Problems with USPS and a new (to me) ML

[omgb]

I recently purchased a Navy Arms Hawken Hunter from a nice guy in Manassas Virginia. The price was fair and I wanted to own this gun again. I'd owned one like it in the early 70s. he shipped it to me via USPS insured. he broke the gun down into two sections, individually bubble wrapped both and then filled the sturdy box with styro peanuts. When it arrived I unwrapped it and saw that the tang was bent in a semi-circle! I then examined the end of the box and could see where the tang had broken through. Dang! I photographed everything, contacted the seller and began the procedure for filing a claim. Then I said "to heck with it" and got out a plastic hammer and a wooden block. Using judicious taps and full-throttle wallops I was able to bend the tang back into place. Lots of test fitting, smacking and refitting but I got her done.

In retrospect, a small block of wood should have been affixed to the tang to protect it from bending and Styrofoam panels should have been placed in the ends of the box to keep it all from shifting. Oh, live and learn. marking the box "fragile" seems only to provoke rough handling.

Love the gun BTW. Seems almost unfired. It might even be as there is no "toasting" of the wood near the nipple. Gonna try .58 maxis and .775611 minies in it. Should be fun.

[Sweetpea]

Packing peanuts are not the way to ship something like that...

Sounds like it is more on the Sellers end, than usps.

[johnson1942]

ship fedex next time, they have a much better record with guns.

[M Hicks]

At least she is up and running. Definetly a lesson learned.

[375RUGER]

The only sure fire way to prevent any carrier's dock worker from throwing, yes throwing, your packages out of the truck and onto the conveyor or buggy is to make it so heavy that they can't throw it.
The best way to prevent damage to your package contents is to pack them correctly in the first place.

[triggerhappy243]

the wood block on the tang is the way I would have packed and shipped. probably would have done both ends that way.

[omgb]

I knew when I felt horizontal movement in the box that something was amiss. I'm going to buy another gun from this man so we both will apply what was learned here.

[oldracer]

I am surprised to hear it was shipped USPS? I was under the impression that UPS ground was the only way to legally ship a gun, no matter what type although M/Ls are not a FFL item in most places. If it were me I would have asked to have it shipped in one piece, which is how I have bought guns and sold guns and tends to be safer in the long run. I use rigid foam, cut to fit around the rifle and have pocket(s) for any extra stuff such as mold or sights, etc and then double wrap with cardboard.

I sold a Sharps with a long 6x scope and when the user got it, the next day went to the range and it was still zeroed at 100 yards as the last time I shot it!

[bubba.50]

no matter the company of origin every hawken type rifle I've seen had a hooked breech so, why was the tang even removed from the stock?

[enfieldphile]

A muzzle, tang, etc can become a projectile, unless positively blocked by a flat stop.

Rifles should be removed from stocks for two reasons. 1. less chance of damage 2. Not easily identifiable as a rifle, remember, there are anti's in the shipping industry looking for a rifle to smash.

Furniture stores toss out a closed-cell insulation 1000% better then bubble wrap; just ask and they will let you take it away. When you think the package is packed "good enough", add more packing material! Don't be stingy w/ tape and also use nylon reinforced tape also.

Here's how a fellow shipped me a rare, 30X Unertl. Even a USPS, UPS or FedEx gorilla would have a rough time breaking this one! :wink:

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q228/ultramag44/Unertltubemailer_zps58481291.jpg

[omgb]

You can shop any ML to CA via USPS. Only NJ and NYC have an issue with AFAIK. I had him break the gun down to try and prevent the gorillas from breaking the stock at the wrist. Thats a problem Ive seen lots of time. Lastly, on muskets and lots of Italian BP guns the tang and barrel are one piece.

[omgb]

Ship not shop

[starmac]

Even a new one is broke down to ship, at least mine was. Every muzzle loader I have ever ha shipped was broken down, it is just easier and cheaper to ship.
Iirc, ir read last year that, there is 9 states that you can't direct mail a muzzle loader too.

[omgb]

Figures, I only knew of the two. I've never bought a ML that wasn't shipped broken down. I have seen very expensive shotguns broken at the wrist and they all had one thing in common...they were shipped assembled.

[omgb]

Anyway, it's fixed and Friday, I'm gonna shoot it. I've got some Lyman .577611 Minnie's that I intend to put on top of 120 grains of 3Fg after that I'm gonna try some 58 maxi balls and the same charge.

[Petrol & Powder]

I've made small wooden crates for expensive items and then placed those crates inside a regular cardboard box for shipping. The large PVC pipe with the screw on plug in a prior post is another good example of a rigid shipping container. I can usually prevent damage from shock by using the correct filler but preventing crush damage requires a bit more effort.

[swathdiver]

Breaking down long guns usually cuts down shipping costs. Bubble wrap the ends and it's ok to use peanuts but enough so that nothing moves in the box. Depending on the type, we try to have 2" of packing material around the bubble wrap all the way around. Locks are bubble wrapped too. We use 2 or 3 shipping labels to deter internal (from shippers) theft.

[doc1876]

I am surprised to hear it was shipped USPS? I was under the impression that UPS ground was the only way to legally ship a gun, no matter what type although M/Ls are not a FFL item in most places. If it were me I would have asked to have it shipped in one piece, which is how I have bought guns and sold guns and tends to be safer in the long run. I use rigid foam, cut to fit around the rifle and have pocket(s) for any extra stuff such as mold or sights, etc and then double wrap with cardboard.

I sold a Sharps with a long 6x scope and when the user got it, the next day went to the range and it was still zeroed at 100 yards as the last time I shot it!


You can ship any long gun via USPS, www.usps.com/ship/prepare-domestic-shipments.htm . I just shipped a .308 Remington Sniper, and a 12 ga sotgun to Germany. You just have to follow the rules.You can not ,however, ship any pistol. Now really the law is really slippery as far as muzzle loading pistols. If you break it down, and write on the box "Machine Parts" it becomes a different animal.

[John Taylor]

[QUOTE=oldracer;2739543]I am surprised to hear it was shipped USPS? I was under the impression that UPS ground was the only way to legally ship a gun, no matter what type although M/Ls are not a FFL item in most places. QUOTE.

You can ship any gun you can legally own through the post office except hand guns need to go between dealers or law enforcement. I had one post master tell me I could not ship guns and I sent off a letter to the post master general with a complaint and straitened her out.

[pietro]

Iirc, ir read last year that, there is 9 states that you can't direct mail a muzzle loader too.




FWIW, it's entirely legal to ship oir mail an unloaded muzzleloader anywhere in the US - it may or may not be legal to receive one (depending upon the local/state laws of the recipient).

It's the onus of every buyer to know, observe, & obey the laws, where they legally reside.

Seller's should likewise abide by the laws, where they legally reside.

Differences should be resolved between buyer & seller prior to any sale/shipment/mailing.

When mailing a firearm via USPS, the sender should keep in mind: Even a fish wouldn't get into trouble, if it would only keep it's big mouth shut.

There is NO legal obligation to divulge the contents of any USPS parcel to a Postal Clerk (or anyone else, for that matter), beyond truthfully answering the 5 questions every P.O.Clerk is duty-bound to ask, regarding mailability - "Are the contents fragile, expolsive, perishable, liquid, or flammable ? "



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