Confession of a lesson learned

[Jim]

I'd like to share a story with the membership in hopes it will keep others out of making the serious mistake I almost made.

Recently, I recieved a wonderful gift of a brand new chrony and posted about it. An overseas member sent me a PM that he had and would send me a small piece of bank window ballistic glass to place in front of the chrony so I wouldn't blow it up with an errant shot.

The glass arrived yesterday and I saw that the shipper paid good money to ship this. I was very impressed with his generosity toward me and wanted to return the favor if possible and told him this.

He expressed an interest in obtaining some Brownell's Belgian Bluing solution as it could not be imported into his country. Without thinking, I blurted out "Hey, no problem! I'm on it!"

I have a friend that has a commercial account with Brownell's. I wrote to him and asked if he could order the solution and drop ship it to me at his price and I would repay him. I would then package it really well and ship it to my overseas friend.

I received a very good education on why the solution is prohibited from overseas shipping. Not only is it extremely flammable, it creates a permanent stain. At 35,000 ft., the air pressure is low enough to possibly cause the container to rupture in the unpressurized cargo hold of an aircraft. Nevermind the stains it might create, the fire hazard is enough by itself to prohibit shipping this solution.

I had to write my overseas friend and apologize and beg forgiveness with a mouthful of 'crow'. I spoke without thinking and made myself look like a fool. I should have instantly understood why he said he couldn't get it in his country.

The moral of this story? Don't make a promise until you KNOW you can fulfill it. And don't even THINK about violating shipping laws, especially export laws.

I not only feel bad that I told my friend I'd do this for him and then had to renig, I feel stupid for not thinking this through first.

Stupid is as stupid does. I guess I need to heed the advice in my signature.

[Harter66]

Don't sweat it ,you're probably the 1st guy to make a mistake like that in the last 10 minutes or so.

It's more likely customs would have caught it and impounded it than a transportation rupture.

[300savage]

Can you not ship it by boat and truck?

[WILCO]

Glad you figured it out Jim. Thanks for sharing. We all learned something new today.

[SciFiJim]

Can you not ship it by boat and truck?

I would love to be able to figure out how to ship by boat and truck to ALASKA or HAWAII without breaking the bank. I have had cause to wish to ship primers and powder to both, but can not because of the expense. It would be cheaper to fly the friend with his guns to here and and reload for and shoot them to ship 1k primers to either.

I haven't looked into it, but shipping to Europe by surface surely would not be cheaper.

It is just not cost effective to ship less than a full connex box of stuff by surface.

[Dennis Eugene]

I just have my powder shipped to one of the barge outfits in seattle then they barge it to me fairly cheap. It's easy and not very expensive. Dennis

[SciFiJim]

I just have my powder shipped to one of the barge outfits in seattle then they barge it to me fairly cheap. It's easy and not very expensive. Dennis

Care to share a name or website? Good service is always appreciated. I am in Washington a couple of times a year and could drop off what I need shipped.

[smokemjoe]

This is off sub. somewhat, Got a shipping tag to return gun back to Kimber. Dropped it of at UPS yesterday, Got just going out the door, guy said whats in the box, I said a pistol, don't work, Then he had a bird, said it has to be opened up and toren down, I said no, I have shipped like this before and that's why its 2 day air on a pistol. Never opened up before, its alright, out the door I went, I figured it would be stopped by that weird 0, checked the shipping No. and its on it way out of this town. I have shipped to Canada and overseas and never no troubles by mail.Next time its a box of cheese. Joe

[Dennis Eugene]

I use Aml ( Alaska Marine Lines. www.shipaml.com 1-800-950-4265) the other local one is Northland Services but don't know there web addy off hand. Dennis

[JeffinNZ]

It's more likely customs would have caught it and impounded it than a transportation rupture.

It's unlikely it would have been stopped. Unless the description states flammable etc it would have gotten through. Customs couldn't catch a cold in my experience.

[Cap'n Morgan]

I once had Cabela's refusing to ship a stick of bowstring wax. That one had me scratching my head...

[41 mag fan]

I can read it in the Floyd newspaper now....

Local man surrounded by FBI, NSA, Secret Service, CIA, Federal Marshals, and local and state police.

The house of Jim Connor was surrounded this morning by Swat teams of all branches of law enforcement. Jim Connor, age unknown, was arrested today for trying to ship a brown bottle of stain overseas.

Local customs came into receipt of unknown staining substance while doing a routine check of outgoing parcels.
After alerting officials, federal and state agencies determined Jim Connor to be a hazardous and credible threat. With a warrant to proceed, all federal and state and local agencies, surrounded the residence of Jim and Janet Connor.

Expecting a violent criminal and possible shootout with authorities, federal officials, had F16 fighter covering the airspace while attack drones armed with missles, were flying overhead the residence.
Jim and Janet Connor gave themselves up peacefully according to federal investigators.

Upon further investigations of the Connor residence, federal authorities discovered 2 boxes, they deemed credible evidence. Floyds eye on the sky,was told by investigators one box contained a large sum of mexican pesos, free and discounted meal tickets and clippings of local mexican restaurant robberies that have been happening in a 3 county area over the last few months.

The other box contained pieces of glass that federal authorities are doing forensics on. Local paper clippings with the glass, shows how the recent courthouse window shooter has police baffled.

Jim Connor is being held without bail at an undisclosed location, while Janet Connor and the cats and dogs in the house are being interrogated by federal officials at this time.


Boy Jim....you really know how to start a ruckus up...don't ya!!!!

[Quigley]

Mr Conner attempted to explain the souce of the problem as a mailing snafu and was was due to be released on his own recognisance til one of the Marshalls discovered a Replublican voting registration and correspondance addressed from the local tea party. Services will be conducted this Friday at the Shotwell Funeral Home

[Freightman]

Not funny! my neighbor is from Africa and has lived next to me for 25 years. I look out and there is FBI,homeland security, highway patrol, sheriff dept throwing stuff out of the house. Well it was all over some coffee beans his sister shipped to him from Africa because it was his 50th birthday, they confiscated it arrested him and destroyed some furniture all over some coffee beans. Accused him of being a terrorist, and plotting to blow up the hospital he is employed at and has been for 30 years.
Found out they were wrong, didn't apologies, or return his property, and didn't offer to pay for the damages.He has been a citizen of the USA for 30+ years
Overzealous law enforcement.

[km101]

And the London Daily Mail headline: "Colonists sending Terror Packages Thru the Royal Mail"! "A terror attack by a colonial in the former colony of Virginia was foiled by Customs at Heathrow when a package containing an explosive material"...............and so on.

[Gator 45/70]

We once threw a couple of watermelon's in the back floor board of our helicopter, Needless to say at about 1000 ft. these baby's started spraying watermelon juice all over us. Had the pilot drop down to 500ft. and we had cold watermelon the next day !

[TXGunNut]

Not funny! my neighbor is from Africa and has lived next to me for 25 years. I look out and there is FBI,homeland security, highway patrol, sheriff dept throwing stuff out of the house. Well it was all over some coffee beans his sister shipped to him from Africa because it was his 50th birthday, they confiscated it arrested him and destroyed some furniture all over some coffee beans. Accused him of being a terrorist, and plotting to blow up the hospital he is employed at and has been for 30 years.
Found out they were wrong, didn't apologies, or return his property, and didn't offer to pay for the damages.He has been a citizen of the USA for 30+ years
Overzealous law enforcement.

Odd. Read a story once about an airport dog alerting on coffee because smugglers use it to cover the smell of drugs. I'd sure like to see the affidavit used to secure that warrant.

[41 mag fan]

Odd. Read a story once about an airport dog alerting on coffee because smugglers use it to cover the smell of drugs. I'd sure like to see the affidavit used to secure that warrant.

You know the sad part of all this Tx is there is people and lots of them out in this world ,like I'm betting this guy from Africa is, whose just here to make the best out of his life, not here to hurt or kill people. But when authorities, do this to the good people, with no apologies or restitution of the destroyed item, it makes a person start to hate. This is one instance where the authorities need to investigate with care and not destroy personal belongings, because they were wrong.

[scottiemom]

[QUOTE=41 mag fan;2242210]I can read it in the Floyd newspaper now....

Local man surrounded by FBI, NSA, Secret Service, CIA, Federal Marshals, and local and state police.

The house of Jim Connor was surrounded this morning by Swat teams of all branches of law enforcement. Jim Connor, age unknown, was arrested today for trying to ship a brown bottle of stain overseas.

I don't know anything about this...honest...it isn't mine. I am innocent. they did find Mr. Bill trying to bury the evidence however. He is now being held as an accessory to the fact.

[41 mag fan]

[QUOTE=scottiemom;2242763]

I can read it in the Floyd newspaper now....

Local man surrounded by FBI, NSA, Secret Service, CIA, Federal Marshals, and local and state police.

The house of Jim Connor was surrounded this morning by Swat teams of all branches of law enforcement. Jim Connor, age unknown, was arrested today for trying to ship a brown bottle of stain overseas.

I don't know anything about this...honest...it isn't mine. I am innocent. they did find Mr. Bill trying to bury the evidence however. He is now being held as an accessory to the fact.

HAHAHAHA...good one Janet!! I knew that ole Jim was sneaky and training Mr. Bill to so some shady shananigans!!