USPS claims....YEAH RIGHT

[GRUMPA]

A couple of months ago a package I sent out somehow????? got lost. How anything with a bar code gets lost is something that I have a hard time understanding. Anyway I got in touch with the local Post Master and he explained to me what I had to do, sounded simple enough.

So I called and got the forms I needed and they arrived within a week, filed them out and sent off the letter thinking everything was just fine.

Much to my surprise it was denied stating it contained prohibited items.

Now a lot of folks here know what I do, and as far as I can tell an empty case is far from a prohibited item. Even on the forms they sent I was very specific with the description stating they were 35Rem, 30Rem, 25Rem, 45ACP Shot Shell cases that they lost.

Now I need to write these clowns and try to explain to the ignorant that a dictionary my be required to understand the entire meaning of what an object truly is.

Wonder what kind of run-around they'll try next.

OK RANT OFF......

[merlin101]

Maybe you should list them as custom machined brass parts.
Shouldn't have to but....

[shoot-n-lead]

Well, send'em UPS, next time.

If ya don't like the USPS...use somebody else. It ain't rocket science.

I love the service I get, at the price I pay, from USPS.

[GRUMPA]

Well, send'em UPS, next time.

If ya don't like the USPS...use somebody else. It ain't rocket science.

I love the service I get, at the price I pay, from USPS.

Rocket Science aside....it comes down to economics.

USPS= 1 1/2hr round trip

UPS= 2 1/2hr round trip

[Smoke4320]

I totally understand .. it will boggle your mind at the stupidity sometimes..
I sent a MG42 Tripod to Florida Via Fed Ex ..

A few days later I get an exception notice from a hub the box is too damaged to deliver to next hub so they reboxed and sent on .. they called customer to come pickup at hub ..
he gets it and its damaged ..
I file claim wait about a month and it gets denied ..
Guess why .. we can't produce the original box

Now keep in mind I have email stating they reboxed it ..
I fought with those idiots for a year before they quit returning my emails or phone calls

[dragon813gt]

Unloaded brass cartridges are not a prohibited item. It's not loaded ammo. I have had no luck w/ USPS claims. After a box, of 9mm brass, got delivered w/ a red stamp saying "delivered w/out contents" I stopped using them. This was during the height of the Sandy Hook panic and the pics show that an employee relived the box of it's contents.

For anything I care about I pay up and use UPS. The few claims I've had w/ them were resolved quickly.

[Yodogsandman]

I had similar results from USPS when they lost a package. My customer didn't receive it and it's been 6 months waiting to just be reimbursed for shipping. Because it was only sent 1st class, they won't reimburse for the package contents. It was sent in a bubble envelope with a bar coded pre-printed label. I placed it in the blue mail box on a Sunday. They never did scan it! The postmaster says they don't have to scan items for tracking unless I stand in line and wait for the clerks to scan them in. I'm paying for tracking! So, how do they figure that it's not their job to scan items from the blue collection boxes?

[Hick]

At least you get one set of answers. I'm tracking a package I sent Monday and I have two DIFFERENT USPS tracking messages for the same box. One message says it is undeliverable in Orange County CA because the address does not exist, the other says it is out for delivery today to the correct Lakeview MI address. (I'm hoping the second is correct, because that's where it should be).

[Hannibal]

I suspect this has more to do with the moron reading your claim who is employed by the USPS that the actual policy of the USPS, but please keep us informed as to how this plays out. They're goin' broke for a reason, after all. And a retirement program ain't all of it.

[Handloader109]

Well UPS can be as bad. My only claim was denied as poor packaging. Not really poor, but how can you argue that when you don't use original packaging? You can't.... Oh well.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Rocket Science aside....it comes down to economics.

USPS= 1 1/2hr round trip

UPS= 2 1/2hr round trip


Run around by other shipper....ENDLESS


Robert

[GRUMPA]

Well I've been doing some searching and I'm wondering if I have a leg to stand on.

Here's the Prohibited items that can't be shipped via USPS: http://about.usps.com/publications/pub141/standard-prohibited-and-restricted-items.htm



Alcoholic beverages (e.g., beer, wine, spirits).
APO/FPO/DPO addresses.
Collectible and/or irreplaceable items (any item worth more than its original purchase price or that is not commonly available), including but not limited to antiques, fine art, or collectible coins and stamps.
Bullion.
Collect On Delivery (C.O.D.) shipments.
Human corpses, human organs or body parts, human and animal embryos, or cremated or disinterred human remains.
Explosives and incendiary devices.
Firearms, weaponry, and their parts or ammunition.
Perishable foodstuffs and foods/beverages requiring refrigeration or other environmental control.
Live animals, eggs, larva, live insects, live spiders.
Ivory and endangered animals.
Plants and plant material, including cut flowers.
Cigarettes (including roll-your-own tobacco) and smokeless tobacco products, as defined by applicable Postal Service regulations for domestic or international mail.
Lottery tickets and gambling devices where prohibited by local, state, provincial, or national law.
Money (coins, cash, currency, paper money and negotiable instruments equivalent to cash such as endorsed stocks, bonds and cash letters).
Pornographic and/or obscene material.
Shipments being processed under:
a. Duty drawback claims.
b. Temporary Import Bonds.
c. U.S. State Department licenses.
d. Carnets.
e. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration export permit.
f. Shipments destined to or being withdrawn from a Foreign Trade Zone.
g. Letters of Credit.
h. Certificate of Registration shipments (CF4455).
i. Shipments moving into or out of Foreign Trade Zones or bonded warehouses.
Shipments requiring filing of Electronic Export Information, or EEI (formerly known as Shipper’s Export Declaration, or SED), or any such filing of export data.
Hazardous waste, including, but not limited to, used hypodermic needles or syringes or other medical waste.
Shipments that may cause damage to, or delay of, equipment, personnel, or other shipments.
Shipments that require us to obtain any special license or permit for transportation, importation or exportation.
Shipments or commodities whose carriage, importation or exportation is prohibited by any law, statue or regulation.
Shipments with a declared value for customs in excess of that permitted for a specific destination.
Dangerous goods, hazardous goods or combustible materials as defined by International Air Transport Association, by applicable sea or road transport regulation, or by applicable Postal Service regulations for domestic or international mail, including but not limited to:.
a. Asbestos.
b. Category A infectious substances.
c. Compressed gases, including those that are flammable or those that are nonflammable with an absolute pressure exceeding 40 psi at 70º F or 104 psi at 130º F.
d. Corrosives (liquid or solid).
e. Dry ice (carbon dioxide solid).
f. Flammable materials, including pyrophoric, flammable, or combustible liquids with a closed cup flash point below 200º F; or flammable solids, including matches.
g. Magnetized material with a magnetic field strength of .002 gauss or more at a distance of 7 feet.
h. Poisons, irritants, or controlled substances.
i. Oxidizers.
j. Lithium Batteries
Processed or unprocessed dead animals, including insects and pets.
Drugs/narcotics (illegal) or drug paraphernalia.
Packages that are wet, leaking, or emit an odor of any kind.
Wildlife products that require U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service export clearance prior to exportation from the U.S.


Now look at #8 until you get to the ammunition part.....

Here's the federal definition of ammunition: http://definitions.uslegal.com/a/ammunition/

Ammunition is defined by federal law as cartridge cases, primers, bullets, or propellant powder designed for use in any firearm.

[dragon813gt]

By those definitions, no leg to stand on. It depends on what their definitions actually are. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Most people think ammunition is a loaded round. Most people don't know you can reload. So an empty brass cartridge is just that, an empty cartridge.

[Hannibal]

That #8 line is interesting. I had purchased a pistol which was being shipped from FFL to FFL. Somehow it got the attention of a Federal Postal Inspector who sent it along it's way after running the serial number.

If it was not an allowed item, I wonder why the shipment was allowed to continue in this case?

[GRUMPA]

That #8 line is interesting. I had purchased a pistol which was being shipped from FFL to FFL. Somehow it got the attention of a Federal Postal Inspector who sent it along it's way after running the serial number.

If it was not an allowed item, I wonder why the shipment was allowed to continue in this case?


Who really knows how old those regulations are, for all we know there could be misinterpretation along the way. Let's face the facts, at 1 time it was fine to send things like Firearms via the USPS system, now it seems it isn't.

The regulations could be changing on a daily basis for all we know until we spend the time to do some research on it..

[GRUMPA]

By those definitions, no leg to stand on. It depends on what their definitions actually are. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Most people think ammunition is a loaded round. Most people don't know you can reload. So an empty brass cartridge is just that, an empty cartridge.

I try and not go by what someone elses interpretations are, that's where things get somewhat confusing. The way I read it the way they have it written even empty cases can't be shipped, with the primers removed, and cleaned which mine are, they look better than factory when I get done.

Folks can come up with a weak argument about them not being a Hazmat item and inert, but it's kinda clearly defined as of right now.

[kenyerian]

I have had no luck with claims on anything related to USPS. Right now I am 0 for 2 getting ready to strike out.

[Four-Sixty]

I work for the Air Force as a civilian employee and can attest that I've seen a government employee spend 45 minutes explaining why he can't do something that would take three minutes to do.

[jcwit]

#10 Live animals???

In the spring they still have live chicks arrive for folks that order them.

# 16 I bet Playboy still comes thru the USPS, although I really don't know.

[koehn,jim]

Grumpa instead of taking it to UPS you can call and get a pickup at your place of business. there is a small charge but ,its only a couple of dollars. Its called a 1x pu.

[dragon813gt]

Grumpa instead of taking it to UPS you can call and get a pickup at your place of business. there is a small charge but ,its only a couple of dollars. Its called a 1x pu.

If you knew where he lived you would understand why that isn't an option. I can only imagine what they would charge for a pickup there :laugh:

[captain-03]

The list above is not valid for domestic shipments - it is for certain type global/international shipments ..

Crickets, money, human tissue samples, etc are shipped daily. Most folks do not realize how small town banks gets their cash on community paydays .... much of it goes registered mail through the USPS.

[GRUMPA]

The list above is not valid for domestic shipments - it is for certain type global/international shipments ..

Crickets, money, human tissue samples, etc are shipped daily. Most folks do not realize how small town banks gets their cash on community paydays .... much of it goes registered mail through the USPS.

That statement....and from others it gave me the drive to do even more searching and here's what I found out.

http://pe.usps.com/widgets/hyperlinking/highlighted-viewserver.jsp?url=56.42.178.31%3A9080%2Ftext%2Fpu b52%2Fpub52c3_018.htm&links=AMMUNITION

341.22 Mailable Explosives The following specific types of explosives may be mailed only when the applicable conditions are met. Full responsibility rests with the mailer to comply with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) regulations before mailing.


[a]Toy Propellant Devices. The proper shipping name for a toy propellant device is “model rocket motor�? or “igniters.�? A toy propellant device assigned UN0454 or NA0323 and classed as a Division 1.4S explosive is eligible for mailing in domestic mail via surface transportation only when prior written permission has been obtained from the manager, Product Classification, USPS Headquarters, Washington, DC. A device approved for mailing is subject to the following conditions:

Each device must be ignitable by electrical means only; contain no more than 30 g (1.07 oz) of propellant; and produce less than 80 newton seconds of total impulse with thrust duration not less than 0.050 second.
Each device must be constructed so that all chemical ingredients are preloaded into a cylindrical paper or similarly constructed nonmetallic tube that does not fragment into sharp, hard pieces; must be designed so that it will not burst under normal conditions of use; must be incapable of spontaneous ignition under 500° F; and must not contain any type of explosive or pyrotechnic warhead other than a small, activation–charge, parachute–recovery system.
Each mailpiece containing approved devices must be prepared for mailing following Packaging Instruction 1A in Appendix C (http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_001.htm#ep999476). A shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods is required.


[b]Safety Fuses (UN0105). Safety fuses consist of a core of black powder over–spun with yarns, waterproofing compounds, and/or tapes. Safety fuses assigned UN0105 as a Division 1.4S explosive may be mailed in domestic mail via surface transportation only when prior written approval has been granted by the manager, Product Classification, USPS Headquarters, Washington, DC. Mailable safety fuses must be prepared using Packaging Instruction 1B in Appendix C (http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_001.htm#ep999476). A shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods is required.
[c]Shotgun Hulls, Empty Casings, Nonmetallic Shotgun Hulls, or Casings Without Primers. These articles are not classified as explosives or hazardous materials under 49 CFR and, therefore, are mailable subject to the applicable mailing rules (see 227 (http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c2_013.htm#ep772955)).


So in the end according to:
341.22 Mailable Explosives
[c]Shotgun Hulls, Empty Casings, Nonmetallic Shotgun Hulls, or Casings [/I]Without Primers. These articles are not classified as explosives or hazardous materials under 49 CFR and, therefore, are mailable subject to the applicable mailing rules (see 227 (http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c2_013.htm#ep772955)).

It's perfectly fine to ship empty brass cases via USPS just fine.

I hope this gets logged in memory for folks that wonder if they can ship spent brass cases through USPS. Just make a copy of this and show them that according to there own rules it's just fine....

[Skunk1]

USPS, ups, FedEx. It doesn't matter which you send through. All make mistakes, lose items or damage them. I get trailers at my work from all. You'd be surprised to know that USPS has the least amount of produst on the floor. Maybe it's in their warehouse but it's not laying in some random trailer floor at some comapanies dock. Although I've never dealt with there insurance, I'm sure the other companies may be easier to deal with.

[leeggen]

I have sent a couple usps packages of cases to another on here and seems to go ok. Of course I wrap the baggy with gorilla tape then insert into usps box. Guess they just don't want to try and cut nor unwrap gor. tape.
CD

[Down South]

I'll start a thread on this one after Christmas just because I need to. I ordered 5-$75 gift cards from Academy on the 5th of December for Christmas presents. I tracked them all the way to the Houston drop off where they would have went out for delivery. Academy was a bit slow in shipping, they arrived at the at the FedeEx in Houston that would put them on the truck for delivery on the 12th.
I got a Monday delivery date for the 14th on tracking. Monday came and went and the delivery date changed to "No scheduled delivery date at this time".
I needed the cards for the 18th. We had Christmas today the 20th. I still get the same tracking message.
I called Academy and requested a refund and they told me that they would turn it over to their administrative department and that I would be contacted within 3 days.

We will see how it goes. My guess, Someone at Houston FedEx pocketed the cards.

I'm curious to see how this winds out. If Academy eats it or I do?

Update. I contacted Academy over a week ago. They were supposed to contact me within three days. No word yet. I paid with PayPal and filed a complaint through them this evening.

[salpal48]

People have not learned yet. Sending anything other than mail. Is almost a wast of time. The flat rate service is Ok. anything Larger Or Heavy . Is a mess.
The next time a PO driver comes to Your House look in the back of his truck. all packages tossed in . No rime or Reason. look in a Fedex Truck . most packages are on Racks. or piled up and Organized. people @ the PO are Bunglers. The drivers , Drive and Deliver. Loader @ the larger PO's. . Just Chuck it. where it land , how it lands , who cares. They can't be Fired. Again No accountability
Insurance is a waste of money. No accountability
a waste Of Taxpayer Money.

[Geraldo]

Looking at the prohibited list I think this is the summary:

1-Anything that will gum up the works, blow up, mess up other mail, etc.
2-Anything USPS doesn't want to pay for if it gets lost or stolen.

[Fergie]

I shipped out an item to a member here and when he got it, the box was partially destroyed and part missing. He sent me some photos, I filed a claim, and whatdoyouknow, USPS paid the full claim amount...$50, if I recall.

I made good with the buyer since he was out some very hard to find parts, but he was surprised that USPS paid...I was too.

FedEx has lost rock rails for my Jeep and broke an intake manifold in half with no redress whatsoever.

Folks just don't give a damn.

[Hickory]

I have found, that if you really really want it to get there, put it in a medium weight wooden box with both addresses on it. Wrap it with cardboard, with both addresses on it. Wrap with clear packaging tape with enough area exposed for postage. Then give another layer of packaging tape.
After many years of using this method, it has never failed me.

[rockrat]

I send a guy 10 lbs of #10 shot once. two pounds made it. Guy at the PO was nice and went out of his way. USPS did pay the claim. Bet that made one heck of a mess when it broke open.

Got a box delivered today, side ripped open. Thank goodness the fellow that packed it did a very good job as nothing lost.

[Down South]

Ordered a Mec 9000G from a member. USPS tore the box loosing parts. The member made good on the replacement parts.
Good tape is your friend.
I tape everything that I ship well especially corners and seams.

[GRUMPA]

Just an update:

Although they denied my first claim, i wrote a letter to them back in the beginning of this month stating that there denial that sending cases were perfectly fine according to there own rules. I still haven't heard anything back from them yet, but I figure it's the typical gubment BS of hurry up and wait.

I received a PM from the member that the package was originally intended for stating he just received the package.....AFTER 2 months.

Now.....a few things all of a sudden went through my brain. Just how many people that you know of in this day and age are that honest, full of integrity, and have those types of values?

I guess if for some reason the USPS sends me a refund on what they supposedly lost, I'll have to send it back. After having to file claims, being denied just compensation, time involved, it would only be the right thing to do.....if it happens..

I do admire the members here for being full of pride....

[Hannibal]

Don't know who the member was, but good on him/her. As you said, honest folks are hard to find these days.

[Down South]

I'd do the same. I'd tell you if my order finally came in even though way late due to USPS failure.
If I recieved compensation from USPS for the lost order, I'd send it back but that's just me.

[GRUMPA]

I will say this: Even though the persons order was lost, I made a replacement order and sent it off back at the latter part of Nov last year. The only person that was out anything was me, but the member made the effort to let me know he finally received the original order...

[Hannibal]

Hmmmm . . . so now the member has double what he/she asked for, but for the price of half that. Yet they waited for an extraordinary amount of time for the first order, which was presumed lost . . . .

Sometimes, no one wins.

[doc1876]

I sold some gun parts to a member here, in Montana. They got caught up in a loop for over a week they went back and forth between Iowa and Kansas city. The post mistress in Montana had to fix it because she was " the receiving end " ??? Dumbest stuff I ever heard.

[mold maker]

I had a similar experience, having the first package lost for over a month at USPS hub. Claim filed and replacement shipment sent, which was delivered in less than a week. Guess what showed up 5 1/2 weeks late. That was 134# of WWs in ingots and $29.+ in shipping, for $65.
How do people make money shipping USPS?

[DoubleAdobe]

Grumpa, I feel your pain. I got a letter from IRS this week politely letting me know that they had not received my federal return from last year and the good news was that I had a credit of 380 something dollars. So, evidently, they somehow managed to lose or delete my return but were rather confused that I had paid them the 380 something bucks that I owed them. It was a kind of form letter thing with multiple options, one was if I thought if they were in error to send them a copy, again. I was and remain in awe of this situation, so have sympathy for your dealings with .gov as well. I think the answer might be that you can't get there from here.

[SSGOldfart]

A couple of months ago a package I sent out somehow????? got lost. How anything with a bar code gets lost is something that I have a hard time understanding. Anyway I got in touch with the local Post Master and he explained to me what I had to do, sounded simple enough.

So I called and got the forms I needed and they arrived within a week, filed them out and sent off the letter thinking everything was just fine.

Much to my surprise it was denied stating it contained prohibited items.

Now a lot of folks here know what I do, and as far as I can tell an empty case is far from a prohibited item. Even on the forms they sent I was very specific with the description stating they were 35Rem, 30Rem, 25Rem, 45ACP Shot Shell cases that they lost.

Now I need to write these clowns and try to explain to the ignorant that a dictionary my be required to understand the entire meaning of what an object truly is.

Wonder what kind of run-around they'll try next.

OK RANT OFF......
Good Luck I've lost a couple and never got a claim paid you might try sending pictures to explain what a empty case is
Good luck again