
…but if you attempt to claim the insurance at some point you will probably have to actually describe the item that was in the box, no? That would make life difficult. I don’t believe it is their policy to simply cut you a check for the stated value of the box contents if they lose the box. If I’m wrong about that, happy day…but I don’t think I am.
Personally speaking, I print my labels off at home, box the gun up myself, and go to the Fedex distribution center in my town. I just hand them the boxes and walk out. I’ve never gotten a question about what’s in the boxes.
Might need to do this in the future.